I have had this machine for a while now and decided today to at least start
cleaning it up. It is very dirty inside. The trouble is I can't see how to
get at the motherboard, which I can needs cleaning; it seems to be under a
riveted plate and I can't see any way to get it at it, or even just to
remove the cover for the option cards. Is there a trick to this that I am
missing? I have looked around for manuals, but there don't seem to be any
online. I am also unsure how to remove the option cards, do I just turn the
plastic knob clockwise? It is stiff and I don't want to apply too much force
and break something.
THis family of machines (DECmate/Pro/Rainbow) are very easy to strip down
into FRUs, and almost impossible to repair, inm that it's very hard to
conenct them up unmless everythign is in the right place in the case.
But anyway, from, what I rememebr....
You start by taking the end cover off the cardcage. Then unplug all the
cables fro mteh top of the PCBs -- some go to the drives, there may be a
jumber cable ewbtween 2 video boards, etc). Then pull out the plastic tab
handle on a PCB as far as it ill go and turn it (I think anticlockwise)
by 1/4 of a turn. THis will spred the conenctor contacts, the boards then
side out of the end of the cardcage.
With the PSU and drives removed (the latter slide out frontwards, there's
spring tab in the usual way),you'll see a number othumbscrews along the
chasiss flange in front of the cardcage (IIRC). Loosen these off a bit at
a time untill they're all free, then the motherbvoard sildes out towards
the back of the machine
I think the rest of it is obvious.
I also just noticed that it is missing the power switch, don't suppose
anyone has one going spare? It looks like probably any DEC rocker switch
would be OK. You can see the type I mean by looking at this
http://www.recycledgoods.com/zoom.aspx?productID=19036.
I think it's a standard DPST rocker switch. I suspect anything rated for
mains that will fit in the hole will work.
Incidentally, I opened up the PSU to clean that out. It looks pretty bad:
there are quite a few patch wires there, extra components clearly added
after it was built, components that look poorly placed, two resistors
soldered together in series by their leads, an inductor soldered with large
blobs of solder that look worse than anything even I could do. I am left
wondering if this typical of these PSUs or if I have just got something that
has been hacked about.
Ouch!. Modifications were not uncommon,but it sounds like yours has been
got at ;-(
Last time I worked on one of these suppleis I needed a tamperproof torx
driver to get one of the PCB fixing screws out. Did you? If not, it's a
fair sign somebody has been there before you.
-tony