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HELP! I lost my video!!

K

KMHagen

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 3, 2003
4
0
Hello all...wanted to see if there was anyone out there that could lend me a hand.

I've got a pretty old Mac clone here (Power Computing Power 100) that was working just fine a couple of months ago.

It will still boot up, but the video no longer seems to be working. Any thoughts?

I would like to set this bad boy up for my daughter.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Kevin

(First post!!)
 
Dead video

Are you running OS 9, if so what version?
What kind of video is and is not working?
Which version of Quick Time are you using?
Have you run a hardware analysis?
Do you own Norton Utilities?
Have you considered taking it to an Authorized Apple Repair shop?
Have you checked to see if the video ram board is damaged?
what year did you buy your Mac?
1994?
:confused:
What do you think your CPU is worth?
 
Thank you for responding...

I have an old PowerPC 601 running at 100 MHz, so I don't imagine that it is worth much. (I bought it back in 1995.)

It has some strange looking card that runs the video (PDS, I believe) which has both VGA and Mac video outputs. There is also a built-in video output.

I was running OS 8.1, but my hard drive crashed earlier and could not find the OS 8.0 installation CD, so I went back to 7.5.1. I also found some old SCSI harddrives and was in the middle of formatting a second one and the monitor went black. I thought it was the monitor at first, because it was one that I thought was starting to fail, so I put another monitor on it. Nothing. I restarted and could hear the Mac booting up and then giving that friendly little reminder beep about shutting down the Mac properly, but there was no picture. I tried switching from the VGA port to both of the Mac video ports using a Mac VGA adapter, but that didn't work either.

I'd hate to trash the thing, because I am real sentimental about my computers. I've got an Apple IIgs here with a Macintosh Classic II and that Power 100. My last 3 computers have been Windoze machines, but I would LOVE to get my hands on one of those iMacs with a 20" display!

I don't remember what version of Quick Time I was running and am unable to run any hardware analysis. However, I DO own Norton Utilities, but again, I can't see ANYTHING. The monitor acts as if there is NO video signal at all (power light blinks like in standby, or stays orange, depedning on monitor).

I doubt that the repair shop would waste their time with it...

Thanks again for your response.
 
It's entirely possible that it's just like the Apple line of the same period: No video likely means the 3.6v PRAM battery is dead. $12.99 from Radio Shack. (it's 1/2 AA sized, and the ones they sell are purple and green, last I checked) Part # 23-026, but I can't get it to come up right on RadioShack's website.

I had a PowerMac 6100 that did the same thing, and I've dealt with others of previous and subsequent generations that did the same thing as you have described. The batteries are supposed to last around 5 years, and as with all products you get some that last not as long, and some that last longer.
 
PRAM Battery or Video card

Originally posted by shadow95
It's entirely possible that it's just like the Apple line of the same period: No video likely means the 3.6v PRAM battery is dead. $12.99 from Radio Shack.
I had a PowerMac 6100 that did the same thing... The batteries are supposed to last around 5 years, and as with all products you get some that last not as long, and some that last longer.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, you have reached a deadend, the cost of the battery is about equal to the value of the machine. Really! Being sentimental, Frys Electronics is also a cheap source for the battery, its kept on the computer battery isle.
I paid $3,000 for my MacLC with my first color monitor 10.5" and 300 dpi LaserWriter in 1990 and was very sad when it became worthless. However, I moved on, and on, with better and better machines.
This is a no longer a 100 MegaHertz world running OS 7 or 8, which is a decade old.
Nothing is being built for OS 9 anymore; that's over.
It's an OS X world rushing by at multiple GigaHertz speed and on dual chips at that.
The new iMac with 20" LCD is an excellent choice, and you will probably get a printer and some RAM thrown in FREE. It's time to move on.
But, the excitement and FUN that awaits you in this beautiful new digital world is worth the upgrade. You will get to see and do things that were impossible a decade ago. You will like what you see... ;)
If money is a factor, look at the still NEW G3 iBook laptops on clearance SALE for under $800, 14" screen and all. I'm using mine to write to you and paid double that just 1.5 years ago. It's a bargain and runs OS X well. Sure, if you can afford a G4 or G5, that's fine get it, but the G3 has plenty of life left in her and the price is right.
Let us know what you decide to do. Okay?
 
Being sentimental...

"Being Sentimental" eh? I still support several clients who are on these 'ancient' machines, and it does what they need it to do, namely a small bit of word processing and getting e-mail from their kids/grandkids.

That being said, it depends on how old the original poster's child is. I would NOT recommend getting an iBook anywhere near a small child! It sounds to me like this is "daughter's first computer", and for that, these old machines will still run early educational software, and are practically indestructable. When the child gets older, past the point of shoving toys into any slot they find, then you move them up to an iMac/eMac etc...
 
Not the battery...

Originally posted by shadow95
No video likely means the 3.6v PRAM battery is dead.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure that it is not the battery, due to the fact that if the battery DOES go bad, the computer usually won't boot at all. I think the battery has been replaced recently. However, just for kicks, I did try to replace the battery with one that I purchased recently, and that did not work. (www.batteries.com is a great source.)

Originally posted by Dreadnought
You said that your vidcard also has a VGA port on it, have you tried to put a monitor on it? If that doesn't work, your vidcard is probably broken...
Click to expand...
I typically used the VGA port for the monitor, and I thought that perhaps that just the VGA port went bad, which is why I tried the Mac video port on the same card. When that didn't work, I tried the built-in video, which didn't seem to work either (however, I may not have had the adapter set correctly).

Originally posted by shadow95
it depends on how old the original poster's child is
Click to expand...
My daughter is 4 years old and actually pretty proficient on a computer already, and figured that it would be a good machine for her to use. I already have software that will run on it and it connects to the internet just fine (built-in ethernet!). So, CTW.com and other kids sites will be great.

Originally posted by MacRAND
It's time to move on.
Click to expand...
Personally, I am using a 2.4 GHz P4 running WinXP, so I would say that I am "current" although not with one of the cool Macs that are out now.

It very well could be that I am trying to extend the life of a machine that IS worthless, but there is NO WAY a wintel machine that old would be able to do what this machine can, which is why I figured it was worth saving. My Mac Classic II still runs great, and I bought that back in 1991. Also, I have an Apple IIgs that my father bought sometime in the 80's. Just recently I was able to install a harddrive on that old thing. :)

All that said...I do appreciate the help and ideas.
 
Salvage at http://www.shrevesystems.com/

Best place to get parts to salvage an old Mac is:
http://www.shrevesystems.com/

But before you spend a nickle on Video Board RAM or anything else, take a thorough look at all the $49 Macs and monitors. If you like classic Macs, maybe it's appropriate to upgrade to a little something that will at least handle OS 9.2.2.

Call them and ask the value of your Mac, maybe they'll have a clue about what's wrong.

Also, look at the ads in the back 1/4th of Macworld and MacAddict issues for info on loder Macs. Lots of people love them.
Good luck.
:cool:
 
I would remove and re-insert the video board and any other board that may be in question. Could be the contacts are oxidized.
 
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