AKAI MPC3000 Complete Frustration!

SimonInAustralia wrote:I think that you are supposed to partition and format the Zip disc in the MPC3000, you don't do any partitioning and formatting to the Zip disc in the computer, if it is to be used with the MPC3000.

The reason is that the MPC3000 divides the SCSI disk into a number of equally sized partitions (up to 26, labelled A-Z), of a maximum of 30MB per partition (which gives you the maximum MPC3000 disc size...26 x 30MB = 780MB), and the MPC3000 SCSI drives are partitioned and formatted as some sort of FAT12 format, a very early PC disk format, which is still used for floppy discs today, and with it's 12 bit addressing only allows 32MB per disk, which must be why the MPC3000 partitions are a maximum of 30MB each.

These multiple MPC3000 FAT12 partitions might not be a standard PC type of partitioning scheme, which I am guessing is why the computer can only see the first partition (Partition A) on an MPC3000 partitioned/formatted Zip disc, and why you can not format a MPC3000 Zip disc in the computer.

So, with a 100MB Zip disc, you might create four 25MB partitions (A-D) when you partition and format the Zip disc in the MPC3000, but the computer will only see the first of those four partitions, partition A, and the computer will not be able to see or access partitions B/C/D at all.

I don't think that the computer will let you create these multiple MPC3000 compatible partitions, so you partition and format the Zip disc in the MPC3000, and only use partition A on that MPC3000 formatted Zip disc when it is in the computer.

It is also usually recommended to keep this disk(s) only for transfers from computer to MPC and back, maybe label the Zip disc clearly as MPC3000-PC TRANSFER ONLY. It is best to keep any MPC3000 Zip discs, with your MPC3000 programs/sounds/sequences/etc., away from the computer, so you do not risk the computer corrupting the MPC3000 Zip disc and losing all your beats (which I think is what the registry modifications that you mentioned early is supposed to avoid).

The samples will have to be converted to the Akai .SND format in the computer, with some sort of utility software, before they will load into the MPC3000.

Also remember that you have to use the 8.3 file name convention, with a filename of up to 8 characters and a 3 character extension, to avoid longer filenames from the computer being truncated, which can make it hard to work out which file is which.


So, the first step might be to create the MPC3000 partitioned/formatted Zip disc, then see if you can get Windows 7/64 bit to recognise it, which is where you might need to ignore the initial unformatted disk warning, if that is only due to AutoPlay seeing non-PC compatible partitions on the disc. Then see if it shows up in Windows Explorer as a disk drive, or if it doesn't, if you can assign a drive letter to the MPC3000 Zip disc partition A, if it shows up in the Disk Management section of the Windows 7 Computer Management program (Microsoft Management Console) without an assigned drive letter, so that it hopefully does then show up in Windows 7 Explorer.

Man thank you so much for all the help!!! I sadly decided to return it this afternoon after trying everything I possibly could. By grace & favor, this very same day I ran into a used MPC2000XL in near mint condition with the 8 outs board & an internal zip drive installed... It only has 2MB of ram, but i'm not too worried about that as that's an easy install... Copped it for $337.89 shipped, & the 3000 refund came to like $755 so I got some overhead cash to play with. I think the 2000XL will work better for me for now & hopefully I can eventually re-visit the 3K. Just was turning into too much hassle & after staying up all last night trying what you advised & then some, it just wasn't working out. Where it stands now, if I can confirm the ability for Win 7 64 to read MPC3000 formatted CF cards &/or format CF cards to the MPC3000 format (using the full version of MPC editor, which wasn't allowing me to do it with the zip disks), then I may give it another shot eventually... But from what it was looking like, I just woulda had to spend wayy too much extra money on CF card readers/etc & still had no guarantee that my WIN764 OS would read it. I eventually just decided that I didn't wanna be bothered dealing with XP either man, & I just got fed up messing with it altogether. I REALLY wanted a 4K next on my list, but couldn't find any in good shape online (ALL of them had issues, sadly enough lol). When I saw the 2000XL today at that price w/8 outs, I had to pull the trigger & hopefully I don't regret it LOL.. But once again man, thanks for ALL the help!!!! It is truly appreciated & I hope u have a happy new year!!!!

-GJ602

Now just build a cheap CF Card reader for the 2kxl and you're all set.

gearjunkie602 wrote:Man thank you so much for all the help!!! I sadly decided to return it this afternoon after trying everything I possibly could. By grace & favor, this very same day I ran into a used MPC2000XL in near mint condition with the 8 outs board & an internal zip drive installed...

No problem at all, though it would have been better if we could have got it working for you, so that you didn't have to sell the 3000.

It is something I want to get sorted for myself anyway, so I will buy a second hand USB Zip drive on eBay, so that my Windows 7/64 bit PC can try to access the Zip discs, and give it a go as well.

I think that SEED was having recent issues when trying to access MPC3000 formatted CF cards on Win7/64bit, so it might be a more general problem with Win7/64bit accessing MPC3000 formatted discs/cards, and not just Zips. Would be good to try and get that solved so that a separate WinXP PC is not needed, and because I am in the process of getting some internal MPC CF readers going as well.

Pity you had to sell the MPC3000, but I think that the more modern OS of the MPC2000XL will probably be better for you in other areas of functionality, as well as PC-MPC file transfer.

