The immortal 1984 Macintosh (restoration diary)

# The immortal 1984 Macintosh (restoration diary) Source: [https://www.thebyteattic.com/2026/08/the-immortal-macintosh-restoration-diary.html](https://www.thebyteattic.com/2026/08/the-immortal-macintosh-restoration-diary.html) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi54w1a4GAC8HEjZ9PvnZIWxp9Y_R83LS93CVcW90_2xl97EsMnZAxYqBkCW22_mFaC0By_Z7W3Pzcp2c2Bw2EKAvaM2RjjU6_hxKVww2PcIk262VM9591TCW-5NpZVc2_oc77LXoBIFsP_AalKNg8V1CZT32gEf0wMkO_xnD0kL-F26vqgf66qmJbulE/s5209/IMG_1863.jpeg) After a long pause of a year and a half, I finally managed to complete a modest new restoration project this summer\. The goal this time was to restore an original Apple Macintosh 128K \(1984\) for display and daily use in an office environment, where it will serve both as an educational curiosity and a source of entertainment and relaxation for employees\. However, there is a hidden contradiction in this double purpose—educative historical significance*and*entertainment capabilities—that pose a challenge: the original 128K Mac, while a major technical accomplishment for the time, wasn't actually useable\. Its memory was far too limited for any meaningful application, given that the bitmapped display and fairly sophisticated operating system—for the time—occupied most of the 128KB\. It also came with just a single 400KB floppy disk drive\. Worst of all, it couldn't be expanded with extra memory or a hard\-disk drive, so very little could be done with it as far as entertainment goes\. While later Macs addressed all of these limitations, they don't have the appeal and historical significance of the very first one, which translates into an impasse: should I go for historical significance or the ability to actually do something with the device? Luckily, a compromise was possible: I sourced an original Macintosh 128K from 1984 that the original owner upgraded to a Macintosh Plus in 1986\. The resulting machine is still a vintage original, but also has 1MB of memory and a SCSI port\. Together, these features support a fairly extensive library of games that is more than sufficient for my purposes\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2AmJjffRQZzeXiPmZ2vvn-GtU2t5AbV7RwwAzmPte-kU39aGrCAeRXYguNEMRTZXt_jB_EtmhSqbi0YvU6mNfH_sjk8uRCzMqSIjqku8WUQA7OHWGyfG0uloetM1rf9Jc7ezsBYoj07byY-kVWs-QtupNSUEoftiIC-f-lRUxVpGg1eMk-9E0xdksGw/s4032/IMG_1323.jpeg) The unit I sourced had a lot of mileage: it had been used daily in a psychology practice from 1984 to 2008 \(\!\)\. Beyond the 1986 upgrade to a Mac Plus motherboard, it had also never been serviced\. The CRT had severe burn\-in \(in the photo below, you can even read individual words\!\), the battery had leaked and ruined the battery compartment, the case was severely yellowed, and the gears of the floppy eject mechanism were broken due to plastic deterioration over time\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSfs9XlFRikpa5HdGiPjNSOFssZs2ensfncOZsZMvqKLve3uszVG3gJ6iVoIVCVAFt2uSv7KuD5ubEY-EWJ71wu8KrHtzLTbTTNDksM_7n9ajI0XEtheOwh_zHStR0v23Ii0uQuPAQlmd8eHOArdQnPJSkUfBAVUiIvvA1BaT8I1srhqvFY0941yEvlI/s5712/IMG_1869.jpeg) I sourced another CRT with hardly any burn\-in, and used it