ben@tasis.utas.oz (Ben Lian) (04/24/89)
This query concerns only those who own Mac Pluses and hard disks. I hate
to bring this subject up again, but I need a definitive answer from someone
in the know. Apple? Rodime?? PLEASE? Guesses are simply not useful.
Here is a recap of my problem:
Since replacing my Rodime 60 Plus with a 140 Plus last October, I have had
no end of difficulty in trying to cold boot my Mac Plus with the drive
attached. The supposedly 'standard' power-up sequence of drive-then-Mac
doesn't work -- the drive starts to spin up to speed, but then just short
of unlocking the read/write heads it sort of lays there and sounds like the
platters are slowing down. The only power-up sequence that seems to work
SOMETIMES is to turn the Mac on, then, just at the end of the beep, turn the
Rodime on. If I'm lucky, about a dozen tries at this damned trick finally
gets the drive heads unlocked.
But that's not the end of the story. The boot sequence grinds to halt right
there because the Mac doesn't see the drive at all. I have to continue the
boot from floppy, then use the SCSI Tools CDEV to mount (and I use that word
advisedly) the drive. Still no disk icon on the desktop. NOW, I warm-boot
the whole system by selecting Startup from the Special Menu, and most times
the Mac proceeds to boot from the hard disk.
(Aside: Given the recent postings about leaving hard disks powered-up, I
don't turn mine off anymore, but not quite for the right reasons. I just
don't want to kill the power supplies on the Mac and the Rodime by having
to cycle through that crazy power-up/down sequence umpteen times just to
boot the system.)
With me so far? Well, after months of scrounging around for a fix I finally
managed to get some sense from, of all people, a UNIX person in Apple Oz.
So, the suggested sequence of remedial actions to try:
(1) Use a SCSI terminator, plural if you have more than one device on your
SCSI daisy chain. I don't know if this is necessary with SCSI devices
that are internally terminated, but I guess it doesn't hurt to try it.
If this doesn't fix the problem then try...
(2) Check to see if you have the latest boot ROMs in your Plus. This can
be done with the MacEnvy DA or you can get your friendly reseller to
open up the case and have a look. According to the information that
I have (may be out of date already), the high boot ROM (part# 342-1341)
and the low boot ROM (part# 342-0342) should be versions C and B
respectively. (I have version A on both!) If you have any of the old
versions, take the Plus back to your reseller and have them swapped
for the latest version. This upgrade is FREE. If this step doesn't
work then...
(3) Have the SCSI hardware checked on both ends, Mac and hard drive.
Failing this, you can try slinging the whole lot in the bin. Sigh.
I have tried option 1. It cost me A$55 (= US$69 = teeny weeny bit expensive),
and didn't work. I would like to try option 2, but I use my Mac heavily for
writing everyday (time and tide wait for no thesis). Unless I can be sure
that this will definitely fix my problem I just cannot afford the time that
it might take to get the ROM swap done. The turnaround time here with Apple
Australia can be very, very slow, depending on whether they have the parts or
whether they have the inclination. Oh, of course, they won't just send the
ROMs over without sighting yours first -- usual paranoia about copying etc.
If some kind soul out there can tell me that option 2 will work, then I will
try to put the needle on Apple to (a) get the parts, and (b) do the swap
quickly. (Though somehow I feel as thought I might strike out on both counts.)
I am actually also sort of trying option 3 at the same time. I have ordered
a ROM upgrade for my Rodime 140 Plus. The drive may or may not be the real
root of the problem, I just don't know.
In utter frustration,
-- bl
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Benjamin Y H Lian ACSnet: ben@tasis.utas.oz
Dept. of EE & CS ARPA : ben%tasis.utas.oz.au@uunet.uu.net
University of Tasmania BITnet: munnari!tasis.utas.oz!ben@
GPO Box 252C uunet.uu.net
Hobart, Tasmania 7001 UUCP : {enea,hplabs,mcvax,uunet,ukc}!
A U S T R A L I A munnari!tasis.utas.oz!ben
Tel: +61-02-202380 Fax: +61-02-202713
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"Fortunately the computer virus did no harm to our records. It was
immediately devoured by all the bugs in our programming."
-- Cartoon in CW Australiatom@wcc.oz (Tom Evans) (04/27/89)
In article <940@tasis.utas.oz>, ben@tasis.utas.oz (Ben Lian) writes: > Since replacing my Rodime 60 Plus with a 140 Plus last October, I have had > > (2) Check to see if you have the latest boot ROMs in your Plus. This can > > and didn't work. I would like to try option 2, but I use my Mac heavily for Find ANYONE with a new Mac plus - the platinim ones definitely have the new ROMs. Plug your drive into it - if it works then the bets are on (2). Oh yes, Apple have good reasons to be paranoid about the ROMs - MacClone?
ian@sibyl.eleceng.ua.OZ (Ian Dall) (04/28/89)
In article <313@wcc.oz> tom@wcc.oz (Tom Evans) writes: >Oh yes, Apple have good reasons to be paranoid about the ROMs - MacClone? Insisting that obsolete ROMS are returned gives Apple absolutely no protection. It is extremely simple to clone ROMs. -- Ian Dall life (n). A sexually transmitted disease which afflicts some people more severely than others.