The 2000XL will give you a good taste of the MPC workflow anyway, and is a lot less complex than coming at an MPC4000 without any previous experience. The MPC4000 has pretty much a fully speced sampler, based on the Akai Z8 rack sampler I think, which does complicate things a lot more compared to the more basic drum oriented sampling engine in the 2000XL, especially if you are new to MPCs and hardware samplers in general.

sirparksalot wrote:Now just build a cheap CF Card reader for the 2kxl and you're all set.

I have recently purchased a few different CF readers to test out with my MPC2000XL, and MPC3000/60/etc., should be buying another reader or two shortly, and some power cable adapters/splitters/etc., and can then start testing them.

Sorting out this Zip-Win7/64bit problem will probably help with that process.

Want to find something cheap and hot swap for these MPCs, that can be purchased without the additional markup.

Cheap can be done on the 2000XL, very cheaply, if hot swap is not required.

After a little more digging, it seems like maybe Windows versions after 95/98 are unable to access even the first partition on a MPC3000 formatted Zip disc directly.

It seems that Windows XP can access MPC3000 formatted Zip discs, but only by using the MPCEditor program on Windows XP.

I do not think that anyone has posted info on how to access MPC3000 formatted Zip discs on Window 7, and this might also apply to MPC3000 formatted memory cards (CF/etc.) on Windows 7.

I would be interested in any information that anyone has of a working Windows 7 solution to read/write MPC3000 formatted Zip discs/memory cards/etc. (other than floppies, which I think still work through all Windows versions, but that needs confirmation as well)?

I have ordered an external USB Zip 250, and an internal ATAPI Zip 250, to try out a couple of ideas with my Windows 7/64-bit PC, but I am not confident that I will make any progress towards a working solution.

SimonInAustralia wrote:After a little more digging, it seems like maybe Windows versions after 95/98 are unable to access even the first partition on a MPC3000 formatted Zip disc directly.

does this correlate with the introduction of a certain version of the ntfs file system?

update on computer transferring - good news, got it working - my cheap USB CF reader WAS the weak link, used a transcend PCM adapter slotted it into my 2004 mac laptop.

> am using RS-16x software on my new mac mini
> exporting PGM and SND files to a USB stick
> then transferring to a CF card via PCM slot in my older 2004 mac laptop
> CF card was formatted as hybrid partitions in my 3.5os MPC3000 - but even with regular 3.11os formmating you should get 1 partition come up you can use to transfer.

Admire your tenacity Mr Seed with all things related to CF cards.

If u have an audio interface u culd sample sounds from ur pc to ur no then just save em to disk

TreCipher617 wrote:If u have an audio interface u culd sample sounds from ur pc to ur no then just save em to disk

Yes, you could, but the OP doesn't want to do that...

gearjunkie602 wrote:I know I could just go the "sample" route & manually record every single drum sound in one by one every tme I cut a record... But while that might be an option/last resort, I really don't want to be stuck having to "sample" everything in (due to the fact that my computer won't read the MPC3000-formatted zip disks & vice versa).

SEED78 wrote:update on computer transferring - good news, got it working - my cheap USB CF reader WAS the weak link, used a transcend PCM adapter slotted it into my 2004 mac laptop.

> am using RS-16x software on my new mac mini
> exporting PGM and SND files to a USB stick
> then transferring to a CF card via PCM slot in my older 2004 mac laptop
> CF card was formatted as hybrid partitions in my 3.5os MPC3000 - but even with regular 3.11os formmating you should get 1 partition come up you can use to transfer.

I'm still waiting on confirmation that this can be done using Windows 7 64-bit... If so, I will revisit the MPC3000... I'm hoping someone eventually comes through & sets the record straight!!!! LOL @SimonInAustralia, hope all is well & hope u not mad at me 4 giving up bro!!!! I just lost patience but if I can confirm that Win 7 64 can read/format those CF cards w/ that 3.5 O.S. i'll grab another! Stickin w/ my -soon-to-be-delivered 2000XL until then, followed by a clean/working 4000 (if I can find one)!

I can try on Windows XP if that helps anyone?

if anyone can think of a solution for computers that don't have PCM slots that would be cool?? something more stable than cheap USB reader?

goes to show EVERY part of the chain is important - I tried a ton of stuff and a different reader at computer end was last thing i thought would be an issue.

gearjunkie602 wrote:

SEED78 wrote:
I'm still waiting on confirmation that this can be done using Windows 7 64-bit... If so, I will revisit the MPC3000... I'm hoping someone eventually comes through & sets the record straight!!!! LOL @SimonInAustralia, hope all is well & hope u not mad at me 4 giving up bro!!!! I just lost patience but if I can confirm that Win 7 64 can read/format those CF cards w/ that 3.5 O.S. i'll grab another! Stickin w/ my -soon-to-be-delivered 2000XL until then, followed by a clean/working 4000 (if I can find one)!

if your laptop/computer can use a PCM slot there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to transfer files with MPC-Editor on your PC, even with 3.11os

you understand that your computer transfered sounds will sound much the same coming out of a 4000 and they would in a 3000 though right?

SEED78 wrote:if your laptop/computer can use a PCM slot there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to transfer files with MPC-Editor on your PC, even with 3.11os

Windows 7?

PCs are not really my thing - so Windows 7 is a mystery to me.

I do however that a XP laptop to hand, if any MPC3000 users here are on XP and want the lowdown let me know.

Windows XP is known to work, at least with MPC Editor.

Any Windows after that doesn't seem to work.