instead: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLgDw0Xaz6nBKOtIHcLKJsGw1b_HuvPKunK78Xnb0ZZD2JIK3HQYcqQkfOMhNnPgAbFCrM8iK2xLVOsbOOSIltaQxvmqx-fWOJpGVvQhAPnYFd4fJNsPqBGySUvuHyXixKoosk1_2NEo3YgC6-xd-GbW-Wy1OKYz-OSw8QKS2mEuekEZbL-wrlV-E8qs/s5712/IMG_1867.jpeg) I then started the restoration proper with the analog board, which contains both the power supply unit and the CRT driver circuit\. Both circuits use a lot of electrolytic capacitors, all of which are 42 years old now and probably leaking both electrolyte and DC\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yYkLrdg7HUGpzfX-SiHYPG2h-oXODsTWKDvQ63t4MzUMcEAERse6xlyj0nZhSEXefIcpjNVb_NIypDICXWfBXJSi1yJ7pqHZ2nVrgZUtLVG0BtphpMn__-gCDn22H7oJZfUzb98DDrVN1TqDCbqX-99TcLjNpsWb4ibKWdY_CTAO-2RGtG3rfX7IIGs/s4032/IMG_1335.jpeg) In such cases, even when the caps are still within spec, soon they won't be\. For a machine that is meant to be used daily for the next few decades, a recap is thus the first order of business\. I used regular ESR caps \(i\.e\., high\-ESR for modern standards\) on the power supply's secondary, to prevent a higher current inrush upon power\-on than this somewhat primitive circuit can cope with\. I used low\-ESR caps everywhere else for optimal response times\. As mentioned above, I also had to replace the battery compartment altogether, due to vintage battery leaks that led to severe corrosion\. And as can be noticed in the photo above, the epoxy potting of the flyback transformer was showing unambiguous signs of degradation \(it becomes dark brown and brittle, as opposed to the original soft cream color\), even though there wasn't yet any obvious corona discharge\. See the close\-up below, made after I removed the original flyback: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNumDpNgs2XqQhTHKPJHJcmxUMmP7hyphenhypheng9KeYBSKT5epXbWrkOxgo85YiYiOFmgaAIS2tUYkBbm_Ovi7VeeTAO8Uu3gwh8RIglx7jGvhfzn-4rO1PdGTdMIRiCi3_WppexC2e-mlWcQD3wMqeWXek5Qb5B7Uk1YkrIo5BBhAZ-TEetojIai5vVuPO0-yEM/s4032/IMG_1870.jpeg) Once again, as this machine will be used daily in an office environment, replacing the deteriorated flyback before failure was a must\. I did so using a new\-old\-stock unit of higher specifications and build quality than Apple's 1984 original\. Some impressions of the recapped board, with the new flyback and battery compartment already installed, are shown below\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-6a0P1bGJIsDO0rj0TZpa4raDwmEXH_ulIDfqynf7hbwV2xAkoOYM3E6-Yd7XUjPwrFl1jHxYUxRTtA-EguvyYyqRb-VObNCGKtJ9cu7uqZC6DHO2dgudRivTs0j9T_8a4NCxNxFkti-piL2JgsAp8y_bGYySDPx6CoyR9APAFW6y1HadfwSsPHGWqw/s5319/IMG_1793.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjReq1tpOMgt2cNxxOjznnie7Ezg-n_p_eZHckUsDNPcY3r2AvUUYGU7ANJmv60BM-oGLHVGngf6TusGNcC2aI2Pcg1so8lk9W6N7CC1jOxGWrHFr2XwSj5w2BMzjrXrugI32cGjHv3iGqJPptnL1OOdBV4f2ytqSzaGy9WvZKWHuOiCXesO5p_kd8s0g/s3830/IMG_1794.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBp_bjKwQg8qJhhe6n6QZhEvERdVZt-Ef8popR8yPHTGMeIDr1SPWxJhR21qaoNDciP67Pd7dEm_RRWF30ZckeNCOam8fCqOfBX3_ht_yH2YAqnP_iZR_6F3mefek1FUbEYp8Y3oxClvTTTPMaGWpRC-7ZiOLQwPj1pBRVmZGujZ2BJsUBUqnzinzda4/s3341/IMG_1804.