Sound designer help!

[JMP]

An afterthought, I'm pretty sure my PB 180 did the same thing as yours at the weekend, starting Mac mode but then stating it could not communicate with the EII.... I turned off virtual memory on the Mac and then it worked. You absolutely sure you have done this on the Mac?

[ProudEmaxOwner]

No, I haven't. How do I do that?

[JMP]

AArghh, Rtech mentioned this to you three pages of posts ago !!!!     (repeated below).  

Hey, if you are still trying to get it to work try the following.

  1. Restart the Mac Classic without Extensions.

  2. Make sure to dissable any Virtual Memory. (Make sure to restart to disable the Virtual Memory)

What OS are you running on the Mac? How much memory does it have? Does the Mac Classic use 32bit Addressing? If it does turn it OFF.

I have three old macs which I use, but two are very problematic when using it with the EII.

Go to control panels on the Mac, select memory or Powerbook (and check all others) to make sure virtual memory is off. Also try with Apple talk on and off and all extensions on and off.....  

[ProudEmaxOwner]

Just disabled all extensions and memory- still nothing. Can't communicate.

[JMP]

Just for info, have you seen this:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/emulatorII-list/database?method=reportRows&tbl=3

You'll note the many different configurations for using old Macs and SD for EII successfully. From my experience, if a Mac doesn't work after first few attempts/changes, give up and simply get another...  

[JMP]

Just disabled all extensions and memory- still nothing. Can't communicate.

Please, just give up for now and try another Mac. If that also doesn't work and has been proved to do so with the particular OS installed etc. then it must be your EII and something has happened in transit from the seller as E-Synthesist has suggested.

I have a Mac Classic Colour and several working Powerbooks with Sound Designer installed. I intend selling a couple of PB's at some stage but have no spare PSU's at the moment. If you want to try one of these, let me know. I'm in Preston, Lancs.     

[ProudEmaxOwner]

I have. Doing my head in now. I have a feeling it's the EII seeing as everything seems to be going on it in the past month. Thanks for the offer but Preston's a bit far to drive and the postage would be extortionate. I'll get one locally.

[JMP]

No prob, they're easy enough to find on Ebay. Powerbook 165c's or the 180c will keep the postage cost down. 

If your EII is losing life, give James at Synth Repair a call, you may get lucky and get slot to see him with your EII. An overhaul/inspection is always a good thing, particularly on the PSU.

[rtech]

ProudEmaxOwner,
 
 I honestly believe that the Mac is the issue. Try using a different one. From my experience using the SD, I have gotten my SE/30 and my Powerbook 5300c to work intermittently. My Quadra 950 however works 100% of the time. Regardless whether I power the EII first or the Quadra first. On the Quadra I dont have to go and hit the Special Menu on the EII. I just go to the SD send banks and it works.

You should first try using a different OS version on the Mac. I use 7.5.2, 7.5.3, 8.0 and 8.1.

rtech

[esynthesist]

The top drive lights up, it gets as far as saying the software version then the drive just spins

One of my EIIs had this problem when I bought it - the previous owner warned me about it and said the floppy drive needed to be replaced.
At home, this EII fell on the floor from half a meter height. I was in panic and assumed the whole thing would be completely dead. But guess what: it worked better than before and - very interesting: - the floppy drive was working perfectly again and it still is in good shape today two years after the incident 
So: yeah, get a disk drive cleaner.
(don't throw the EII on the ground - that's not the recommended alternative)
I *really* also recommend that you open this beast and have a look inside before bringing it to a synth repair shop and spend at least 100 pounds. With all the trouble you have, I really think you have bad connections inside. If not, then ... bring it to a synth repair shop ...

Thanks for the offer but Preston's a bit far to drive

If you happen to be in Belgium one of the next days, I can also have a look at it   
Or offer you a Mac SE/HD (I have lots of them, I once bought one from a Mac freak but I HAD to take the other 7 Macs with me for free, it was part of the deal...)

[JMP]

Or offer you a Mac SE/HD (I have lots of them, I once bought one from a Mac freak but I HAD to take the other 7 Macs with me for free, it was part of the deal...)

Sweet ! No problems with spare parts eh?   

[ProudEmaxOwner]

Ah bugger, why do you all have to live so far away? If you're ever near me, I'd PAY you to look at my sick EII 

[Elmbeatz]

I think it's the cable, as everything has worked before.

But - I can't believe that you haven't opened up the EII yet. Please open it and reseat all connectors.

[ProudEmaxOwner]

Well, shite.

Opened him up last night and had a good look. Nothing was loose, burnt, missing, or broken. What I'm getting now is really really quiet notes that are hanging when I let go of the key. You can barely hear it. Got my dad to look at it too (works with electronics, he fixed my dead Emax) and he can't find the fault.
Can't afford a tech right now. Bollocks.

[JMP]

Clean all the keyboard contacts, they may not be getting the note off information.