Usb floppy drive emulator in Mpc 2000/Creating partitions on

I installed one of these in my Mpc 2000 today.
http://i1284.photobucket.com/albums/a56 ... 9ce2a2.jpg
And it seems to work.

I couldn't get any of the software that came with the emulator to work, so that it would read the operating system off a usb stick and boot up.
So in the end I had to boot the mpc from the floppy drive, go to copy operating system to disk, then disconnect the floppy drive and connect the emulator and write it to the usb stick, all while the mpc was switched on.
(I don't advise any one else to do this as you might get electrocuted to death)
I'm sure there is a easier way.

But anyway, now it boots from the the usb.
And I've managed to transfer a kit made on Mpc editor to Usb, then to the mpc successfully.
So far I haven't worked out how to get it to read more that one partition.
I've made several folders named '000-001-002' etc which the Mpc recognizes but they come up as '?????????' eg unformated

Just wondering if anyone else who's fitted a floppy emulator into there equipment has any advise on creating readable partitions?
Am I doing it wrong?

Like I say, I only just put this in today, so I'm not saying these definitely work completely, but so far it seems good.
It's pretty cool being able to transfer sounds from the computer via a usb stick.

Once I learn how to create 0-1000 virtual floppy disks I'll be set.


PeAcE !

Put a usb stick in the emulator press the two buttons on the front of your emulator while you turn on the mpc. The emulator will automaticly format your usb stick into 1000 partitions.

This might help you, it's for the 720k version MPC60 users are working with.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=165498

ZX81 wrote:The floppy supports 99 directories and a root directory. Each directory is numbered from 00 to 99 and represent the contents of a 720 kB disk. The files are saved directly in the file system of the USB drive, i.e. no virtual disk images or the like that you need special software for reading/writing.

The floppy emulator has two buttons on the front. These buttons have different functions depending on if a USB drive is inserted or not.

If no USB drive is inserted in the floppy emulator, the buttons are used to select the directory. The left button increases the directory/disk number by 10, and the right by 1.

When a USB drive is inserted the buttons change function to "out" and "in". The floppy emulator has a built in flash memory buffer and these buttons are now for exporting the contents of this memory to and from the USB drive.

To write to the USB drive, press the left button. The display on the floppy emulator should now read "d1". Save your files on the MPC. Now press the left button again. This exports the files from the internal memory of the floppy emulator to the USB drive. Now press the right button, which puts the contents of the selected folder on the USB drive into the floppy emulators internal memory. Done!

Now you can remove the USB memory, plug it into your computer to backup the files or edit the files with Awave Studio for example.

SDC wrote:Any idea how to clean the internal memory of the floppy emulator?

milando wrote:Make your 00 (root floppy image) empty.
@ the end of each session, just reset the MPC with your usb stick pluged in.
That should do it.

SDC wrote:What about changing the folder names?

milando wrote:You can rename folders 001 to 002...
you can also add long txt after numbers, viewable by computer only...Usually I add names of my drum kits to the folder name, that way I can track my samples easily on computer when I am adding some new samples or just remixing some sounds.

Also...

SDC wrote:THERE'S NO NEED OF FORMATING THE USB DISK WITH THE PROGRAM COMING WITH THE CD...Just plug the USB disk, done...when the USB disk is formated with the CD program, the max capacity is [only] 720k.

Clint wrote:It's an EMULATOR. Do you know what that means?

Don't expect to see any difference in load/save times over a floppy disc. The selling point here is reliable USB solid state storage, the ability to hold the contents of up to 99 or 999 floppy discs, data retained on power down, and finally easier backing up of the USB drive...If you want faster save/load speeds you need to use SCSI on the MPC.

baloobeats wrote:Put a usb stick in the emulator press the two buttons on the front of your emulator while you turn on the mpc. The emulator will automaticly format your usb stick into 1000 partitions.

Thanks Baloobeats, that seems to have worked on the Mpc side of things, it created 1000 1.44mb virtual floppy's that the Mpc recognizes, but unfortunately when I plug the Usb stick into the computer it still comes up as a singular 1.44 mb drive.
But I'm getting there.

Many thanks for that cuz I had been downloading software to create partitions and most of it turned out to be malware or just confusingly wack.

I'm not sure why my computer isn't recognizing the partitions, like I say, on the Mpc I can save to multiple virtual disks, but they don't show up on the computer.
I use Windows XP, which I thought would work.

Decided to just plug in my record player and make a beat the proper way before I forget what it's all about narm saying.

