#mac iicx

[techav]

An Exercise in Futility

Today's ridiculous project: attempting to build UNIX System V from source, using the tools included with A/UX running on a 16MHz Mac IIcx with 20MB of RAM

Make is throwing errors left and right, but it keeps on running, doing .. something.

[techav]

Apple president Jean-Louis Gassée introduces the Mac IIcx. Gassée's presentation may not have the polish of an Apple product debut these days, but I would love to see Ive try to assemble a new product on stage as part of its reveal.

[techav]

Cleaning up a Mac IIcx motherboard. This machine has been stored East Texas heat and humidity for nearly a decade. It was functional when it went into storage, but was already showing signs that its capacitors needed replacing. I didn't know that at the time. I've been putting off working on this machine because I feared the state of the motherboard, given what I've learned in recent years. At a glance, it appears all of the electrolytic capacitors have begun to leak. I am glad I did not attempt to power it on before inspecting it. My biggest fear though, was that the PRAM battery would have leaked and damaged the nearby traces. It does seem my younger self knew more than I realized. At some point I removed the battery, but I have no memory of doing so. I'm doing what I can to clean up the years of dust and leaked capacitor electrolyte. I'll need to order a whole set of replacement capacitors for both motherboard and power supply, and find a replacement battery. I have little hope for the hard drive, and will likely need to pick up an SCSI2SD hard drive emulator. All part of the fun of these old machines though, right?