emusonacid!

I've having a go at making a custom rom for the Proteus, from the Ultra 6400 (os 4.61).

On my first attempt, I made a small custom bank of presets, some using the same samples and some using different samples. The presets containing different samples came out sounding different, when transferred to the Proteus. I don't mean preset parameter problem, but more a case of some samples make it while others appear not to.

One preset containing 3 different samples ended up sounding like only one sample had made it !
While another, also containing 3 samples, made it across as expected.

On loading the simm back into the Ultra, to see what was happening, all presets sounded exactly right.

Has anyone had a similar experience, or can offer advice, what to watch out for ?

Just found out that one of the presets I'm using (originally from an Orbit/Phatt rom that I copied) and didn't make it successfully, is an E4R bank. Now, as these banks permanently point to X/Y samples, is this why it hasn't worked and
is there any way to work around this ?

EDIT
OK, I'm loading the samples from the E4R presets, then re-assigning the X (which they default to) to the S in the preset.
I'm hoping that this way it should transfer successfully.


thanks
Lyn

BAD NEWS: Flash not being seen after reporting "partition err"

After my last attempt at getting the difficult preset/samples across to the Proteus, I re-loaded it to the Ultra and attempted to make a fresh bank, turning the individual samples to presets. Then, when ported across, it should be possible to re-combine them, or so I thought.

However, when I tried to author, it gave me a "partition err" !
I powered down and re-seated the flash, but now it's not showing in the Disk menu, despite being recognised during the boot-up.
I put it back in the Proteus - it was recognised, as were the presets - but when I played them, all the sounds played arpeggiated relevant to the global bpm in the Master menu ! Despite no preset being assigned to do that !
This applied to all sounds from the other roms, as well.
With the Flash removed, everything returned to normal.

So, It looks like the Flash has got corrupted, despite my careful handling.

If anyone has any ideas ..........

I don't think many people on this board have the flash SIMMs, so unfortunately your best bet for support is E-MU, and I wouldn't like to guess how much help they are going to be, although they do still support the Ultras afaik so worth giving it a go.

I have 2 SIMMS myself and have always tried to reduce the number of times I burn them if possible to avoid potential errors - I only burn them once I have the samples set exactly how I want them. In fact I think I have only burned them a handful of times in the time I've had them ( around 8 years of so ). However, I've never had any problems so far...

From now on I am going to make a point of using an anti-static wrist strap when handling the simms, and I suggest anyone else does so too.

Sorry I can't be of any more help!

Yes, I thought I wouldn't get many replies, I only found one post on this forum regarding flash problems - and those apparently came direct from Emu !

Anyway, I contacted EPRelectronics as they were the only link I could find - Emu don't support legacy, as far as I can tell - but they hadn't any knowledge on this so passed me on to Digital Sound Factory's Tim Swartz who had done a lot of programming for and with Emu products. Alas, he basically confirmed the routine needed to burn and make sure it was formatted correctly (But, as it now doesn't show up in the disk menu - how?) but didn't suggest any procedures to find out what was wrong. Maybe there aren't any ?

So, I used the Emu's diagnostic mode and it found an address error, but, as I'm booting-up while writing, I notice that it's saving system so I enter the disk menu and voila ! the Flash has returned ! I load it and it's all there exactly as before.

Now, my thoughts are, could it be that as it came from an Ultra XT (possibly with OS 4.7, don't know for sure) and I'm on 4.61, this has been a problem ?
Would I be better re-formatting it to 4.61?

Regarding the anti-static strap, that's something I don't have either, but sound advice. You can never be too careful.

Just so glad it's re-appeared

I'm glad you got it sorted! Sounds like the diagnostic you ran did the trick. I am planning on updating my samples soon, so will keep that in mind when it comes time to burn the simms.

I wouldn't have thought the format would be a problem as it has to work in a Proteus module regardless of whether it's burnt on EOS 4.61 or 4.7. I have 4.7 here but as I say I don't think that's the issue.

Still having problems though .....and strange things

One error I made at the onset is to forget to remove the 64mb ram in Ram A ! I didn't realise this until I retraced all the steps and wonder whether this has caused all the problems.
Now, when I boot-up with the A slot empty, I'm presented with 0mb in sample ram !
I've swapped the ram around but it's still the same. Another strange thing is that when I look at the info for the flash, it tells me there's only 24mb capacity.
But, as I boot-up again (for the umpteenth time) the 64mb sample ram mysteriously appears .............. so, I try and author a bank - it erases successfully but falls down as it starts to write with a "flash program error"
What IS going on ?
I've a feeling that my error at the onset may have caused irrepairable damage.

I've run tests on both 64 mb ram (without the flash) and they pass, but with the flash in (and Ram A removed) it gives me a "Dataline test failed" and "Memory line tests bad" message.
It then runs through a check and "combFtest failed with 1 error" message.

btw - regarding formatting the flash, when I tried to, it told me "can't format this device type".
However, as I hadn't seen this in the instructions I assumed it would be unneccessary.
I've also installed os 4.7.
Forgot to mention but hardly surprising, it's not even being seen by the Proteus now, likewise the Composer rom doesn't show either. Time to call it a day I suppose.
Any thoughts ?

I have no experience working with the FLASH simms, but I do recall reading several places about problems people have had. The process seems to need to be done exactly right from start to finish (from the length/formating of samples all the way through the exact size of the bank to be burned), and even then it's hit and miss. And that's all assuming no faults in the simm itself. I seem to recall reading that Chris Carter (of Chris & Cosey, Throbbing Gristle) tried it once and ended up corrupting the OS in his Proteus.

Come to think of it, I'm really not much help at all, am I?