emulatorII-list

Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any advise you can provide. I have trolled the various EII resources before posting but I am at a loss and looking for some guidance. 

EII (Model# 6028 Serial# 31)It was an ebay purchase and purportedly left the seller in full working condition. Here is what happens when I start up:

1. I turn on the EII
2. It powers up and says insert diskette as the red light on top drive flashes
3. I insert disk into top drive and close the latch (i have tried about 100 different disks from the library that came with it)
4. the drive spins and the red lights flash, alternating between top and bottom drive
5. it continues in this state indefinitely while the LED reads "insert diskette" 

Thanks again for any info you can provide.

e

That's a pretty low serial number you have :-)
Congratulations with the purchase.

What happens when you insert the disk in the other drive ?
The same thing ?

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, "edbaldi" <edbaldi@...> wrote:
>
> Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any advise you can provide. I have trolled the various EII resources before posting but I am at a loss and looking for some guidance. 
> 
> EII (Model# 6028 Serial# 31)It was an ebay purchase and purportedly left the seller in full working condition. Here is what happens when I start up:
> 
> 1. I turn on the EII
> 2. It powers up and says insert diskette as the red light on top drive flashes
> 3. I insert disk into top drive and close the latch (i have tried about 100 different disks from the library that came with it)
> 4. the drive spins and the red lights flash, alternating between top and bottom drive
> 5. it continues in this state indefinitely while the LED reads "insert diskette" 
> 
> Thanks again for any info you can provide.
> 
> e
>

From: esynthesist
Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 5:32 AM

�;

That's a pretty low serial number you have :-)
Congratulations with the purchase.

What happens when you insert the disk in the other drive ?
The same thing ?

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, "edbaldi" wrote:
>
> Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any advise you can provide. I have trolled the various EII resources before posting but I am at a loss and looking for some guidance.
>
> EII (Model# 6028 Serial# 31)It was an ebay purchase and purportedly left the seller in full working condition. Here is what happens when I start up:
>
> 1. I turn on the EII
> 2. It powers up and says insert diskette as the red light on top drive flashes
> 3. I insert disk into top drive and close the latch (i have tried about 100 different disks from the library that came with it)
> 4. the drive spins and the red lights flash, alternating between top and bottom drive
> 5. it continues in this state indefinitely while the LED reads "insert diskette"
>
> Thanks again for any info you can provide.
>
> e
>

�

Thanks for the response.
Yes, same thing when I insert in other drive.
Also if I power up with a disk inside the LED says that it's booting the OS but nothing ever happens.
ebay seller insists all worked fine prior to shipping and has been very helpful in trouble shooting but I think I am at an impasse.

Other than being old, is the low serial # a really bad thing?

thx
e

--- On Sat, 10/15/11, esynthesist <esynthesist@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: esynthesist <esynthesist@...>
Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 5:32 AM

�

That's a pretty low serial number you have :-)
Congratulations with the purchase.

What happens when you insert the disk in the other drive ?
The same thing ?

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, "edbaldi" wrote:
>
> Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any advise you can provide. I have trolled the various EII resources before posting but I am at a loss and looking for some guidance.
>
> EII (Model# 6028 Serial# 31)It was an ebay purchase and purportedly left the seller in full working condition. Here is what happens when I start up:
>
> 1. I turn on the EII
> 2. It powers up and says insert diskette as the red light on top drive flashes
> 3. I insert disk into top drive and close the latch (i have tried about 100 different disks from the library that came with it)
> 4. the drive spins and the red lights flash, alternating between top and bottom drive
> 5. it continues in this state indefinitely while the LED reads "insert diskette"
>
> Thanks again for any info you can provide.
>
> e
>

From: James Ulibarri
Subject: Re: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
To: "emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com"
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 4:31 PM

�

I doubt it ever worked. �I would say less than 

50% of�EII units are ever working right out

of the shipping box. � One out of 6 for me in 10 years.

Half of the sellers said it worked 100% too. �EII sellers

tend to be a lying bunch I've learned unless they�

have a track record of owning and selling classic Emu samplers.

They try to offload them to newbs who will pay big bucks for them.

 � �

Your guy is either telling you false tales or something

happened in transport. � Either way your EII is jacked,

and it needs service. �Find an Emu tech in your city and become his�

best friend.

Good luck. � � �

�

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 15, 2011, at 1:08 PM, Ed Baldi <edbaldi@...> wrote:

�

Thanks for the response.
Yes, same thing when I insert in other drive.
Also if I power up with a disk inside the LED says that it's booting the OS but nothing ever happens.
ebay seller insists all worked fine prior to shipping and has been very helpful in trouble shooting but I think I am at an impasse.

