Emax

Hello there

My experiences with the Emax II with it's associated Zip can sometimes be
problematic too.
I find if I haven't used it for awhile the connections internally and externally
(Scsi Zip cable) often benefit from being re-connected and a little contact cleaning
or enhancing can do the trick.
For cleaning, try Isopropyl Alcohol.

regards
Lyn
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: b_j_glover 
  To: emax@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 8:02 AM
  Subject: [emax] Re: Emax II - boot from Zip...?


  ...an additional point of confusion I'm finding with this is that I 
  can't see any indication of ZIP drive activity on boot, so I'm not 
  sure that the Emax is looking at these disks that I'm carefully 
  crafting for it. I don't know whether I should be expecting some of 
  those snapping and shuffling noises I get when using it with a PC. 
  When I tried connecting a CD drive and booting the Emax, there was 
  no evidence of spin-up on that either.

  Perhaps you could confirm whether you would expect more signs of 
  life, even with a non-bootable Zip disk (I don't know how quiet the 
  process should be, but this is silent), and whether your Emax II 
  still scans the SCSI chain with the SCSI boot ID set to 0...?

  Thanks!

  --- In emax@yahoogroups.com, "b_j_glover" <b_j_glover@...> wrote:
  >
  > Nice work...;) I was fiddling around trying something similar with 
  a 
  > free demo of MacDrive, but it got my PC into a horrible state - I 
  > wouldn't recommend letting this software anywhere near your 
  > computer. I'll have another crack at it with this approach. 
  > 
  > ) --- In emax@yahoogroups.com, "esynthesist" <esynthesist@> wrote:
  > >
  > > Just FYI: I managed to format a ZIP disk on a Windows XP machine 
  > in 
  > > such way that the disk is readable and bootable by an Emax.
  > > 
  > > I'll just explain exactly what I did:
  > > 
  > > 1/ I formatted the disk using a free demo-version of MacDisk 
  (for 
  > > WinXP). I used the HFS (not HFS+) format option.
  > > 
  > > --> This disk is not usable on an Emax yet, but at least the 
  > original 
  > > MS-DOS format structure is "killed" :-)
  > > 
  > > 2/ Then I re-formatted the very same disk using the IomegaWare 
  > format 
  > > function (I have IomegaWare running on my PC, this package adds 
  > some 
  > > functions to the Windows Explorer menu, of which also Iomega 
  > Format).
  > > I used the short format (30 seconds) procedure.
  > > 
  > > --> This format resulted in an error... 
  > > 
  > > 3/ Immediately after this Iomega Format I re-formatted the very 
  > same 
  > > disk again, this time simply with the standard Format Disk 
  > function 
  > > in Windows Explorer. I used the "long" format option. The format 
  > > capacity I selected was 96 MB (the only possible one).
  > > 
  > > Then I copied an EMAX-II HD image to that ZIP disk with EMXP.
  > > 
  > > --> This disk can be read and booted on my EMAX-II !
  > > 
  > > 
  > > Maybe step 2 can be skipped, I don't know because I don't have 
  any 
  > > non-EMAX zip disks left so I can't do another test anymore.
  > > 
  > > Anyway, whatever format tools you try, it is extremely important 
  > that 
  > > you are able to format the disk with a 96 MB capacity. So not 
  the 
  > > 95.7 MB which is the default capacity suggested by Windows 
  > Explorer...
  > > 
  > > So it seems possible to create an EMAX-II ZIP disk from scratch 
  > > without any need for a Mac computer or EMAX-II sampler !
  > > 
  > > 
  > > Have fun,
  > > 
  > > ///E-Synthesist
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > --- In emax@yahoogroups.com, "esynthesist" <esynthesist@> wrote:
  > > >
  > > > No, the restore function always works.
  > > > Windows formatted ZIP disks are almost the same as Emax/MAC 
  > > formatted 
  > > > ZIP disks. But Emax/Mac machines format a few more sectors on 
