Rosen Flea Market IIfx Restoration

[Fizzbinn]

Looks like you could get the cable (and an adaptor for the their Floppy EMU) from BMOW for $17: (although looks like its currently out of stock...)

https://www.bigmessowires.com/shop/product/db-19-adapter-and-extension-cable/

I think I have an extra Asante NuBus Ethernet card you could have for shipping, I'll look when I get home.

 

[LaPorta]

That is generous of you! I’ll check on their cables. I Suppose all I need is the connectors to make it (here we go looking on Mouser again)...

 

[Fizzbinn]

No biggie, I'm picking up multiple extras of some stuff in bundled eBay auctions, I should probably see what else I have and post it...

It's actually a Farallon 590a-TP, I just tested it in a Iici with System 7.5.3 (that actually already has the same card), seems to work fine. Not sure if how far back it is supported System wise. One of the chips says 1992, so maybe not System 6? Anybody know? @LaPorta IM me if you think it will work for what you have in mind for this IIfx.

 

[LaPorta]

That's perfect! Thank you for that, I really appreciate it. Much easier to get on my network!

 

[LaPorta]

It doesn’t get more coincidental than this: I remembered, over twenty years ago, getting some black Apple SCSI thing from

somewhere, not knowing what it was, and putting it in a drawer. Sure enough, I was in the drawer today and look what pops out:



The terminator has been in my drawer all those years, waiting for a IIfx to be paired with. I didn’t even know what it was before I started looking into these machines.

 

[trag]

Nice bit of serendipity...

 

[LaPorta]

Just waiting now for the NuBus card fir Ethernet and I’ll be in good shape.

 

[LaPorta]

Received the Ethernet card from Fizzbinn yesterday (thank you!), and I was able to move the 20 part image installation of 7.5.3 onto it and install. It’s impressive just how fast and responsive this thing is with 7.5.3 for an old machine. It really was optimized to be very, very powerful for its time.

Anyone have suggestions for period software that will take advantage of the hardware optimizations of the IIfx?

 

[ktkm]

Anyone have suggestions for period software that will take advantage of the hardware optimizations of the IIfx?

Sounds interesting! I’m currently testing different graphics/music software with system 6.0.7, 7.1, 7.5.3 and 7.6.1.

 

[LaPorta]

It was pretty fun playing some Hellcats on there. Runs pretty snappy!

 

[mattsoft]

I have a IIfx board with issues too. It won't soft power (will check R4 out for sure) but does chime when I jump start it. However, all I get is a black screen from both Apple video cards I have.  Will need to connect a floppy drive to see if it's even trying to boot or not.

R4 on my board looks OK. Anyone know what the trace is coming out from the middle of R4 (in this photo) and running up to the left of R4 and R3 (again, this photo)? It looks like the trace my be rotten just let of R3 but I cannot figure out for each end terminates. Need a schematic for the IIfx or something.

 

[mattsoft]

I have a IIfx board with issues too. It won't soft power (will check R4 out for sure) but does chime when I jump start it. However, all I get is a black screen from both Apple video cards I have.  Will need to connect a floppy drive to see if it's even trying to boot or not.

R4 on my board looks OK. Anyone know what the trace is coming out from the middle of R4 (in this photo) and running up to the left of R4 and R3 (again, this photo)? It looks like the trace my be rotten just let of R3 but I cannot figure out for each end terminates. Need a schematic for the IIfx or something.

On further inspection. UC17 on my IIfx looked suspect. The legs were oxidized and white. So I cleaned them with IPA and then hit each leg with the solder iron to make sure they were connected. Now the IIfx works perfect. So if you have trouble with your IIfx, check the legs on UC17 and make sure they are making contact!