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I've had an Apple IIc Plus for a few years now and everything seems to work fine on it. I use it several times a week for programming and gaming and never had a noticeable problem. I've ran the diagnostic self-test on it occasionally over time and always came up with the same result, which now I'm beginning to question. At the end of the test, I see "SYSTEM OK" but there are a lot of other garbage characters on the screen. Question is, is this normal or do I have an issue somewhere?
Sounds like more thorough diagnostics are in order. I would recommend running MECC Computer Inspector or the more thorough Apple Diagnostic disks, if you can get your hands on them.
Someone will definitely have a better answer than me but my first guess would be bad RAM, since you haven't seen any problems crop up thus far from your daily gaming.
Hey CWJ, good suggestion!
I tried the MECC Inspector 1.0 and got no errors, but from menu options and 140k disk format it seems like this program was made prior to the IIc plus. I'd be delighted with a specific Apple branded diagnostic disk, but I'm not sure I've ever seen that for the IIc plus...
Also, I just happened to hear from someone else with a IIc plus who reported the same "garbage" characters with "SYSTEM OK" present. So, we both have perfectly normal IIc Plus computers or both sick with the same problem - as of now I don't know. I only suspected that the presence of the "garbage" characters was abnormal because I discovered that on a regular IIc upgraded with ROM3 they do not appear. Hmmm...?
So, can you share with me how one executes the IIc+ self-test? I have two here that seem to be working fine that I can check on and report back.
-Warr
I realize that this is a several years old thread, but always figure extra info can help someone in the future.
I found this: https://apple2.fandom.com/wiki/Built-in_Diagnostics
"Built-in Diagnostics
The Apple II self test was first introduced with the enhanced Apple IIe and was later added to the Apple //c starting from the Unidisk 3.5 version (ROM 0).
Starting the Test
To start the test both the closed and the open Apple keys must be pressed during boot. It is also possible to press the closed apple while pressing the CONTROL-OPEN APPLE-RESET keys to start the test at any time."
That's awkwardly expressed (perhaps a 2nd language issue). Here's my take on it: If you want to run the self-test after booting, you should press the 4-keys combo: Closed-Apple, Open-Apple, Control, and the Reset keys at the same time. I just did it on my Apple IIc and it worked fine, returning a message: "System OK".
That same website also explains what it tests and how to interpret what is found. It concludes with this reassuring message for owners of the Apple IIc PLUS:
"When the test is finished a SYSTEM OK message appears. On the Apple //c plus some garbled characters can be shown. This is no sign of malfunction."
Of course, there is no closed=apple key on the IIc+, so it's a different key combo. From the IIc Plus manual, with power on, one then uses Option-Command-Control-Reset (p. 19). " Then release all four keys, starting with Reset" (p. 19).
Just did that on my IIc+ and it works. You definitely have to release the Reset key FIRST, pause, then release others.
Mine came up with System OK in the middle of the screen surrounded by gobs of characters above and below it, flashing regularly.