  > the 
  > > > disk, and unfortunately Emax seems to check the existence of 
  > these 
  > > > additional sectors. If it can't find them, it gives an error 
  > > > message "Not an EMAX-II disk" or something like that.
  > > > 
  > > > I haven't found a way yet to format ZIP disks with those 
  > additonal 
  > > > sectors under Windows XP. I think it's possible with parallel 
  > > > versions and old Iomega drivers, but most of us use USB drives 
  > of 
  > > > course.
  > > > Anyway, that's the reason why there's no "format ZIP" function 
  > in 
  > > > EMXP...
  > > > 
  > > > So I hope you have access to a Mac computer somewhere ?
  > > > (or pre-formatted ZIP-disks for MAC, those exist too !)
  > > > 
  > > > ///E-Synthesist
  > > > 
  > > > --- In emax@yahoogroups.com, "b_j_glover" <b_j_glover@> wrote:
  > > > >
  > > > > Thanks for the extra info. When I was trying the ZIP method, 
  I 
  > > was 
  > > > > using a PC formatted (250MB) disk, though you warned this 
  > might 
  > > not 
  > > > > work. However, the "Restore" function in EMXP seemed to 
  > operate 
  > > > > correctly. But is the fact that Restore can be used to put 
  an 
  > > image 
  > > > > on the disk enough to guarantee that the disk is in an 
  > acceptable 
  > > > > format to the Emax...?
  > > > > 
  > > > > > That's strange !
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > I have an EMAX-II rack without any internal HD.
  > > > > > The only two disk devices connected to this EMAX-II are:
  > > > > > - the internal floppy drive
  > > > > > - an external 100 MB ZIP drive with ID = 6 and terminator 
  = 
  > ON.
  > > > > > (the Boot SCSI ID in the Master Module is set to 4 however)
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > When I boot the EMAX-II without any floppy disk in the 
  > drive, 
  > > but 
  > > > > > with an EMAX-II formatted ZIP disk with OS in the ZIP 
  drive, 
  > it 
  > > > > boots 
  > > > > > from that ZIP disk !
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > The EMAX-II always scans the complete SCSI chain if it 
  > doesn't 
  > > > find 
  > > > > > an OS on the floppy disk or on the "default SCSI device" 
  set 
  > by 
  > > > the 
  > > > > > SCSI ID you mentioned in the Master module. 
  > > > > > This Master setting does not mean that the OS can only be 
  > > loaded 
  > > > > from 
  > > > > > that device. The Master SCSI ID must be set if your EMAX-
  II 
  > has 
  > > > > > multiple HD's (or ZIP disks) each carrying its own OS. In 
  > that 
  > > > > case, 
  > > > > > you have to tell the EMAX-II which OS device is the 
  > preferred 
  > > > > > one/should be used. It indicates the first HD which will 
  be 
  > > > checked 
  > > > > > by the EMAX-II. If no OS resides on that HD, EMAX-II will 
  > start 
  > > > the 
  > > > > > SCSI chain search.
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > So normally you should not have any problem with booting 
  > from 
  > > an 
  > > > > > external ZIP drive. 
  > > > > > (on EMAX-I however, the ZIP drive MUST have SCSI ID = 0)
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > Regards
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > ///E-Synthesist
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > --- In emax@yahoogroups.com, "b_j_glover" <b_j_glover@> 
  > wrote:
  > > > > > >
  > > > > > > Hi -
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > Thanks for the quick reply - that's an excellent utility.
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > Unfortunately the Emax II seems to want to read its OS 
  > from 
  > > the 
  > > > > > > floppy unless you change the SCSI Boot ID to something 
  > else. 
  > > > The 
  > > > > > > manual says:
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > "This function allows you to select which SCSI drive 
  > > (0=floppy, 
  > > > 1-
