When I try to start up my 8600/300 I get the traditional "chime" and then instantly after that it makes a sound sort of like glass breaking and nothing happens. I can't reset the PRAM, start from a CD or anything!!!! I have tried almost everything. Switched out the RAM, internal battery, VRAM and even the processor with another 8600/300. Is my motherboard history or what.....?

Please Help!

[wlonh]

sounds like a possible RAM failure... am not familiar with 8600... usually a RAM failure will prevent a Mac from being booted past the 'happy mac' logo early on in the startup process, you get a 'sad mac' instead of 'happy' and a so-called 'chime of death' and nada mas...

replacing the bad RAM chip(s) will fix it

[Dalgo]

I think that might be a bit more serious than a RAM failure. I know that macs will do that if they fail their power on self test or if you press the programmer's switch or hit apple+power when it first turns on. If the problem isn't with the RAM then I think your only solution will be to take the computer somewhere to get it fixed.

No I can't start from the cd. I can't even get a sad mac icon to show up on the screen. I also know that on other macs when you press the programers button it makes a similar noise. Maybe a car screeching to a stop and then crashing into something, the sound I am getting doesn't have the car screeching to a stop thing, only the crash part. I also can't find the reset button on it.

Diggs,

The button is on the back of the unit, I believe, not the front.

I used to get that crashing noise sans squeal on my 7100, from time to time, odd times like on the hour instead of my normal chime, etc. Never figured it out before the day I retired that Mac.

You might want to try asking your question at www.nowonder.com. It's free and they'll email the answer back to you. All you have to do is register and give them a real email addy so they can contact you.

good luck,
Linda

Check out the following TIL from Apple and see if this gets you going in the right direction. HTTP://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n14438
Good Luck

[Anthony the PC lover]

I think i have a simliar problem with my old (33Mhz, 8MB-RAM) Macintosh Performa 550, it goes to the little "Welcome to Macintosh" screen and the box just flickers/shakes and then the whole computer just freezes rendering the whole computer useless. Anyone got advice on what i should do?

[l008com]

Hey, I have a P 550 too!@!!!! Cool

Say, are there any FTP server that can run on a 68K with very little ram?

Isn't that the chime of death? That indicates a Hardware self test failure, disconnect ALL of your devices including the monitor, I had a really strange problem with a P6300CD, it wouldn't start from the HDD or a CD, it was a f��cked up joystick!

[zac4mac]

Breaking glass is a bad sound...everything you say you've done makes it sound worse. If you have an identical machine, confirm all pluggable parts are good in the good mac. If your bad mac is in a harsh environment(dusty, smokers, large temp/humidity swings) clean the motherboard with a small paintbrush and ethanol(grain alcohol) or isopropanol(rubbing alcohol) and blow dry with compressed air. Clean any card edge connectors(RAM,VRAM,cache etc.) with a pink pencil eraser. be static conscious, don't shuffle your feet, touch a grounded metal surface periodically (a grounding wrist strap wouldn't be a bad idea).
pull the motherboard battery out for 15-20 minutes and hit the CUDA switch(with power cord unplugged) and cross your fingers.

[drewman]

I008com,

A good FTP server that runs on 68k with little RAM is NetPresenz from www.stairways.com

It is also a web server and gopher server, but those services can be turned off.

Have been running my little web site off of it for over a year now and it never has failed. Costs a mere $10.

drewman

zac4mac-
Thanks for the tips, I will try all that and hope for the best. One question though.....what is the CUDA Switch and where?