Other than being old, is the low serial # a really bad thing?

thx
e

--- On Sat, 10/15/11, esynthesist <esynthesist@...> wrote:

From: esynthesist <esynthesist@...>
Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 5:32 AM

�

That's a pretty low serial number you have :-)
Congratulations with the purchase.

What happens when you insert the disk in the other drive ?
The same thing ?

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, "edbaldi" wrote:
>
> Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any advise you can provide. I have trolled the various EII resources before posting but I am at a loss and looking for some guidance.
>
> EII (Model# 6028 Serial# 31)It was an ebay purchase and purportedly left the seller in full working condition. Here is what happens when I start up:
>
> 1. I turn on the EII
> 2. It powers up and says insert diskette as the red light on top drive flashes
> 3. I insert disk into top drive and close the latch (i have tried about 100 different disks from the library that came with it)
> 4. the drive spins and the red lights flash, alternating between top and bottom drive
> 5. it continues in this state indefinitely while the LED reads "insert diskette"
>
> Thanks again for any info you can provide.
>
> e
>

Mmm... if both drives have the same problem, it means the problem is not caused by the drives (this would have been the easier type of problem :-)

Of course you can still try to re-connect the ribbon cable gong from the drives to the main board at the main board side, but since that side has a locked connector, there is only a small chance that there's a bad connection. Which means the problem is somewhere in the circuitry or is caused by a bad connection of an IC with its socket. Note that most ICs are sitting in a socket and that transportation can cause some of the ICs to come loose. You could have a visual double-check and maybe even slightly push down most ICs to make sure they are sitting fully in their socket (but be careful for static electricity !)

An old serial number is not necessarily a problem. But some of the old units are still lacking the RS422 port. Most have been upgraded afterwards, so maybe yours is fine in that area too (if so it means a small board is sitting on top of the digital board in the upper left corner, at the backside)

///E-Synthesist

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, Ed Baldi <edbaldi@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the response.
> Yes, same thing when I insert in other drive.
> Also if I power up with a disk inside the LED says that it's booting the OS but nothing ever happens.
> ebay seller insists all worked fine prior to shipping and has been very helpful in trouble shooting but I think I am at an impasse.
> 
> Other than being old, is the low serial # a really bad thing?
> 
> thx
> e
> 
> --- On Sat, 10/15/11, esynthesist <esynthesist@...> wrote:
> 
> From: esynthesist <esynthesist@...>
> Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
> To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 5:32 AM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
>     
>       
>       
>       That's a pretty low serial number you have :-)
> 
> Congratulations with the purchase.
> 
> 
> 
> What happens when you insert the disk in the other drive ?
> 
> The same thing ?
> 
> 
> 
> --- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, "edbaldi" <edbaldi@> wrote:
> 
> >
> 
> > Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any advise you can provide. I have trolled the various EII resources before posting but I am at a loss and looking for some guidance. 
> 
> > 
> 
> > EII (Model# 6028 Serial# 31)It was an ebay purchase and purportedly left the seller in full working condition. Here is what happens when I start up:
> 
> > 
> 
> > 1. I turn on the EII
> 
> > 2. It powers up and says insert diskette as the red light on top drive flashes
> 
> > 3. I insert disk into top drive and close the latch (i have tried about 100 different disks from the library that came with it)
> 
> > 4. the drive spins and the red lights flash, alternating between top and bottom drive
> 
> > 5. it continues in this state indefinitely while the LED reads "insert diskette" 
> 
> > 
> 
> > Thanks again for any info you can provide.
> 
> > 
> 
> > e
> 
> >
>

From: esynthesist
Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, October 17, 2011, 4:44 PM

�

Mmm... if both drives have the same problem, it means the problem is not caused by the drives (this would have been the easier type of problem :-)

Of course you can still try to re-connect the ribbon cable gong from the drives to the main board at the main board side, but since that side has a locked connector, there is only a small chance that there's a bad connection. Which means the problem is somewhere in the circuitry or is caused by a bad connection of an IC with its socket. Note that most ICs are sitting in a socket and that transportation can cause some of the ICs to come loose. You could have a visual double-check and maybe even slightly push down most ICs to make sure they are sitting fully in their socket (but be careful for static electricity !)

