Broken Card Reader Pins

Hey guys, I just bought an MPC 1000 on the cheap (it's my first hardware sampler -- I've always been a synthesist and use virtual samplers) but when I got home to test it out I found out that the two top left pins were really badly bent. I wa able to fix one, but I broke another one in the process. Is there a DIY way that I can fix this, or do I just need to buy a new card reader and install it?

Also, forum looks great. Excited to look around and learn a lot about my new baby.

So I installed a new HD instead of trying to fix the card reader, but my Macbook pro running OS 10.4 still won't recognize the HD. Is the internal not part of the USB mass storage path? Does the USB only work with the card reader?

You need to select HARD DISK on the LOAD page, before you connect the USB cord.
Then press f4 USB and connect the cord to the computer.
Have you tried all that yet?

Sometimes there is a little difficulty getting the drive to be recognised first time so you may have to try again until it works.
Once it's recognised, you should have no trouble from then on

Yeah, I did all that and I tried to see if disk utility recognizes it, but it doesn't.

I'm on the Akai OS, btw. It says that my 160 gig HD is only 2 gigs, which is worrysome, but there should be enough space for the OS 10.4 to recognize it, no?

I don't have access to my Mac to try it out right now (only windows), so maybe another Mac user can help in the meantime.
Have you formatted the drive yet?
If not, you should format it in the MPC first off and see if it helps.

God dammnit! I swapped the (working) USB cord out for an older busted USB on a whim

and of course, after all the techy stuff that I did to check it out

swapping out two working chords worked

Great stuff. Glad it's working for you.