E-mu Emulator Sampler User Forum for the EIII EII EI and EIII XP - Emax HD not loading, stuck on "loading software"

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
March 29, 2024, 12:47:05 AM
Home Help Search Login Register
News: Problems registering? Send an email to: EIII @ telenet.be (without the spaces)

+  E-mu Emulator Sampler User Forum for the EIII EII EI and EIII XP
|-+  General Category
| |-+  Emax Technical Issues / Tips
| | |-+  Emax HD not loading, stuck on "loading software"
« previous next »
Pages: [1] Print
Author Topic: Emax HD not loading, stuck on "loading software"  (Read 4563 times)
telluric
Newbie
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 2


« on: October 29, 2011, 07:21:50 AM »

I just purchased a Emax HD (as is), and am trying to trouble-shoot it.

The Emax will not load.  When I turn it on, it will go to diagnostics mode, then show "loading software".  I imagine the HD is dead, so I unplugged the SCSI connector and power cable, and I get the same message, with or without 2 different Emax formatted floppy (which worked in my other Emax).  When I first got it, I was once able to get into the menu, but I believe HD made a click sound and died, and the next time I turned it on it had this behaviour (loading software).  I don't have another SCSI drive to test with unfortunately.

I used another floppy, a SONY MPF-110-05, and set the ID to 0, and when I put any floppy in, it still says "loading software" but the drive continually spins (no clicks/stops).  If I change the ID to 1, it does the same thing.  I don't know if both floppies are bad, but I can't imagine they both are.  The SONY was salvaged from an older computer, but I can't be sure if it is dead or not.

Does anybody know what may be the problem? 

I am thinking that it may not be a drive problem - but I could be very unlucky and have 3 dead drives.  I have another Emax (non-HD) at another location I won't be able to access for a few weeks, so I may get it and try the 2 floppy drives I have on that unit, as I know that Emax works.  I would like to figure-out the problem with my Emax HD earlier than that if at all possible.

Thanks in for your help.  Maybe one of you have had this problem before.
Logged
midipuppies
Full Member
***
Offline Offline

Posts: 305



« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2011, 08:15:41 AM »

What version of the Emax operating system are on those floppies?
Try using an non-HD O.S. to boot with. Emax samplers are picky about the floppy drive hardware as well. Chances are that one pulled from a computer will not be compatible.
But it does sound like the HD is dead. Most of them are now.
Logged

The problem is not the problem.
Your attitude toward the problem is the problem.
telluric
Newbie
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 2


« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2011, 06:33:40 PM »

Thanks for your reply.  I figured the internal HD was dead (it seemed like it died the first time I turned-on the EmaxHD after buying it).

I made some small progress.  It's not saying "loading software" anymore.

I wasn't sure what version was on the floppies, so today I used EMX to format a floppy with the EmaxHD 1.1 OS (using Win98, booted into DOS 7), and when I load the DD floppy in the EmaxHD it now says "Disk not formatted" and makes an intermittent read/access noise (normal floppy noise) on both the original & the SONY floppy drive.  At least it's doing something now.  I then tried formatting the disk with the regular Emax 3.2 OS using EMX in DOS 7, and the disk is still giving the error "Disk not formatted" when I attempt to load it in the EmaxHD.  My other DD disks that load in my regular Emax are not loading either (they now give "Disk not formatted").

I saw that EmaxUtil can only run in DOS 6.22 or earlier (for the SE upgrade disk), but I'm assuming EMX can run under DOS 7 as this url describes: http://www3.telus.net/public/a4a91380/emaxfiles3.htm.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2011, 06:37:22 PM by telluric » Logged
midipuppies
Full Member
***
Offline Offline

Posts: 305



« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2011, 07:22:42 AM »

I suggest using Omniflop for this kind of thing. It is pretty simple and I have had good results with it.

It sure sounds as if the drives are not working as they should. I just went through the same issue with my HD/Plus Emax. In the end, I was forced to upgrade/modify the floppy setup because I was unable to find a compatible or original working floppy drive. I now use a Teac slimline floppy with a compact flash slot drive.
It is a slick setup compared to the original, but there were some problems along the way;)

If you choose to go that route, let me know and I will send you a parts list for the mod.

Jay
Logged

The problem is not the problem.
Your attitude toward the problem is the problem.
Pages: [1] Print 
« previous next »
Jump to:  


Login with username, password and session length

E-mu Emulator Sampler User Forum for the EIII EII EI and EIII XP - Emax HD not loading, stuck on "loading software"

SEO light theme by © Mustang forums. Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines