Oddest thing I ever say in a decade using an SE30

[rickwtexas]

I know this will be an odd post, but I just joined a day after pulling my old SE30 out and booting it (look - flying toasters!). I bought it brand new in 1989, used it daily for design work until early 1998. I lived in fear of bomb crashes and had my share of them. But one time, I was treated to a one-time message along with my bomb.

Sorry a system error has occured.
XY UXJDKJ DKJK (something I don't remember)
Don't have a nice day.

I didn't dream this and I didn't get a picture of it. At the time I figured someone at Apple had just coded in that the XXX bomb message would say something different. Surely I'm not the only person to see this. It was probably around 1993-94, so 4-5 years into ownership, and probably the 600-1000th bomb message I would have seen.

 

[ClassicHasClass]

Theoretically the message in a system error dialogue can be modified by altering the system error alert table. See Inside Macintosh's System Error Handler. It's possible something had altered it or stomped on that block of memory.

 

[MacOfAllTrades]

Maybe a virus?

 

[Volvo242GT]

Almost does sound like a virus. Might be worth running Disinfectant on the hard drive and whatever floppies you have. I do remember that my original Plus, and all of its floppies got infected with the nVIR virus after I'd picked up a copy of Super Tetris at a computer store in 1993.

Anyway, welcome to the asylum.