Akai s-3200XL + Gotek + HxC

[teevee]

I tried installing a Gotek HxC in my Akai s-3200xl and set the jumper as S0.

I tried creating a empty image as Akai s-950 and 3000 disk with the HxCFloppyEmulator software and my Akai s-3200Xl says "No disk".

Any tips or solutions? :/

Picture:

[bogie6040]

I am not familiar with any of the sound equipment floppy drive specifics but some general suggestions:

Does the floppy drive cable have a twist in it? If it does then it is probably S1. Have you tried that jumper setting (none of the jumper settings should cause any harm, you can try them all), also you may also need a jumper on M0. Correct config file is copied to USB?

[teevee]

I am not familiar with any of the sound equipment floppy drive specifics but some general suggestions:

Does the floppy drive cable have a twist in it? If it does then it is probably S1. Have you tried that jumper setting (none of the jumper settings should cause any harm, you can try them all), also you may also need a jumper on M0. Correct config file is copied to USB?

Hi bogie6040,

Thank you for the inputs, I will give it a troubleshooting when I get home.
1. Set jumper to M0 < Why would you set jumper to M0?
2. Re-check ribbon cable < There is a blue stripe indicator/mark on the ribbon cable. I connected the blue colored side with pin-1 on Gotek floppy.
3. I’m quite sure that the images from Akai s-3000 can be used for Akai 3200xl or at least be formatted by the 3200XL to work. < I can make a copy of what I copied on the usb drive.

[teevee]

I want to install a Gotek HxC in my Akai s-3200XL

I have created a empty/raw Akai s-3000 image with the software (HxCFloppyEmulator) and included HXCSDFE.CFG on the USB drive.
• I have tested jumper settings S1, S0 and M0
But the message on the right image “No Disk” remains same. [See picture right side]

In my troubleshooting I tried installing the old floppy drive again and I received the message “Drive Not Ready ! Disk removed?” [See picture left side]

I also tried booting without a floppy drive and then I received the “Drive Not Ready ! Disk removed?” [See picture left side]

[Jeff]

Update the firmware with the latest one and try to play with the interface settings into the cfg file with the hxc software (sd card hxc settings)

[teevee]

Update the firmware with the latest one and try to play with the interface settings into the cfg file with the hxc software (sd card hxc settings)

Okay,
1. As per topic below is jumper set to ID0A (called S0 on Gotek)
https://hxc2001.com/floppy/forum/viewtopi ... =28&t=1852

2. Gotek Floppy drive loaded with the newest firmware aka HXCFEUSB_HFE_V3_0_8_2a downloaded from here:
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... rmware.zip

3. HXCSDFE.CFG from indexed mode from same .zip above loaded onto USB stick.
4. I open HxCFloppyEmulator -> SD HxC Floppy Emulator setting -> Load config file -> USB stick
5. I choose “IBM PC 1.44 MB” under HFE file Interface and save this onto the USB as replacement for other HXCSDFE.CFG file

“No Disk” error remains. What would you recommend me to choose as “HFE file Interface”?

[Jeff]

The changes must be done into the "SD HxC Floppy Emulator Interface setting" part.

[teevee]

The changes must be done into the "SD HxC Floppy Emulator Interface setting" part.

Hi Jeff/Jean,

I appreciate your input. I was hoping for a more concrete advisement, as the HxCFloppyEmulator software has many options.

[mondo1976]

I think choosing IBM for the HFE interface type is your mistake. Try "Generic Shugart" instead.

[teevee]

I think choosing IBM for the HFE interface type is your mistake. Try "Generic Shugart" instead.

Thank you for the input. I gave it a try.

Test 1: Same error as above also with reversed cable


Test 2: Same error as above also with reversed cable

[mondo1976]

Did the original floppy drive work before you attempted the Gotek? If I'm reading your post correctly, you went back to the original floppy and it's not working. Is this a new problem? In other words, the floppy worked, you tried the Gotek and couldn't get it working, so you tried the floppy again but it's now not working?

If that's actually what happened then you have a few possibilities:

You did something to the floppy controller.
You did something to the floppy cable (broken wire?)
The floppy cable is backward.
The floppy power connector is bad.

If you can't get a floppy drive to work, you're probably not going to have any success in getting the Gotek to work.

