Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!aplcen!haven!udel!burdvax!dave From: dave@PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware Subject: Re: RAM for a Mac + and monitor Message-ID: <15050@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM> Date: 20 Sep 90 17:54:03 GMT References: <71349.26F6CEFC@cmhgate.FIDONET.ORG> Sender: news@PRC.Unisys.COM Organization: Unisys Corporation, Paoli Research Center; Paoli, PA Lines: 68 In article <71349.26F6CEFC@cmhgate.FIDONET.ORG> CHARLES.BOOS@f200.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (CHARLES BOOS) writes: >I am thinking of installing 4 Mb of RAM into my mac + but I have heard >that the power supply for the plus hasn't been updated since well before >the 528 was introduced resulting in an increased risk of burning out the >power supply. I have already had to replace my power supply once because >of this burnout and I am worried that 4Mb would be too much of a strain on >my current unit. Also, I was considering a portrait monitor(with >accelerator card) and I am worried about the power supply still. Does >anyone have a similar configuration and if you do what problems do you >note? Let me know as I can get the SIMM's and the monitor relatively >cheap but I don't need recurring repair bills and down time. Thanks. > > Charlie ------------ Clip and Save ------------ Clip and Save ------------ The power supplies on the 128K Macs were worthless; the power supplies on the Mac Pluses has been improved to almost marginal. I've had a Mac for six years and have had the power supply replaced three times so far; I understand this is about average. So go ahead and upgrade--you'll be glad you did, when System 7 comes out--and your power supply is going to burn out again, whether you upgrade or not. For power supply burnout, you can have a brand new marginal power supply installed by your Apple dealer for about $145 parts, $40-80 labor. Or you can upgrade the power supply yourself, much more cheaply, and get a decent quality power supply in the bargain. Here's what you need: An upgrade/repair kit for Plus/512K/128K analog board, $51, from Soft Solutions 907 River Road, Suite #98 Eugene, OR 97404 Phone 503/461/1136 Fax 503/461/2005 The kit has the flyback transformer and various capacitors and things, but it doesn't have instructions. For those you need "Macintosh Repair & Upgrade Secrets" by Larry Pina ($35 at Walden Books, $27 from MacWarehouse, 1-800-ALL-MACS). You also need: a soldering pencil and a multimeter, both available cheaply from Radio Shack; and a torx wrench and case cracker (which you need anyway to install 4MB RAM), available from MacWarehouse for, I think, $8). This repair/upgrade is said to be easy, requiring little more than the ability to use a soldering pencil. It doesn't take an EE or other hardware-type person. I admit haven't tried it myself, since I found out about it AFTER my last $220 repair, but I did talk a friend into going this route when his power supply died last month, and it went well for him. If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, Soft Solutions will do the upgrade for you, for a flat fee of $115, and they claim a 72-hour turnaround. Other places can be found to do this even more cheaply, I believe, but you have to do some hunting. Summary: Don't take it to Apple. Save this article because sooner or later you'll want these addresses and phone numbers. -- Disclaimer: I'm just a user. What do I know? -- -- Dave Matuszek (dave@prc.unisys.com) -- Unisys Corp. / Paoli Research Center / PO Box 517 / Paoli PA 19301 -- Any resemblance between my opinions and those of my employer is improbable. < You can put a mouse on an IBM. And you can put a radio on a motorcycle. >