Title: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 10, 2022, 04:03:41 AM
Post by: Bouddha on March 10, 2022, 04:03:41 AM
Hello,
I am new to this forum. I purchased some black Hardware in the end of the 90s and have been using it for a while. I notably still have a Cube with NeXT dimension board and a Turbo Station.
Unfortunately all those have been kept in cellars all over the past 20 years. This week I decided to check whether my Cube is still working.
And actually it is not: it won't power up at all... I have had a look at the boards, as well as the power supply, and their visual aspect is great (surprisingly great knowing that the storage conditions have been far from being optimal) and doesn't show any traces of cap leaks... I have also replaced the MB battery.
When I try and power on the Cube, absolutely nothing happens, not even a click sound or the like. I have spent some time going through the posts here but have not found any similar cases (well, just one, which appears to have been resolved thanks to a battery replacement).
What do you think I should check first? Note: I have tried powering on the Cube without any monitor: is there any chance that this could be an issue (Cube 1000A with NeXT Dimension board - Power supply Ref. No. 983)? My assumption is that I should first get to know whether the power supply itself is dead...
Happy to be back in the world of black hardware after all these years anyway, and looking forward into reading you.
Bouddha
I am new to this forum. I purchased some black Hardware in the end of the 90s and have been using it for a while. I notably still have a Cube with NeXT dimension board and a Turbo Station.
Unfortunately all those have been kept in cellars all over the past 20 years. This week I decided to check whether my Cube is still working.
And actually it is not: it won't power up at all... I have had a look at the boards, as well as the power supply, and their visual aspect is great (surprisingly great knowing that the storage conditions have been far from being optimal) and doesn't show any traces of cap leaks... I have also replaced the MB battery.
When I try and power on the Cube, absolutely nothing happens, not even a click sound or the like. I have spent some time going through the posts here but have not found any similar cases (well, just one, which appears to have been resolved thanks to a battery replacement).
What do you think I should check first? Note: I have tried powering on the Cube without any monitor: is there any chance that this could be an issue (Cube 1000A with NeXT Dimension board - Power supply Ref. No. 983)? My assumption is that I should first get to know whether the power supply itself is dead...
Happy to be back in the world of black hardware after all these years anyway, and looking forward into reading you.
Bouddha
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: cuby on March 10, 2022, 06:33:18 AM
Post by: cuby on March 10, 2022, 06:33:18 AM
QuoteNote: I have tried powering on the Cube without any monitor: is there any chance that this could be an issue (Cube 1000A with NeXT Dimension board - Power supply Ref. No. 983)?
Running an old Cube headless requires to connect a 470 Ohm resistor to the power sense pin (pin6) of the DB19 temporarily.
See The NetBSD NeXT FAQ (https://www.netbsd.org/ports/next68k/faq.html) (section "How do I run my NeXT headless?") and this post (http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-next68k/1998/06/30/0000.html) for details.
- Michael
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 10, 2022, 06:39:59 AM
Post by: Bouddha on March 10, 2022, 06:39:59 AM
Thanks Michael!
Good news is that there is still some hope that the Cube may power up.
Bad news is that my going through the posts here had not led me to this piece of information ;-).
I will pay a visit to my cellars again tonight as there should be two Megapixel monitors hiding in there... otherwise I should have a few resistors at hand.
Good news is that there is still some hope that the Cube may power up.
Bad news is that my going through the posts here had not led me to this piece of information ;-).
I will pay a visit to my cellars again tonight as there should be two Megapixel monitors hiding in there... otherwise I should have a few resistors at hand.
Quote from: cuby on March 10, 2022, 06:33:18 AMRunning an old Cube headless requires to connect a 470 Ohm resistor to the power sense pin (pin6) of the DB19 temporarily.
See The NetBSD NeXT FAQ (https://www.netbsd.org/ports/next68k/faq.html) (section "How do I run my NeXT headless?") and this post (http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-next68k/1998/06/30/0000.html) for details.
- Michael
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: barcher174 on March 10, 2022, 08:39:41 AM
Post by: barcher174 on March 10, 2022, 08:39:41 AM
No resistor needed with a 983 power supply. Do you have your keyboard plugged into a soundbox?
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 10, 2022, 09:13:42 AM
Post by: Bouddha on March 10, 2022, 09:13:42 AM
Yes, keyboard plugged into the soundbox, and soundbox plugged to the Cube through the NeXT Y-cable...
So you just made me lose my hope for the cube possibly powering on ;-)...
That also makes me think that the issue could also well come from the Soundbox itself...?
So you just made me lose my hope for the cube possibly powering on ;-)...
That also makes me think that the issue could also well come from the Soundbox itself...?
Quote from: barcher174 on March 10, 2022, 08:39:41 AMNo resistor needed with a 983 power supply. Do you have your keyboard plugged into a soundbox?
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: barcher174 on March 10, 2022, 08:10:41 PM
Post by: barcher174 on March 10, 2022, 08:10:41 PM
Is this an adb or nonadb soundbox? There should be a single ended cable, not a y cable.
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 11, 2022, 01:21:48 AM
Post by: Bouddha on March 11, 2022, 01:21:48 AM
It is a non-ADB version.
Quote from: barcher174 on March 10, 2022, 08:10:41 PMIs this an adb or nonadb soundbox? There should be a single ended cable, not a y cable.
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 12, 2022, 04:52:31 AM
Post by: Bouddha on March 12, 2022, 04:52:31 AM
Will try to find a single-ended cable but I don't believe that using a Y-cable could be a reason why it cannot power up 🤔...
Quote from: barcher174 on March 10, 2022, 08:10:41 PMIs this an adb or nonadb soundbox? There should be a single ended cable, not a y cable.
