My Macintosh Classic may be dead, please help!

[iBlazed]

I turned my Classic on last night to make sure it's still alive, only to see this checkerboard screen. Does anyone know what faulty part could cause this? So upsetting. This computer lived for 24 years, I don't want it to die of old age!

EDIT: Now I put the startup disk in and now its stuck! Anyone know how to remove it manually?

 

[HunterCupp]

I turned my Classic on last night to make sure it's still alive, only to see this checkerboard screen. Does anyone know what faulty part could cause this? So upsetting. This computer lived for 24 years, I don't want it to die of old age!

EDIT: Now I put the startup disk in and now its stuck! Anyone know how to remove it manually?

EDIT: The link I sent seems to be for the SE/30. From what I recall the repair process should be very similar, so it should work.

Hello, iBlazed.

As for your checkerboard issue, I would check this website.
http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~shamada/fullmac/repairEng.html#CheckerFlag

To manually remove the floppy manually, you will need to stick a small stick like object into the pinhole next to the floppy drive. I've personally used the ends of paperclips to do this. Don't be afraid to use a little force to push it in. Just ensure that you've got the pin/paper clip centered pretty well. You'll know if you've done it right. The floppy should pop right out.

Thanks,

-Hunter

 

[iBlazed]

EDIT: The link I sent seems to be for the SE/30. From what I recall the repair process should be very similar, so it should work.

Hello, iBlazed.

As for your checkerboard issue, I would check this website.
http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~shamada/fullmac/repairEng.html#CheckerFlag

To manually remove the floppy manually, you will need to stick a small stick like object into the pinhole next to the floppy drive. I've personally used the ends of paperclips to do this. Don't be afraid to use a little force to push it in. Just ensure that you've got the pin/paper clip centered pretty well. You'll know if you've done it right. The floppy should pop right out.

Thanks,

-Hunter

Thank you so much! I will give this a try tonight and update the thread afterward to let you know how it worked out.

EDIT: 12/3/14
Still haven't been able to open this computer because I need to buy a very long torx screwdriver.

 

[harrymatic]

The checkerboard pattern is usually caused by leaked electrolyte from failed capacitors causing shorts on the logic board. Although the only long-term solution is to replace the defective caps, you can nearly always bring the board back to life (at least for a while) by cleaning it with a q-tip and isopropyl alcohol. You can also just put the board straight in the dishwasher which also works, providing you let it dry out thoroughly before reassembling the system.

While you have it open, I strongly recommend that you replace or at least remove the PRAM battery, as they are notorious for exploding and destroying boards with their corrosive acid. You will need a long-shaft T15 driver to open the case.

 

[iBlazed]

So here I am half a year later and I just ordered the proper screwdriver from sears. Finally got around to it. I hope this thing can still be rescued.

 

[VintageRecapEurope]

that's usually an easy fix
-
leaking caps
-
remove the board and wash it with warm water , a tooth brush and some washing up liquid. Be careful and gentle, take your time, don't knock off the small crystals or any other components
-
rinse very well
-
and dry it. dry it. dry it. use a hair dryer or compressed air to get all the water off. then dry it.
-
make sure it is 100% dry!!!!!! - leave it next to the fire for a night or something
-
will work
-
but that is only a temporary solution. Proper fix is to rcap the board. Ive recapped about 60 machines here in Ireland both my own and for other people.
-
have a go at it...its not too hard. just be careful of the flyback transformer and the anode cable

 

[iBlazed]

that's usually an easy fix
-
leaking caps
-
remove the board and wash it with warm water , a tooth brush and some washing up liquid. Be careful and gentle, take your time, don't knock off the small crystals or any other components
-
rinse very well
-
and dry it. dry it. dry it. use a hair dryer or compressed air to get all the water off. then dry it.
-
make sure it is 100% dry!!!!!! - leave it next to the fire for a night or something
-
will work
-
but that is only a temporary solution. Proper fix is to rcap the board. Ive recapped about 60 machines here in Ireland both my own and for other people.
-
have a go at it...its not too hard. just be careful of the flyback transformer and the anode cable

I feel weird about rinsing a motherboard with water. Seems so damaging. Also, how do you recap the board? What tools are needed? I know nothing about these things unfortunately.

 

[VintageRecapEurope]

loads of vids on utube showing you what to do
-
ive washed loads of boards. if you do as described it will do no harm
-
make sure you get that pram battery out of there and leave it out

 

[iBlazed]

-
make sure you get that pram battery out of there and leave it out

The pram battery actually needed to be replaced anyway. The clock never held the correct time when restarted as long as I've had it. May as well do that while I have it open.

 

[firewood]

I have a 512Ke where the video is starting to go bad. Is there a list somewhere of which electrolytic capacitors should be replaced (before they leak) on a early Mac analog boards, and those capacitor's values or part numbers?

 

[VintageRecapEurope]

I have a 512Ke where the video is starting to go bad. Is there a list somewhere of which electrolytic capacitors should be replaced (before they leak) on a early Mac analog boards, and those capacitor's values or part numbers?

if your going to recap the A/B then replace all the caps

 

[firewood]

if your going to recap the A/B then replace all the caps

OK, but is there a list of parts (capacitor values and part numbers) to order before I pop open the case yet again?

 

[Scott Baret]

Capacitor work is NOT easy. Forget the wire soldering you learned in eighth grade shop class--you need the skills of a dentist to do things properly here. You also will need an actual desoldering station; a solder sucker will only make things messy in a situation like this.

My advice it to send it to someone with experience. I highly recommend Chuck of Mac Caps, http://maccaps.com/MacCaps/Repair_Service.html. He can get you both the parts and perform the service, and his rates are reasonable. The work is very professional; he has re-capped many of my older Macs over the past two years.

Get your analog board done while you're at it; those tend to get a little messy in Classics.