Carl
Premium
join:2004-07-21
Krotz Springs, LA
 ·Charter Pipeline
| Is my Mac SE dead/dying?
Was playing around with some BMUG disks today and got this error.
(It was a bomb error, BTW.)
"Sorry a system error occured.
coprocessor not installed" |
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SweetDelight
lagomorph
Premium
join:2004-09-04
Earth
1 edit | yea looks like it wants to die refusing to show us pictures.
(missing .jpeg/whatever on the pics not working.) |
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Thinkdiff
Premium,MVM
join:2001-08-07
Bronx, NY | reply to Carl
Could it be that the application required a FPU, which older Macs did not have? |
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USAOwnz
RIP dadkins
Premium
join:2003-11-15
P.R.C.
clubs:   | reply to Carl
Invalid file. |
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IIgs
Premium
join:2002-10-05
Montreal, QC
| reply to Carl
With the sole exception of the Macintosh SE/30 (which is essentially a IIcx in a different case) none of the classic B&W all-in-one Macintoshes had a math co-processor.
That error message is just telling you it was written for a different Macintosh model (probably from the Macintosh II line). The SE definitely did not have an FPU, though I'm sure there were third party cards for the PDS-slot that added one.
"co-processor" could also mean a plug in hardware emulation card, something with say an 8086 to run IBM PC compatible software. Whatever the case may be, bottom line is the Mac crashed because it was expecting to "talk" to a certain bit of hardware that didn't exist and it got confused. It's not dying.  |
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Carl
Premium
join:2004-07-21
Krotz Springs, LA | Cool. Thanks. At least I know that it'll be around for awhile (hopefully.
One more thing: Sometimes, the ADB will just freeze, and I have to restart by turning off the switch and putting it back on....dead? |
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Crypto
Premium
join:2001-01-07
Saint Charles, MO
| said by Carl  :One more thing: Sometimes, the ADB will just freeze, and I have to restart by turning off the switch and putting it back on....dead? As long as it comes back on, it's merely wounded.
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I may not agree with what you say, but I'll defend your right to encrypt it. |
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IIgs
Premium
join:2002-10-05
Montreal, QC
| reply to Carl
said by Carl :Cool. Thanks. At least I know that it'll be around for awhile (hopefully. One more thing: Sometimes, the ADB will just freeze, and I have to restart by turning off the switch and putting it back on....dead? Which keyboard came with your Mac SE? The very first ADB keyboard (which shipped with the Apple IIGS) used to commonly suffer from cracked solder joints to the left/right connectors after a lot of plugging and unplugging. Anyhow, that would cause an intermittent freeze or stutter.
Flip over your keyboard and let me know the model number.
You should avoid hot-swapping ADB devices...usually best to power-off before doing it. |
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bobrk
You kids get offa my lawn
Premium
join:2000-02-02
San Jose, CA
 ·SONIC.NET
| said by IIgs :You should avoid hot-swapping ADB devices...usually best to power-off before doing it. Ah yes, I remember that mantra. I also remember people trying to hot swap SCSI devices. That was an impressive display of sparks!
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bobrk | The Blow Kings |
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Thinkdiff
Premium,MVM
join:2001-08-07
Bronx, NY | I used to hotswap ADB and SCSI on my 9500 and other older Macs all the time when I used it. Never had a serious problem. |
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Carl
Premium
join:2004-07-21
Krotz Springs, LA
·Charter Pipeline
| reply to IIgs
It's the regular "Apple Keyboard".
The computer was damaged in shipping and it wasn't insured, either. It has large cracks around the right side and near the ADB ports. Pics.
Sorry, pics from camera phone....crappy quality.
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Carl Smith, formerly known as crstec. |
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IIgs
Premium
join:2002-10-05
Montreal, QC
| reply to Thinkdiff
Thinkdiff: You can hotswap ADB (I've done it myself many times) but it is risky since the 3rd pin is carrying +5v. It is possible to damage the ADB micro-controller on the motherboard. It's a low risk but I still avoid it when possible.
SCSI is much worse, not only is there voltage present but most SCSI controllers cannot deal with something suddenly added to the chain from out of nowhere. It would need to rescan the bus. I've never hotswapped a live SCSI device and I don't ever plan to.
Carl: Looks like the official Mac SE keyboard (M0116). That one, and it's larger brother the Apple Extended 1 keyboard are my favorites. And no, it doesn't have the connector issue I mentioned above, so you're okay there.
