WTF is wrong with my Card Reader!!!!

Ok look guys, I have read a lot of the "card reader" topics in the MPC 2000xl section, but nothing is flowers working. At this point, I am really just ready to throw my computer and my MPC outta the flowers window. here's the problem.

First, my card reader finally comes (from MPCstuff. com)and I happily install using the youtube video that mpcstuff suggests to use. I follow along and everything seems great. At this point, I had no Flash Card to test but after installation, I go to load disk and it shows (Not Ready), but then shows the load disk screen. It reads as follows:

Device: Atapi

Type=No disk

So I'm thinking that everythings cool but I just need a disk to load up.

The next day, I order a 2GB san disk Compact Flash Card. I put it into my computer to load version 1.20 onto it (I'm currently using 1.14 on my MPC) I do this. I then insert the card onto my MPC and the "LOAD DISK" screen reads as follows:

Device: ATAPI

Type=???????

So I'm like WTF???!!! Now I think to myself "maybe it needs to be formatted to work on the MPC. I do this. After I do this, the LOAD DISK screen reads as follows:

Device: ATAPI
Part: A
Type=MPC2000XL

Hooray!! All is well...right....hell no!!! Now, when I tried to return it to my computer and re-transfer version 1.20 to my flash card (because we all know formatting erases a disk) my computer will no longer recognize the flowers disk!! I couldn't even format it inside of my computer, therefore this card is pretty much useless now (except for archiving from the MPC ONLY!!).

Next day, I go out and Buy yet ANOTHER 2GB sandisk compact flash card.

This time I try a different approach. I formatted the disk on my computer first and then added version 1.20 onto the card. I insert it into the MPC and it still will not recognize it. Now instead of formatting the entire card inside the MPC I only formatted a small portion of it. HAHAHA pretty clever, right....hell no!!! Once again my computer would not recognize the card.

But now I have learned that version 1.14 will not except flash cards larger than 1GB.

So...the next day I buy a 128MB Viking Interworks Compact Flash card. I was soooo happy becuz I knew that it would work this time. I insert the card into my computer and transfer version 1.20 onto the card. I insert the card into the MPC and guess what?...The sh!t wasn't recognized!!! What the hell is going on here. Plz plz plz help me out. I've wasted a lot of dough on these godforsaken cards...makes me wish I had just stuck to floppies....

I'm using Windows Vista by the way...which also sucks...

try to format the 128mb card in the computer and then put the 1.2 on it and then load it into the mpc.

eastcoast121 wrote:try to format the 128mb card in the computer and then put the 1.2 on it and then load it into the mpc.

My computer wont recognize the flash card anymore...

reinstall the floppy drive and install the 1.20 OS from a floppy disk.. then reinstall the card reader...

format the cards in the MPC then reformat in the PC...

I had this same issue. If you wanna make the most of that 2 Gig card, i'd stick with 1.14 as it will allow you to partition the whole card. So you'll have access to most of the 2 gigs, but only one of the partitions will be visible to windows(or at least windows 98). Using 1.20 actually defeats the purpose of that 2 gig card as it will format it down to 1 gig. The only benefit will be that it will be readable between the MPC and windows.
If you have already formatted your card and want to return it to its 2 gig state, follow these instructions...

1. format your card under 1.20 to make it readable/writable under windows

2. load the card into your pc and save OS 1.14 on to it

3. put it back into your MPC and load OS 1.14

4. format your card. It should ask you how many partitions you want to make(A-C, A-D, etc.)

5. replace the card into your pc and reformat it back to two gigs.

This is ONLY if you wanna restore the state of your card to its original capacity.

If you format on pc use fat/fat16 and afterwards use ONLY 8 character or less filenames.

If you format the card on mpc, windows cannot read it or will mess up your long filenames.

You don't even know the difference between 120 and 114 do you?

Contrary to popular belief you don't NEED 120 for a mcd. I have a 2kxl, mcd, 114 and it works just fine.

120 is for cards larger than 1gb. NOT for an MCD drive..

The info from the guys above is correct, follow their lead.

See the problems with your methods are...

1. I don't have a floppy on my computer (laptop) to put OS 1.20 on. (when I mentioned this I was speaking on my days of owning an MPC 2000 classic with a floppy drive.)
2. Even if I did have a floppy drive on my laptop it doesn't matter becuz my MPC came with a zip drive....and
3. no, I don't have a zip drive to connect to my computer...

I have done what you said in the beginning. I formatted a small part of the 128 MB disk on the MPC...eventhough I did this, it is still not recognized at ALL on my PC...

Lampdog wrote:don't format on mpc, at all.

Is there anyway that I can get my PC to recognize these now MPC-formatted disks

Lampdog wrote:install win98 maybe, lol.

For the record, NONE of my cards are formatted on my mpc.

I wanted maximum transfer compatibility between mpc, pc, triton extreme so I formatted on pc fat/fat16. My cf card can go into all of them at any time with no problems.

Okay so let me see if I can get this process correctly...here goes:

1. I buy ANOTHER 1GB compact flash card.
2. I insert it into my computer.
3. I format it in FAT format.
4. I add 1.2 onto the disk.
5. I insert the flash card into the MPC.
TADA!!!

It works! Am I going in the right direction here??

"Contrary to popular belief you don't NEED 120 for a mcd. I have a 2kxl, mcd, 114 and it works just fine.

120 is for cards larger than 1gb. NOT for an MCD drive.."

1. I buy ANOTHER 1GB compact flash card.
2. I insert it into my computer.
3. I format it in FAT format.
after this that card is now readable on mpc and pc.
4. I add 1.2 onto the disk.
See above
5. I insert the flash card into the MPC.
TADA!!!

KnowledgeBorn wrote:

Lampdog wrote:install win98 maybe, lol.

For the record, NONE of my cards are formatted on my mpc.

I wanted maximum transfer compatibility between mpc, pc, triton extreme so I formatted on pc fat/fat16. My cf card can go into all of them at any time with no problems.

Okay so let me see if I can get this process correctly...here goes:

1. I buy ANOTHER 1GB compact flash card.
2. I insert it into my computer.
3. I format it in FAT format.
4. I add 1.2 onto the disk.
5. I insert the flash card into the MPC.
TADA!!!

It works! Am I going in the right direction here??

Dude, stop being difficult and listen to Lamp. For less headaches stick with 1 gig cards. Its only when people try to jump to the 2 gigs that they start to have problems. Trust us.
STICK WITH THE 1 GIG CARD AND USE 1.20 and you'll be fine.

this is what i did....
i took out my zip drive from the 2000xl connected it to my pc (internally) put 1.2 on the zip disk then reinstalled the zip in the 2000xl... installed 1.2 then swapped the zip with card reader and it works perfectly.

you mentioned u had a laptop so it obvioiusly wont work....but if u know someone with a pc my plan is 100%

opty360 wrote:you mentioned u had a laptop so it obvioiusly wont work....but if u know someone with a pc my plan is 100%

download mpceditor demo from midicase and use it to format your card. you will then have one 29 mb partition on it. copy the 1.20 os on it, insert the card into your mpc and install the os. after that format your card on pc back to 1 gig fat.