Is it the stock optical drive, or are you using a third-party unit?

it's a stock AppleCD 600i

Is it the original stock drive, do you have another machine to test it on, and does the drive have jumpers to set for ID?

Was it working before or did you acquire the machine and it's never worked so far?

Maybe remove the cable connections and reconnect them making sure they're snug, as that looks like it's getting gibberish back from some command it's sending to the drive. Also double check the jumpers.

I think the same. Also, maybe that SCSi isn't properly terminated at some point (better check).

but are the device ids not retrieved as numbers? and the names from a local driver database?

it has never worked since i got it from ebay. i tried a board from a LC 630 and it works fine.

Istarian wrote:

Was it working before or did you acquire the machine and it's never worked so far?

Maybe remove the cable connections and reconnect them making sure they're snug, as that looks like it's getting gibberish back from some command it's sending to the drive. Also double check the jumpers.

i have seen gibberish too on a PC when the IDE cable is not connected to the drive/motherboard IDE controller, firmly. i reseat it and it works fine. i guess i'll need to fully dismantle the machine, thoroughly clean the connectors, then try again. the plastic on the CD Drive sled is super brittle that it cracks with ease, i guess the plastic doesn't age well.

mrau wrote:

but are the device ids not retrieved as numbers? and the names from a local driver database?

The SCSI ID is retrieved properly ("3"). What seems to be corrupted is the device information: manufacturer name, product type, eventual revision number (i.e. information stored in the device's ROM). This is the same kind of info that would show up in a PC's BIOS information screen. One reason for it not showing properly would be a badly connected cable, another would be defective device electronics.

yawetaG wrote:

mrau wrote:

but are the device ids not retrieved as numbers? and the names from a local driver database?

The SCSI ID is retrieved properly ("3"). What seems to be corrupted is the device information: manufacturer name, product type, eventual revision number (i.e. information stored in the device's ROM). This is the same kind of info that would show up in a PC's BIOS information screen. One reason for it not showing properly would be a badly connected cable, another would be defective device electronics.

i bet there's no way to fix the defective electronics 🙁 it's just dead.

i tried cleaning the gold fingers on the logic board/cd drive, checking the jumpers, etc. no dice. i guess it's faulty electronics. i just messaged the seller on ebay saying it's defective, hopefully i get a refund

In theory you might be able to replace the control board, probably cheaper and enormously less effort to replace the drive. Sorry. 🙁

i just stuck to the 68k mac lc 580 board that i have, i have a working PPC machine anyway (Power Mac 6100/66)

Bad caps are also an issue on Apple optical drives (among others), but it's been clearly sold to you as faulty so I'd chase up another if you can.

Recap the motherboard.

Yes this sounds weird, but this is an issue with failing caps on ALL old macs. I have a 660AV. Internal scsi wouldn't work like you showed. a simple recap solved the issue.

i didn't see any leaky electrolyte on the board

Windows9566 wrote:

i didn't see any leaky electrolyte on the board

They don't have to leak to have gone bad, capacitors can still look perfectly fine despite having failed. That is why a visual inspection is not sufficient.

Koltoroc wrote:

Windows9566 wrote:

i didn't see any leaky electrolyte on the board

They don't have to leak to have gone bad, capacitors can still look perfectly fine despite having failed. That is why a visual inspection is not sufficient.

+1

The caps Apple used did not have longevity in mind in their designs. They were designed to work for a few years then pop like grapes. I've gotten to the place where I order caps before I even turn on an Apple product. They ALWAYS need to be replaced.

i guess that apple didn't want to build their machines to last.