blarrer

Q: Mac IIcx video problems

Hi everyone,

A while ago I got an old mac IIcx from one of my parent's friends. It was used in a university, and was last tested in 1999.

It boots, in fact, but the problem is that it doesn't show anything on the screen. At first I thought it was just the video card, so I bought a new one off eBay. Same thing, no video. I've tried it in every NuBus slot on the entire machine.

I also replaced the PRAM battery, with no luck as well.

I would like to fix this machine, but I am also looking for a replacement IIcx or IIci as well.

Mac IIcx, Mac OS 8.6 or Earlier

Posted on Jan 25, 2011 7:35 PM

Close

Q: Mac IIcx video problems

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next
  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jan 25, 2011 8:19 PM in response to blarrer
    Level 9 (60,677 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 25, 2011 8:19 PM in response to blarrer
    Replacing the battery means the Mac can remember its parameters at last. But what it already has in there is garbage! you need to do a reset to get it back to factory defaults, which it will remeber with its new battery:

    Power off.
    Hold down four keys:
    Command Option P R
    Keep holding the keys until you have heard the startup chimes four times, then release.
    Should draw the screen and start up normally...

    ... unless you have a non-Mac display and are using a non-Mac adapter. In that case, I will need to dust off some old papers to get the proper settings for you.
  • by blarrer,

    blarrer blarrer Jan 26, 2011 4:06 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 26, 2011 4:06 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    So I tried that out... I assume you mean to start the computer with the keys held down because just holding the keys did not do anything.

    I managed to get it to play the chime 3 times, but only after repeatedly tapping the keys, holding them did nothing. It still does not display anything, but it does seem to be starting up perfectly.

    My monitor is a genuine apple monitor, an AppleColor High Resolution model. My graphics card is a Radius Two-page display card. The original was an apple high resolution, but I cannot find it.

    Thanks for your help.
  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jan 26, 2011 5:00 PM in response to blarrer
    Level 9 (60,677 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 26, 2011 5:00 PM in response to blarrer
    It takes quite a long time to start up and multiple chime. You hold them down at startup (as your fingers grow numb). If you got three chimes, you are have done the PRAM Reset.

    I do not know whether the Radius Two-Page display can do any other resolution other than two-page, which is intended for a 21 inch Black-and White monitor probably at about 75Hz. It may not be capable of multiple resolutions. It may not be capable of running the display you have connected.
  • by blarrer,

    blarrer blarrer Jan 26, 2011 5:23 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 26, 2011 5:23 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Yeah, I thought that the card may not be compatible, but even with the Apple high resolution card it did not work. I am debating whether or not to buy a new card on eBay, even though the prices are ridiculous.
  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jan 26, 2011 8:30 PM in response to blarrer
    Level 9 (53,622 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 26, 2011 8:30 PM in response to blarrer
    Check Google groups Low End Mac for older Mac stuff.

    Where are you located (it's kind of useful to give a general idea in your profile since sometimes suggestions people have for assistance may vary according to where you are located)? I have a IIci I haven't started in 15 years. I recall about 5+ years ago I had an inordinate number of video cards I dumped in it I had taken out of IIcx-s and IIci-s. I was just thinking yesterday I have 5 old Macs (3 of them G3s) sitting in the basement and it's probably time to retire some. I'm not sure I even have a monitor that will work with a Mac II anymore. I got rid of my portrait one and another one of that vintage last December and just realized that my ca. 1998 vintage 17" VGA might be too modern for it.
  • by blarrer,

    blarrer blarrer Jan 26, 2011 9:38 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 26, 2011 9:38 PM in response to Limnos
    I'm located in Alberta, Canada, so I guess shipping costs may be a bit high. But it depends on what you have... I wouldn't mind paying shipping as long as I'm getting something that could possibly fix this computer. Or even a new one, I wouldn't mind paying shipping.

    Thanks for your help!
  • by Appaloosa mac man,

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Jan 27, 2011 5:08 PM in response to blarrer
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Jan 27, 2011 5:08 PM in response to blarrer
    blarrer,

    How close are you to Spokane, Washington? There are a number of individuals in the area with Mac collections. The high res card would be your best bet. Radius cards have to be configured (dummed down) for low res monitors and are often monitor specific. I still use that monitor on a Quadra 700.

    Jim
  • by blarrer,

    blarrer blarrer Jan 27, 2011 6:16 PM in response to Appaloosa mac man
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2011 6:16 PM in response to Appaloosa mac man
    Unfortunately, I'm over 600 miles away. But yeah, I agree that my best bet would probably be an Apple hi-res card. I'll browse eBay for a good price, or if someone wants to send me one I'd be very grateful.

    Thanks for your help!
  • by Niteshooter,

    Niteshooter Niteshooter Jan 28, 2011 7:24 AM in response to blarrer
    Level 2 (454 points)
    Jan 28, 2011 7:24 AM in response to blarrer
    Is the monitor good? Too bad you aren't further east.
  • by blarrer,

    blarrer blarrer Jan 28, 2011 9:39 AM in response to Niteshooter
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 28, 2011 9:39 AM in response to Niteshooter
    Yes, the monitor is fine. I recently used it with a PowerMac G3 and it worked fine, and I also used it with my IIci back when the IIci worked.

