[yebyen]

First, I'll start out by saying No, this is not a joke

A friend of mine gave me a non-working Mac LC-II - it has problems booting. Intermittently, I get the correct gray screen, but with no Mac icon in the background. More often, it just doesn't do anything - I get a dark screen. I was interested in playing around with it, but I don't quite know where to begin troubleshooting it - Someone please just give me an opinion, throw it out? Or is there something I can check... Thanks...

[bluedog]

With that age of computer and the symptoms you describe. it sounds like you could replace the battery that holds the PRAM data. It can prevent booting and other intermittent problems.

Try opening the case and taking the battery to your local battery specialists (like 'Batteries Plus' or 'Radio Shack'). Putting a new one is likely to get you going. Although its possible there are other issues, it should only put you back about $10. Be sure to see the polarity and replace the battery with the new one in the same orientation (+/-).

Good luck and enjoy your new, OLD mac!

[ 11-01-2001: Message edited by: bluedog ]

[yebyen]

OK, replaced the lithium battery with a fresh one and still no dice... Anything else I should try before I err, throw it back to the scrap heap from whence it came?

- disconnect the SCSI HD. Sometimes the source of weird problems. Won't boot of course but may give you a "Happy Mac".

- take out the RAM. You should get a "Sad Mac" with something such s 0xxx0x323x 0xx0xxx0x2 below it and a weird chime.

[Walter J. Ferstl]

Originally posted by yebyen:
<STRONG>First, I'll start out by saying No, this is not a joke

A friend of mine gave me a non-working Mac LC-II - it has problems booting. Intermittently, I get the correct gray screen, but with no Mac icon in the background. More often, it just doesn't do anything - I get a dark screen. I was interested in playing around with it, but I don't quite know where to begin troubleshooting it - Someone please just give me an opinion, throw it out? Or is there something I can check... Thanks...</STRONG>

Check whether the SCSI data and power cables of the hard disk are seated properly.

Try to boot from a floppy disk (minimal System 7.1 or 7.5 would be right) or an external SCSI disk, if available. Remember, with an LC or LC II, there has to be an enabler present in the System folder for some OS versions (I can look up which one is right for the LC II, if you need it - like everyone, I have an LC II somewhere, too ;-).

Good luck,

Walter.

[WillyB]

Once had a similar problem... turned out to be a bad keyboard ADB cable. Try booting with the keyboard disconnected, to rule this possibility out.