There is'nt much info on these Gotek devices on the web.
I was a bit p#ssed off with the seller on ebay, cuz they had it listed as being a U.K based seller, but in fact are actually posting it from Singapore or some sh#t.
I mean I'm cool with that, them cats are ahead of there game on the electronics, but the dishonesty of it annoys me.

I'm sure I'll get it working fully at some point.
I'm wondering if I might need to change the jumper settings or perhaps use a some some sort of virtual operating system on my computer?

Here is the listing on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-5-1000-Flop ... 4adac5fdd0

Also thanks Clint, yeah I've been reading those post and there's another dude who put one in his Mpc 60 then got it sighed by Roger Linn.
I gotta admit, this is some dope technology and a godsend to people who know that Fruityloops & Reason just sounds weak ass.

Not to mention all them cats swapping out there old floppy drives on there embroidery machines.
Ha ha

Peaaaceeeee.

I've to get one of these! Can someone tell what kind of gear i've to buy to get this drive workin (In addition to drive it self, and which one?) Do i need some kind of pin transformer? Ebay listing would be awesome, i tried to find some instructions. +100€ for external devices sounds like a costly..and i'm done with floppys

They are pretty cheap and flimsy mass produced tat, and to be honest, look a bit odd in such a something as well made as a Mpc 2000.

Hey guys, just thought I'd share my thoughts about these Gotek drives.

In case anyone is looking at the MPC 60 forum and then having a crack at installing one in their 2000, I've installed one in both do here's how I've found they differ.

The 720KB drive in my 60 works very differently to the 1.44MB version in my buddy's 2000 classic. With my 60 it works like a buffer between the 60 and the USB. I have to pull the USB drive out, select the folder number, put in in and then press the right button to load the folder into the emulators flash memory. Then I can access the data with my 60. To save I need to first save on the 60, then press the left button on the emulator to write it to the USB. To change disks I have to remove the USB, change the number, put the USB back in and press the right button to load.

With the 2000 classic, it's trickier to get going. I had to do what was written above. Hold both buttons together before powering on and letting it format the USB into 1000 partitions. Then I pulled the USB out, popped it in my PC and copied the MPC OS 1.72 files to it. That makes 000 theboot directory and changing disks is add simple add changing the numbers on the emulator. It doesn't seem to use a buffer like the 720KB version does.

The only downside to the 2000 is I haven't figured out how to view the contents of all the floppies in my PC aside from installing the emulator in it. 60 works just fine in the PC because it's just folders.


Just some of my observations and as always, YMMV.

Kris

Oh, and the jumper settings are different. Only one jumper on the 2000. It's the second one from the left.

Thanks Kris

Yep, I havent got it past one floppy drives's worth of data capacity yet, but that's a lot quicker and easier than copying it from my usb floppy drive etc etc.

I'll have a bash at changing the bumper settings.


I'm making a scsi hard drive
I just want to be abble to save a progrrm, sounds and sequence in one go at the end of a session, without having to put it on several floppy's and somtimes delete elements that use up too much memory.

I'll be back in work soon , so I might just get a external cf reader eventualy, but at the moment moneys tight.
Marm sayingz!

Peace Famalan.

hok-2 wrote:I'll have a bash at changing the bumper settings.

If the bumper settings don't work for you, maybe try the jumper settings as well.

I hear lenux or something can read the partitions ?

What do I need now ?
Some sort of odskool operating system emulator?

Should I just get my ZX81 out the loft start writing sandscipt?

Yeah llaww that.
The Gotek Floppy Drive is not great,
Quicker then a floppy
But I car'nt get it to recognise more than 1 virtual disk.

Any one worked out how to view the separate vertuel floppy's on a Xp computer?

UP YOURS !

In conclusion
I haven't been able to get my Gotek Floppy Emulator to recognise more than one virtual disk's worth of data (1.40 mb) at a time

I was unable to create partitions on the USB stick despite hours of research and changing it to a fixed drive and every thing that I tried over the course of two months.

So basically, it works as a USB floppy, that I can boot up from and can use for transferring 1.40 mb,s at a time from.
The file transfer from computer to USB is quick, but in every other regard it's shit.

My floppy drive was broke, so it made sense to try one.

So I haven't found this floppy drive emulator much use in my MPC 2000
This could just be me, But yeah, this doe'snt fix the file transer dilemmas I have trouble with.

I think cf card readers must be the way.

Anyone selling a Cf card reader?
Or a scsi to ide bridge?
I'm in the U.K.


Peace.

You must have done something wrong, most people have success with Gotek's after initial setup. Personally, the USB was never formatted in a computer and I didnt need any software that came with the drive.