2kXL Freezing at Load/Save Screen

OK here's my situation.

I Just replaced my Floppy drive with the Compuapps CF card reader.
The installation went fine I got the XL to boot up and formatted my CF card.

After making a beat I go to save the beat and it freezes at the save screen.

I have to shut the machine down and re-make the beat go to save it again and it does the same thing.

I have re-opened the MPC and re-seated the connections and the internal memory cards and its doing the same thing.
Re-flashed the OS with 1.20 and still running into the same situation.

Maybe I did something wrong during installation.

I can find anything here on the forums that sounds like the same issue I am having.


Also am running 1.20

maybe the cf card you are using is not liked by the mpc... that can be an issue...

what size and brand, and type are we talking about here?


now you formatted... great news. I am assuming you booted the machine with the cf card inserted and did not remove it at any time? this is essential. you do not have any scsi things connected right?

I think somewhere you can set the default device as atapi... I suggest doing that too.

im using a 1&2 G Sandisk card.

I can load from the card right after i turn the XL on but say after like 20min of the XL being on it then freezes when i go to the save/Load menu.

it is set to ATAPI

oh how odd... that is quite odd... it working one minute and then hanging later on.... after this happens, let's say you reboot right away and load up stuff... does it work properly until another 20 minutes or so passes?

Something else that is odd is when the system Freezes i power off the XL then try to immediately try to start the system back up. The Screen lights up but is blank and ALL the LED's are Lit up.

After a "Cool down period" of say 10 min, I turn the XL back on and it boots up normally.
Then after another say 20 min the system hangs again. WTF!!!

maybe the mpc is overheating??

Well this has never happened in the 3 years I have had the machine. It was right after the MCD installation this problem started happening. so in thinking of replacing the power cord and the ribbon cable and see if that solves that issue.

yes try a different ribbon... also, try re-seating all the connectors in your machine, including the ram. Sometimes things shake loose over time and it causes things to not work properly.

mr_debauch wrote:yes try a different ribbon... also, try re-seating all the connectors in your machine, including the ram. Sometimes things shake loose over time and it causes things to not work properly.

This.

I tried a new set of power connectors and reseated everything in the machine and its still giving me the same issue.

I am at a loss right now, this is really pissing me off that i can solve this issue.

So... maybe the mcd drive is finicky? maybe get a cheap $0.99 cent one on ebay (search for cf to ide adapter) they wont have the case, but who cares... it's for testing purposes. If that works, you can go from there.

Which model Compuapps drive did you purchase?

There have been reported issues where the PCB inside various card readers is shorting out to the mounting plate due to incorrect alignment at the factory.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=155106

One solution has been to place small non-conductive standoffs underneath the PCB to keep it from shorting out to the metal.

Remove the card reader from the mounting plate and see if you are able to operate your MPC. You may want to use an anti static bag or tape some cardboard around the card reader to keep it from shorting out to the rest of your MPC.

If that corrects the issue and the manufacturer won't help you, you should be able to purchase non conductive standoffs such as nylon at a hardware store.

MPCHunter wrote:Which model Compuapps drive did you purchase?

There have been reported issues where the PCB inside various card readers is shorting out to the mounting plate due to incorrect alignment at the factory.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=155106

One solution has been to place small non-conductive standoffs underneath the PCB to keep it from shorting out to the metal.

Remove the card reader from the mounting plate and see if you are able to operate your MPC. You may want to use an anti static bag or tape some cardboard around the card reader to keep it from shorting out to the rest of your MPC.

If that corrects the issue and the manufacturer won't help you, you should be able to purchase non conductive standoffs such as nylon at a hardware store.

Thanks MPC Hunter for responding.

I have a OmniFlash™ ATAPI 741 Multislot Flash Card Reader/Writer, I will try the rubber grommets and report back.

OK tried the Grommet thing and its still doing the same thing.

I have given up, I just have to work around the issue. So what I am doing is sampling saving the pattern and then saving ect.. So every change I make with the sequence or the Programs i just save it immediately. until the machine locks up turn it off for a while then rinse and repeat.

OK so i found the problem it was the card reader i got one from addonics and it works flawlessly. I had to sacrifice the ability to hot swap the cards but I can live with that!

Thanks everyone for their help.