Reviews and questions about the entry-level MPC500
By cde80 Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:40 pm
I have used the search function all morning trying to find out what the problem is before posting here. I just bought the 500 and am trying to transfer my samples from my pc to the cf card. The usb cable is plugged in and the mpc says usb connected when i go to mode/load screen. The mpc is shown in device manager and the safely remove icon is in the toolbar. But for some reason it will not show up as a removable storage device in "my computer". If anyone knows why this is happening or what I need to do to get it to be recognized correctly..I would appreciate it. Thanks.
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By Metatron72 Sun Feb 24, 2013 5:03 pm
I had that like once or twice, but on my 1000 or 2500 can't recall. The USB controllers are the same in all 3 machines though.

You're probably figuring that with what your troubleshooting shows, the USB cable works, the pc has the cable recognized on it's USB buss, likely the MPC itself.

Have you tried another CF card or do you only have one? If you have only one CF card do you the OS file on there, to try to reinstall the OS and see if that helps.

If you have more than one CF card was there a lot of swapping? Bent pins can keep the card from mounting. Can you get the MPC to see and load from the CF card when the USB is unhooked and you have dismounted the MPC? If so you could likely assume the pins are fine, but a tiny flashlight is worth a look in the slot just in case.

Little help all that I realize, but just trying to go over what might have changed that you can't mount the CF on the PC now. When was the lat time it worked normally?

CF card readers even like a $20 USB one won't show up in My Computer without a card inserted. So it's definitely the PC thinking there's no card but probably due to the MPC if you noticed it in Remove Hardware.

I know re-install the OS is all I really gave you, sorry. But that's just an odd one to figure why the CF card seems not present in the Explorer Shell/My Computer.

Only other thing I can think of and this is unlikely. Maybe Windows looked at the MPC and did not properly "handshake" with the class compliant message from the MPC over the USB cable. Class compliant=no driver which is how the PC "knows" MPC500 removable storage with a CF inserted.

In that rare scenario Windows would maybe try to use a generic USB driver and then the MPC is not going to show in My computer at all. You'd remember the driver dialogue prompts though if that occurred. Although depending on setting Windows may install the Driver with no user input (actually I believe my PC will do that).

Not much help as I said, but just wanted to itemize the basic possibilities a CF may not properly mount under.
By cde80 Sun Feb 24, 2013 5:28 pm
Thanks for your help and time..I really appreciate it. This is a 2gb akai cf that I just received in the mail brand new. It is the only card that I have ever tried using so I have never put any files or cards into this mpc yet. I got this 500 used from guitar center so its not brand new and it didn't come with any cf. What would be the most basic way for me to scroll through the mpc to see if it is even recognizing the card??
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By Metatron72 Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:08 pm
Go to the Load screen and you should at least see a listing of Free Space for the CF card. Read the listings and notice that the internal RAM is a separate listing.

Where was the card bought from? Some shiesty folks sell bunk ones with Akai/MPC labeling, fake Sandisk cards are seen as well. But it's unlikely.

Check for the bent pins in the card slot if you copped used from GC. An average employee would not test a used MPC on the way in or even know how in most cases.
By cde80 Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:27 pm
I got the card off of amazon.com. I just checked all the pins in the slot and they are not bent or missing. I am at the load screen now and I can't seem to find anywhere that shows me the free space on the internal memory or the card. The only thing I am seeing having to do with the card is Frmt:Format CF card.. and when I am at this screen I can't move the cursor or press do it or do anything. Am I in the right menu where memory and storage would be shown? I am hitting mode/load.
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By Metatron72 Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:06 pm
I forget how at times a poster may have just had the MPC for a very brief time. Yeah you would want to Format the card in the MPC. And Under normal circumstances the Format would take like 30 seconds and should be two presses of the "Do It" button. One to initiate it, second to confirm.
By cde80 Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:45 pm
When I go to format the card "do it" doesn't flash so it won't let me do anything with it. I went and grabbed a card reader and put a few samples on the card through that way. I just put the card in the mpc...what menu do I go to to see if the samples are on there? Like to see the contents of the card?
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By inflict3 Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:16 pm
go like this.. mode/load/samples and u should see whats on ur card... it should let you format it regardless, for one reason ur card seems to not be showing up. :hmmm:
By cde80 Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:33 pm
When I go to mode/load/samples the only files and sounds that are there, are the stock ones from the demo songs that are on the internal memory. I even formatted the cf card using my card reader through the pc, loaded a few drums in a folder on there and put the cf card back in the mpc. Still not showing me anything. I guess I'm going to have to try a different card and if that doesn't work..I'm assuming its going to be the slot itself that is not reading the cards. Don't really know what else there is to do. So normally when i go to mode/load/samples it should say cf card or show my folders on the card when I scroll, correct?
By cde80 Tue Feb 26, 2013 8:34 am
So I went and got another cf card and it is also not being recognized. I would like to reinstall the OS but I'm assuming from what I have read on here that this is not possible without a working card. I'm going to contact guitar center since I do have a 24 month service plan on it and see what they say. If anyone has any other suggestions, I will try whatever, I just wanna load up and start banging these pads already. Thanks.
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By inflict3 Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:31 am
maybe you got a faulty unit.. if u cant conect it to the computer and it dont read the cf card, then u screwed... have u tried to sample something with ur mpc and save it to the card?
By cde80 Fri Mar 01, 2013 10:20 pm
I can save to the internal memory. That is the only option that shows up when I go to save something. I called the guitar center where I got it from and they told me to bring it in and they can give me another one since I just bought it less than a month ago. I got it used for $175 which I thought was decent. Also got 2 year plan with it for $40.
By carlo Sat Mar 02, 2013 5:00 pm
can i ask one thing its about cards do you have to turn the power off on the mpc 500 to put the card in or do you turn the machine on and put cards in and out or must it be off when you insert cards just got my MPC today
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By Metatron72 Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:08 pm
skurdnee wrote:
carlo wrote:can i ask one thing its about cards do you have to turn the power off on the mpc 500 to put the card in or do you turn the machine on and put cards in and out or must it be off when you insert cards just got my MPC today


i really don't think it matters. i've taken the card in and out while it's on before.


They should be fully hot swappable, but you might not see the MPC as a removable disk on your computer until you put a card in the slot. 500/1000/2500/5000 you can switch out cards at any time provided everything is working right.