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Macintosh IIvi Troubleshooting: Difference between revisions

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Rebuild on Apple's IIvx/IIvi/Performa 600 symptom charts (all sections incl. CD-ROM, cures in order); remove invented Sad Mac table (0D NuBus, 0E SCSI, 0F data bus), uncited cause tables, 57.6 kbit/s serial claim, CD lens advice, 68kMLA/MacDat/BMOW refs and shared-PSU claim
 
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This guide covers common faults with the '''Macintosh IIvi''', including startup failures, video problems, and storage errors.
== Preliminary Checks ==
Before detailed troubleshooting:
* Verify the power cable is secure
* Test with a known-good outlet
* Disconnect all external SCSI devices
* Remove any NuBus or PDS cards
* Check for visible capacitor leakage or battery corrosion
== No Power ==
<templatestyles src="Template:StyledTable/styles.css" />
<templatestyles src="Template:StyledTable/styles.css" />
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
[[File:Macintosh IIvi (photo).jpg|thumb|right|300px|Macintosh IIvi (All About Apple museum, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)]]
|+ '''Power Issues'''
Fault-finding for the [[Macintosh IIvi]]. The tables are Apple's symptom charts from the Service Source it shares with the [[Macintosh IIvx]] and Performa 600, with the cures in Apple's order: try the first, check whether the symptom persists, and if a module swap does not cure it, refit the original before moving on.<ref name="ss">Apple Computer, ''Macintosh IIvx, Macintosh IIvi, Performa 600'' Service Source, [[:File:Macintosh iivx.vi.perf 600.pdf]]; see [[Macintosh IIvx/IIvi/Performa 600 Service Source]]. Troubleshooting, PDF pp. 15-24: General p. 15; Video pp. 16-17; Floppy Drive pp. 18-19; Hard Drive p. 20; CD-ROM Drive p. 21; Peripherals pp. 22-24. Battery Verification pp. 68-69.</ref> Apple's cures stop at module level; the known faults follow the charts.
|-
! Symptom !! Possible Cause !! Action
|-
| Completely dead || Blown fuse, failed PSU, bad cord || Check outlet; test power cord; check PSU fuse
|-
| Clicking or ticking || Failed PSU capacitors || Recap power supply
|-
| Powers on briefly then dies || Overload protection, shorted component || Disconnect cards and drives; test with minimal config
|-
| Fan spins but no startup || Dead PRAM battery, failed logic board || Replace PRAM battery; check for capacitor damage
|}
 
== Startup Failures ==


{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
== Power and start-up ==
|+ '''Startup Problems'''
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:left;"
|-
! Symptom !! Apple's cures, in order
! Symptom !! Possible Cause !! Action
|-
| No chime, no video || Dead logic board, failed capacitors || Recap logic board; check PRAM battery
|-
| Chime but no video || VRAM issue, video connector || Reseat VRAM SIMMs; check video cable
|-
| Sad Mac error || Hardware failure || Decode error code; test RAM
|-
|-
| Flashing question mark || No boot device || Check SCSI drive; verify termination
| Screen completely dark, fan off, LED off || Check the external power cables; remove peripherals; remove the NuBus cards and switch on again (combined cards should not draw more than 45 W); remove the accelerator card; power supply; logic board
|-
|-
| Chimes of death || RAM failure || Reseat or replace RAM SIMMs
| Screen dark, no audio or drive activity, fan and LED on || Remove peripherals; remove NuBus cards; DRAM SIMMs; VRAM SIMMs; power supply; logic board
|}
|}
The machine is switched on from the keyboard's power key, which the 68HC05 microcontroller watches using the power supply's +5 V trickle output; that output is live whenever the machine is plugged in. Shut Down turns the supply off through the same controller.<ref name="dn">Apple Computer, ''Macintosh IIvx Developer Note'' (1992), also covering the IIvi and Performa 600, [[:File:Macintosh IIvx IIvi and Performa 600 Developer Note.pdf]]; see [[Macintosh IIvx IIvi and Performa 600 Developer Note]]. Printed page numbers: video modes and FPU pp. 4-5; RAM p. 9; VRAM p. 10; ADB, clock and PRAM p. 19; soft power p. 20; power supply p. 28; internal SCSI devices and CD-ROM ID pp. 31-32.</ref> A blank screen for some seconds after switching on is normal: RAM is tested and sized before video starts, longer with more RAM fitted.<ref name="dn" />


== Sad Mac Error Codes ==
For the Sad Mac codes of the Macintosh II family, see [[Sad Mac Error Codes#Macintosh II Family (II, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIfx, IIsi, IIvi, IIvx)|Sad Mac Error Codes]]. Apple's charts for this machine do not list them.


