Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uwm.edu!psuvax1!rutgers!att!cbnewsc!straka
From: straka@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (richard.j.straka)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Mac 512 still somewhat viable?
Summary: 1024KE+SCSI upgrade plans available
Message-ID: <12351@cbnewsc.ATT.COM>
Date: 20 Dec 89 13:21:22 GMT
References: <1989Dec12.182313.15424@oswego.Oswego.EDU>
Reply-To: straka@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (richard.j.straka,ih,)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 41

In article <1989Dec12.182313.15424@oswego.Oswego.EDU> ostroff@penelope.oswego.edu (Boyd Ostroff) writes:
>In article <274@spot.wbst128.xerox.com> powers@jade.UUCP (Mike Powers) writes:
>>
>>	A friend of mine has a Mac 512 sitting around collecting dust. I
>>have been hunting around for a cheapo Mac to do some writing. 
	  (about how to make good use of a 512K Mac)
>
>The upgrade to a 512KE used to be about $300, and maybe worth it for you,
>since you would get more compatibility (128K ROMs, 800K internal drive).

I have one of the original Macs (5-1/2 years old), and have converted it from:

1) 128K to 512K using the "Dr. Dobbs article".  A lot of chip cutting and a
   little bit of "white wire".
2) from 512K to 512KE using the Apple Disk/ROM upgrade (~$250)
3) from 512KE to 1024KE using piggybacked (soldered) RAM chips and a little
   bit more white wire.  This is not as scary as it might seem.
4) 1024KE to 1024KE+SCSI (Effectively a Mac Plus that can't go beyond 1MB)
   using a SuperMac SCSI board (Dove would do the job, too) for ~$80.

It's been running like a champ ever since, although I could use more memory,
a faster processor, a bigger screen, ... ... ...  But it fit my budget!

MacEnvy thinks that it is a real Mac Plus with one exception: the old clock
chip, which is no real problem anyway.

To go from 512K to 1024KE+SCSI, you need ~$350-400, and some hardware hacking.
(not without risk (and certainly not for the faint of heart), but the mods
are pretty easily reversible)

I can supply a MacPaint file with the schematic, plus a text file with some
hints and caveats.  I received these ideas from a fellow netter, Mike Ching,
of AMD quite a while ago (~2 years).

If I get enough requests (I doubt it), I'll consider posting the files.

HAPPY (hardware) HACKING!!!
-- 
Rich Straka     att!ihlpf!straka

MSDOS: All the wonderfully arcane syntax of UNIX(R), but without the power.