Restoring an Apple IIc - Printable Version

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Restoring an Apple IIc - Irinikus - 07-17-2025

I've just purchased this complete Apple IIc: (It's a complete working system! )



Here's the complete system: (It's in very good condition, but will need a thorough cleaning and a retrobright)







It came with all of its manuals and this selection of software:



The restoration of this machine will follow!

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RE: Restoring an Apple IIc - robespierre - 07-17-2025

Wow, Irinkus, that's a real time capsule. Everything that was commonly lost and separated from the machine, including the monitor stand and the cables.

The Apple IIc had more custom chips than earlier models, which makes them harder to repair, so there are fewer working examples today than you might expect.
Particularly the MMU, IOU, and IWM chips are getting scarce. For whatever reason, a large number of IIc machines on auction sites have blown one or more of these chips.

The DRAM is also not the most reliable. Many IIc contain Micron DRAM which based on observation has started to fail. Insidiously, these failures can cause error messages like "Check Disk Drive", which then lead to further failures of IWMs when users try to swap the internal drive mechanism. The internal drive header in the IIc is not compatible with Disk ][ drives.

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RE: Restoring an Apple IIc - vishnu - 07-17-2025

Very rare to find one of these dinosaurs in such great shape and with all the accessories/software, congrats!

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RE: Restoring an Apple IIc - Irinikus - 07-17-2025

(07-17-2025, 01:40 PM)robespierre Wrote:  Wow, Irinkus, that's a real time capsule. Everything that was commonly lost and separated from the machine, including the monitor stand and the cables.

The Apple IIc had more custom chips than earlier models, which makes them harder to repair, so there are fewer working examples today than you might expect.
Particularly the MMU, IOU, and IWM chips are getting scarce. For whatever reason, a large number of IIc machines on auction sites have blown one or more of these chips.

The DRAM is also not the most reliable. Many IIc contain Micron DRAM which based on observation has started to fail. Insidiously, these failures can cause error messages like "Check Disk Drive", which then lead to further failures of IWMs when users try to swap the internal drive mechanism. The internal drive header in the IIc is not compatible with Disk ][ drives.

Thanks! I'll be especially careful with this one!

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(07-17-2025, 02:39 PM)vishnu Wrote:  Very rare to find one of these dinosaurs in such great shape and with all the accessories/software, congrats!

Thanks very much!

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I have enough Hydrogen Peroxide left over from my last retrobright to do one of the components of this system. I’ve chosen the external drive, as I have clear plastic containers which will fit it. Here’s what it looks like dismantled! It was a breeze to dismantle!



I’ve given the plastics a good clean and will proceed with the retrobright tomorrow!

This unit was surprisingly clean on the inside!

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RE: Restoring an Apple IIc - vishnu - 07-17-2025

Steve Wozniak has a lot of interesting information about the Apple ][ on his website, woz.org - I've always wondered what Apple would have become if he'd stayed with the organization.

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RE: Restoring an Apple IIc - Irinikus - 07-18-2025

The slot for the disc drive is reinforced with aluminium plates inside the plastic, and there are some holes which expose some of it. Hydrogen Peroxide’s extremely corrosive, so I’ve opted to cover the exposed metal with clear nail varnish:







I've just disassembled the Apple IIc mouse, so it's plastics will be retrobrighted tomorrow too! (It's an extremely well designed mouse, which is easy to disassemble!)

Here’s the disassembled mouse:











I'll need much larger, deeper containers to do the rest of the system, so it will have to wait!

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Here we go!!!

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RE: Restoring an Apple IIc - Irinikus - 07-18-2025

(07-17-2025, 04:05 PM)vishnu Wrote:  Steve Wozniak has a lot of interesting information about the Apple ][ on his website, woz.org - I've always wondered what Apple would have become if he'd stayed with the organization.

Judging by the way in which this machine's constructed, Apple would have been far more user serviceable today if Woz had stayed on!

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RE: Restoring an Apple IIc - Irinikus - 07-18-2025

And we’re done!

I placed the untreated computer next to it to show the difference!

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The little monitor’s going to get it next!!!

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The powersupply brick's GLUED together!!! (I'll do it last and try the technique of suspending it above the Hydrogen Peroxide in a sealed container.)

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RE: Restoring an Apple IIc - vishnu - 07-18-2025

Wow, that baby is going to be deluxe!

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RE: Restoring an Apple IIc - Irinikus - 07-20-2025

For now I’ve disassembled the “Little Monitor” and given all of the plastics a good cleaning. So it’s ready for retrobrighting. I just need to order allot more Hydrogen Peroxide and clear containers deep enough to allow for it to be completely submerged.

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