d8b Forum

I have just been donated a d8b that I am going to donate to a local voluntary music association.

It appears not to have the service pack installed as the owner used outboard effects and DSP rather that those supplied by Mackie on either the MFX or UFX cards (desk doesn't have any UFX cards). The desk has the supplied MFX card only.

Since initially posting this posting I have installed a spare UFX card that I had filed away, but the desk is still only showing the Mackie supplied MFX plugins, so I am I guessing that the Service Pack 3 option was not installed ---as stated above the original owner of the desk, only used external outboard devices, so possibly did not bother about the Service Pack update at the time. The desk does have OS 5.0 installed (or so it says when booting).

I only wish that I could find the disks I did from the Mackie web site in 2003/2004 as they worked !!!!!

I have downloaded the Service Pack 3.O from the Database and have exapanded this to its three files, however the Disk 2 file size is 1.532mg which will not fit on a formatted 1.44mg floppy disk. Disk 1 is 1.065mg and Disk 3 is 1.020mg.

I have tried to copy the disks from the Database expanded (ie unzipped) file, using Windows 10, Windows 8 and Windows XP computers, but the result is exactly the same each time, so I am not sure if the problem is me, or there is something wrong with the file in the Database.

As it is so long since I had to install the Service Pack on my own desk, how do you download the Disk 2 to a floppy or how do you extract the downloaded file so that Disk 1 and Disk 3 take slightly more data so that Disk 2 can fall within the 1.44mg (actually slightly less once the disk is formatted !!!) and fit on the disk. When trying to copy to the floppy disk it states that it needs about an extra 109mg

Any advice will be greatly appreciated --- obviously getting too old to remember the process, or did I have to use the super rare 2.8mg disks !!!!!!!

David

Hi,
The process for writing the floppies is not straight forward. You can NOT rightclick on the zipped files and select extract and try to write the resulting file to a floppy, it WON'T work that way. Instead, double click the zipped file and a little self extraction program should come up. I think it has a box to check that says write to floppy. Anyway, this self-extraction program should create your floppies with no problem. Hope this helps.

Have a blessed day,
Mike

Mike,
Thank you for the speedy reply, however it does not matter what I do or on which Windows OS, I get the same result --- as soon as I click on the downloaded file it goes straight to an extraction program and extracts the file into the three seperate files, with Disk 2 showing about1532mg.

I am going to try doing it on a VERY old computer that has not been used in years and is one that I doubt if it has every had a Zip extraction programme installed, only problem is that it is very slow and for the past 7hrs has been downloading and installing 178 updates (not sure why as Windows XP has not been supported by Microsoft for many years !!!!) it is currently at about 52% of the installing process.

Will be interesting to see what happens when I download the file from the Database to that computer and do as you suggested.

Again thanks for the assistance, it has been a very long time since I had to do this --- just a shame that the chap that donated the desk had not installed a couple of UFX cards when they were available as it would have saved me all of this trouble.

David

Mike,

I really am at a loss !!!!!

After about 9hrs the old XP computer was ready to go and there is definitely no Zip programme installed.

What I have done (basically step by step) is from the Database I double clicked (have single clicked as well !!!) the Service Pack file and the file downloaded as a Zip file. I then double clicked this file and it opened a new file called something like "Service Pack 3.zip". Then double clicked this file and it opened with three individual Zipped files marked indicating Disk 1, Disk 2, Disk 3. showing the file size of each as compressed files with Disk 2 showing 1.477mg, which is still over the 1.44mg disk limit and when trying to copy this uncompressed file to the floppy it again states that the disk needs another 109mg of space.

At no stage was there any self extraction program shown, just the three compressed files.

I am seriously beginning to think that there might be something wrong with the file on the Database, because irrespective of the computer or OS that I use, I am getting the same result. Only wish I knew someone who owns a Mac computer so I could try downloading the Mac version to see if that works.

If I can't get the Service Pack to work, it is really going to make the desk useless/very limited in its ability and functionality and unfortunately I have fully removed the analogue desk so as to install the d8b and to put the analogue desk back will be hours of work.

David

csp wrote:Mike,

I really am at a loss !!!!!

After about 9hrs the old XP computer was ready to go and there is definitely no Zip programme installed.

What I have done (basically step by step) is from the Database I double clicked (have single clicked as well !!!) the Service Pack file and the file downloaded as a Zip file. I then double clicked this file and it opened a new file called something like "Service Pack 3.zip". Then double clicked this file and it opened with three individual Zipped files marked indicating Disk 1, Disk 2, Disk 3. showing the file size of each as compressed files with Disk 2 showing 1.477mg, which is still over the 1.44mg disk limit and when trying to copy this uncompressed file to the floppy it again states that the disk needs another 109mg of space.

At no stage was there any self extraction program shown, just the three compressed files.

I am seriously beginning to think that there might be something wrong with the file on the Database, because irrespective of the computer or OS that I use, I am getting the same result. Only wish I knew someone who owns a Mac computer so I could try downloading the Mac version to see if that works.

If I can't get the Service Pack to work, it is really going to make the desk useless/very limited in its ability and functionality and unfortunately I have fully removed the analogue desk so as to install the d8b and to put the analogue desk back will be hours of work.

David

Hey David...

With the tech that exists, it is simply beyond me why it is that folks persist with the 1.44Mb floppy disk integration - it's sketchy at best... same with using mechanical hard disks. I'm not even gonna begin to go off ranting about that (LOL), the back n forth concerning this is contained in more than one posted thread on this forum... but I can understand your predicament, attempting to wade thru this tech ugliness most times can be arduous at best...