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEr3ZHcKomNXbDE867aF2Tp5DjsM6xwTb7ehkRDx2X7_8seN8K-mvYljalo86aDtFerEJA1hdou7RqnY9V6T8nolHMHv5WnoZue4CrBiSAcOa4HL4q7MljPB1WLBVqwo2OsaU1ZU4DFZALXAHsckW4efZewregdlUece1FDtD3ZgWerG39Vy91oQVmCZ8/s4032/IMG_1810.jpeg) Here's a close\-up of the new flyback transformer, showing pristine epoxy potting: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAQZzDAlJN0l7_tS-T0kS4QrU4_Wuh71EVWwKvf5qb4eb5kw6UVMLrEfmliHC_AIaJZfg2V0348CtggTnG_SGDwDn1ZvHejuGDteI0mTHAgkpjcY6kKpMZ8NwslHhDJ37GMT6uVWEhA7upXLmRbSllYZ3CahqijSO0HL876Kjzi1HfXOYAJCpilfcNQQ/s4032/IMG_1818.jpeg) Notice that I replaced the infamous line\-filtering Rifa caps \(very prone to dying with a bang and filling the room with acrid smoke\) with modern safety caps, which—if they ever fail—fail open and don't cause short\-circuits\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRESqrQv7MKqQn_r2xfIm07ijdO3ARkNJgLYjVlxrjh2ai126ytY6CydfbV1jIS4f7elnyXRSVXq7khUyDID7razeG09DIl-i3SEp1d5peHyUEZM2mMyOkx-KF8aGFESHLOD1taM-_lcqGU2BgqS_Alyi57t-qSSvUi0z1LaktdmiICpr6tWurwU1Te0/s2461/IMG_1806.jpeg) I then checked all semiconductors in\-circuit, insofar as possible\. None were obviously bad, but I preemptively replaced a few for durability\. I started with the main switching transistor in the power supply \(a C3153\), which is one of the most stressed parts in the entire board\. I replaced it with a significantly higher\-rated modern equivalent \(a BU2525AF\-PHI, rated for 800V, 12A and 45W\), which also has the added advantage of having no conductive tab, thereby requiring no separate insulator between the transistor and its heatsink \(in the original, the tab was the collector, so a fiddly and fragile mica insulator was required\)\. I made sure to refresh the heatsink compound for optimal thermal conductivity\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYSwjQoeDB0clJZN74egOg4YknoGEDLiWXocEjQU_bYo3a7H143c5lYKitVBsKBgNE77fUwPH7ztA-T4s__Zr1tEt0yYQHY6AwFNSm44A8PQY0L9SQIvsIMXzqi0ercqYtaVD9ikd0x-UY6RJq0pn37RNhrBzHbvSqZs7umpw4BZJCLxoiOn4vyjyOqg/s2348/image1787430722) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWHoH2cOOx1hwWx79IRZuZmy90VQ8pXuV6NRw2WPVTF35VVMzk5K5Eg5HwetMJkJkgcH9ZHWVAtQJMoiEoEcHWT4ydW4_G2xbcLtmLmFciMhKjxIXfJboGaPg6WNEJJGzbiS7Mr5CCJxIEhQNWGTN_GAfyh5I9vWUDfVvrONS23RqF7-J6YTX4aFTuPc/s4032/IMG_1813.jpeg) Three other parts are known to be severely stressed in the original Macintosh's analog board; so much so that Apple replaced them with higher\-rated parts in later revisions of the board: the two main rectifying diodes of the power supply unit, and the damper diode responsible for flyback spike suppression and beam scanning control\. The original main rectifying diodes were GI854, which I replaced with the much higher\-rated 15SQ045 Schottky barrier rectifiers \(rated for 45V instead of 40, and 15A instead of 3\.3\)\. Beyond being much more robust and durable, they will also run cooler and reduce heat stress in the surrounding circuitry\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_zQjZXlY7Hlf6kAanReicrYsxafTbZfh4XV9DrdNX9weBCVKqBQRobMvr4BtumsiYYdsflsrPF59LWbA8J4sgaOwtfva5mcqGrEeYtn4DmuV3O2k3PnLlGFYYYwGurRcnc14wiQzWQKGhZOGcZn4Vc_D3qvWmgJok0ZDV07e2YSNjqlOpIkyQEOvQ5E/s2351/IMG_1800.