Hello. I've been a user of the Compact Mac and Vintage Mac user list for quite a while, as that is where my main Macintosh interest lies. However, I recently got hold of a PowerMac (Performa) 6200 that I have been trying to set up for my sister.
The interior of the system is inexplicably clean and free of capacitor leakage, dust bunnies or any other sort of debris. However, since the moment I acquired this system, I have not been able to get it to power up. Now I know everyone is going to tell me that dead batteries can prevent some Macs from powering up. That was my first thought, as I tested the existing 4.5volt alkaline on a voltometer and it was indeed dead. So I went out and purchased a new 4.5volt alkaline, stuck it in. Nothing happened. I tried holding down Command+Option+P+R while hitting the power switch as someone told me this is supposed to reset the PRAM. Still nothing. I took out the only expansion card, a modem, to the same end. >From that point on, I began removing devices one by one until nothing was left in the box but the motherboard and power supply. Still not a thing. (I even removed the RAM, and just for kicks, the ROM SIMM). Now I know that the system is getting power, and this is why: when I plug it in, I hear a very short high-pitched whine come from the power supply that lasts half a second or so. Sounds kind of like a camera flash powering up. On top of that, each and every time I hit the power switch to try and start the thing, I hear a quiet "Pop!" from the speaker followed by some almost inaudible static that lasts for a second or two then goes away. The fan does not even twitch like it wants to spin up, and there is no other activity whatsoever. Just a tiny bit of speaker activity lasting under three seconds total. I have ripped this thing apart down to it's individual diodes and capacitors and can find not one damn thing that looks even remotely wrong. I pulled apart the power supply to check for signs of scorching or melted components, but there was no such evidence. In fact, the board itself looked like it had been built yesterday. I pulled the fuse, but I am confused as to how I am supposed to tell whether or not it's blown. The part of the fuse that is normally a clear glass tube on any other fuse is instead some sort of white opaque material (metal?). IT looks OK, though. And I would assume there is no problem with the power supply in general, as power is reaching the speaker, at least. Out of lack of any better ideas, I even tried screwing around with the little red button on the motherboard. I have no idea what it does, but I thought maybe it had something to do with resetting the PRAM. I pushed and prodded it, even held it down for over 30 seconds. All the external devices are known to be good: keyboard, mouse and monitor. I am using the old Apple 13" monitor. I don't think it was connected to the computer for most of this testing, but I know I did hook it up at least once and it made no difference. Besides, not having a monitor present shouldn't keep a 6200 from powering up, should it? Google searches on different phrasing of this problem turned up nothing but a bunch of pages on how I need to make sure the battery is not dead! (The first thing I did. I even got so frustrated, I took the voltometer to the brand-new battery for my own peace of mind. Which, of course, was putting out a nice 4.5volts). There has got to be SOME REASON this thing is not powering up, and I refuse to believe that I'm the first to experience this phenomenon. What's the big secret for power-up problems that *AREN'T* caused by the battery? HELP! Thanks, Nat ------------ Nat Hall [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------ -- 1st-PowerMacs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Sonnet & PowerLogix Upgrades - start at $169 | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> 1st PowerMacs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/1st-powermacs.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List archive: <http://mail.maclaunch.com/lists/1st-powermacs/> --------------------------------------------------------------- >The Think Different Store http://www.ThinkDifferentStore.com ---------------------------------------------------------------
