trouble with external zip drive

I have an MPC 2000 with the external Iomega 100MB zip drive which connects to my MPC through a SCSI cable.

Here are my problems:

-'Loading...' message on the MPC stays on the screen forever (like it's frozen)

-MPC can't locate sounds in the program...for example if I have a program of Drums...the MPC will say 'can't find Drum1' even the Drum1 is on the zip disc...

Basically it's pretty messed up...I can't do any of my work and I have to solve this problem immediately. I'm wondering if my Zip drive is broken? Or is it the SCSI port on my MPC? How do I trouble shoot this to find out...

Also, they don't make zip drives with SCSI ports any more (only USB), where can I find one with SCSI? Do I need one with a SCSI ID switch and a Termination switch. The one I have now has these switches and I usually set the SCSI ID to '5' and Termination 'Off' and it used to work fine.

Your help is definitely appreciated...

If your zip drive is the only scsi device attached to you mpcor the last in a 'daisy-chain' then the termination needs to be turned ON.

In the load screen select scsi id 5. Your disk should show up in the load screen.

Thanks for the reply...unfortunately I'm still getting the same problem even when Termination is turned on... I have a feeling the actual SCSI port is broken on the MPC but I think I need to find a new external zip to trouble shoot it correctly, just to be sure of the problem's source...

I tried another Iomega 100MB zip. But it did not have the SCSI ID or Termination switches in the back and the MPC failed to recognize the drive at all... 'Wait' stays frozen on the screen...

Hmmmm....

The other 100MB zip you tried was probably not SCSI but a Parallel Port one which uses the same multi-pin connector but is a different system from SCSI. SCSI needs a termination switch. If there isn't one of those the drive isn't SCSI. You can find SCSI drives on eBay or second hand computer dealers.

I think if there was a problem with the MPC's SCSI port the MPC would not even register that there was anything connected to it.

Is it just one disk causing trouble because it may be that disk, not the drive or the MPC that is the problem. You say you try loading a program but it says it cannot find a sample. Are you able to find that sample manually by scrolling through all the .SND files?

It is an external zip so I presume you have an internal floppy. I'd get hold of a box of fresh floppies, load whatever you can from the zip & save that to floppy.

Also, try a fresh zip disk. Load what you have saved to floppy & try saving that on the new zip disk.

If you know someone else with an MPC & zip, see if their drive loads your disk ok. If it does, again try & get everything to floppies so you can at least carry on working with those.

Thanks for your reply...

So the other drives I tried on the mpc were parallel port , not scsi... so I think the best thing to do would be to go on e-bay and get another scsi drive and see if that solves my problem. And to answer your questions, when I load a program in the mpc and it says 'CAN"T FIND DRUM1 SND' , when I manually check the SND on the zip the sound is there...so I'll continue to trouble shoot it by getting a new scsi drive...if you see an auction for one, feel free to post the link as a reply. Thanks again...this forum is awesome.

I've got a problem with my SCSI port. I'm pretty sure it's with the port and not with my ZIP drive.

When my ZIP is connected via SCSI and I begin to scroll from the floppy disk icon to the SCSI option, it freezes with the "wait" window...and stays that way.

It is not freezing at the "loading" screen like the other guy was talking about.

If I disconnect the SCSI cable from the MPC, it still does the same thing. Before if I did that, it would at least go to the SCSI 5 port and tell me there was nothing there.

That's why I think it's the port in the MPC. Anyone know how much that would cost to fix if that is what the problem is?

I've been stuck using floppy drive to save for the past week and it's SOOOOO anoying.

If anyone has seen this problem or can offer some help I would be wicked appreciative.

I can't live without making beats...this is killing me.

Steve....... I hope you didn't disconnect the SCSI cable while the MPC was switched on because that can blow a fuse in the SCSI port!!! It is something I only learnt about from this forum & luckily it hasn't happened to me but it might be a possibility you need to check out.

Hmmm...I dont' think I did that, but I can be a bit of a meathead sometimes so you never know. Good to know that info.

If that is what happend, is the fuse something I can replace myself. Is it a pop out fuse or is it soldered in? If it's replacable, do you know the volt and amp rating? I'm not at home right now so I can't check the manual.

I appreciate your help.

Forgive me for posting on this really old thread, just wondering if you found out if it was the fuse which was blown Steve?

I am having the same problem my MPC 2000 (just bought it), love it sounds really phat. Its just a shame I have got this problem.

Its like the SCSI device works, it knows its there on ID 7 as it flashes up when I switch it on. It just hangs with the wait message

However there’s nothing plugged into the SCSI port I would expect it to just say 'no device connected' etc If it’s the fuse I better get that fixed before I start spending money on a Zip drive

Any help would be rocking

PS if your still wondering about the fuse I found some info on this page...

http://www.mpc2000xl.com/troubleshooting.htm