    I guess the message that I'm getting here is that I'm too far north.
  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jan 28, 2011 10:57 AM in response to blarrer
    Level 9 (53,622 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 28, 2011 10:57 AM in response to blarrer
    I dug into my IIci in the basement. Maybe somebody can tell me what I have (and if they might work with a VGA through an adapter, or if I should just think of tossing the whole IIci). I don't remember if I actually used these cards with this computer or just fit them into it so I could close the top when I stuck it in a box.

    #1
    NuBus card that has a video out. The card is long, 30 cm. It's labeled copyright 1989/90 Apple Computer Macintosh Display card. FCC ID: BCGM0121 It has two chips coming out at a 45 degree angle near the back of the card. It looks like these could be removed (maybe more VRAM?).

    #2
    Asante Technologies Copyright 1991 MC3NB(ST-NIC-V) Rev. B1 NuBus card with video out port and what looks like an ethernet port.
  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jan 28, 2011 11:15 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 9 (60,677 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 28, 2011 11:15 AM in response to Limnos
    It has two chips coming out at a 45 degree angle


    Those are SIMM sockets, designed to hold the SIMMs at 45 degrees to allow taller modules to be used without encroaching into the space of the adjacent NuBus card.
  • by Appaloosa mac man,

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Jan 29, 2011 11:06 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Jan 29, 2011 11:06 PM in response to Limnos
    Limnos,

    The CX needed a video card, the CI had on-board video. A video card in a IIci meant that someone was using dual monitors or they needed to drive a larger monitor at greater color depth than the board would support. Did you buy the computer new or second hand? At $7,000 or $8,000 you would probably remember what you had originally. BTW, keep the box for a while longer and hold on to the history. We are working on creating a computer museum in the Inland NW so kids can appreciate history first hand. This site will take you down memory lane:

    http://oldcomputers.net/macintosh.html

    You asked if that card would work with an adapter. Probably not but give it a shot. Here is what you do. Connect an Apple monitor to the primary video circuit on-board. That will save a lot of rebooting while you test the VGA monitor with adapter on the NUBUS card. There will be a fair amount of trial and error. Why am I not optimistic? Because most monitors today are mult-sync. The card may not see what it wants. On the other hand, the monitor may see what it needs and light right up. Old monitors, however, were very picky about what card they were connected to.

    As for the Asante card, they were a network card company. The video out port was probably just an RCA connector for another purpose. We might come across a similar card as we sort through things. More on that later.

    Jim
  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jan 29, 2011 11:43 PM in response to Appaloosa mac man
    Level 9 (53,622 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 29, 2011 11:43 PM in response to Appaloosa mac man
    A video card in a IIci meant that someone was using dual monitors

    Yes, that was me. Portrait B&W and 13" color.

    or they needed to drive a larger monitor at greater color depth than the board would support.

    Yes, that was me with a newer (1993?) multisynch monitor.

    Did you buy the computer new or second hand?

    Me able to afford a new computer???? It has been my long-honored tradition to never pay more than $200 for a computer (and be largely relegated to the quite, backwater fora on Apple Discussions). Actually all my Mac IIs were free university hand-me-downs. By the time I was ready to upgrade not even the inventory department wanted to know of their existence.

    You asked if that card would work with an adapter. Probably not but give it a shot. Here is what you do. Connect an Apple monitor to the primary video circuit on-board.

    Alas, 6 months ago I got rid of both the portrait B&W and the color monitor dating ca. 1993. All I have now are two 17" CRT VGA. I no longer had the job with the deskspace for dual monitors, and I literally had not plugged in either of the two in 6 years. However, I was tripping over them daily on trips to the basement.

    I suspect the 1991 card may be more likely to work. I still have several VGA to Apple 15 (15 is it? - I haven't counted in years) pin connectors.

    As for the Asante card, they were a network card company. The video out port was probably just an RCA connector for another purpose. We might come across a similar card as we sort through things.

    There's a good picture of my card at: [http://cgi.ebay.com/Asante-MacCon-NuBUS-Ethernet-Card-Mac-/260689819971?pt=LHDefaultDomain0&hash=item3cb252f943]

    Another site lists this as: "(1) Asante Technologies MC3NB (ST-NIC-V) (rear panel RJ-45 and 2 row DB-15 connectors)"

    It's been years since I used these so I can't remember the context. I took in poor, homeless, no longer loved Macs in the department and got quite a collection of parts.

    BTW, keep the box for a while longer and hold on to the history.

    Oh, that IIci is a beaut. 040 Daystar processor upgrade, maxed at 64MB RAM, 320MB hard drive...

    Oh, I don't want to threadjack here, BTW. Hopefully the OP is finding this helpful.
Page 1 Next