Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
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Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

By djdiscord Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:54 pm
So I got all adventurous and ordered the following components in hopes of replacing my floppy drive with a CF reader:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0300888732

http://www.acscontrol.com/Index_ACS.asp ... dapter.htm

http://www.acard.com/english/fb01-produ ... pe1_idno=2

http://www.iec.net/l358181.html

http://www.computercablesource.com/scsi ... e-895.html

http://www.iec.net/m2259-03.html



As you can see, this could be a relatively cheap and easy solution to get a CF reader on a classic 2000. You can see a guy did something similar here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=67154&start=60

but the id50->db25 adapter that I listed above replaces the need to do all the tricky soldering. It will mount in the SMPTE port and you just connect a DB25 cable from that port to the external SCSI input on the back of the MPC.


So I got everything hooked up and its just giving me the "wait" when I go to scsi port 0. The card reader is getting power and a green light comes on, as is the IDE to SCSI adapter, and its SCSI port setting is 0, done with the jumpers. I have tried the CF jumper modes as master, slave and whatever the other one was. Nothing changes.

I am thinking that it might be my CF card, I've read about them needing to be tagged as "non-removable" in the card's actual settings. I was thinking that I could just go in and copy the operating system to it or at least format it, but it's not being recognized.

Any insight is well valued and could help provide a cost effective CF solution for MPC2000 classic users!
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Re: Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

By Fung45 Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:32 am
djdiscord wrote:So I got everything hooked up

mikemix wrote:I... ...have made it alive with... ...the SCSI modification by Destruktiv.

What do you have hooked up? Did you do the Destructiv SCSI mod seen here?
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By Lampdog Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:29 am
Maybe the adapters pinouts are different from the actual soldering.

Re: Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

By K-Mello Wed Jan 21, 2009 3:52 pm
I can understand the desire to DIY, but with what it looks like you ended up spending on all of those parts, especially to not know if it would work or not, wouldn't it have been cheaper and easier to just buy an external card reader?

No disrespect intended fam, but just because you think you can put something together with a bunch of parts doesn't mean you can. You have to consider necessary power for all of those devices/adapters/etc, cabling requirements, etc. That's what R&D departments get paid for.

Of course my lady calls me a killjoy. I just think of myself as practical/realistic, sometimes to a fault.

Re: Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

By djdiscord Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:48 pm
@Lampdog: I'm pretty sure that the SCSI pinout is a standard. There would be no reason that "computer cable makers" wouldn't use the same standard pinout as the sheet that destructive linked. By the way, you linked a thread that both me and an above poster also linked to.

@K-Mello: I understand what you are saying, but I have been working on electronics all my life with many successful results, I have fixed my MPC from certain death several times alone. I have worked on electronics professionally and I am aware of power and cabling requirements, on top of the fact that someone else did this successfully as I linked above. My only difference is using an adapter instead of soldering (should be no difference), the type of SCSI->IDE converter used (SCSI4SAMPLERS says in the linked thread that mine should work fine though), plus, I don't have an MPC formatted CF card with an MPC OS on it, which I am thinking to be the problem. This solution cost me less than $100 for all parts included, and it's internal! Hauling around an extra box with my MPC is exactly what I'm trying to avoid.

Re: Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

By K-Mello Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:20 pm
djdiscord wrote:@Lampdog: I'm pretty sure that the SCSI pinout is a standard. There would be no reason that "computer cable makers" wouldn't use the same standard pinout as the sheet that destructive linked. By the way, you linked a thread that both me and an above poster also linked to.

@K-Mello: I understand what you are saying, but I have been working on electronics all my life with many successful results, I have fixed my MPC from certain death several times alone. I have worked on electronics professionally and I am aware of power and cabling requirements, on top of the fact that someone else did this successfully as I linked above. My only difference is using an adapter instead of soldering (should be no difference), the type of SCSI->IDE converter used (SCSI4SAMPLERS says in the linked thread that mine should work fine though), plus, I don't have an MPC formatted CF card with an MPC OS on it, which I am thinking to be the problem. This solution cost me less than $100 for all parts included, and it's internal! Hauling around an extra box with my MPC is exactly what I'm trying to avoid.


Don't format the card with the MPC anyway, unless you never plan on putting it in anything other than an MPC. Format it on a PC using FAT16 or FAT (don't remember. I haven't formatted a new CF card in a few years). Then you can just copy the 2 OS files onto the card once its formatted. If you can do it for less than $100 for parts, you could probably set up a little side business where you install them internally for people, not for $100 of course, but Forat is charging what, $300 for an internal ZIP drive mod. You should be able to get at LEAST $200 for an internal card reader mod!

Re: Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

By djdiscord Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:14 pm
Cool, thanks for the info. My only problem now is finding someone with a PC and a CF card reader. Also, I've read about certain setups only working with cards that are internally tagged as "non-removable," and I'm not sure about this card.


I'd also be much happier just giving out the information so that people could do it themselves, it's pretty easy. I'm lucky enough to be making music for a living right now, so I don't really have a desire to get into doing electronics mods.

Re: Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

By K-Mello Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:45 pm
djdiscord wrote:Cool, thanks for the info. My only problem now is finding someone with a PC and a CF card reader. Also, I've read about certain setups only working with cards that are internally tagged as "non-removable," and I'm not sure about this card.


I'd also be much happier just giving out the information so that people could do it themselves, it's pretty easy. I'm lucky enough to be making music for a living right now, so I don't really have a desire to get into doing electronics mods.


If you have a PC or know someone that can provide you with access to a PC, just get a cheap USB card reader/writer. Otherwise hit up FedEx/Kinkos or even maybe a store where they have a PC with a card reader on display. I don't know a lot about the whole "non-removable" thing, unless your talking about "hot-swappable", in which case I thought was more the reader than the actual card itself.

Re: Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

By djdiscord Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:09 am
Hot-swappable is what I was referring to. Apparently certain drives are HS and certain drives aren't, but there is an actual bit in the formatting of the card itself that says whether it is to be read as HS or not. To change this bit, you need a nearly impossible to find utility called atcfwchg.com (sandisk used to furnish this if you sign a NDO, they don't support this anymore, weird.).


I have obtained an old PC that will allow me to test and figure out exactly what is going on, I just need a damn PS/2 Mouse and Keyboard to get it to work now. I'll report back if I figure anything out.

Re: Trying to build internal CF reader for 2000 classic, HELP!!!

By djdiscord Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:26 am
I got an old PC that has both an internal IDE cable that I can plug my card reader directly into, as well as a DB25 External SCSI port on the back. This way I can isolate exactly where in the chain my problem is, plus if I can track down that atcfwchg.com somehow, I can see if that is a problem.


But right now the computer won't even login until I have a PS/2 keyboard and mouse plugged in. I guess it doesn't have any USB drivers or whatever, it's pretty old. I guess these kind of little setbacks come with the territory when dealing with archaic equipment.
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