i do feel i have a rather problematic empeg...

i run XP and have moved to 2.0b13 and hijack 291, but emplode still has problems with my empeg connecting on USB - it will always fail the first time (database failure, or failed to connect to database, or something like that) - was hoping this would be rectified in b13 but looks like it hasnt for me. mine is also a unit that suffers from the 'no hard disk found' problem. i have tried all kinds of things to fix it including recrimping, endless repositioning of the cables, and also a replacement from support. to no avail (actually, the original cable would fail after every 3rd or 4th pull from the sled, the replacement never worked AT ALL - so i have gone back to the original cable). my empeg generally gets fully disassembled once a week to fix this problem - the fascia screws have lost all their old grip even - ive had to modify the case so the top lid now quick-releases without removing the face/buttons, giving me quick access to the HDD's... (ive had to fiddle with the cable and drives while on the move, one time!)

this combination of faults results in a very arduous process whenever uploads are to be done, due to general unreliability all round. last nite i thought id upload a new gig of music to the unit. ive come to fear uploading to my empeg. actually i fear pulling it from the sled at all. after the usual 9 or 10 times plugging and unplugging USB and power cables emplode finally connected - and i did my changes, and sync'd. got about 30 of 100 tracks copied then the IDE cable obviously f12ked out again. transfer failed with IDE warnings. pulled the usb to stop the transfer, then cycled power - stuck on 'building music databases'. wouldnt go any further no matter what. not much help searching the faq either.

however i made it a point to search this bbs as well, and after wading thru a ton of posts dating back quite a while, i managed to solve the problem without formatting my drives and starting again - which was a huge relief.

so my thanks to the community here - for keeping up this fantastic, responsive and knowledgable forum - there is such a wealth of information on here, and it is great how many of you come together to help solve the same problems time and again, for the new users. so i just wanted to say thank you.

for curiositys sake the solution was to go all the way back to 1.03, with 1.03 software, sync, reflash to b13, etc etc.

i hope to find a more permanent solution to my usb connectivity problems, and with the 'no HDD found' problem - i know many here seem to use the empeg daily with no such hassles - so i am still working at finding how to reach that level of reliability. until then keep up the goo wok here guys as i think im gonna need it.

cheers
-nige

Are the HDD's mounted with spacers under them I kept having the no drive found errors until I put spacers under my drives.

I would just go but an ethernet card for ten bucks and stop using the usb.

yes apparantly your USB problem isn't just YOUR usb problem . Problems connecting via USB is a known bug with Win XP. Ethernet is the much easier, faster way to go.

i'll second that, haven't had mine for long but the usb was very tepromental in that it wouldn't connect all the time. ethernet is the only way to fly. i now have 2 ethernet cards in my pc - one for the net and the other for my empeg.

The ethernet truly is the way to go. I am like you, Jets, with two ethernet cards in my pc. One is always connected for the internet and the other is for the empeg. I dont think I have ever even used my usb at all. I have had a problem with emplode not finding my empeg on occasion after the beta13 release though. Its only been a few rare times.

speaking of which, i have the same setup as both of you guys... 2 ethernet cards, one for the cable and the other hooked up to the Empeg via crossover cable. Do you guys have any problems hooking it up that way? Whenver i've hooked it up, i get a 169.254 IP address which i've been told is bad. What do you guys get? Jemplode doesn't seem recognize the Empeg either, but it works fine with Emplode.

Dunno about it being bad... If an IP address can't be determined any other way (specifically set or through DHCP) a random address from that range will be used.

Have you tried explicitly setting IP addresses for the card and on the empeg (for instance 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2, mask 255.255.255.0)?

/Michael

yeah, i've tried that. Then it won't find it at all. And the weird thing is, itll change IP address while hooked up... 169.254.220.30 then 10 minutes later... 169.254.130.43.

The replacement drive cable isn't the only option. You probably have a dry solder joint on the IDE header on the mainboard. I'll need to bring the player in for warranty service.