Thanks. I've tried swapping the processor card in and out as I thought in the beginning that was the problem. I'm now back on the original 604 card, but the G3 behaved in the same way (startup chime and then ..?). I've also had all the RAM out and got the broken glass sound - again, what you would expect from a functioning machine.
I don't know much about Mac ROMS, about whether they are needed in the initial boot process or just later on when the OS gets loaded.
As far as OF goes, I think maybe all PCI machines have it. In fact, all machines based around the PREP/CHRP reference designs and some others like Suns. The machines you refer to - iMac and later - are New World, which means a later OF revision and more options around booting, but Power Computing units do have an earlier version even though they are termed Old World.
If I hook up to my PCP on the serial port from another Mac, I can 'talk' to it via a terminal emulator. OF will show me the various devices, allow me to change parameters and attempt to boot. These interactions lead me to think that the machine is basically working! However, it's when I try that crucial boot instruction that nothing happens. This is the most dead machine I have ever seen, without being really dead if you see what I mean!
Regards,
Jeff
On 31 Mar 2005, at 10:47pm, J.R. Seeley wrote:
From: Jeff Tupholme <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Can't get beyond OF Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 19:47:55 +0100
On 3/31/05 12:32, "Jeff Tupholme" wrote:
I'm new to the list but have had years of trouble-free service from my PowerCenter Pro 210. I've come up with a problem that I've never seen before and I thought maybe someone could shed some light on it - soluble or not!
The problem became apparent when I took the machine down after it had been switched on and running perfectly for about two years (as a server). I'd had a G3 upgrade in it that I wanted to try in another machine (it works), and when I put it all back together again it wouldn't boot from the Adaptec SCSI card that it came with.
Not a problem, I thought, I'd just boot from something else and reset
the startup disk. However, I've never been able to get it to boot
again, although the startup chime is good. Furthermore, it will let me
get into Open Firmware (via the serial port), but which I can't then
boot using any kind of media - HD, CD, floppy. There can't be very much
wrong!
I don't understand how I can get this far but not all the way. Could it
be that my ROMs are blown or something like that? Does anyone know what
the machine needs to boot fully that isn't necessary for OF, and hence
what could be broken?
I've tried all the usual things - removing extraneous peripherals and RAM, battery, CUDA, PRAM and so on. It just seems to me that during those two years something may have duffed out that is needed for the boot process to run, but I don't know what to try. ROM replacement? Mobo from eBay? I don't want to abandon the machine as it so nearly seems to work!
Thanks, Jeff
P.S., I previously posted to the PCI PowerMacs list but no-one there
was able to offer anything that I hadn't already tried. Sorry if you've
read the message before!
Jeff - Did you re-seat the PCI Riser card? I've often found it to be the
source of "strange" problems.
I had one PCP/210 that I couldn't install all four screws that held the
"floor" of the case in place, because it put the case in enough of a bind
(out of square) that the riser card wouldn't seat (make correct contact in
it's slot) and it acted similarly to yours. If I left out one screw (the
*right* one), all was fine. How long do you think it took me to figure that
one out?
Re-seating the CPU - ROM - RAM - PCI cards - etc then hittin' the 'Cuda would all be a good idea, too. All the very conscious of upsetting the Riser.
Re: Open Firmware - I've never heard OF spoken of in regards to any Mac
previous to what's commonly referred to as OF Macs. (orig iMac, B&W-G3, etc
and newer) - but I'm no geek, so I could be way off base. Please enlighten
me.
Hope you find help here.
J.
-- Power Computing is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and...
123Inkjets.com <http://lowendmac.com/ad/123inkjets.html>
Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html>
Power Computing list info: <http://lowendmac.com/power/list.html> --> 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://www.mail-archive.com/powercomputing%40mail.maclaunch.com/>
iPod Accessories for Less at 1-800-iPOD.COM Fast Delivery, Low Price, Good Deal www.1800ipod.com
