[comp.sys.mac.hardware] SE/30 Problem, Need Help!

xzoy@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (06/06/90)

I am having a problem with my SE/30. When I turn it on, it makes the 
usual turn on beeping noise.   Then it makes a four-tone musical noise.
While it makes the noises, the screen lights up to its normal grey, but
with about 3/4 inch black upper and lower margins. Then it just sits.
I let it sit for about 2 hours last night with no results. The machine has
5 megs of RAM and an external hard disk. I have detached the hard
disk and am just trying to boot off of a floppy disk (System 6.0.5). 
Naturally I would prefer to boot from my hard disk, but by having it dis-
connected I think I have shown that the problem is not with the hard
disk.  I think I remember hearing about various error tones on start
up with Mac II-type Macs, but I don't know what they mean or if they
apply to the SE/30.  It might also be relevant that my SE/30 is
recently upgraded from an SE. It currently has only an 800K internal
floppy drive, no internal superdrive or hard disk. It is not attached
to any SCSI devices at this time.
Anybody have any ideas as to what the problem might be? I'd like to 
have some ideas before I contact the local repair folks (if its needed)
in case this is a problem they are not familiar with. Better yet, I'd
like to fix it myself.
Thanks, Tonya Byard

ngg@bridge2.ESD.3Com.COM (Norman Goodger) (06/07/90)

In article <4217.266c09ed@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> xzoy@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes:
>I am having a problem with my SE/30. When I turn it on, it makes the 
>usual turn on beeping noise.   Then it makes a four-tone musical noise.
>While it makes the noises, the screen lights up to its normal grey, but
>with about 3/4 inch black upper and lower margins. Then it just sits.
>I let it sit for about 2 hours last night with no results. The machine has
>5 megs of RAM and an external hard disk. I have detached the hard
>Thanks, Tonya Byard

	Depending on the particular melody, it means a hardware failure
	of some sort. If the tones are in ascending order, chances are
	its a RAM failure which could mean a bad SIMM module, or possibly
	a simple fix by merely re-seating the simms in the sockets. 

	Hopefully you have a simple fix. Otherwise its off to the dealer
	to have them figure out the specific problem. Which they should
	be able to recognize if they are worth their salt at all from
	the start up error sounds.

	---


-- 
Norm Goodger				SysOp - MacInfo BBS @415-795-8862
3Com Corp.				Co-SysOp FreeSoft RT - GEnie.
Enterprise Systems Division             (I disclaim anything and everything)
UUCP: {3comvax,auspex,sun}!bridge2!ngg  Internet: ngg@bridge2.ESD.3Com.COM