PowerTower Pro Overhaul

[LaPorta]

Well, it’s about time I get to this...

My PT Pro isn’t getting any younger, and I use it a fair amount. It has the following installed:

- 400 MHz G3 card (in place of original 604e)

- FireWire PCI card

- Four port serial card

- Four port USB card

- ATA card

- ATI graphics card (have to see what spec)

- 768 (or so) MB RAM

Drives include:

- x2 CD ROM drives (1 SCSI, 1 ATA)

- Zip drive

- Jaz drive

- HD x 3 (1 ATA, 2 SCSI)

It really is a cool machine, and is my “Swiss army knife”

between other machines and media, with 7.5.5, 8.6, and 9.1 on the various drives.

i want to disassemble it, take out the dust, re-cap the MB, power supply, and a few caps on the G3 card (plus heat sink compound). I also want to lay out the drives and cards in a more logical manner.

First question: anyone happen to have a cap map for the PR Pro so I can order the caps prior to tearing it down?

Second: since I disconnected an old SCSI CD burner and replaced it with the ATA drive, the time from the gray screen and mouse to the actual happy Mac appearing has lengthened tremendously, on the order of a minute or two. I’m not sure what may cause this.

Third: Ill get a screen shot, but when starting in 8.6, once extensions start loading, about two icons load, then the system pauses for a good minute or two, then the graphics refresh, and the next to load is the ATI extension, and then everything proceeds normally. The same ATI extension loads under 9.1 without delay. I do not know if it is that, or an extension trying to load before it. I’ll get screen shots soon.

All suggestions very welcome.

 

[Byrd]

Sounds like a fun restore - I'm planning on doing same with my trusty 9600 once I get through my 7100 restore!

Frankly if it's working and performing well though I wouldn't recap it unless you're getting issues (crashing, boot/bus, sound issues); unless you're a dab hand at resoldering if just creates a greater risk of taking out traces and causing damage to your motherboard.  Being a late 90's machine cap issues were very high in cheap x86 components of the era but I'm yet to find a later PPC Mac that is crying out for cap replacement.

Sounds like the ATA card is causing some delays in boot; check your IDE drives are properly jumpered to master/slave and not relying on cable select, which can reduce detection times.  What brand is the ATA card - if Sonnet there are a few different firmwares you can trial.

JB

 

[LaPorta]

Indeed, I have yet to even find  a trace of capacitor goo or issue with the machine. I was more concerned with the power supply, potentially, but that is working well, too.

I'll look into the ATA order. I'll admit I have zero experience, so expect questions here!

Will also get pictures regarding the startup issue.

 

[trag]

I'm pretty sure the PTP used a standard ATX power supply.  So, unless you're a stickler for original equipment, if the PS goes, I'd buy a nice new Corsair or whatever your favorite flavor is.

I've had a couple of PTP boards on which the PCI arbitration chip stopped working, because the solder joints had weakened.   I think maybe they used too little solder on some of their board assemblies.

 

[LaPorta]

The ATA drives were not configured properly...now they are, and it works a lot better, thank you. I also disassembled it and blew all the dust out. I had to vacuum after because of how much there was!

 

[Byrd]

That's great to hear, LaPorta - it really does take a while to get your head around correctly setting ATA and SCSI in vintage Macs!  Sounds like a good machine.