MPC 60 Problem with Zip 100 Drive - MPC 60 v2.14

Hi all

I have an MPC 60 v2.14 with the built in Marion SCSI port. I am unable to find a special manual for just this v2.14 OS.

I am trying to format a 100 MB Zip Disk but I keep getting this error - I believe everything is hooked up correctly as the MPC does seem to interact with the Zip Drive.

I get this error message after selecting the partition size, etc:
"
Attention!

Hard disk format failure. Please check that the hard disk is properly connected and turned on. Refer to the SCSI hard disk option installation instructions for further information.

"

Any help would be fantastic. Thanks.

Is the Zip drive the only thing that is connected to the SCSI port?

Is SCSI termination turned on at the Zip drive?

SCSI cable runs straight out of the zip side of the drive and into the RS232C. it is the only thing hooked up.

termination is set to on and the ID is set to 5 as i am told that 6 conflicts (it doesn't work either way).

The SCSI ID of the MPC SCSI option is SCSI ID 7, so either SCSI ID 5 or 6 should work.

Are you sure that the SCSI option board is fitted internally, and the cables from it to the rear SCSI port, and cables to the MPC PCB, are seated correctly?

It might be possible that the SCSI fuse is blown, on the SCSI option board, which happens easily if the SCSI cable is connected/disconnected while the MPC and/or SCSI device is powered on.

Is there any easy way to check for this / replace the fuse?

You should open the MPC up and make sure all internal cables to/from the MPC SCSI option board are seated correctly.

Do you have, and can you operate a multimeter?

If you do/can, then you can test for approx 5VDC power on pin 25 of the SCSI connector, but you have to be VERY careful, as it is very easy to short that pin to ground with the multimeter probe, and blow the SCSI fuse, if not already blown.

If it is blown, you can replace it, but it is not a normal fuse, it is a small component on the PCB, which would have to be desoldered, and a new fuse soldered in it's place.

I've just double checked the seating of all of the cables going to and from the board. they are snug.

the board reads:

SCSI INTERFACE FOR AKAI MPC-60
-----------------------------------------
MARION SYSTEMS
CORPORATION

do you know the lettering offhand on the PCB?

i am leaning toward the fuse hypothesis...

i got the unit off of a guy who

if you knew where i could get a replacement fuse and where it is on the board that would be huge. i don't know how to read the technical readouts.

is it D1 on the PCB of the SCSI option board?

Pfft - sorry I know that is a diode. Any clue where the fuse itself is that will need to be replaced?

Sorry, that is probably misinformation on my part, I thought that the MPC60 SCSI board had a SCSI termination fuse, like the MPC3000 SCSI board has, it looks like it doesn't.

Do you have a multimeter, to check for SCSI termination power?

Do you have any other SCSI devices, or passive SCSI termination plugs, that you could use to test it with?

Is it a 100mb drive or a 250mb drive ?
The mPC60 doesn't work with 100mb disks in a 250mb drive.

it is a 100 mb drive with 100mb disks - i am unsure where my multimeter is and i am unsure if i would know exactly how to check for the SCSI board having power.

When the unit boots up it definitely searches / scans the zip drive to see if it has files to load.

Scsi implimetation in OS 2.14 is know to be flaky, and the early scsi boards (rev 1.0/1.1) can be problematic due to qc issues and age.

Zip drives did not appear until around 1994 so you could have compatibility issues. If you can try using a low capacity scsi hard disk to see if that works.

If all else fails, bite the bullet and upgrade the OS.