04-12-2011, 07:09 AM

Hi all,

Newbie here. I am not sure if this is the place to ask the question, but I cannot find any 68k forums that are open to new members.

I recently obtained a Mac Classic 2 as I used to have a Mac Classic that I had to get rid of to move house a couple of years ago, and have been looking a replacement ever since.

When I initially turn it on, it will display a zebra-crossing effect on the display. If I leave it on, it shows a greyscale blank desktop and plays a strange chime. Something like:
"do-da-da-daaa, do-de-de-deee". Scale of notes go up and down like 1-2-3-4, 4-3-2-1.

If I then reboot the machine, it will usually boot into the desktop. Occasionally it plays the stange chime a few times and has to be rebooted before it goes to desktop.

Is this a sign that the CMOS/PRAM battery is dead?
How easy is this to get at?
What should I do to prevent being electrocuted by the CRT.

Look forward to sharing findings and photos of the Classic 2 with you all

Thanks

04-12-2011, 10:05 PM

I had a suspicion, and I just checked Mactracker and the sound labeled "death chime" sounds exactly the same as what you're describing. What a death chime is, or what it means I have no idea. But it has the word "death" in it so I'm assuming it's not a good thing

04-13-2011, 04:19 AM

Death is indeed an ominous word.

Seems to signal some sort of hardware fault.

Initially shows zebra crossing pattern, leaving on shows the grey background with a diagonal lined wallpaper effect.
After a couple of restarts at this stage it eventually gets to the desktop.

RAM or HD failure should not get to the desktop surely, so it looks like something "temporary" that is cured by leaving on power.
Thats what made me think battery or perhaps capacitors?

If this isn't the place, can anyone recommend a 68k forum that is accepting new members?
Thanks!

04-14-2011, 10:58 PM

I know where a Mac classic is at a thrift store. There going to dumpster it...To bad your in Belfast.

04-15-2011, 02:42 PM

Yeah, I did some more digging on the net and I can't seem to find any answers as to what this death chime actually means. Apparently, it doesn't sound for specific reasons, it's just telling you that it has an issue...

04-15-2011, 03:32 PM

You're right about this error being ambiguous. I recall, way back when, seeing this code. We replaced the hard drive, reloaded the software, and the problem was gone. Bad hard drive, right? WRONG! It was a version mismatch between the System and the Finder. We cost the customer a few hundred dollars for a new drive for a software problem. That's a lesson I won't forget!