Macintosh LC 520
The Macintosh LC 520 is an all-in-one 68030-based Macintosh that was released in June 1993.
Specifications
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | June 1993 |
| Discontinuation Date | February 1994 |
| Processor | Motorola 68LC040 @25MHz FPU: No Bus Speed: 25MHz |
| RAM | 1x 72-pin SIMM Slot - 4MB Standard - 36MB Maximum |
| Hard Disk | 3.5" SCSI - 80 or 160MB Standard |
| Graphics | 14" Color Trinitron CRT @640x480 - 512 or 768KB VRAM |
| Audio | Stereo Speakers |
| Internal Drives | Auto-inject 3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive 2X CD-ROM Drive |
| Expansion | 1x LC PDS Slot |
| Networking | None |
| Other I/O | - 2x ADB - 2x Serial - 1x DB25 SCSI - 1x Line Out - 1x Mic In - 1x Headphone Out |
| PRAM Battery | 1/2AA Lithium |
| Original Mac OS | System 7.1 |
| Maximum Mac OS | Mac OS 7.6.1 |
Upgrades
CPU Upgrade
68040 accelerators were available.
SSD Upgrade
Check our page on SCSI SSD replacements for more info.
Resources
 Service Manual |
Capacitor Reference |
|---|
Common Faults & Maintenance
PRAM Battery Leaks
The Macintosh LC 520's Lithium PRAM battery is highly prone to leaking and should absolutely be removed. The LC 520 does not need a working battery to boot.
Capacitors
The LC 520's logic board has several surface-mount electrolytic capacitors on it that leak corrosive fluid with age. These must be replaced for reliable operation.
The LC 520's analog board also sometimes needs recapping.
Brittle Plastic
The 520's case plastics are now extremely brittle. They will not survive shipping 90% of the time, even if packed very well. Handle with extreme care at all times.
The plastics also yellow with age.
Other Notes
Most original SCSI hard drives for these have gone bad, especially those made by Quantum, which suffer from sticky rubber bumpers in the head assembly.
Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 03/11/2025
Update Reason: page rewritten
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