PC cannot write to floppydisk

[arnaka]

Hi,

 

i am recently own a Mambo Frog and i would like to load new fixturefiles. I have use the offline fixture editor, so far, so good. But i use XP with an external floppydrive (USB). Disks who have been formatted in the desk the USB drive won't read ("not formatted"), disks that have been formatted in the PC with fixture files loaded on them, the desk does not find any files.

 

Anybody ???

 

Arjen

[kgallen]

Hi Arjen,

 

I can't help you really on this one, other to confirm that I used exactly the same approach with an external USB floppy drive (on XP) for my Fat Frog and had no issues. I'd have to say it was rare for me to re-format a floppy - I have a load of disks I use that probably came pre-formatted for PCs, although I know some I have wiped by reformatting using both the desk and the USB-floppy drive and I don't recall any issues. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones since I've never had any issues with the floppy drive in my FF, while others report they do. Since you have a Mambo Frog, which was one of the last in the series to be released, I'd expect your drive to be one of the later ones - early Frog users seemed to report more issues.

 

Regards the Fixture Files - it goes without saying that this database is now much bigger than can be fitted on a floppy, so I make the assumption you have a customised cut-down version of the database!

 

If you get nowhere with the floppy, then you might want to look at swapping out for a paged USB solution. This was discussed recently here:

http://zero88.com/forum/topic/7952-changing-floppy-drive-to-usb/#entry30835

 

Regards,

Kevin

[arnaka]

Kevin, many thanks !. I know that the fixture library is bigger so i use the offline edittor to make my own set of fixtures.

I also expect my drive to be a newer one, i have read the issues they had with the older once..Do you know what the file-format for the fixturefiles ? I am also working on the USB emulator solution, but for the mean time...

 

kind regards,

 

Arjen

[kgallen]

Do you know what the file-format for the fixturefiles ?

 

Hi Arjen,

 

I'm not sure what you mean - the files themselves are some Zero88 internal binary format, with extension ".ift". The disk format should probably be "FAT16" or just "FAT".

 

There's a bit of chatter on this link regards disk formats and SS/DD/HD sizes etc, so maybe worth a quick read and maybe trying format from the command line as with some of the examples?

https://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/formatting-a-1-44-mb-diskette-143429/

 

Probably telling you what you already know, sorry.

 

Regards,

Kevin

[arnaka]

".ift" is what i mean, thx. Just to check if i safe the correct files... ;-)

I will search more to work out a solution. What kind/brand of USB drive have you used ?

 

Regards,

 

Arjen

[kgallen]

Hi Arjen,

 

I haven't swapped my floppy drive as it works fine - and to be honest I've now upgraded to an FLX so the FF doesn't really get an outing any more... :-(

 

That BR link should suggest suitable offerings.

 

Regards,

Kevin

[iank99]

I agree with Kevin - I would check the initial format of the floppy disc itself.

 

The make of the USB floppy won't generally have an impact as they tend to be a generic slimline drive with a USB/IDE adaptor - so if that's working i.e. you can read & write files from your PC then it's going to be the floppy itself.

 

The diskettes need to be MSDOS formatted - so FAT and nothing more or the Mambo won't recognise the disk. The other thing to try - just in case - is format the disc on the Mambo (there's an option in Super User) and then swap it to your USB Drive - it might be that your Mambo's drive is slightiy out of alignment.

[arnaka]

thx guys! i have ordered a emulator, so lets see how and if it is going to work...

Ian, i have formatted the disk also in the frog, but still the USB drive won't read the disks.

So i am still struggling but at the end it will work (i hope.. )