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBsELXwvLpzpJklc1LzHeB2xCRn9rtnHIwyLU6tSGmHCP0BnYIWcNSYsV3GELmKUvVUBMx4Pf6Wxn_hBPg7-lAOuNn87GncbhOHUx-DaMdosQmB-oYy2BAZhWyCjD7KbjhETT-OCSIPP300Uks-Sn6_zAn6aPqwnPeNC-3LX6VA9s-RzHWzY-ibxw6Og/s4032/IMG_1797.jpeg) The final notoriously stressed part is the damper diode in the scanning circuit, which originally was a GI854\. I replaced it with a much higher\-rated HER508 \(rated for 1000V instead of 400, and 5A instead of 3\)\. Here's the new part already installed: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzfpRFuOAxgqPczWxaKgh2pXSvjo_4CgnZVtAig777oj9RgBNHbDq0UAfPDhqvyOz6DdpXBBLB1emT2DSJUvs6lxueFMzriv4fK7zu1Ql2lTD4jbQhDHxjcEyNTuQXLxNC7RVXRkNfrUfYw2NTDegkXdizaltB25MKNWx29wRPaRwDPlgM_XSYGgbaio/s3363/IMG_1811.jpeg) Finally, I refreshed the heatsink compound behind the Horizontal Output Transistor \(HOT\), but didn't feel the need to preemptively replace the part\. Here are the retired components: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV11bruIgluPD6yg94Q7QUVi8SZZJo8K1Y_-4ujkgEoBlJSmP99Z6p3ch91kGp8GachQlmBNdx4OZ2NpE4Cm9VI-vmE6qnwS1UrPf-0sIV8Yha_VP90QJzQ60ed2ZxM4iWn5u_Xj5wMY0rreQwUHrUb-7I5aGVOnX_YxJmcMA_2djuzqWuirkewEOJ9cE/s4032/IMG_1792.jpeg) With the durability replacements out of the way, the next step is an absolutely necessary one: the Macintosh's power supply unit is a somewhat primitive switch\-mode one without modern protection and safety mechanisms\. The feedback part of the voltage regulation loop is implemented with an optocoupler, whose internal diode weakens over time\. This can weaken the feedback and lead the power supply to 'think' that the secondary voltage rails are at a lower level than they actually are\. It may then try to boost the voltage, effectively creating an overvoltage runway that can fry the entire digital board and write off your precious vintage Mac\. That optocoupler must be replaced with a fresh new part \(I used a 4N35, as shown in the photo below\) and the power supply recalibrated again \(the feedback mechanism is based on the 5V rail, so that is the one that must be recalibrated\)\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUhgcQg8YtN6dajcG1zVLr430DoR6ceCDGl7Kvchjl__3BGiW20RdFzo6kD2-8Mcekf5x6S7B5uRGegarUWBSvxOId7C00cPF2tTG2AyAfauPeJvJKZWxacDlJLazTQqHvLMaUdPCvNYgsVfrOBzxiln7MVmkXMaUbi1kf_Q1wnyBPCHZwtgqhLiobzU/s4032/IMG_1820.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqo4SgmMKKqt-wke-7-6UaAxhtMeE538Cftrog7MF_3ihlvRzACmo9TW_aSzwTjDeBpyEljLxmOBnwU_8R4y9OlUaOXSr_IXGX5zehRKC4btEJtecSVtlJ3vvRTNhjBdw5penX7Gpw-LITlUJh0wFAnWkNibn5h1S75g8xNhzTRswUjwQo70iInA9Z_BA/s4729/IMG_1831.jpeg) In the photo above, notice also that I added hot glue to the brightness potentiometer\. Although I can't figure out why this is quite needed, I know that Apple did it in later revisions of the board\. So, to be on the safe side, I did it too\. Finally, some of the larger 1W resistors on the analog board had drifted over time, such as this one, which was supposed to be 33K Ohm: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMa1DU6VnWDmMu700JW9VgV9K-EHpJYxa6l2m7YZ4wDy5Q86QSp7KYb3A5bIJGJ5asbhpbdb2_fMkADiY06HGAAF0M6wP-8qvyrjJN9QOnl0FdnzjiymLQVRuXjE90CqJ-4boIBrhMfAw891pdj_fCGBXqZZPyWUgP7fWCvNc8YXCb0RcakC3yA2H__bM/s2266/IMG_1480.jpeg) I replaced them with higher\-rated, 2W modern aluminum oxide resistors\. I took the opportunity and replaced the start\-up / trickle\-charge bias resistor \(the 33K Ohm one that drifted to over 45K, marked R55 on the board\) with a 22K Ohm one\. This ensures that the primary circuit instantly gets enough drive current to kickstart oscillation on every cold power\-on, without the operator having to flip the power switch repeatedly or wait for the board to warm up\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5xEzZB4-oh0LeslKBrndTD62dRuDnNorlklUBh9Bt3NvG2I0yaZYelV6MOm26-nVCMR34BLo2qoPLQVhyphenhyphenDgsZc_4u5NMEi7tNnaYDgcMgIR90RR6gxf6J3DTVU-wMPt0rYt99k26b7wdCvUB1QQvW9YGvQ2IgytodsXriBf8hm1jmc7-VfBQkbwhF7I/s2968/IMG_1655.