{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:80%; text-align:center;"
== Video ==
|+ '''Common Sad Mac Codes'''
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:left;"
|-
! Symptom !! Apple's cures, in order
! Code Range !! Meaning !! Action
|-
| 01XXXX || ROM test failure || Check for corrosion; may need logic board repair
|-
|-
| 02XXXX – 05XXXX || RAM test failure || Try different SIMMs; clean SIMM slots
| Dark screen; audio and a drive working, fan and LED on || Monitor brightness; monitor; video cable; VRAM SIMMs; logic board
|-
|-
| 0DXXXX || NuBus card failure || Remove all NuBus cards
| Screen bright, audio present, no picture || Monitor; video cable; VRAM SIMMs; logic board
|-
| 0EXXXX || SCSI controller failure || Check for capacitor damage
|-
| 0FXXXX || Data bus failure || Logic board damage
|}
|}
VRAM SIMMs go in identical pairs, 100 ns or faster. Apple warns that VRAM which does not meet its read-transfer timing can leave visible artefacts on the screen. There is no 1-bit mode on Apple's 12-inch RGB monitor.<ref name="dn" />


See [[Sad Mac Error Codes]] for complete reference.
== Floppy, hard and CD-ROM drives ==
 
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:left;"
== Video Problems ==
! Symptom !! Apple's cures, in order
 
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+ '''Display Issues'''
|-
|-
! Symptom !! Possible Cause !! Action
| Floppy drive does not work || Floppy cable; floppy drive; logic board
|-
|-
| No video after chime || VRAM failure, cable issue || Reseat VRAM; check video cable and monitor
| Disk ejects and a Mac icon with a blinking X appears || Another disk; floppy cable; floppy drive; logic board
|-
|-
| Distorted or garbled || VRAM configuration, bad VRAM || Ensure matching VRAM SIMMs; try removing VRAM upgrade
| Disk will not eject || Switch off and hold the mouse button down while switching on; eject manually; floppy cable; floppy drive
|-
|-
| Wrong colors || VRAM issue, video DAC || Reseat VRAM; check for capacitor damage
| Drive tries to eject but fails || Push the disk fully in; push a straightened paper clip into the hole beside the slot; floppy drive
|-
|-
| Flickering || Loose cable, monitor issue || Check video cable; test with different monitor
| Hard drive runs continuously || Turn off virtual memory and see whether it stops; SCSI data cable; hard drive; logic board
|}
 
== Audio Problems ==
 
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+ '''Sound Issues'''
|-
|-
! Symptom !! Possible Cause !! Action
| Hard drive does not work || SCSI data cable; SCSI power cable; hard drive; logic board
|-
|-
| No startup chime || Audio circuit failure, capacitor damage || Recap logic board
| CD-ROM drive will not accept a disc || Try another disc; CD-ROM mechanism
|-
|-
| Distorted audio || Failed capacitors || Recap logic board
| No CD-ROM icon on the desktop || Reinstall the CD software and check the CD-ROM extensions are in the System Folder; reinstall system software; CD-ROM mechanism; power supply; SCSI data cable
|-
|-
| No audio through jack || Jack issue, cable || Test with different cable/speakers
| Works with the internal or an external SCSI device, not both || External devices must use different SCSI IDs from internal ones; the hard drive must be terminated and the CD-ROM must not be; external terminator; the external device's SCSI select cable
|}
|}
The logic board's active terminator ends the internal bus when nothing is plugged into the external port. Apple's internal CD-ROM is SCSI ID 3.<ref name="dn" /> See [[Macintosh HDD Maintenance]] and [[Macintosh Floppy Drive Maintenance]].


== SCSI and Storage ==
== Keyboard and mouse ==
 
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:left;"
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
! Symptom !! Apple's cures, in order
|+ '''Drive Problems'''
|-
|-
! Symptom !! Possible Cause !! Action
| Cursor does not move || Restart; mouse connection; connect the mouse to the computer's ADB port, and replace the keyboard if it then works; mouse; logic board
|-
|-
| Flashing question mark || No bootable System || Check SCSI drive; verify cable; test with boot floppy
| Cursor moves, clicking does nothing || Mouse; logic board
|-
|-
| Drive not recognized || Wrong SCSI ID, termination || Verify unique SCSI IDs; check termination
| Double-click does not open anything || Remove duplicate System files; clear PRAM (Command-Option-P-R at start-up, before "Welcome to Macintosh"); check keyboard and mouse as above; logic board
|-
|-
| System freezes during boot || SCSI bus conflict || Disconnect all SCSI; add one at a time
| No response from the keyboard || Keyboard connection; keyboard cable; keyboard; logic board
|-
|-
| Floppy not reading || Dirty heads, failed drive || Clean heads; test with different disks
| Beep whenever a key is pressed || Turn off Slow Keys in the Easy Access control panel
|}
|}
The ADB port supplies +5 V on pin 3 through a 1 A fuse.<ref name="dn" />


