A Green Jade Upgrade: RAM Upgrades, Custom ROMs, and running Mac OS 8 on an SE/30

I recently posted about restoring an SE/30 – but the story didn’t end there. Since then, I’ve made some additional modifications including more RAM (more than double the Apple-supported amount), a custom Rominator II 32-bit clean ROM, and an installation of an unsupported Mac OS 8. Along the way I uncovered some interesting SE/30 nuances about RAM installations and custom ROMs that I’d like to share. Additionally, I have the steps required to install Mac OS 8 on unsupported 030s like the SE/30. Read on!

Restoring a legend: The SE/30

In the world of 68k Macs, there’s one model in particular that consistently tops the list. In fact, many people go so far as to say the SE/30 is the best computer that Apple will ever make. The SE/30 was the fastest and most powerful of the original compact black & white Macs; it was essentially a server in a tiny case.

I’ve wanted to get my hands on one of these for a while, and at long last I finally came across one! This article will go through some interesting tidbits on the machine, and my experiences in bringing one back to life.

Old PRAM Batteries (Things that go bump in the night!)

Impending Doom

There’s one thing in particular inside your classic 68k Mac that’s sitting there like a time bomb ready to ruin your vintage machine. If you haven’t already guessed what it is, it’s the 3.6V “half AA” PRAM lithium battery.

When these things go, they don’t just “go” – they go out with a bang. The following is a story of my Macintosh Classic, it’s life, death, and afterlife.

Macintosh Color Classic Mystic

The Macintosh Color Classic

Many Mac models have interesting histories, fan bases, or just notoriety in general… and that’s no exception for the Color Classic.

5 ways to transfer files to an old Mac

This article covers a few methods for getting software and files from a modern Mac or PC onto an older classic Mac. Older Macs may (or may not) have ethernet, usb, or serial… so this article should give you a few options. There’s no right and wrong way here – whatever works!

SCSI2SD

One problem with working with computers that date back to the 80s and 90s is that hardware failures become more and more common. One device in particular that is prone to failure in older machines is the mechanical hard drive. Finding new hard drives for these older SCSI-based 68k Macs can be challenging – but fortunately there’s a better option out there today!