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMiFyNuyDAs0MYRz980ejg9NlOuPxJC052Askd9vG07N6BFoULzPG-lTc04Kl6rdDm1g0XRTghvJO5UYq-GfyRIS1gCF8prIuc-k5x9EsLCC4woIGYg1gChqVbWcE_fdfdhqqprdVGoBKPVu5S0Yome8Px9S9ri6xJvhHnMsFV0n3IIAvzd0isTWi1Jk/s3576/IMG_1656.jpeg) Here is the final state of the analog board: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BAFAr3-D3-hnR10y30PVdpw28lh28rFpkYF7w9uZT-kTjfIb1c6Vu4bSyp3ApfcCyg5hj-ToKMpszZ0hLCJrw_Q74z29B5Uv0_oAE1l45T4AuhRDW9tbEGlA6_h1XAT1pAPqw4KJ_wfFLvui23ym1_-lLbuq1hlWby7QwBmt3ijipqo1kILZZchJOYE/s3830/IMG_1794.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTMsvPy65lIzBzDAqS0OtDtnetz1h2q_PFPVGSjxEdG13rKT4d_OjyFIIYg9h7YD_xWUf3srptXU1Y29LqozI1WSVUovW-lGRUYa4CKyOMySpGhbF-evAYkBpNSxrRLelRrZI6PshW4ytfZwxaGmHko-KZ360SXRKhd_VZyAzg9YjFmqbkKbhkbGrHe4/s5353/IMG_1807.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxmwnyu-RaIhHfOmOiUTdgJhEjdATsofJuhzUtUoGqHZR_VaIZk9g7zcd95hAgMVh9uDS6Ft7J1cZXgtcYAznIUDv21VYMVTkVE6XtXEZaaJ8i59-qmGvu-m6bKYpFrWNLdkaFt-p8h6y0vg8BZIezmMsQQd6CP3tcF-oWeLWR47KEnbIl6TVbJZxxFk/s3663/IMG_1798.jpeg) I now moved to the digital board—the computer proper—which was in fairly good shape, as shown in the photo below: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1XuVNuiBg-Xi0wum8iwsz_Fy61Q1Iuk73gYU6qe2x02MvPjfMfRbdvNfcKOQsdFXyHHAtel0I6YXoniRJNflDfhMhfQIsZF0KmoK8GscOcSdnEHJiAyUCzp5zPAcLHMmqfnNqJiZJiXvfqvbY5fThBRD_Bz-keUaYcE3L42wpY9R9P96YxgmJQ_BtWA/s4032/IMG_1348.jpeg) I recapped the electrolytic capacitors just to preempt any possibility of a future electrolyte leak that could corrode the board: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZQXo4tx1x-AEDWSnPrZDiospk44CdjHd_ycBjbcvgEXWISArL3qEpU1m329TE7rHYa2eugeJOVbdKrWAmvrDzSxjtcG43LpJjvk059D2ewegtFN8W4Vw2PCdwAw_By5DOpZQAZ4dFiZ-e0KbQke_gVEW-WahRngm9Gw5iu2KZnl6rMbM-vDwXkhLLt0/s4032/IMG_1351.jpeg) I also added diode CR1, which Apple originally left unpopulated\. This diode allows the SCSI port to carry 5V\. Apple didn't use it because an external SCSI hard drive required a separate power supply unit anyway \(a puny 5V rail can't get those platters to spin\!\)\. But since I am planning to replace the external hard drive with a modern solid state one \(a BlueSCSI\), adding CR1 allows me to dispense with an external power supply altogether, and power the BlueSCSI directly from the SCSI flat cable instead\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCn79D5ia5obuz-BUD4zmSqraxN0VvownviweQGqPMXP8ONuBeSOjm6nwIYoy5R2R4SNSZOD8NB4rnkqlNEwJOvy9fJTv2dACS6Vx4K8VyY0Bt9NbUC_aL84L9cowNOOwqRrY35HDCpTkccZchyphenhyphenUltT7ZmcvVKbuNX-fQUePi1_gMpiIdBvR3ZgId_mc/s2282/IMG_1354.jpeg) After cleaning all the ports, sockets and connectors with electronics detergent and lubricating everything with DeoxIt D5, the board looked