An old serial number is not necessarily a problem. But some of the old units are still lacking the RS422 port. Most have been upgraded afterwards, so maybe yours is fine in that area too (if so it means a small board is sitting on top of the digital board in the upper left corner, at the backside)

///E-Synthesist

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, Ed Baldi wrote:
>
> Thanks for the response.
> Yes, same thing when I insert in other drive.
> Also if I power up with a disk inside the LED says that it's booting the OS but nothing ever happens.
> ebay seller insists all worked fine prior to shipping and has been very helpful in trouble shooting but I think I am at an impasse.
>
> Other than being old, is the low serial # a really bad thing?
>
> thx
> e
>
> --- On Sat, 10/15/11, esynthesist wrote:
>
> From: esynthesist
> Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
> To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 5:32 AM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> �
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> That's a pretty low serial number you have :-)
>
> Congratulations with the purchase.
>
>
>;
> What happens when you insert the disk in the other drive ?
>
> The same thing ?
>
>
>
> --- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, "edbaldi" wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any advise you can provide. I have trolled the various EII resources before posting but I am at a loss and looking for some guidance.
>
> >
>
> > EII (Model# 6028 Serial# 31)It was an ebay purchase and purportedly left the seller in full working condition. Here is what happens when I start up:
>
> >
>
> > 1. I turn on the EII
>
> > 2. It powers up and says insert diskette as the red light on top drive flashes
>
> > 3. I insert disk into top drive and close the latch (i have tried about 100 different disks from the library that came with it)
>
> > 4. the drive spins and the red lights flash, alternating between top and bottom drive
>
> > 5. it continues in this state indefinitely while the LED reads "insert diskette"
>
> >
>
> > Thanks again for any info you can provide.
>
> >
>
> > e
>
> >
>

----- Original Message -----

From: Ed Baldi

To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 10:13 PM

Subject: Re: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?

 

Great info thanks. I will give a closer look to the IC's.
This EII does have the RS422 upgrade.

Question: do you think it could be something as simple as all the disks in the library were compromised in transport? There are over 500 floppies and a random selection of about 200 of them yields the same result.

e

--- On Mon, 10/17/11, esynthesist wrote:

From: esynthesist
Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, October 17, 2011, 4:44 PM

�

Mmm... if both drives have the same problem, it means the problem is not caused by the drives (this would have been the easier type of problem :-)

Of course you can still try to re-connect the ribbon cable gong from the drives to the main board at the main board side, but since that side has a locked connector, there is only a small chance that there's a bad connection. Which means the problem is somewhere in the circuitry or is caused by a bad connection of an IC with its socket. Note that most ICs are sitting in a socket and that transportation can cause some of the ICs to come loose. You could have a visual double-check and maybe even slightly push down most ICs to make sure they are sitting fully in their socket (but be careful for static electricity !)

An old serial number is not necessarily a problem. But some of the old units are still lacking the RS422 port. Most have been upgraded afterwards, so maybe yours is fine in that area too (if so it means a small board is sitting on top of the digital board in the upper left corner, at the backside)

///E-Synthesist

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, Ed Baldi wrote:
>
> Thanks for the response.
> Yes, same thing when I insert in other drive.
> Also if I power up with a disk inside the LED says that it's booting the OS but nothing ever happens.
> ebay seller insists all worked fine prior to shipping and has been very helpful in trouble shooting but I think I am at an impasse.
>
> Other than being old, is the low serial # a really bad thing?
>
> thx
> e
>
> --- On Sat, 10/15/11, esynthesist wrote:
>
> From: esynthesist
> Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
> To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 5:32 AM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> �
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> That's a pretty low serial number you have :-)
>
> Congratulations with the purchase.
>
>
>
> What happens when you insert the disk in the other drive ?
>
> The same thing ?
>
>
>
> --- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, "edbaldi" wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any advise you can provide. I have trolled the various EII resources before posting but I am at a loss and looking for some guidance.
>
> >
>
> > EII (Model# 6028 Serial# 31)It was an ebay purchase and purportedly left the seller in full working condition. Here is what happens when I start up:
>
> >
>
> > 1. I turn on the EII
>
> > 2. It powers up and says insert diskette as the red light on top drive flashes
>
> > 3. I insert disk into top drive and close the latch (i have tried about 100 different disks from the library that came with it)
>
> > 4. the drive spins and the red lights flash, alternating between top and bottom drive
>
> > 5. it continues in this state indefinitely while the LED reads "insert diskette"
>
> >
>
> > Thanks again for any info you can provide.
>
> >
>
> > e
>
> >
>

No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.1831 / Virus Database: 2090/4555 - Release Date: 10/16/11

From: Peter Forrest ;
Subject: Re: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, October 17, 2011, 7:12 PM

 



I've had experience of sending a definitely fully working EII , very well packed, by air and having it arrive not working, and not fixable by the buyer's technician.

