Hey, I've no idea why it took so many attempts to start up properly. In regard to washing the motherboard: I've always known that water and computers do not mix-but hey, it seems to have worked!
To solve the "question mark disc" icon, it is relatively simple. That symbol means the computer cannot find a start up disc, and can mean one of two things: The first, it is missing an operating system (it can't find a Mac OS to boot from). If you're lucky it will be this. To solve this problem look on ebay or somewhere on the net for a set of Mac OS 7.6.1 install floppy disks. Start up the computer and insert one of the floppy disks. Follow the instructions and install Mac OS 7.6.1 The second is that the hard drive may have settled or died. Try leaving the computer turned on overnight, then turn it off and start up. If this doesn't work, you probably have a dodgy hard drive. This one is more hassle: it is a 40 or 80 MB SCSI disc-and they are relatively hard to come buy. If you come across one, you will need to take out the old hard drive and install a copy of Mac OS 7.6.1. Sincerely, Art. ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, 29 October 2008 4:50 AM To: Vintage Macs Subject: Classic II Startup Problems.....a little long Hiya All, First post here. You all need to know that I am a computer/Classic II newbie in the most basic sense. I just barely know what a motherboard is and if we get ANY deeper into technospeak than that, I'm lost. Basically, I have a Mac Classic II that I'd like to get up and running again. A little context/history for you........... This computer was put into storage (clean, warm and dry environment) 10 years ago. I pulled it out of storage last week. I plugged it in and flipped the on/off switch to on. Nothing. No screen response, but it did emit a whirring sound which I'm guessing was the fan. After about five minutes I flipped it off, then on again. I did that two more times and on the fourth try the screen produced a checkerboard pattern. I tried again and got a blank screen with a cursor. One more time and I got the desktop. Over the course of the next few days I was able to get the desktop another four or five times by following the routine above. The next time I tried, the screen went from the cursor/blank screen to the question mark disc icon. I had read (somewhere) that dirt and leaking capacitors (whatever they might be) can be a problem and that the way to cure those problems (the checkerboard screen apparently being one of those problems) is to wash the motherboard. That I did. And now....I reinstalled the now clean and shiny motherboard. Before that I blew out all the remaining dust with some canned air. The insides are now quite clean. After installing the motherboard when I flip the on/off switch to on I get an almost instant blank screen with cursor. That seems like a big improvement. However, it is still going to the question mark disc icon. Anybody have any suggestions on how I might I get this little guy to get back on the proper track to his desktop? This message is intended for the addressee named and may contain privileged information or confidential information or both. If you are not the intended recipient please delete it and notify the sender. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Vintage Macs group. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/vintagemacs.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vintage-macs?hl=en Low End Mac RSS feed at feed://lowendmac.com/feed.xml -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
