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| Click here to select a new forum. | | SE/30 powers on, no chime, HDD spins, then horizontal lines; advice before buying + recap recommendations? | Posted by: beach_cruiser92 on 2026-01-23 05:51:38
Hi all, first post here and I’m new to Compact Macs.
A local seller has a non-working SE/30. Per the seller, it powers on but there’s no chime. You can hear the hard drive spin up, and after a few attempts the screen starts showing horizontal lines. It sat unused on a shelf as decoration for years (maybe decades).
I recently got into G4 Cubes and have been browsing my local marketplace, alot. This popped up a few miles away from me. Even though I wasn’t specifically looking for one, I have read that the SE/30 is a pretty cool & desirable machine, and it would be neat to add to my small but growing collection.
A few questions for those with more experience:
1. Before buying, Is it reasonable to ask to remove the back case on-site to check the logic board for battery damage and obvious corrosion? If yes, what should I look for quickly (battery area, analog board, etc) and what’s the least intrusive way to do this?
2. Service recommendation: Can anyone recommend a US-based person/shop that does SE/30 logic board recaps (and ideally checks for trace damage / battery-related issues)? A rough ballpark for logic board recap + cleanup would also help. I’ve read anywhere from $100-150, is this accurate?
3. I’m not trying to flip it, but I also don’t want to end up way overpaying and underwater. Roughly speaking, what do working SE/30s tend to sell for these days, and what total “all-in” cost (purchase + recap/repair) would you personally be comfortable with? | Posted by: bibilit on 2026-01-23 10:25:20
Yes for sure don’t buy it unless the battery is still ok and logic board can be repaired.
Concerning price, a nice , fully working unit, including mouse and Keyboard should start around $ 300 | Posted by: beach_cruiser92 on 2026-01-23 13:02:56
Yes for sure don’t buy it unless the battery is still ok and logic board can be repaired.
Concerning price, a nice , fully working unit, including mouse and Keyboard should start around $ 300 Good advice. I convinced the seller to let me pull the case, and wouldn’t you know it, complete battery acid carnage. So bad it rusted through a part of the chassis.
False alarm, on to the next one.
So sad to see these become e-waste. | Posted by: croissantking on 2026-01-23 17:00:42
Good advice. I convinced the seller to let me pull the case, and wouldn’t you know it, complete battery acid carnage. So bad it rusted through a part of the chassis.
False alarm, on to the next one.
So sad to see these become e-waste. They can be reloaded | Posted by: Byrd on 2026-01-23 17:54:26
Good the seller checked - many would not bother! It's worth $50 - 100, as you might need to merge parts from your upcoming mostly working SE/30 - notably the PSU, floppy drive, casing | | 1 |
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