Epic Zip Disk Problems

Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
 Reply Share on Facebook

Epic Zip Disk Problems

By koby Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:31 pm
Greetings all.

So this has been fun: my recently purchased MPC2000XL currently has a Zip Disk drive. I tried some Zip Disks, and I got the message "No Floppy Device!". I figured the disks were messed up, so returned them.

I decided to upgrade to a flash drive. Perfect, no more Zip. I just need to install OS 1.2 via my Zip drive so that the machine will recognize the flash drive. However, once again, that message: "No Floppy Device!". Wonderful, the Zip drive must be broken. I'm stuck.

I figure there are two options: First, I buy an external zip disk drive to install the OS 1.2. This would suck because I'd be buying this thing for one-time use. Second, I open up the machine and see if there's a bad connection from the Zip Disk drive. The latter is also a problem since my technical knowledge is rudimentary, at best.

I'd love some suggestions!
User avatar

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By Lampdog Wed Aug 13, 2014 11:46 pm
koby wrote:I open up the machine and see if there's a bad connection from the Zip Disk drive.

Make this your first step. No floppy disk is a different connection inside than zip/cf reader, so yeah, there is actually no floppy disk in your mpc, really, lol.

ide-atapi zip/cf connection are the same 1 port. Check that cable. Check the power supply going to the zip/cf. Check the jumpers on the zip/cf and try different jumper settings while rebooting the mpc. Some zip/cf devices like to be master and some others single setting.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=140216&hilit=2000xl+cf+reader

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=173460

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=173460

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=156553
User avatar

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By SimonInAustralia Thu Aug 14, 2014 12:11 am
In the load screen, are you changing the device that you are loading from, from floppy to the SCSI ID of the Zip drive, or to ATAPI, depending on what type of Zip drive it is?

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By koby Thu Aug 14, 2014 1:57 am
Lampdog, I'll open it and also take a look at those topics.

Well, since the other load options didn't say "zip", I didn't think to try them. But I guess I will now.

Thanks, guys.
User avatar

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By SimonInAustralia Thu Aug 14, 2014 2:55 am
Yes, would probably show up as ATAPI, if a factory internal Zip drive, or could show up on one of the SCSI ID numbers, if it is an internal SCSI Zip drive.

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By koby Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:28 pm
So it doesn't give ATAPI as an option, and none of the SCSI numbers work.
User avatar

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By Lampdog Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:59 pm
Take detailed pictures and post so we can see what your going through.
Maybe the jumper settings on the device aren't correct.

If jumpers aren't correct or no power applied then you might not see ATAPI.

If scsi not terminated, jumpered or no power applied correctly you might see "SCSI".

Best to take pictures, DETAILED CLOSE UPS and post those here.

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By koby Sat Aug 16, 2014 8:02 pm
Okay, here's a batch of pictures I took

The first two are looking down on the opened bottom of the machine. The first one is of the Zip drive connection. You will notice that the right two wires are, indeed, cut for some reason. The second is of the other end of that connection. Again, out of four slots, only two are connected. (They are also the right two, where as on the Zip drive the cables are coming from the left.) Why do I have a feeling this is part of the problem...

The next is the message I get on the screen when I try to load a disk. Then you see just the normal load screen says "no disk". Finally, I took a picture of the fact that there's a flash rom option, which kind of confused me.

Thoughts?
User avatar

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By SimonInAustralia Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:54 pm
koby wrote:You will notice that the right two wires are, indeed, cut for some reason.

The reason is that the original floppy power cable has been modified to suit the Molex power connector on the Zip drive.

koby wrote:Again, out of four slots, only two are connected. (They are also the right two, where as on the Zip drive the cables are coming from the left.)

The Zip drive probably only needs two connected, the +5V and ground, it doesn't need the +12V and the other ground connected.

koby wrote:Why do I have a feeling this is part of the problem...

Because you don't understand what you are looking at.

koby wrote:The next is the message I get on the screen when I try to load a disk. Then you see just the normal load screen says "no disk".

If it is trying to load from a floppy drive, when the Device is set to floppy, and there is no floppy drive in the MPC, you should expect it to say "no disk".

koby wrote:Finally, I took a picture of the fact that there's a flash rom option, which kind of confused me.

The flash ROM device option is always there, it will not work if you do not have the internal Akai FMX008M internal 8MB flash ROM option board, it is nothing at all to do with a Compact Flash drive, just ignore it.

koby wrote:Thoughts?

It is an internal ATAPI/IDE Zip drive, it should show up as an ATAPI or IDE device in the MPC2000XL load screen, not floppy, not F-ROM, and not SCSI.

If you cycle through all the available device options, are there any that say ATAPI or IDE?

What OS version is your MPC running?

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By koby Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:53 am
Lampdog: Setup menu doesn't give me any different options, unfortunately.

Simon: Cycling through all of the options, there is nothing for ATAPI or IDE. I thought "floppy" might just be a loose blanket term that applies to all disks, hence my ignoring the fact that there is no actual floppy drive. The OS is 1.14.
User avatar

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By SimonInAustralia Sun Aug 17, 2014 2:02 am
koby wrote:Simon: Hey man, thanks for reminding me that I have no clue what I'm doing, I had almost forgotten.

Sorry for taking the time out of my day to answer your questions, I won't bother again, good luck with it.
User avatar

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By chrisrob101 Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:41 am
I'm taking pity on you because I'm an enemy of ZIP and anything to do with this infinitely shit medium of data transference/storage. Here's a suggestion:

1.) Get hold of a working floppy disk drive. You may be able to salvage one from an old PC.

2.) Open up your MPC and hook the disk drive up with the relevant ribbon cable. Secure the disk drive.

3.) Close up the MPC. Obtain a floppy disk replete with OS 1.20. You can do this yourself providing you have access to a PC with internet and a working floppy disc drive.

4.) Update OS.

5.) Install Card Reader. HAPPY DAYS!!!
User avatar

Re: Epic Zip Disk Problems

By Lampdog Fri Aug 22, 2014 3:02 am
koby wrote:Lampdog: Setup menu doesn't give me any different options, unfortunately.

Simon: Cycling through all of the options, there is nothing for ATAPI or IDE. I thought "floppy" might just be a loose blanket term that applies to all disks, hence my ignoring the fact that there is no actual floppy drive. The OS is 1.14.

If you don't see ATAPI or IDE in the setup menu then MPC doesn't see your device, your jumpers are wrong, physical data cable, power cable has problems. It's one or some of those is why you don't see ATAPI. On my 2kxl I went from floppy to ide zip to ide cf. Not all readers use the same jumper settings. You have to play with it, doesn't work, turn it off and change jumper settings, wash, rinse, repeat.
 Reply
Return to MPC2000xl, MPC2000