disk drive dilemma

Believe it or not, I am still using a keyboard with a disk drive - my trusty Technics KN2000. I have two of 'em, plus a 3000. What can I say...they work for me. Here is my dilemma. I recently cannibalized the disk drive from my rather banged up older KN 2000 and used it to replace the damaged disk drive in an otherwise pristine unit. However, the drive no longer recognizes the data on my set up disks. I get a message indiating that the disk was created "for another unit". They loaded and played perfectly in both drives prior to the switch. Why wont they do so now??? Does exchanging a drive affect the way it reads data on the disks???

Thoughts?

Help?

Hi Ykc
You will be better posting this on the Technics forum http://www.synthzone.com/cgi-bin/forumdi...=100&LastLogin=
Hope this helps

Bill

I don't really remember a lot about Technics older keyboards but one trick which often worked in a case like this was to stick some Sellotape over the hole on the floppy (not the write protect hole - the other one) before inserting it. This is because there used to be 2 kinds of disks - Double Density & High Density disks - it may be expecting to read the older type.

I appreciate that the drive worked in the other keyboard so, in theory, it should work now but, in this wonderful world of changing technology, anything can happen so give it a try.
Tony

Thanks for that piece of advice. I will try it and let you know!

YKC

Bear in mind that Doyble Density and High Density drives use different voltages in the read/write heads. Actually (if my memory doesn't fail me) HD disks use a lower voltage than used in the DD disks.

This may lead in various problems in the future, if you cover the hole that permits the drive to recognise HD or DD, it may use the wrong voltage while writing or formating, thus rendering the disk unusable in other or even in the same drive.

Check if you already did that, (feeding an HD disk in an DD drive or vice versa) and theroblems ytou are experiencing are what I described above.

Better try to find a new or used disk drive of the same type and check if the wiring is the same or it is proprietary.

Since you already took the trouble to open up the keyb and install a different drive, this would be no major problem.


[This message has been edited by trident (edited 12-18-2009).]

I went through this with a KN500. After an extensive examination by a major electronics company, it was reported that the Technics drives are very propriatory and to forget any substitutions.

Well you must realize that the Disk Operating System ( DOS ) is in the ROM of the keyboard. So unless the drives use an identical DOS then it is unlikely that plugging in a drive from another model will work. That would seem to be the issue here especially when the operating system is reporting the drive is intended "for another unit" which we know is very much the case. Obviously when the DOS interrogates the drive the ID returned is not what it is expecting.

Unfortunately I don't think this drive swap is going to work for you.


[This message has been edited by Nigel (edited 12-19-2009).]

YKC,

Why don’t you take some pictures of the old drive put them on this site and see if someone can come up with a similar drive, I don't believe that this drive was made specifically for that KB, floppy drive are 10cents a dozen and even in their prime were only 20cents. Someone out there has got one, if you hurry, PC did stop using them about 3M light years back!!

Cheers

The firm I went to manufactures clones and tried dozens. Refer to what Nigel said. It is in the instructions that foiled them every time. They had mine for a month trying to come up with something for the after market.

Worth a try? http://www.mikebarden.com/view.php/article/2/electronic-musical-instrument-repair-specialist

If all else fails try this,
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TECHNICS-KN500-PCN...207192002r15259

there is one inside every old KN500

Jonny you just beat me to it, I have just rung the chap and is not in I will ring him back later or Monday.See if I can help>
http://www.mikebarden.com/view.php/area/8/service-manuals-floppy-disks-spare-parts

Hello YKC and fellow Zoners:

I hope you guys will keep this thread alive. I'm still playing a keyboard which uses a floppy drive for styles. No problems with it but I'm a "belt and suspenders" type of guy when it comes to my desire to be prepared... just in case. I hope you find a solution. The Tech. boards were so far ahead of their time. Glad to know at least one is till being used.

Regards, Dave
http://www.ShowCaseYourMusic.com/DaveRice

Ykc,
Bad news. like Bernie, but a Kn2000, after three months of trying every know supplier and manufacturer I gave up. When the window went bad the price of repair (new window) was beyond what I was willing to spend.

I solved my problem by purchasing another Kn2000, John C.

PS, If you are looking for a Kn2000 I know of one that is available.

Thanks to everyone for their advice and suggestions. I might be interested in the "new" KN2000...please send me a note here or to jaz.luvr@comcast.net

Once again...thanks!

YKC

How do you fancy a new Audya with old software, no floppy sorry.