Small update on my Macintosh SE FD/HD.
I managed to revive one of the two original hard drives using some tips I found online. It’s not perfect, and around 10% of the data seems to be lost, but most of it was still readable.
With a BlueSCSI, I was able to copy most of the drive, and now the Mac boots and runs stable.
Next thing to fix is the analog board/display issue, because the image is still shifted.
Small update on my Macintosh SE FD/HD restoration.
I followed some of the advice from the comments and I managed to revive at least one of the two floppy drives for sure. The main problem now is that my old floppy disks are not in great shape anymore, so testing is still a bit annoying.
Right now I’m trying to make a boot floppy with Disk Copy on my PowerBook G3 Wallstreet, using its floppy drive and transferring files with a CF card.
I also did some ram testing. The machine had 4mb installed, but I put the 1mb ram modules back in and moved the jumper accordingly. After that, the display became much cleaner than before. It’s still not fully restored, but it’s already better.
The logic board looks really clean, so I’m very glad I removed the old battery years ago before it could leak and destroy anything.
Next step will probably be a SCSI solution like BlueSCSI or maybe zuluSCSI, I’m still not sure yet. I’m also waiting for a new multimeter so I can properly check voltages before going further.
There is still a lot to do, but at least there is some real progress now.
Hi, I’m trying to bring back my Macintosh SE FD/HD.
I’ve had this machine for more than 15 years, but I never really managed to get it fully working. A long time ago I changed the RAM (before it was only showing an error code), but I still have the original RAM modules if needed.
When I power it on, I get this strange patterned screen/background with the cursor, but it doesn’t really go further than that. Does anyone know what could cause this? Could it be RAM, ROM, a bad system disk, or something else?
I also have two floppy drives: one that was inside the Mac, and another one shown in the picture. I’ve never managed to get them working properly. If anyone has tips for restoring these old Apple floppy drives, I’m very interested.
Any advice on what to check first would be really appreciated.
I tried a 5300cs color LCD assembly: the backlight turns on, but there’s no image. So I’m guessing the color dual-scan display/cable isn’t plug-and-play with the base 5300 logic board.
Now I’m looking for the correct grayscale 5300 LCD/cable, unless someone knows a way to make the 5300cs screen work.
Small update on my PowerBook 5300 resurrection project.
At first I thought it was a regular PowerBook 5300, because the front label is missing and the screen looked like the 9.4" monochrome one. But after powering it on and testing it more, it turns out it is actually a PowerBook 5300c.
I still don’t have the original charger, so I powered it with a bench power supply. It seems to turn on, but the internal display flex cable is cut. I tried to repair the flex, but I couldn’t make it work.
To test the machine, I made a homemade passive DB-15 to VGA video adapter cable, and I was finally able to get an image from it.
I also cleaned the machine with isopropyl alcohol, removed the bad Li-ion battery pack, and checked some parts. The floppy drive seems to work, which is a nice surprise.
For now the next step is waiting for a replacement display flex cable that is on the way. After that I’ll try to get the internal screen working again and continue testing the machine properly.
Hi, I wanted to share my next project: trying to resurrect a PowerBook 5300.
I know this model has a bit of a reputation, but that’s also why I think it could be a fun project. I don’t know yet how bad the condition is or what will need to be fixed, but I want to try to bring it back to life.
For now my plan is to inspect it, check the power/battery situation, clean it, and see if the machine can show any sign of life. If it’s possible, I’d like to document the process and post updates.
I’m not an expert on these machines, so if anyone has advice, things to check first, or common issues with the PowerBook 5300, I’m all ears.
Hi, I just wanted to share my ITX PowerMac G3 project.
It’s not 100% finished yet, but the case is 3D printed and I tried to keep the look of the original PowerMac G3. If I’m not wrong it’s around 50% of the original size.
I know it’s not like the real one with the motherboard on the door. I wanted to do it like that, but at this size I couldn’t make it work properly, so the internal layout is more standard.
For now I’m trying to improve the airflow, because the CPU is around 45°C in idle. I’m also thinking about making a bigger version, or maybe editing the door mechanism to make it closer to the real PowerMac G3. I’m still not sure how I will add a proper slot for the GPU.
If you have anything to say to improve the design, I’m all ears. It’s still a work in progress, so any feedback is welcome.
EDIT: I forgot to mention, It's a remix of an existing project Power MacPi G3 from RNLauritsen, I'm planning to release the remix on printables