good: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHv1NvrEjlnzybci0b0-tQ8F0eFhjwjYK1OFBaMoZ7S6EGEdaeFiz4nDMxdwHIv3AGBceisU_zbrOmqMd7r4AHYEXhzJf_c8l_2hyphenhyphenJTL24wayk9C0FGNNkdfFcJ9Fg1XxXBJ4B9sT71HF4qyA5bJhFYWCU5SWHYavqAZZn-EV_jHQLmRqCcB5z_O1Ny0Y/s3301/IMG_1356.jpeg) Only at this point did I look at the board and think: "hey, I have the board out already anyway, why not put a heatsink on that 68000 CPU and reduce its thermal stress for longevity's sake?" To be clear, this is entirely unnecessary: the 68000 runs fairly cool on a Macintosh Plus\. Nonetheless, I did it anyway ;\-\)\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhvT0FvFV4yl0yohykGFTopBA5OOYyNLRlHHBWw7loiVM88k2MZ2_FC7itnvLCR6swu4GPCoKzag3xHUNyjC53eJOfed8ltph-eUHrqwx_BwOMFF6eLTybX2fjeVg6v7c4ytURVLlz_aVRRNEFVG0IRjm34ovir8KINXvnxl8FG4XGxjMkvNrdMIyuro/s5296/IMG_1690.jpeg) I then proceeded to service the floppy drive: remove dried\-up old grease, clean the mechanisms and the heads, re\-lubricate everything with plastic\-safe silicone grease, and replace all electrolytic capacitors with tantalum ones, which will never leak electrolyte onto the mechanism in the future\. Here is the result: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXn3gozfD67OP-OkRXMiW5OqDDJDlAAD3Dq1zWNaZ5pBllenK-_heXfQd6osHwLxqHAk3F0Lh-OaXLrsCMHbSQXXG-bz1Yjk-hJsnzFPvHg6cfyDzcKSW13vsWbfY7K3WgbNW0Ol8FDihs9S1PPfLmyxjNnmpdKSeUoniSVZuIXSHrZtjHblpP0SHat5g/s4032/IMG_1344.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr60g8G52Fcxy_rzgv-RXxLvvgdRnoh7iJ-M11s_0NL5eQpnXNk0XmW2pGAFe3cZ0TQMBkVtk1ROC_DjhJJOhasmO-0kCmbKXFOeiepGg_LYEQZIdd4zhuFYWTqwq9sojxSEmD-tFp29fxkJgQpyFE07-Ur0Q9dQ78lnH_FbwkJjEv73OCpceadNOlg_I/s4032/IMG_1347.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcEgVVOFkahIo9hZz5ZQ_GIQhz4O5KtAUHGcuvPXZbsCzPZhhK_p-nkqTM3IzKE60XVHtTZV60KFP84nLksof3O-buLJn2du7lKJL3VYlYFGemhfKWZXqTWLwUD2WlS7nWO2ZYkh5hOijpadPv7064WIgvdqbNptTT1IjiUZoHuZ98sPO_zXSHrj_5zA/s4032/IMG_1343.jpeg) At this point, I installed the drive back into the machine to test it, only to realize that, although it was reading and writing disks correctly, the ejection mechanism wasn't working\. This is a known point of failure in vintage Macs, so I knew exactly where to look: one of the gears in the ejection mechanism is made of a kind of plastic that deteriorates spontaneously over time; this has affected or will affect virtually every Apple vintage drive\. Indeed, upon opening the ejection mechanism up, this is exactly what I found: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XGXwvWSVMV4GYg5Ft3ZosH0MOfxvYNsuBZmRD9ANJsNL3AYrRYhoz0-BF2Rt1j0m_jgQ3323n4TPEvWpxHuDjhyphenhyphenbSFX0hPlUUsE-ZjT884TEQXhVR-wWSEiHS6kDMqvvacpdEkhHms2o0sxjSwYR7tdGphfol-9gJg6hJGfk-PndgF6TY1MGeuoK04w/s4032/IMG_1688.jpeg) And below is the replacement gear for comparison\. It's made with modern resin that won't deteriorate spontaneously over time: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4SGqlfHftCt2fXPc67y6sE-l_tNoN744XdB32apBsxgUScFEMbiWzCtkNIuVsXZovdFr4_VudIhyA4uN713uj6bcUx4No9QdEQqZ7ItuC3GmjMBtPAvP4NCzu02Bmqy0vXCx1-Zps0KvkE6tS5DWxULfHlJ1lgxsZxOm_SD9Qi1L_0pgMZuwffsqWKY/s3439/IMG_1689.jpeg) With the floppy drive now in perfect working order and fully serviced, I moved on to the keyboard and mouse\. Both were completely disassembled and thoroughly cleaned\. The keyboard was recapped and the key switches lubricated with DeoxIt D5\. I also retrobrighted the spacebar and the mouse button\. Here are impressions of the disassembly process \(the final results will be shown later in this post\): [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75-vVxviVn96fOK6Fk5OFEZKtXgNGNcWZVDw7QbaLv-WZK7IfvE0XRB_-BmRNW8BlCEqITsFldizV8EMx1LLx1Or5O1DUV3hX-vrpq8zYIrFkEjZjdGiNBMOz34Si3x5CiM0TG6H14qaN9RAgpxGDezy6l2Q2E622rxG2W7Bl2K6GdxO5tbMW7_tE3jk/s4032/IMG_1666.