Ahh, but the cracked plastic around your Macintosh SE's ADB port is almost definitely the culprit. The internal connector (the mini-din 4 plug that ADB devices into) was probably pushed forward and has a loose/cracked solder connection to the motherboard. I bet if you wiggle it gently during a freeze (at the back of the computer) it'll temporarily come back. |
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Carl
Premium
join:2004-07-21
Krotz Springs, LA
·Charter Pipeline
| said by IIgs :Carl: Looks like the official Mac SE keyboard (M0116). That one, and it's larger brother the Apple Extended 1 keyboard are my favorites. And no, it doesn't have the connector issue I mentioned above, so you're okay there. Ahh, but the cracked plastic around your Macintosh SE's ADB port is almost definitely the culprit. The internal connector (the mini-din 4 plug that ADB devices into) was probably pushed forward and has a loose/cracked solder connection to the motherboard. I bet if you wiggle it gently during a freeze (at the back of the computer) it'll temporarily come back. It doesn't come back. The other ADB port does not work. And I have to wiggle and jiggle the cable to make it work every time I use the SE.
How do I open the SE without hurting it even more, or getting hurt by the CRT?
The motherboard seems to just be lodged into the SE, as all the ports are crooked. It did have its RAM upgraded in the 90s, but that's all, according to the seller.
-Carl
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Carl Smith, formerly known as crstec. |
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IIgs
Premium
join:2002-10-05
Montreal, QC
2 edits | To open the Macintosh SE you need a Torx screwdriver with a very long shaft. I think I have the specialized Apple tool here somewhere, though I actually opened my Mac SE by duct-taping a torx screw-head bit to a screwdriver with an already long shaft. The SE had a dead floppy drive, plus I wanted to upgrade its RAM.
I think I heard garage mechanics have those screwdrivers, that they use them to repair car headlights? Anyway, "torx" is just basically a star shaped bit.
I think there are two screws at the bottom left/right, and top at the top where the handle is (they're recessed far in, and where the handle is located).
With the back off, you just have to make sure to avoid touching the CRT or the powersupply (specially the large suction cup thing on the neck of the CRT that leads to the flyback transformer, that is where most of the voltage is). It won't come popping out, so don't worry, just don't go out of your way to touch it. |
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stonhinge
join:2003-07-28
Topeka, KS
clubs:
1 edit | reply to Carl
To open, you just need a suitably long (6" or longer) Torx T-15 driver. edit:The one I have is Craftsman Professional #47431. And possibly some patience wiggling the case top off.
Place a clean towel down on table.
Place SE face down on the towel.
Remove all 4 Torx screws, 2 in the handle, 2 near the ports.
Now you need a case cracker, or something suitable thin and sturdy. Butter knife is not recommended. Insert whatever you've got into the slight groove along the edges.
Slide case up and off.
My guess, from your pictures, is that that section of the case is warped and bent, keeping the ADB cable from making a full connection. The one on the left doesn't look like the pins in the cable will get inserted far enough to even make a connection. The right hand one may be really close, and temperature changes are making it connect/diconnect.
If my camera battery was charged, I'd take a shot of mine. What I can tell you is the the screw socket for the floppy drive should be sticking out 1/16" - 1/8", so I'd say the cables just aren't seating.
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When the ship sets sail, all bills are paid. No regrets. |
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bobrk
You kids get offa my lawn
Premium
join:2000-02-02
San Jose, CA
·SONIC.NET
| reply to Carl
What those guys said, but you probably won't need the case cracker. I've opened my SE/30 numerous times, and the back just comes right off the front, with some judicious wiggling.
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bobrk | The Blow Kings |
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IIgs
Premium
join:2002-10-05
Montreal, QC
| said by bobrk :What those guys said, but you probably won't need the case cracker. I've opened my SE/30 numerous times, and the back just comes right off the front, with some judicious wiggling. That's true. I remember just a bit of wiggling while it lay screen facing down on a towel, while lifting the back cover up worked fine(let gravity do the work).
Don't forgot to check out all the molded signatures on the inside of the back cover once it's opened. (Jobs and Woz signed it too). Or am I thinking of the Mac Plus? |
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bobrk
You kids get offa my lawn
Premium
join:2000-02-02
San Jose, CA
·SONIC.NET
| The signatures slowly disappeared over the years. The first macs had 'em, then as they got more SE'd, various new moldings covered them up. I do have a namesake in there, which to me is good karma: Larry Kenyon, a software engineer.
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bobrk | The Blow Kings |
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IIgs
Premium
join:2002-10-05
Montreal, QC
| said by bobrk :The signatures slowly disappeared over the years. The first macs had 'em, then as they got more SE'd, various new moldings covered them up. I do have a namesake in there, which to me is good karma: Larry Kenyon, a software engineer. Come to think of it, the SE/30 was the last Macintosh to have signatures molded into the case, so Carl's SE should have them. I wonder if it was all Mac 128's through SE/30's, or just some that had them (kind of like the "Woz: Limited Edition" signature cases. I still think that's the coolest because you have the signature on the outside.
Here's all the signatures (see above) |
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bobrk
You kids get offa my lawn
Premium
join:2000-02-02
San Jose, CA
·SONIC.NET
| Hey, that's cool. Too bad I'm not related.... |
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