I have a couple of old 7100 and 7200 units gathering dust. I've gotten permission to evaluate them for disposal, and I was wondering if it is worth my time to pull anything besides the SCSI drives out of them. I did some research and saw that these are not the most desirable machines due to the NUBUS expansion and various other factors. Is it worth the time and effort to pull the CD ROM, the floppy drive, or anything else out?
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PowerMac 7100 and 7200
- Thread starter Iamanamma
- Start date
Personally, I'd skip the floppy drives since those are still cheap and plentiful. I want to say the same manual inject drive (not necessarily the same model number, but a compatible version) was used all the way up to the Beige G3s so there are plenty of machines to use for replacements. SCSI CD-ROMs seem to be getting a little bit thinner on the ground so if they're working and you have the space, might not be a bad idea to save those. I'd be surprised if the hard drives are still working if we're talking about machines that were in storage and not in active use since they're almost certainly Quantums. RAM from both machines is still available for sale and reasonably cheap, but if any of the machines has a high amount installed, again it wouldn't be a bad idea to save that. Apart from those things, and any interesting add on cards (if they have them) not really anything special/worthwhile to save.
Well, they're undesirable unless you happen to have a Nubus card you want to use, or are just interested in this (brief, transitional) period of Apple's history.
I paid 200 euros for a 7100 off eBay for a project (vintage ProTools music setup) just a few months ago and I'm very happy with it. Are there more people like me? I don't know, but I'd say all the things you talk about are the least desirable. SCSI CD-ROM drives aren't rare, for HDs I'd much use a SCSI2SD anyway. It's the computers themselves that should be salvaged. I'm sure there's someone who wants them.
I paid 200 euros for a 7100 off eBay for a project (vintage ProTools music setup) just a few months ago and I'm very happy with it. Are there more people like me? I don't know, but I'd say all the things you talk about are the least desirable. SCSI CD-ROM drives aren't rare, for HDs I'd much use a SCSI2SD anyway. It's the computers themselves that should be salvaged. I'm sure there's someone who wants them.
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I mean, I'm kind of half-looking for a nubus powermac at the moment, but I'm in the UK, so probably not your target. Throwing them away would seem a shame, though.
I've installed SCSI2SDs in my IIsi and IIci dependent machines. They aren't without their own hiccups and issues. I've had a very difficult time Getting SCSI2SD to work correctly in my G3s, and my G4s don't even want to recognize them. Our Old 7100s and 7200s don't really have anything interesting installed. I think the video cards were standard. Knowing how difficult it is to find NUBUS cards, I'm not sure too many people would be interested in taking on a machine that doesn't have any "oomph" installed. I mean, the installed AAUI interface is only good for 10BaseT. To do better, you need a NUBUS card. The weight makes them unattractive for shipping. We have a good recycling program in my part of Ohio, so they wouldn't end up in landfill. I've checked ebay, the ones up for sale aren't selling. I've searched the forums here and the consensus seems to be "don't bother unless it free or nearly free." These are not my personal machines, and my bosses won't permit me to use company time to give them away free.
I agree, it would be best to send whole machines on to a new home, but it sounds like this could be a workplace environment where that might not be possible.
As far as 7100s go, I've seen more than a few decent condition machines with starting bids around $50 and reasonable shipping that ended up unsold. Of course, if you've got a lot of specialty Nubus cards the speed boost of a 7100 over say some flavor of Quadra is going to be quite noticeable. Personally, I just never got the appeal for what were clearly stopgap machines (x100 series PowerMacs) since I think at that point Apple knew Nubus was dead but hadn't gotten PCI machines ready yet.
As far as 7100s go, I've seen more than a few decent condition machines with starting bids around $50 and reasonable shipping that ended up unsold. Of course, if you've got a lot of specialty Nubus cards the speed boost of a 7100 over say some flavor of Quadra is going to be quite noticeable. Personally, I just never got the appeal for what were clearly stopgap machines (x100 series PowerMacs) since I think at that point Apple knew Nubus was dead but hadn't gotten PCI machines ready yet.
Probably not, honestly; but I was more using myself as an example. Don't know. I'm tired and unhelpful, sorry
I'd be interested if any of the 7100s' chassis plastics are in good shape, especially if there's a tray-load CD bezel in the mix. If any of the case plastics are un-yellowed I'd be interested, generally.
I want to say @Cory5412 was looking for the HPV/PDS video cards with socketed VRAM, but if I'm wrong, apologies for the tag, Cory. According to the Apple memguide the "standard" card is the socketed VRAM version, and the higher, AV card is soldered.
Also, if any of the 7200s are the 120 MHz versions, those might be worth saving, generally.
I want to say @Cory5412 was looking for the HPV/PDS video cards with socketed VRAM, but if I'm wrong, apologies for the tag, Cory. According to the Apple memguide the "standard" card is the socketed VRAM version, and the higher, AV card is soldered.
Also, if any of the 7200s are the 120 MHz versions, those might be worth saving, generally.
Okay, help me out and describe exactly what you are looking for. Not sure what HPV means, and the removable Video Card in the 7100 I opened up has a VGA connector on it. It also has what looks to be a DVI connector built onto the motherboard. I'll have to get the 7200 out and see what exactly it is.
No, they're pretty discolored. It's VERY noticeable since a large part of the cover appears to be powder coated steel.
Yeah, that's the HDI-45 connector for the AudioVision monitors
The APPLE specific video card should have the standard DA-15 "Macintosh" video connector on it, from what I've been able to see:
Bummer
Well, if there's a tray load CD bezel in there, I'd be interested in that. Maybe I'll retrobrite it, IDK.
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If you have a card with a VGA connector on it, it might be a NuBus card, and, there are people who would be more interested in that than I am, but if you've got a photo of it or if you can find some text off of it, I'm interested in seeing what it is.
As a heads up, I am pretty budget-limited at the moment, so it also depends on what you/your workplace wants for stuff, if someone shows up with money faster than I do, definitely sell to them, etc etc.
As a heads up, I am pretty budget-limited at the moment, so it also depends on what you/your workplace wants for stuff, if someone shows up with money faster than I do, definitely sell to them, etc etc.
I think the reason for a VGA port on these cards is when you install a G3 upgrade in the PDS slot with the PDS video extension ribbon (the card mounts upside down on a bracket), the standard Mac DB15 connector is almost blocked. I'm using the Apple HPV card on a G4 equipped PowerMac 7100, but with a monitor adapter ground down on one side to fit.
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