Not a nice experience, because it cost me two lots of shipping and of course the selling price.

Not everyone is good at fixing these instruments.

If the seller has a good reputation and seems honest maybe he is honest, and it just needs someone good to diagnose the fault.

Peter Forrest

----- Original Message -----

From: Ed Baldi

To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 10:13 PM

Subject: Re: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?

�

Great info thanks. I will give a closer look to the IC's.
This EII does have the RS422 upgrade.

Question: do you think it could be something as simple as all the disks in the library were compromised in transport? There are over 500 floppies and a random selection of about 200 of them yields the same result.

e

--- On Mon, 10/17/11, esynthesist wrote:

From: esynthesist
Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, October 17, 2011, 4:44 PM

�

Mmm... if both drives have the same problem, it means the problem is not caused by the drives (this would have been the easier type of problem :-)

Of course you can still try to re-connect the ribbon cable gong from the drives to the main board at the main board side, but since that side has a locked connector, there is only a small chance that there's a bad connection. Which means the problem is somewhere in the circuitry or is caused by a bad connection of an IC with its socket. Note that most ICs are sitting in a socket and that transportation can cause some of the ICs to come loose. You could have a visual double-check and maybe even slightly push down most ICs to make sure they are sitting fully in their socket (but be careful for static electricity !)

An old serial number is not necessarily a problem. But some of the old units are still lacking the RS422 port. Most have been upgraded afterwards, so maybe yours is fine in that area too (if so it means a small board is sitting on top of the digital board in the upper left corner, at the backside)

///E-Synthesist

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, Ed Baldi wrote:
>
> Thanks for the response.
> Yes, same thing when I insert in other drive.
> Also if I power up with a disk inside the LED says that it's booting the OS but nothing ever happens.
> ebay seller insists all worked fine prior to shipping and has been very helpful in trouble shooting but I think I am at an impasse.
>
> Other than being old, is the low serial # a really bad thing?
>
> thx
> e
>
> --- On Sat, 10/15/11, esynthesist wrote:
>
> From: esynthesist
> Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
> To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 5:32 AM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> �
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> That's a pretty low serial number you have :-)
>
> Congratulations with the purchase.
>
>
>
> What happens when you insert the disk in the other drive ?
>
> The same thing ?
>
>
>
> --- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, "edbaldi" wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any advise you can provide. I have trolled the various EII resources before posting but I am at a loss and looking for some guidance.
>
> >
>
> > EII (Model# 6028 Serial# 31)It was an ebay purchase and purportedly left the seller in full working condition. Here is what happens when I start up:
>
> >
>
> >; 1. I turn on the EII
>
> > 2. It powers up and says insert diskette as the red light on top drive flashes
>
> > 3. I insert disk into top drive and close the latch (i have tried about 100 different disks from the library that came with it)
>
> > 4. the drive spins and the red lights flash, alternating between top and bottom drive
>
> > 5. it continues in this state indefinitely while the LED reads "insert diskette"
>
> >
>
> > Thanks again for any info you can provide.
>
> >
>
> > e
>
> >
>

No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.1831 / Virus Database: 2090/4555 - Release Date: 10/16/11

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, Ed Baldi <edbaldi@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the response.
> Yes, same thing when I insert in other drive.
> Also if I power up with a disk inside the LED says that it's booting
> the OS but nothing ever happens.

Did your E-II arrive with scrap disks inserted and latched to protect the drives during shipping?

Try the simple fixes first: Clean the drives with some compressed air. If you have the experience and qualifications to poke around inside vintage electronic equipment like this; try cleaning (deoxIT) and reseating all drive connectors (data and power). Being a newbie is nothing to be ashamed of, but please keep yourself alive and safe. If you are unsure or unknowledgeable in the repair and service of these devices, best take it to a qualified technician. Good Luck!

From: hexafuzz
Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: Help for a newbie?
To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 3:37 AM

�

--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, Ed Baldi wrote:
>
> Thanks for the response.
> Yes, same thing when I insert in other drive.
> Also if I power up with a disk inside the LED says that it's booting
> the OS but nothing ever happens.

Did your E-II arrive with scrap disks inserted and latched to protect the drives during shipping?

Try the simple fixes first: Clean the drives with some compressed air. If you have the experience and qualifications to poke around inside vintage electronic equipment like this; try cleaning (deoxIT) and reseating all drive connectors (data and power). Being a newbie is nothing to be ashamed of, but please keep yourself alive and safe. If you are unsure or unknowledgeable in the repair and service of these devices, best take it to a qualified technician. Good Luck!