Archive No. 12
Mac SE/30
Reloaded MacEffects
Historical Context
Widely considered the greatest compact Mac ever made. The SE/30 packed a 16 MHz 68030 and 68882 FPU into the same case that started with the 128K in 1984 - and ran circles around most of the Mac II line despite fitting in a smaller box. With MODE32 it could address up to 128MB of RAM. The last of the original compact form factor, and definitively the best. This model is even more special, being installed into a clear MacEffects case, with an amber CRT from an IBM 5155 - it's designed to stand out!
Specifications
Technical Blueprint
Ref: M5119
Processor
Motorola 68030 16MHz
Memory
20MB 30-pin SIMM
Storage
BlueSCSI, 1.4MB Floppy
Graphics
9" Amber CRT
Operating System
System 7.5.3
Hardware Notes
PRAM battery removed
Gallery
Detailed Observations
With Amber CRT from IBM 5155
The Story
Used components from board that had cap damage and SCSI issues to build reloaded board. Finally got it working, and swapped out for nicer case and recapped analog board from one of the other SE/30s. Installed into the MacEffects clear case. BlueSCSI v2 accessible via expansion port. Added BMoW Rominator II ROM. Modified system 7.5 to run properly with it. Power Supply has been replaced with a recreation board and modern 12 and 5v PSUs.
Restoration Log
Work Done
Every repair, recap, and restoration performed on this machine — documented as the work was completed.
Replaced CRT
Swapped with amber CRT from IBM 5155
Modern Power Supply Replacement
Logic Board Replaced
SE/30 reloaded board