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: gtnicol on March 13, 2022, 03:15:47 PM
Post by: gtnicol on March 13, 2022, 03:15:47 PM
First thing to check if it doesn't start is always the battery. Did you try swapping that?
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 13, 2022, 05:48:50 PM
Post by: Bouddha on March 13, 2022, 05:48:50 PM
Yes thanks this is the first thing I did (and the only thing I did, actually).
Quote from: gtnicol on March 13, 2022, 03:15:47 PMFirst thing to check if it doesn't start is always the battery. Did you try swapping that?
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 18, 2022, 05:23:16 AM
Post by: Bouddha on March 18, 2022, 05:23:16 AM
Hello,
Could not find a direct cable to try in place of the Y cable... I could find (yes I know there's a real mess in my cellars) a monitor and a NeXTstation Turbo Color... I was not expecting all those to power on as their cosmetic condition was much worse than that of the Cube... But... Miracle! It powered on successfully (of course I got stuck with my login and password, which I have forgotten)... I have tried using the same Soundbox, Y-cable, keyboard, mouse and power cables as those I had tried with the Cube...
... which means there should be an issue with the Cube (or it is the Y-Cable story, but that seems unlikely, as the PSU is that of the latest generation)... I would tend to believe it is an issue with the PSU...
Any ideas? Anything I could easily try first to figure out it that indeed comes from the PSU?
Could not find a direct cable to try in place of the Y cable... I could find (yes I know there's a real mess in my cellars) a monitor and a NeXTstation Turbo Color... I was not expecting all those to power on as their cosmetic condition was much worse than that of the Cube... But... Miracle! It powered on successfully (of course I got stuck with my login and password, which I have forgotten)... I have tried using the same Soundbox, Y-cable, keyboard, mouse and power cables as those I had tried with the Cube...
... which means there should be an issue with the Cube (or it is the Y-Cable story, but that seems unlikely, as the PSU is that of the latest generation)... I would tend to believe it is an issue with the PSU...
Any ideas? Anything I could easily try first to figure out it that indeed comes from the PSU?
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 18, 2022, 09:04:04 AM
Post by: Bouddha on March 18, 2022, 09:04:04 AM
Great feeling anyway, so happy when I saw it was booting up and that the display was still great! The Station has the old NS2.2 installed...
(https://postimg.cc/6T96nJQz)
(https://postimg.cc/6T96nJQz)
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Rob Blessin Black Hole on March 20, 2022, 12:05:21 AM
Post by: Rob Blessin Black Hole on March 20, 2022, 12:05:21 AM
Hello Brouda: Are you using the NeXT Ycable for your Turbo Color to try and power on the Cube from the NeXT Dimension board? If yes you are using the NeXT Y Cable from your Turbo color to try and power on the NeXT Cube it will not work :)
You need to connect through the mono motherboard on the NeXT Cube using a DB 19 to DB19 monitor cable :).
You need to connect through the mono motherboard on the NeXT Cube using a DB 19 to DB19 monitor cable :).
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 20, 2022, 01:51:37 PM
Post by: Bouddha on March 20, 2022, 01:51:37 PM
Hey Rob,
Thanks for your reply. Not sure my memory serves, but as far as I remember, I used to plug a Soundbox to my Cube. You mean that I didn't use to do that using a Y-cable such as that of the Station? If so, I am wondering how I used to connect all these people together... If my understanding is correct, then that should be with some cable between the Soundbox and the Cube, AND some other cable between the Cube (Dimension board) and the monitor?
Thanks for your reply. Not sure my memory serves, but as far as I remember, I used to plug a Soundbox to my Cube. You mean that I didn't use to do that using a Y-cable such as that of the Station? If so, I am wondering how I used to connect all these people together... If my understanding is correct, then that should be with some cable between the Soundbox and the Cube, AND some other cable between the Cube (Dimension board) and the monitor?
Quote from: Rob Blessin Black Hole on March 20, 2022, 12:05:21 AMHello Brouda: Are you using the NeXT Ycable for your Turbo Color to try and power on the Cube from the NeXT Dimension board? If yes you are using the NeXT Y Cable from your Turbo color to try and power on the NeXT Cube it will not work :)
You need to connect through the mono motherboard on the NeXT Cube using a DB 19 to DB19 monitor cable :).
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 20, 2022, 02:03:47 PM
Post by: Bouddha on March 20, 2022, 02:03:47 PM
Pursuant to my previous message, I assume I should have one 13W3m to 13W3m cable (NeXT Dimension to monitor), as well as one DB19m to DB19m cable (Soundbox to Cube's Main Board)?
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: barcher174 on March 20, 2022, 02:59:15 PM
Post by: barcher174 on March 20, 2022, 02:59:15 PM
Quote from: Bouddha on March 20, 2022, 02:03:47 PMPursuant to my previous message, I assume I should have one 13W3m to 13W3m cable (NeXT Dimension to monitor), as well as one DB19m to DB19m cable (Soundbox to Cube's Main Board)?
Correct
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 20, 2022, 03:19:28 PM
Post by: Bouddha on March 20, 2022, 03:19:28 PM
Wow I just have to find those now... But that is a message of hope again :-).
Quote from: barcher174 on March 20, 2022, 02:59:15 PMCorrect
Title: Re: Diagnosing a 1000A Next Cube that won't start up
Post by: Bouddha on March 21, 2022, 03:04:44 PM
Post by: Bouddha on March 21, 2022, 03:04:44 PM
Update: I eventually could find the relevant cables... And the Cube works great as well!! I am impressed... Even the floppy is still working great :-o.
I am so happy that everything still works so fine!
I am so happy that everything still works so fine!