=== SCSI Termination ===
== Known faults ==
* Internal drive should be terminated
=== Battery ===
* If using external devices, terminate only the last device
Apple's test is on the 10 V DC range; replace the battery below 2.8 V.<ref name="ss" /> Recap-a-Mac's photograph of a IIvi logic board shows the battery holder, BT1, and the area around it destroyed by a leaking cell.<ref name="ram">{{cite web |url=https://recapamac.com.au/macintosh-iivi/ |title=Macintosh IIvi |publisher=Recap-a-Mac |access-date=2026-09-30}} Annotated photograph of logic board 820-0373-A, hosted here as [[:File:Mac IIvi Recap Guide.jpg]]; the IIvi is not "immune from leaky capacitors and exploding batteries".</ref> Remove the battery from a stored machine, and neutralise lithium residue with bicarbonate of soda. See [[Battery Explosion, Capacitor or Corrosion Damage]].
* Verify each device has a unique SCSI ID (0–6)


== Capacitor-Related Failures ==
=== Capacitors ===
The logic board has six 47 µF surface-mount electrolytics and two 220 µF axials, which leak with age.<ref name="ram" /> See [[Macintosh IIvi Capacitor Replacement Guide]] and [[Capacitor Failure Symptoms]].


{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
=== No FPU ===
|+ '''Capacitor Failure Symptoms'''
The IIvi has no 68882 as standard, only a socket for one, so software that requires an FPU will not run until one is fitted. Programs are meant to check for it through the Gestalt Manager.<ref name="dn" />
|-
! Symptom !! Likely Cause !! Solution
|-
| Random crashes || Failed logic board caps || Full logic board recap
|-
| Audio distortion || Caps near audio circuit || Recap logic board
|-
| No startup || Power or reset circuit caps || Recap; check traces
|-
| Intermittent operation || Multiple failing caps || Full recap
|}
 
See [[Macintosh IIvi Capacitor Replacement Guide]] for procedures.


== Related Pages ==
== Related pages ==
* [[Macintosh IIvi]]
* [[Macintosh IIvi]]
* [[Macintosh IIvi General Maintenance]]
* [[Macintosh IIvi General Maintenance]]
* [[Macintosh IIvi Capacitor Replacement Guide]]
* [[Macintosh IIvi Capacitor Replacement Guide]]
* [[Macintosh IIvx Troubleshooting]]
* [[Sad Mac Error Codes]]
* [[Sad Mac Error Codes]]


== References ==
<references />
{{Navbox-AppleVintage|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:Apple Vintage Computers]]
[[Category:Apple Vintage Computers]]
[[Category:Troubleshooting Guides]]
[[Category:Apple Troubleshooting Guides]]
[[Category:Apple Troubleshooting Guides]]

Latest revision as of 16:13, 30 September 2026

Macintosh IIvi (All About Apple museum, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Fault-finding for the Macintosh IIvi. The tables are Apple's symptom charts from the Service Source it shares with the Macintosh IIvx and Performa 600, with the cures in Apple's order: try the first, check whether the symptom persists, and if a module swap does not cure it, refit the original before moving on.[1] Apple's cures stop at module level; the known faults follow the charts.

Power and start-up

[edit | edit source]
Symptom Apple's cures, in order
Screen completely dark, fan off, LED off Check the external power cables; remove peripherals; remove the NuBus cards and switch on again (combined cards should not draw more than 45 W); remove the accelerator card; power supply; logic board
Screen dark, no audio or drive activity, fan and LED on Remove peripherals; remove NuBus cards; DRAM SIMMs; VRAM SIMMs; power supply; logic board

The machine is switched on from the keyboard's power key, which the 68HC05 microcontroller watches using the power supply's +5 V trickle output; that output is live whenever the machine is plugged in. Shut Down turns the supply off through the same controller.[2] A blank screen for some seconds after switching on is normal: RAM is tested and sized before video starts, longer with more RAM fitted.[2]

For the Sad Mac codes of the Macintosh II family, see Sad Mac Error Codes. Apple's charts for this machine do not list them.

