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How to unbox a NeXT Cube 25 years later

How to unbox a NeXT Cube 25 years later Networking 44 posts Jul 8, 2013 — Jul 25, 2013

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#1 Mon, 8 Jul 2013 - 23:16

The title says it all

#2 Mon, 8 Jul 2013 - 23:18

#3 Mon, 8 Jul 2013 - 23:19

#4 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 02:09

. . . and I shall open a big box of jealousy

#5 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 04:57

MEH! No Laser Printer? [

)] ]'>

#6 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 05:24

and i thought mcdermd was hard-core.

#7 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 05:31

I'm hard core, I'm just not that rich

#8 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 06:21

Mostly a cleaver trade, nothing too crazy

#9 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 07:25

MEH! No Laser Printer? [)] ]'>

I have the laser printer, but I didn't get any boxes. So haplain wins. (Also, mine's a slab, not a cube. Specifically a NeXTstation Turbo.)

#10 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 08:33

We're twins!

#11 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 20:20

Mostly a cleaver trade

Huh. I had no idea that the Beav was into that sort of thing.

#12 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 21:04

Mostly a cleaver trade, nothing too crazy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleaver

Cleaver_(PSF).jpg.8816aa11ec5b4b575ab917838685e35f.jpg

lol

#13 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 21:05

When HAP does his craigslist transactions, He means business !!!

#14 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 22:54

Having some boot issues right now. It starts but doesn't recognize the hard drive. It tries to load from the internal CD drive but takes FOREVER so I don't think it's working in the sense there's a MOBO issue. The CD-Drive and HD spin up so I know it's something silly

I have EVERY version of NeXT and NeXT step on disks and CD-ROM so whatever OS I install once I get her working. I just send the board out for a recap (an extra board) and think it's having a keyboard input issue. The fact I cannot use the COMMAND buttons on startup to force it into programmers mode lead me to think it just needs a servicing. I've seen an article discussing that issue and it seems to be a simple fix. Thanks Uniserver! The fact it boots, loads, HD seems to spin, CD-Drive takes a disc leads me to believe it's something silly. Good thing I've got 2 mobo's.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Screen Shot 2013-07-09 at 2.47.11 PM.png

Screen Shot 2013-07-09 at 2.46.58 PM.png

#15 Tue, 9 Jul 2013 - 23:59

I have 2x 68040 25Mhz boards. They both have the aluminum caps. They didn't appear to be bad but what do I know. Obviously something isn't working and some is so a recaps a great place to start. I figure worst case I'll reach out to rob at blackhole and get a working board but really want the original one to work.

I'll probably get a laser printer in box for keepsake too ;-) why not right

#16 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 00:55

I sold my color slab last year. Had a brand new laser printer that I never used.

#17 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 01:22

Did you try using a SCSI terminator?

I've got one on my Cube's external SCSI port (mini 50 pin).

#18 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 01:58

That I recall, both NeXTSTEP 2 and 3 will not directly boot off the CD unlike NeXTSTEP 1 did on MO.

You need to bootstrap the system with the included boot floppy which according to your dual MO bezel you do not have. Neither do you have a floppy drive (and NO they are not Apple's floppy drives). There are hacks however to dump the CD to a hard drive and then install to the same drive.

Go ask the forum at nextcomputers.org for additional info on this.

Also, are you trying COMMAND + ~ to get to the PROM?

#19 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 02:24

That I recall, both NeXTSTEP 2 and 3 will not directly boot off the CD unlike NeXTSTEP 1 did on MO.according to your dual MO bezel you do not have. Neither do you have a floppy drive (and NO they are not Apple's floppy drives).

Sorry to disappoint but I said I had EVERYTHING

I'll try that little trick and thanks for the suggestion

#20 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 08:07

Nice. Okay, so you DO have the floppy drive. Hang it out the back and fudge in the back cover and you should be ready to reinstall.

#21 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 12:38

Congratulations, and I am jealous.

#22 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 17:05

Also, are you trying COMMAND + ~ to get to the PROM?

CalGen, mad thanks for your help. I got it working last night. She wasn't looking to boot from the SCSI Drive or "sd" drive for those familiar with NeXT. It's running NextStep 3.1 I have root access and have another user I created last night.

It even has the working NeXT branded SCSI HD 380MB

#23 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 17:57

I bet you are feeling really good about this.

Heck you've wanted a NeXT Cube for, what like 5 or 6 weeks?

Charles

#24 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 19:36

I bet you are feeling really good about this.
Heck you've wanted a NeXT Cube for, what like 5 or 6 weeks?

Charles

I was jumping up and down in my living room freaking out. I knew I'd get it sorted out, thanks again CalGen. Just a another lesson in delayed gratification.

#25 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 20:34

If you're going to do a recap, open the MO drive (a pictorial disassembly guide exists) and replace the small radial caps on all the boards. They're all leaking and we're starting to suspect they are responsible for all the drives being dead.

#26 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 - 22:00

I'll do that once I've got the recapped board back. Got some more work for you Uniserver

I want to take my time with this one. I'm not in a rush and have essentially completed my collection so now it's just about polishing.

#27 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 - 21:39

Man... I miss my NeXTs so much

#28 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 - 21:40

This is fantastic. I have a NeXTstation with all of these accessories (minus CD-ROM drive), but no Cube.

#29 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 - 23:40

Things just keep getting more interesting and I need some input. Has anyone seen a NeXT Cube board with this kind of chip in it? Mine is NOT soldered into place and says "Sample-A". It also does NOT have any other markings like the other photos I've seen. Can anyone shed some light on this... I have a preproduction board?

Screen Shot 2013-07-11 at 3.33.32 PM.png

#30 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 - 00:22

NeXT saved money by stuffing engineering samples onto their boards as well. Nothing new there and there's been a few 040 boards with a socketed 040. Nobody really knows why but they don't seem any different.