mithomas@bsu-cs.UUCP (Michael Thomas Niehaus) (04/20/88)
Hello! Here is my problem: Starting about two days ago, we began to have
problems with a Mac II and a Mac Plus in our one lab. We would insert a
disk, watch the computer smile, then spit the disk back out at us and
reset itself. We thought that it was a software problem, but then we noticed
that every disk did the same thing. Then we considered a hardware failure.
This was highly unlikely since both machines began to have problems at the
same time while a third machine in the same room, a Mac SE, was doing fine.
Next step: Call Apple. They were clueless, and said they would continue to
look into it.
While they were looking into it, we were looking into the machines. We decided
that it may be a problem with the parameter RAM, so we disconnected the power
from the Mac Plus and popped the battery out of the back to try to restore the
default settings. Presto! No more problems. So we were going to do the same
thing to the Mac II. One problem: The battery (actually 2 of them) in the
Mac II is permanently attached to the motherboard. It can't be removed. So
we have a $3000 machine that will not work. Apple refuses to admit that this
could happen; they see no way that the parameter RAM could cause this drastic
of a problem. Here, we believe that anything is possible, and if it is
possible, it will happen. What to do? They said that we have a disk drive
problem or a logic board problem. We find this hard to believe, just as they
find our diagnosis hard to believe.
So what do you think? We believe that something either accidentally or
purposely alters the configuration RAM to some value that was way out there
to confuse the computer. The question that we have is what did this. Was
it a virus or just a fluke crash of a program? If anyone out there has heard
of this problem, let me know. Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks.
Michael Niehaus
Ball State University
UUCP: ..!{uunet,pur-ee,iuvax}!bsu-cs!mithomasted@ssc-vax.UUCP (Ted Jardine) (04/22/88)
In article <2654@bsu-cs.UUCP>, mithomas@bsu-cs.UUCP (Michael Thomas Niehaus) writes: > Hello! Here is my problem: Starting about two days ago, we began to have > problems with a Mac II and a Mac Plus in our one lab. We would insert a > disk, watch the computer smile, then spit the disk back out at us and > reset itself. ... [detailed description omitted] > ... We decided > that it may be a problem with the parameter RAM, so we disconnected the power > from the Mac Plus and popped the battery out of the back to try to restore the > default settings. Presto! No more problems. So we were going to do the same > thing to the Mac II. One problem: The battery (actually 2 of them) in the > Mac II is permanently attached to the motherboard. It can't be removed. So > we have a $3000 machine that will not work. ... > Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks. > > Michael Niehaus > Ball State University > UUCP: ..!{uunet,pur-ee,iuvax}!bsu-cs!mithomas There is a utility application that came with the CMS hard disk (I believe) on my Mac II called ZapRAM. It is specifically designed to handle the problem of being able to reset the Parameter RAM on a Mac II since the 'long life battery' is 'soldered' to the board. You may be able to get a copy from a local dealer. If not, let me know and I'll send you a copy of mine if the authors of ZapRAM have no objection. I haven't had a real occasion to use ZapRAM, but did set Parameter RAM with some new values, then ran ZapRAM, and displayed PRAM after that. The defaults were restored as advertised. TJ {With Amazing Grace} The Piper aka Ted Jardine CFI-ASME/I Usenet: ...uw-beaver!ssc-vax!ted Internet: ted@boeing.com -- TJ {With Amazing Grace} The Piper aka Ted Jardine CFI-ASME/I Usenet: ...uw-beaver!ssc-vax!ted Internet: ted@boeing.com
Fabian_Fabe_Ramirez@cup.portal.com (04/30/88)
Zapping PRAM: 1) Hold down the Command-Option-Shift keys 2) Select the Control Panel from the Apple menu 3) Click button to zap the PRAM 4) Don't use any hardware on your Mac II's motherboard to short anything. Fabian Ramirez fabian_fabe_ramirez@cup.portal.com sun!cup.portal.com!fabian_fabe_ramirez