Video

[edit | edit source]
Symptom Apple's cures, in order
Dark screen; audio and a drive working, fan and LED on Monitor brightness; monitor; video cable; VRAM SIMMs; logic board
Screen bright, audio present, no picture Monitor; video cable; VRAM SIMMs; logic board

VRAM SIMMs go in identical pairs, 100 ns or faster. Apple warns that VRAM which does not meet its read-transfer timing can leave visible artefacts on the screen. There is no 1-bit mode on Apple's 12-inch RGB monitor.[2]

Floppy, hard and CD-ROM drives

[edit | edit source]
Symptom Apple's cures, in order
Floppy drive does not work Floppy cable; floppy drive; logic board
Disk ejects and a Mac icon with a blinking X appears Another disk; floppy cable; floppy drive; logic board
Disk will not eject Switch off and hold the mouse button down while switching on; eject manually; floppy cable; floppy drive
Drive tries to eject but fails Push the disk fully in; push a straightened paper clip into the hole beside the slot; floppy drive
Hard drive runs continuously Turn off virtual memory and see whether it stops; SCSI data cable; hard drive; logic board
Hard drive does not work SCSI data cable; SCSI power cable; hard drive; logic board
CD-ROM drive will not accept a disc Try another disc; CD-ROM mechanism
No CD-ROM icon on the desktop Reinstall the CD software and check the CD-ROM extensions are in the System Folder; reinstall system software; CD-ROM mechanism; power supply; SCSI data cable
Works with the internal or an external SCSI device, not both External devices must use different SCSI IDs from internal ones; the hard drive must be terminated and the CD-ROM must not be; external terminator; the external device's SCSI select cable

The logic board's active terminator ends the internal bus when nothing is plugged into the external port. Apple's internal CD-ROM is SCSI ID 3.[2] See Macintosh HDD Maintenance and Macintosh Floppy Drive Maintenance.

Keyboard and mouse

[edit | edit source]
Symptom Apple's cures, in order
Cursor does not move Restart; mouse connection; connect the mouse to the computer's ADB port, and replace the keyboard if it then works; mouse; logic board
Cursor moves, clicking does nothing Mouse; logic board
Double-click does not open anything Remove duplicate System files; clear PRAM (Command-Option-P-R at start-up, before "Welcome to Macintosh"); check keyboard and mouse as above; logic board
No response from the keyboard Keyboard connection; keyboard cable; keyboard; logic board
Beep whenever a key is pressed Turn off Slow Keys in the Easy Access control panel

The ADB port supplies +5 V on pin 3 through a 1 A fuse.[2]

Known faults

[edit | edit source]

Battery

[edit | edit source]

Apple's test is on the 10 V DC range; replace the battery below 2.8 V.[1] Recap-a-Mac's photograph of a IIvi logic board shows the battery holder, BT1, and the area around it destroyed by a leaking cell.[3] Remove the battery from a stored machine, and neutralise lithium residue with bicarbonate of soda. See Battery Explosion, Capacitor or Corrosion Damage.

Capacitors

[edit | edit source]

The logic board has six 47 µF surface-mount electrolytics and two 220 µF axials, which leak with age.[3] See Macintosh IIvi Capacitor Replacement Guide and Capacitor Failure Symptoms.

No FPU

[edit | edit source]

The IIvi has no 68882 as standard, only a socket for one, so software that requires an FPU will not run until one is fitted. Programs are meant to check for it through the Gestalt Manager.[2]

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Apple Computer, Macintosh IIvx, Macintosh IIvi, Performa 600 Service Source, File:Macintosh iivx.vi.perf 600.pdf; see Macintosh IIvx/IIvi/Performa 600 Service Source. Troubleshooting, PDF pp. 15-24: General p. 15; Video pp. 16-17; Floppy Drive pp. 18-19; Hard Drive p. 20; CD-ROM Drive p. 21; Peripherals pp. 22-24. Battery Verification pp. 68-69.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Apple Computer, Macintosh IIvx Developer Note (1992), also covering the IIvi and Performa 600, File:Macintosh IIvx IIvi and Performa 600 Developer Note.pdf; see Macintosh IIvx IIvi and Performa 600 Developer Note. Printed page numbers: video modes and FPU pp. 4-5; RAM p. 9; VRAM p. 10; ADB, clock and PRAM p. 19; soft power p. 20; power supply p. 28; internal SCSI devices and CD-ROM ID pp. 31-32.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Macintosh IIvi, Recap-a-Mac—link(accessed 2026-09-30) Annotated photograph of logic board 820-0373-A, hosted here as File:Mac IIvi Recap Guide.jpg; the IIvi is not "immune from leaky capacitors and exploding batteries".


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