[teevee]

Did the original floppy drive work before you attempted the Gotek? If I'm reading your post correctly, you went back to the original floppy and it's not working. Is this a new problem? In other words, the floppy worked, you tried the Gotek and couldn't get it working, so you tried the floppy again but it's now not working?

If that's actually what happened then you have a few possibilities:

You did something to the floppy controller.
You did something to the floppy cable (broken wire?)
The floppy cable is backward.
The floppy power connector is bad.

If you can't get a floppy drive to work, you're probably not going to have any success in getting the Gotek to work.

Hi Mondo1976,

Thank you for the input.

I bought the Akai s-3200xl 2nd hand and i dont know if the former user ever used the floppy drive. I didnt manage to make it work with normal floppies.

I don’t think the floppy power connector is bad as both the floppy and HxC get those voltages to make them light up.

Nevertheless, I should be able to load normal floppies and this part I don’t understand. < Maybe there is something wrong with the ribbon cable, but sadly I don’t have one in spare to test :/
• The floppy cable is Asus and it has a twist, see picture below:

[teevee]

I tried the emulator setting below:


In this case i get this message on my screen:

[mondo1976]

I bought the Akai s-3200xl 2nd hand and i dont know if the former user ever used the floppy drive. I didnt manage to make it work with normal floppies.

Nevertheless, I should be able to load normal floppies and this part I don’t understand. < Maybe there is something wrong with the ribbon cable, but sadly I don’t have one in spare to test :/
• The floppy cable is Asus and it has a twist, see picture below:

Your last few pictures don't come through. Maybe you didn't make them public in Dropbox first.

Regardless, I would start suspecting that cable. I don't think there's supposed to be a twist in the S3200XL and I doubt they used Asus branded floppy cables. I think they were all generic, grey with a red stripe. ASUS connectors are often black with a different color (not red) stripe. I don't think it's stock. It sounds like someone might have had floppy trouble, tossed in a PC cable and/or drive and gave up.

Does it look like this?


That's totally guess work. I'm not there and can't see it, but since it's 2nd hand and of unknown origin and working condition, I would absolutely verify the correct floppy cable before trying to solve this problem in another way.

If you have a continuity tester (have or can borrow a multimeter?) then you can check that all the floppy lines in the ribbon cable work. If they do then it's possible to "undo" the twist issue.

I'm pretty sure the Akai needs the floppy to be DS0, but the twist in the cable (if it is as I imagine -- no picture) is tricking it into operating like it is DS1. So even though the Gotek really is supposed to be DS0, the floppy cable is not supposed to have a twist which keeps it truly DS0. If the cable has a twist then if the Gotek is DS1 it would properly become DS0 again.

I know you said you tried the Gotek with DS0/DS1/MO jumpers, but if you had the HFEs set to IBM then it wouldn't have worked. Make sure the ribbon cable has continuity, no pins on the floppy header on the motherboard are bent, that DSKA0000.HFE is in the root of the USB and has Generic Shugart selected as the interface type (save the change!), and then try only the DS1 jumper (to cancel the twist) on the Gotek.

[teevee]

Hi mond1976,
I tried uploading the pictures to another “image uploader” page

The cable look exactly like that, please see picture above (If it works).

I was lucky to get an answer from the seller yesterday and he said, that he both used the SCSI and the internal floppy drive < Yeah, but I’m not naïve, seller could also be a hustler.

Why am I saying this?
1. http://www.mpchunter.com/s1100/akai-s11 ... 8mb-ram-2/ < I know this is something different, but person state that “drive not ready, disk removed message” means faulty drive.
2. Why would the HxC give me a different message on the 3200XL screen compared to the normal floppy drive and no floppy at all?
3. I asked another friend who had an Akai s-3000XL and he said that he gave up the floppy drive as the maschine rejected all his floppies, while SCSI was smooth operation.

I will give it a try with “Generic Shugart” HFE file Interface mode and S1 (Jumper setting).
• If ribbon cable is connected normal (not reversed), then the small front led light is dimmed and we receive the “Drive Not Ready ! Disk removed?” message
• If I reverse the ribbon cable, then the led light is normal and we receive the ”No disk” message.


Concerning my message before. If I try to format, then I get the message below and another interesting observation. The led light on the Gotek device itself is off and only on, when I insert a USB or click on load/save. (instead of just being on or dimmed on. I guess this is a more natural way of working?)