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9uq84C8vLzwhxynhKuigmXXhGRjd_-4csZYB23lcoUPDihhX_QbXdlR17QkSL4UVf5aFXC1TZLEqEkeuatCpQcE-CxSwZOPsXL6KjvgYWIy8QPRwIUPmo2J3a6M-NmDzfh_RhCwqOCjbOSFtXAo04uVAL9MLS19ZzwnRzxN2I0bg4jl6OkFcQkICj9w/s4890/IMG_1667.jpeg) The cases of all units \(the computer itself, the keyboard, mouse, and external hard disk drive\) were very yellowed, beyond retrobrighting\. I thus prepared and resprayed them with automotive\-grade 2K paint over an adhesion\-promoting layer, using the closest RAL color to the original Pantone specification: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3nyluvMVSPMhvpFl5OFw9qRIIyHD61L_ZwvycXhJyxbDYZyX0Pk8HAni9422XHlqn8ZODgCTgNbfRCLr6Lab4fTehS2maZwrdpL6LMvdDpA5TZlNV9iw1tzekdn5PgFA66zskYksQujL4_D2GfMan_CHNE7c3313DqmGQ7GE2wOgRr9riruv16MzvUs/s4032/IMG_1704.jpeg) This new polyurethane\-based 2K coating is very hard and durable\. It will protect the cases against UV light, dirt and mechanical scuffs for the next four or five decades\. They will never yellow again\. With all this completed, I could finally begin reassembling the computer\. Here are some impressions of the process: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9WRx-OuE7Hix9BQOVo64v9JzhAR7kEmhS8p0xKFloYNJ26cehOG7BK1MkXg_mDFB90U1VpEzQcnPVOGC7kiK5vOBx-Sl_ZodcdeHhfkBx-WpTORaEcexZBSk7lZ6Sh8a-yHqwZCkphNJ9tjs_bqFEROLv9MLHgdbehO4Ov1vaD1NT7v7xkKw8pHE6P0/s5712/IMG_1832.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAlkKyomtCps9K8aFMDlh5kEZSKxgJevmEZtLA2vZdh4vD4WQPdh7Rzmn4fnN8yS_ACTHkQB0m2CwXXKmoSYowl-B0lKEgVQRWUXM8T6lT5IJdCPQ2t5RRAXsTccAcCgTuTbZy4Alp-V79i9PvnxK8rcrQh9TwPI5aWNnexWM7KxEJhzzBGdAxjCIDpc/s5712/IMG_1843.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyd-2qgyPdFYBW3TSpdEihaR4HiylYWEGFQ8mbS7xE5LyDcJ6BklKXG4MX9lL4FjTJs2HbAwJ30vkpdaTBVo5PrLDi04KHR_EPCvpkV8RvAmtv9w44VvxhGI4ANNplzEtKj9y1z8df43BFY-sW-95Hl95kY8Qbqyb5XICWPdcl8sPeCabPrZUxqgcmtjo/s5712/IMG_1837.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU59cdojndNWk8MEC4BxeCMz13CgX6HV3iaAWAuvZXAWjdPA-q1EjGgF-8ml8CR9BI7q1haQPUIkPfQZs9l3132zSRcrSPlASCWyk14x3WxtlrC2OPrUX4z0GdrZRPuPdJgdxCGYEofvxeqOU8zXoKzaPDbkD3as9Qnemj0ib8y80T9Xj_85ujlwRuRfQ/s4032/IMG_1838.jpeg) Notice, in the first two photos above, that I used self\-adhesive, automotive\-grade fabric tape around the CRT's implosion band for extra protection\. Before closing the computer's case, I carefully calibrated the CRT: I re\-centered the image by manipulating the centering rings on the CRT's neck, and then secured them in position with candle wax\. I also adjusted the horizontal and vertical widths, focus, and brightness baseline through the onboard potentiometers\. The final results are shown later in this post\. Next, I replaced the original SCSI hard disk drive with a modern solid\-state BlueSCSI emulator\. This