Macintosh SE Restoration and SD-2-SCSI upgrade
The 8-Bit Guy・16 minutes read
The individual purchased an old Macintosh SE for $10, conducted tests on it, and decided to perform a full restoration, including replacing the original hard drive with an SD to SCSI adapter. Despite encountering compatibility issues and suspicions of a faulty SCSI controller, alternative options were explored to ensure the machine's functionality without a hard drive.
Insights
- The Macintosh SE purchased for $10 required a full restoration due to a dead hard drive and booting issues, showcasing the intricate process of disassembly, cleaning, and component identification during the restoration.
- Troubleshooting revealed potential compatibility problems with the SD-2-SCSI adapter and suspicions of a faulty SCSI controller, leading to innovative solutions like emulating a Macintosh floppy drive or using an external hard drive through the floppy port to overcome hardware limitations.
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Recent questions
How did the individual restore the Macintosh SE?
By replacing the original SCSI hard drive with an SD to SCSI adapter, cleaning the logic board, discharging the CRT safely, and retrobriting the exterior case pieces.
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Summary
00:00
Restoring Vintage Macintosh SE Computer
- Purchased an old Macintosh SE for $10, which is yellow, dirty, and scuffed.
- Conducted a "smoke test" on the Macintosh SE, which powered on without issues.
- Discovered that the hard drive was dead and couldn't boot from floppy.
- Decided to perform a full restoration on the computer and replace the original SCSI hard drive with an SD to SCSI adapter.
- Used a special screwdriver called the "Mac Cracker" to disassemble the Macintosh SE.
- Found the logic board dusty and needing cleaning, with a battery from 1989 that hadn't leaked.
- Identified key components on the logic board, including the Motorola 68000 microprocessor and SCSI controller chip.
- Disassembled the Macintosh SE further, including removing the hard drive and floppy drive for cleaning.
- Demonstrated the process of discharging the CRT safely before removing it from the machine.
- Cleaned and retrobrited the exterior case pieces of the Macintosh SE, ensuring thorough cleaning and sun exposure.
12:45
Compatibility Issues with Mac SCSI Controller
- The individual sent log files and received custom firmwares to test, but encountered issues with compatibility. There are suspicions that the SCSI controller in the Mac might be faulty, as it initially wouldn't boot from the hard drive.
- Two potential problems were identified: the SD-2-SCSI device may be incompatible with the model, or there could be an issue with the machine itself. To troubleshoot, another Macintosh SE was borrowed from a contact in town.
- After testing the SD-2-SCSI device on the borrowed Macintosh SE, it was found to be incompatible. Attempting to initialize a fresh flash card on the borrowed device also resulted in a lockup, indicating potential software or hardware issues.
- Despite the setbacks, it was discovered that the machine is operational without a hard drive, and there are alternative options like using a product to emulate a Macintosh floppy drive or an external hard drive through the floppy port, providing potential solutions if the SCSI bus is not functioning correctly.