  > > > > > > 7=HD) Emax II will scan on initial power up for its 
  > operating 
  > > > > > > software. Note: Emax II will always boot from floppy if 
  a 
  > > > > formatted 
  > > > > > > floppy disk resides in the drive on power up"
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > My external ZIP drive only allows the 5/6 ID setting. I 
  > also 
  > > > > tried 
  > > > > > > booting up from a prepared internal SCSI drive set to ID 
  > 0, 
  > > and 
  > > > > > using 
  > > > > > > the trick of putting a jumper on pins 25/26 of the 
  floppy 
  > > > > connector 
  > > > > > > to avert the system check, but it hangs on "Pease Insert 
  > > Disk". 
  > > > I 
  > > > > > > don't know whether that's because the drive doesn't spin 
  > up 
  > > in 
  > > > > > time, 
  > > > > > > or whether the thing is canny enough to know it's been 
  > > > hoodwinked.
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > Bleugh - after pulling apart my PC, my Emax and my 
  > Kurzweil 
  > > to 
  > > > > get 
  > > > > > > this far, I think I'm going to have to surrender to 
  Route 
  > > > 66...;) 
  > > > > > But 
  > > > > > > once I get it working, I'll definitely be making more 
  use 
  > of 
  > > > the 
  > > > > > > wondrous EMXP...
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > specify otherwise --- In 
  > emax@yahoogroups.com, "esynthesist" 
  > > > > > > <esynthesist@> wrote:
  > > > > > > >
  > > > > > > > Yes there is.
  > > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > > You can create an EMAX-II ZIP disk image with EMXP 
  v2.02.
  > > > > > > > (using the "manage Emax HD/CD images"->"create new 
  > image" 
  > > > > menu). 
  > > > > > > After 
  > > > > > > > the 96 MB image-file has been created by EMXP, you can 
  > add 
  > > an 
  > > > > > Emax-
  > > > > > > II 
  > > > > > > > OS to it (again with EMXP v2.02). OS files can be 
  > > downloaded 
  > > > in 
  > > > > > > this 
  > > > > > > > group or from the emulatorarchive website.
  > > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > > Then you have to copy the image to a ZIP disk 
  (connected 
  > to 
  > > > > your 
  > > > > > > PC).
  > > > > > > > Again use EMXP for this :-) (via "restore" function)
  > > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > > One important note though !
  > > > > > > > The ZIP disk must have been formatted first in 
  an "emax-
  > > > > > compatible" 
  > > > > > > way.
  > > > > > > > You don't need an EMAX to do that, but unfortunately 
  my 
  > > > > > experience 
  > > > > > > > shows that simply formatting a ZIP disk on a Windows 
  > > machine 
  > > > > does 
  > > > > > > not 
  > > > > > > > guarantee an EMAX-compatible ZIP disk.
  > > > > > > > I always format them first on an old Mac Classic. This 
  > > format 
  > > > > > > procedure 
  > > > > > > > seems to be compatible with Emax...
  > > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > > ///E-Synthesist
  > > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > > --- In emax@yahoogroups.com, "b_j_glover" 
  <b_j_glover@> 
  > > wrote:
  > > > > > > > >
  > > > > > > > > Hi -
  > > > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > > > I've got an Emax II (2212) which I haven't been able 
  > to 
  > > > boot 
  > > > > > up - 
  > > > > > > > I've 
  > > > > > > > > tried creating boot floppies, but they've never 
  > worked, 
  > > and 
  > > > I 
  > > > > > > think 
  > > > > > > > the 
  > > > > > > > > drive might need replacing. But I've got a 100MB 
  SCSI 
  > Zip 
  > > > > > drive, 
  > > > > > > and 
  > > > > > > > I 
  > > > > > > > > was wondering if there might be any way to create a 
  > > > bootable 
  > > > > > > image on 
  > > > > > > > > that via a PC...?
  > > > > > > > >
  > > > > > > >
  > > > > > >
  > > > > >
  > > > >
  > > >
  > >
  >



   

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