Skip to main content
Home Forums 68kMLA SE/30 Common Fixable problems — #7
Post #7 by jukingeo
Source Forum68kMLA
CategoryNetworking
Post DateTue, 2 Feb 2010 - 20:51
Original URLhttps://68kmla.org/bb/threads/se-30-common-fixable-problems.19764/
Post
No. If you use a non-Apple hard drive, then you need to use a non-Apple utility to format the hard drive. Or the hacked Apple utility. So, Apple hard drive: use the Apple utility to format the drive. Non-Apple drive: Use any of the readily available non-Apple utilities to format the drive.
Ok, gottcha.

Speaking of the SCSI, the port on the back of the computer...what other uses for that port besides hard drive and scanner hookups? Is there a way to use it for I/O control (turning lights on/off, motor control, etc).
Probably, but you'd have to write software to drive the SCSI port that way. The DB25 connector on the back of the machine is a standard SCSI port using a non-standard connector (25 pins instead of 50). Arguably, it is a 26 pin connector, as I believe that the connector housing supplies the ground. I could be wrong about that though.

Speaking of writing software. Dos systems usually had a simple programming langauge called "BASIC". Did the Mac have something similar?

So if it doesn't support more than 8mb of RAM, what would be the point of going to 128meg, or even 32 meg?
As I wrote, if you install the control panel Mode32, then it will support memory capacity above 8 MB.

I am assuming this is like a special piece of software? I remember back in the days of Windows 95 they had limitations on the hard drives too and you would have to install a utility that would allow you to go past the cap they had on the hard drives. It was called something like LBA conversion or what.

Whew! That is a lot to take in just for a printer hookup.
You've always had to deal with the same information, it's just that you never had to notice it before. :-) There are three components to printer compatibility for all computers and operating systems:

1) Communications media -- You must be able to physically interface the computer and the printer. In the Windows world this was typically accomplished with a parallel port interface. Other examples are serial interfaces (RS232, RS422 (?)), network interfaces (localtalk, ethernet, token ring) and USB, which I guess is a fancier serial interface.

2) Communications protocol -- This is how the information is packaged for communication over the hardware media. I'm not sure direct connections such as parallel or serial have a communications protocol, but I guess they must have something analogous. On networks, examples of protocols are TCP/IP, AppleTalk or Ethertalk and IPX/SPX.

3) Printer Language -- The print driver on your computer translates the images to be printed into a code the printer can understand (if you're lucky) called the printer language. Windows machines were typically using PCL4 when I stopped paying attention. Some of them used postscript. Printers built specifically for older Macs which connect via the serial port will have QuickDraw support. But Postscript is a standard beyond the Macintosh world and the LaserWriter driver will create postscript output.

So, for example, when I bought a Color Laser Printer a year ago at Christmas I narrowed my choice to three models. They all had ethernet support, and because I have a LocalTalk to Ethernet bridge on my network, all my Macs would be able to communicate with the printer over the Media layer. All the printers had Postscript support, so all my Mac's printer drivers (extensions in Macs parlance) could create usable output for the printers. But only one of the printers supported the AppleTalk Communications Protocol (or listed it in the spec. I still suspect that the Xerox model had it but forgot to list it). So my older Macs were best served by getting the printer with AppleTalk support because Apple didn't add printing over TCP/IP until fairly late in the Classic OS and some of my older machines won't run an OS new enough to support TCP/IP printing, I think.

So then it probably would be best to find out what version of the MAC OS started using TCP/IP. I would assume then if the Mac computer had that capability then it should be able to communicate (share files) with a Windows machine?

If you can find an old HP LaserJet 4M or 5M or 4M Plus, those are perfect, unless you want color.
Hmmm, no not really. If I have a monochrome display, it would be safe to say that a monochrome printer would be fine :) .

The M in the model number just indicates that it has the Postscript SIMM installed (Macintosh version). You'll also want one with a LocalTalk or Ethernet or LocalTalk/Ethernet JetDirect card installed. The M models came with the JetDirect card but after so many years, who knows if they're still in the machine, so it's good to check.
Wow! Looks like that printer is still readily available on Ebay. They have quite a few listed. Well, that is good news. How does the printer connect to the computer?

Since they have a SCSI to IDE adapter, do they also have a SCSI to SATA adapter?
Your phrasing is a little confusing to me here. Just to be clear... The Mac does not have a SCSI to IDE adapter, but SCSI to IDE adapter do exist. I think the latter is what you meant.
Yes, that is what I meant.

You can install any size drive, but the OS can only address volumes up to 2 GB. So, e.g., if you install a 9 GB drive, partition it into four 2 GB volumes and one 1 GB volume or something similar. Later OSs raised this to some number of Terabytes (2?) but the SE/30 doesn't run OSs that new, I think.
Ok, so if I have a 20gig HD I can set it up in 10-2gig partitions (this is on an SE/30 now).

I have looked up that Macintosh repair book and boy oh boy the private listers on Amazon are sure scalping the book.
It's been out of print for a long time and it's a useful book to crazy people with old Macs. However, if you're patient, some times you can get a deal on it. I have bought some of Pina's books for around $10, but I already had the first two titles I listed from when they were in print. It used to be that the Ebay prices were high and the Amazon prices affordable. I guess Amazon caught up.
Yeah, I would have to wait for a deal on it as I can't see spending that much on the book. Besides I am sure much of the info is on the internet anyway.

No. That is for an *LC* PDS slot.
Really? Then what does the board like like that I SHOULD be looking for.

Thanx,

Geo

mp.ls