mpc-scsi problems

i just got this mpc60 with version 3.10 and it supposedly has the Marion Systems SCSI upgrade. I went on the linn design site and it showed me how to check. it said to hit disc then 8 and if 4 menu options appear then, it has SCSI. I went ahead and did that and 4 menu items did appear. besides, everytime I turn the 60 on, it says " searching for scsi devices" across the bottom. so, i went out and bought a zip drive for it that hooks up to the scsi port. Of course nothing is ever THAT easy and it doesn't seem to be working. i hit disc then 8 and selected the fourth menu option which says, SCSI status, make SCSI status active. I made sure the numbers were te same but it still doesn't work.
any advice?[/b]

Hi,

Just a tought. Make sure there is a zip disk inserted in the zipdrive before the MPC is searching.

at first, I didn't see the point of inserting a disc first, being that I can't even get the 60 to recognize the drive. so, i went ahead and tried it anyhow. Now, the 60 is freezing up on the SCSI status screen. Do you think that I should take it to an authorized akai thech, just to get it checked out, make sure that everything is working as it should?

First make sure it is a SCSI zip. That is, it has SCSI selection numbers (5/6) on the back.

Second, you have to format a zip from the disk menu before it sees the Zip.

right, I formatted the hard disc ( by hitting disc, then 8, then selected menu option 3, in order to format theSCSI hard disc), and it seemed to recognize it. It even asked me to set the partitions. The zip number is set to 0 and the 60 is set to AUTO. this is the only SCSI chain too (mpc60>zip) then I hit disc, then 8 and selected menu option 4 to make it active.when I went to the screen to actually make the drive active, it said that it didn't detct any SCSI devices. I even loaded some sounds from my floppy drive and tried to save them. When I attempted to save the DATA, it automatically went to my floppy drive and, didn't even giv e me the option to save to SCSI. I don't know man, do you think I should have this checked out. I know that the drive is ok. I bought it from a guy who sells SCSI drive specifically for sampler.-thanksdDM

"the 60 is set to AUTO"

Instead if this, try setting it for the actual ID the Zip is on. I never use AUTO.

i think i'm officially S.O.L.. I set the SCSI id on the zip and the 60 to 0. I formatted the SCSI harddisc, everything went well. For the 1st time it was recognizing the SCSi zip. I had a disc in the drive the entire time. I hit disc, then 8, then 4 to make it active. It was recognizing it and everything was going well. THen I tried to save my data. It was giving me the option to save to SCSI. So, I hit DO IT. It sat there for about 2 min. then, I got an ERROR CODE: FF50 message, saying that it was unable to access the hard disc and to make sure that the drive is turned on and properly formatted!!!????!!??
on top of everything else, if I try formatting the zip again, I get a blank screen on the 60. I have no idea what to do with this thing. I swear I've tried everything. If I turn the 60 off then on again, it says that there is no SCSI device attached. Do I have to format it everytime I want to use it? Is there a bug with my 60?

"THen I tried to save my data"

I usually will try to read from a disk before I save to it. Zips, being an Iomega product, may not `wake-up` properly after sitting idle just before a write command. This can be dangerous to disks and may explain the lost `formatting`.

I really do not know for sure and wish I had more suggestions. MPC60's are old and cranky.

the thing is, I can't read from a disc if I can't save to it first. I asked the person I bought it from where he got it installed and he told me that he got it installed by Bruce Forat. That put me at ease 'cause I've read that Forat is a very reliable and authorized akai dealer and tech. Man, what you said is the damn truth, 60's are just old and cranky! I really don't want to go out and buy a whole rack of floppies, espeacially when I just spent the $$$ on the zip. Sequences don't take up much memory, it's sounds that do. That's my problem, I didn't get my 60 just for the sequencer, I also got it for the 12-bit sampling. Anyhow, don't listen to me. Everyone's help has been greatly appreciated. I'm just venting my frustration.-peace