I'm wondering whether it's possible to revive my SE/30. It died a slow death, making strange and annoying noises through the built-in speaker for quite some time. Start-up became temporamental, requiring several attempts, or leaving the switch 'on' and waiting a while. In the last phases of its demise, the computer booted with a zebra pattern across the entire screen. A reboot would get it going though.

I took it to an authorised Mac dealer but they returned it saying there was nothing they could do. Funny how the machine really went down hill from there. I only managed a couple of boots before the thing finally gave up. Now it does nothing whatsoever, regardless of how long we wait or how many times we try the power switch. No noise, nothing.

Is this se30 truly dead or can it be revived? If there is a solution, what would be involved in getting it going again?

quote:

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Is this se30 truly dead or can it be revived? If there is a solution, what would be involved in getting it going again?

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jt �.
Trash Hauler: call sign: eight-ball
C.O. AC-130H SpecOps 68kMLAAF

http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~shamada/fullmac/repairEng.html

The English is a little fractured here and there (it's a Japanese site), but you can figure it out. Lots of great info there, some of which is also applicable to the SE, and to a lesser extent, the Classic and Classic II.

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The SE/30 has a congenital problem with leaky electrolytic caps that can cause the symptoms you describe. Check out

http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~shamada/fullmac/repairEng.html

The English is a little fractured here and there (it's a Japanese site), but you can figure it out. Lots of great info there, some of which is also applicable to the SE, and to a lesser extent, the Classic and Classic II.

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Edited by - Trash80toG-4 on 10 Mar 2003 23:44:10

I've wasted heaps of buck$$$ on T15 torx wrenches that won't reach or are too fat to get inside the handle (sigh). Does anyone know where I could pick up a wrench that'll do the job? I'm on the Gold Coast in Australia. Dick Smith Electronics had some T15s but I couldn't be sure they would work...

@ catsdorule:
I have a classic that makes a sad chime (like something that you'd expect to hear when the "Wheel of Fortune" stops on the Bankrupt section) and presents a sad little Mac face. Maybe you could give me a tip on getting that little puppy going? The SE/30 does nothing at all though.

@ oldmacman:
Is the "analogue board" the graphics generator (video "card")? I think the problem is worse than that.

@ tomlee59:
This is what I think may be the problem too. I have seen the page you've linked to before. It looks like fixing the problem involves soldering new capacitors onto the board. Scary stuff - I've never soldered anything!

Thanks again everyone.

Another option, buy a T15 driver bit. Get a 1/4 socket a couple of extensions and a rachet.

Or worse case scenario, buy a really long flat blade screwdriver, and grind down the head until it fits.

Buy one, clamp the bent end in a vise, cut off a nice portion of the long end using a file on an angle so that the cut end tapers to a slight point, pound that into a piece of brass tubing hard enough so that the edges bite and it won't twist and give that a try.

Maybe you can find a long "T-Handle" allen wernch and save all the work!

. . . or have somebody weld one of your Torx tips onto a piece of steel rod!

jt �.
Trash Hauler: call sign: eight-ball
C.O. AC-130H SpecOps 68kMLAAF

Most all the functions that a modern video card does, are located on the logic board of the Compact Macs.

The Analog borad is the power supply for the computer, as well as the circuits that controll the monitor itself.

But, if the analog board is fried, you'll get the symptoms you describe. If you are electonically inclined (read: Amateur Engineeer and/or Classic Hacker and Old Coot) you could try to find the componants that are broken, and replace them.

Other optionsa re ripping analog boards out of other SE/30's and late-model SE's.

IMPORTANT:
Go to the web page and look up the page on opening and dischargeing the CRTs in those. You HAVE to discharge it before removing the Analog board, or even working with it, or you'll fry the CRT, yourself, the logic board, and maybe your entire house.

~Marchie

Unplug the unit and let it sit overnight. Then, open it up, and remove the logic board, taking care to observe antistatic protocols to avoid damage. Carefully examine the board to see if there are any telltale signs of corrosion near the capacitors (usually, small silver cylinders) and PRAM battery (another source of conductive gook that can cause problems; you should check it in any case just to make sure it's ok, no matter how new it seems to be). If you see residue of a suspicious kind, get rid of it with a toothbrush and some alcohol. Carefully rinse and dry the area before reassembling.

That's worked for me a couple of times. In other instances, the corrosion actually ate away the PC board traces, and I had to rewire the things. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones!

Let us all know how you make out.

(Btw, the suggestion of the Allen wrench is a very good one, so if you can't find a Torx, that should do the job nicely.)

Good luck!

You can find more on this subject at:

http://www.applefritter.com/thefritter/13/drwebster.html

I agree with most of what the author says, having written the article. :-)

There's power there, for sure, and to replace the analog board you MUST discharge it.

I do not advocate discharging the CRT when changing a motherboard, or hard drive, or SIMMs or anything of that nature, when working in a compact Mac.

If one is working on the analog board, or replacing the CRt, it is required.

~Marchie

As the article says, getting zapped by a compact mac's crt is certainly unpleasant, but it's not any more harmful than someone surprising you. Unless you specifically need to disconnect the HV lead from the crt for some definition reason (such as swapping the crt or analog board, as you mentioned), there's zero justification for lifting the anode cup to discharge the crt.

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