Re: Apple II Europlus Kaput: Can I get/buy another one?

[mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon)]

Alistair J Ross wrote:

>I have *no* idea where the sticky stuff came from.  
>There are no children here (and the unit is almost always closed).
>I did have a dodgy RAM problem, but I don't think that would cause the 
>machine to just die like this -- it would more likely start up once in 
>a while if that was the case, no? 

As Richard said, carefully "skooch up" and re-seat all the socketed
chips.  (Be careful when prying with a small, thin blade to get between
the socket and the chip, not the main board and the socket!)

Prying each chip up about halfway out of the socket (1/16" - 1/8")
and then re-seating it by pressing firmly with two fingertips will
clean the contacts between the legs of the chip and the socket.

Apple II's were remarkable for having so many socketed chips,
particularly in the earlier models.  It was great for experimentation
and troubleshooting, but all designers know that sockets are just
another 14/16/18/24/40, etc., things waiting to go wrong.  ;-)

This process will almost certainly restore your //e to proper
functioning.

The Europlus is possibly another matter, since the goo may be
electrically conducting, making for a logical as well as a physical
mess.  This is why it is so important to know what it is and what
it dissolves in.  Water or alcohol are two of the more convenient
solvents if either of them works, since they are easily obtained
and won't harm the electronic components or circuit board.  If 
there is goo on one or more chips, you can use them to experiment
to find a conveneint solvent.

If you want to get rid of the goo--and you do--you will probably
need to remove the main board from the case, remove (at least)
the chips in the immediate area, and then thoroughly clean the
circuit board will a suitable solvent, rinsing several times until
all residue is removed, particularly under the sockets and
other components.  A small brush may be required.

After cleaning, careful drying will be needed, perhaps allowing
several days for completness.

Be careful to label or otherwise note the positions and
orientations of the chips you remove so that you can
correctly reinsert them when the board is dry.  Of course,
any goo should be cleaned from the chips, as well.

"A Europlus is a terrible thing to waste"

-michael

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