is a concession to convenience, given the fact that this machine will actually be used daily\. Vintage hard disk drives are far from reliable, and even the ones that still work are destined to fail with regular use\. They are also slow and quite noisy\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEXhb3DflDU9uzLT__FjcuC3deXCp7wALrjI8Ikr348OqssMh4vTku8A-RVYpDJgtFkqlbYF7Noq31bqmTDYzSZnhZgkQMKjadAT03UzHnGuslThHXfBLWyGIDU2h-AjpQzuA3QmJDEysXqZBbR3wDKCtyfEeQ0DSFCsaEXjlQyoR40In2M7X50EZDLs/s5712/IMG_1844.jpeg) I secured the BlueSCSI to the original case by using four nylon standoffs glued to the bottom of the case with transparent two\-part epoxy\. The BlueSCSI can be removed by unbolting it from the standoffs\. I also kept the original power supply—although it is disconnected and purely decorative—to prevent the power socket and on/off switch holes in the case from remaining empty, which would detract from the original look\. Nonetheless, the BlueSCSI gets its power directly from the SCSI cable, not from the onboard power supply\. [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGBMfkbgMG-9rAVb1i2WdmPX1-vZ8U8-7e1NuSA5CZtxLLLf_wuG-_mGfie-My90v3IlKGeefMKwh9Xqc6mzw7z9J19pSiL-WDmHN6Nt8emIQR28gXAUefu058cdbROmtkcG6v_0Jf5NymklvNbSj7edFlzUrx83PHTtFBCwRFjbMr_xzwrIREMIYtYSc/s5712/IMG_1847.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9EnHoPaK_C4xtNwNYWsxl7DvaBKdDpkWPJvzzT-FUZZmOMuBWx48YE8yI3OjOylGBRhpQSuAS4LPobSFtEaLA7aybPiaOAuHarzk0CnpxHlfSYUL7oIv2mEJANglyK8zoVaibOSroqlZUAlZC5a9WJpR06Ai6Un4QdhyphenhyphenS0mINADtwu3rLG7essNqDT8/s5712/IMG_1848.jpeg) Here is the final result of the restoration: [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNevjSxpkpGPNwGfwvtoP_kSP9jNI77Jf0ugDpIEshFANpFvHvykvz-ngMpmX6yDt-oTxhJa0_joQ8lDjy4kkf1X__f6sYAVHus9Z7K6HYcYBbJtgnC6OiveOJMQjD6J9ozQ-sVFfViibpapQUbOH_mqCe48RxB2hKYKeDfqbvLoFqsQp7BQaaSFRE6E/s5712/IMG_1866.jpeg) And it works too ;\-\) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYv8APjCqV1YbWxlZu80jm_SEKn2qtGEn4ROyiXQHESQSaWE-Y_zURz9OKljaq554xP0-KqkrMkmluvD74Q_M223anSKq6EER3zmrofXBT_xhIQ0rLWbf9sWq3JwP519vMn-FBizrq3pGfzNwnQ3WbFGnNYfbpZJrNsJOSOQO9hKkS8u0HbK8sAQPBhtI/s5712/IMG_1861.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQIF99KlIsfMLY77BymAPBmrZmMJ39KDeo7pgcEb6FQPCS_vRnT9B0ZNgtD413dn0E91PJtoE3bq5znEEkb3vR5PTUL7_hHqW-YnWk043QKDZYo5C_nL7LGbwwee0M6XFy-PEs8_kfomWNHt77K0zCjUx5DS3ycWX9lv4v61OinwHBG6z2S0Q3FHNmg4/s5712/IMG_1865.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkn5oTO08jCkSM5ZZdK_jTFGph9j8ENZYbrXm3uFdgWAt3rsNxjh1lc2AwzNW6pO217HQhgUR4WZyPj0Q0SzdgqvVUwKHq5hIyQhokQTUXlf4znqaLUioirHm6_834gSonViYRbrsbkmBT_YsTeg9P2lIrAfygkbKM7QEhyQh-ZVdd5LBF2tWi0GZNRc/s5209/IMG_1863.jpeg) [](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8f6-shmOGrgXjKKGNiIkbkfMZqAysCVyRhBWmM8hpgC0y8L94gTOCRTOKvY6uUbI6dkWs4ZZs2-x100N1O1GPF9-2sgkHgYaeLZPLCB3FTroYBnmXI5p7T1tR7Q_PYe1X7mAezU_CONrFgPiFU680uRhcvxUSSmGQquWZTCOuTuhSndeftS_oB3pm21Q/s5712/IMG_1864.jpeg) Every known failure point of this machine has been thoroughly addressed\. It is arguably better and more robust now than it was when it first rolled out of Apple's assembly line back in 1984\. Effectively, it has become an immortal Mac, which will hopefully remain a vehicle of joy and education for at least another 42 years of regular use\.