Fairlight-CMI

Okay, here's a couple techniques that always have worked for me. Brand
new backplanes are sometimes _really_ tight, and yeah, I totally agree
with you that it's no fun getting cards in.

A minor digress, a friend of mine once had an old III where the cards
would practically _fall_ into their slots. But it worked very well. It
was the prototype CMI III numbered after my PCMI, PCMI003. These had
big audio cards instead of an audio backplane with discrete channels.

Anyhow, first shine a flashlight in and make sure your slot keys
haven't gone walkies, nor there are video leads or sound leads across
the socket, I've made that mistake before.

Now slide the card in, shine the flashlight again and make sure the
slot is right on the key. The card may need to wiggle up and down at
the back to ensure this, as the rails aren't always perfectly true.

Make sure there is something behind the IIx holding it from sliding
backwards, ideally something soft, like your friend or a sofa.

With the card all lined up and ready, put your fingers along the card
and the meaty bit of your palm against the front edge.

Give it a series of hard and harder pushes. Some cards seem to require
about 35 pounds (~16KG) of force to seat. When they do seat in, it's
not ambiguous. They go right in.

As long as you're pushing right along the axis of the card in its
rails, it will be quite strong.

The other minor variation is to grab the edge levers in your fingers
to position the card, and then apply pressure there with your thumbs,
with the levers flat against the front of the card. My thumbs are only
strong enough to seat about half my IIx cards, but all my III cards
:-)

A friend once had some cards go in without the keys. It caused all
sorts of random problems, mainly blowing big fuses.
Be sure the keys are in place.

Good luck,

Joe