That all being said upfront, ultimately anyone who owns any of this type of Mackie hardware should understand it NEEDS updating regardless of it's present working condition. The OEM hardware at this point in time is OLD and DATED. However, it can and should be upgraded to ensure it's going to perform optimally (and it will if the upgrade[s] are applied). Sux to a degree, but it is what it is...

Sticking to the specifics involved in this post, you stated you have .img files... extract/uncompress them to floppy with this utility, states it supports Windoze XP. I don't know if this is gonna actually work in this instance, I don't and would never use Windoze for anything regarding a personal computer - it's a virus in and of itself (but I digress). However based on what I'm reading here, in your current situation this utility would certainly be worth exploring...

https://www.imgburn.com

Follow step #3 of the following article. Post up the results if you can...

https://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/kb-articles/how-to-create-a-bootable-dos-cd-or-dvd-disc/

As always, for full transparency, you knew it was coming so here it is:
[Standard Mgmt Disclaimer] - "Your actual mileage may vary..."

csp wrote:Mike,

I really am at a loss !!!!!

After about 9hrs the old XP computer was ready to go and there is definitely no Zip programme installed.

What I have done (basically step by step) is from the Database I double clicked (have single clicked as well !!!) the Service Pack file and the file downloaded as a Zip file. I then double clicked this file and it opened a new file called something like "Service Pack 3.zip". Then double clicked this file and it opened with three individual Zipped files marked indicating Disk 1, Disk 2, Disk 3. showing the file size of each as compressed files with Disk 2 showing 1.477mg, which is still over the 1.44mg disk limit and when trying to copy this uncompressed file to the floppy it again states that the disk needs another 109mg of space.

At no stage was there any self extraction program shown, just the three compressed files.

I am seriously beginning to think that there might be something wrong with the file on the Database, because irrespective of the computer or OS that I use, I am getting the same result. Only wish I knew someone who owns a Mac computer so I could try downloading the Mac version to see if that works.

If I can't get the Service Pack to work, it is really going to make the desk useless/very limited in its ability and functionality and unfortunately I have fully removed the analogue desk so as to install the d8b and to put the analogue desk back will be hours of work.

David

Once you extract the Service Pack 3 zip file you should get three files named PLUG_SP3_1.exe, PLUG_SP3_2.exe and PLUG_SP3_3.exe.

These are files that will open the self extract utility.

Right clik on the Service Pack 3 file and choose "Extract to Service Pack 3". That will give you a directory with the three exe files.

Hope this helps

Peter,

Thank you for the info and assistance.

I have done as you suggested but am still having a problem --- BUT I could definitely be doing something wrong.

The exact process that I have undertaken with the results is as below and I apologise for the length of the posting.

1. I downloaded from the Database the Service Pack 3 file
2. the downloaded file showed d8b_Service_pack_.zip
3. double clicked this file and it went straight to a ZIP programme (7zG)
4. highlighted the file in the Zip programme and clicked "Extract" --- I have set up a folder on the Desktop to accept the extracted files
5. when extracted the folder shows a sub-folder called d8b_Service_Pack_3
6. opened this sub-folder and it shows 3 x files --- PLUG_SP3_1.exe, PLUG_ SP3_2.exe and PLUG_SP3_3.exe
with file sizes SP3_1 (1065kb), SP3_2 (1532kb) and SP3 (1020kb)
7. when I right click on (say) SP1 I get a drop down dialigue box with the following options:
Add to Plug_SP3_1.rar
Compress to Plug_SP3_1.rar
Extract Files
Extract to Plug_SP3_1
Open d8b_SP3 in Win Zip ---- I do not have WinZip installed on the computer.

On a Windows 8 computer I tried the same process down to No. 6 above and then tried to copy each file to a formatted floppy disk where each file shows its size as being 1040kb, but when trying to paste the individual files to their respective floppy disk I receive the message that there is not enough room on the disk to accept the files and that I need at least an extra 18kb for the files to fit.

Unless I am complete stupid (quite possible) I have no idea as to how to get the files onto floppy disks.

At no part of the process on any computer (and an old ipad as a trial) do I see anything like a "self extraction utility" nor am I able to get the file size down to a point where all three files will fit on floppy disks.

Just about wishing that I had not recerved the d8b donation, especially as I have removed the existing console and all of its cabling.

Of course my next problem (if I can get the Service Pack into the desk) is getting all of the plugins authorised -- on my own desk this was done when I paid for the plugins and was able to get the required codes from Mackie.

On the subject of the Service Pack, I think that I read somewhere on the Forum that the Service Pack was actually part of the OS 5 software package and the dontaed desk apparently has Vers 5 as its OS. If this is correct why are the plugins not showing ?????

David

Dok,

Thanks for the info, but with all of the problems that I am currently having and my "old fart" limited computer knowledge, I am somewhat reluctant to try anything that might possibly cause a problem with the desk --- which is basically working correctly.

However, once I get the current problem solved and the desk is running with all plugins, I will have a good look at the links you have suggested.

David

csp wrote:Dok,

Thanks for the info, but with all of the problems that I am currently having and my "old fart" limited computer knowledge, I am somewhat reluctant to try anything that might possibly cause a problem with the desk --- which is basically working correctly.

However, once I get the current problem solved and the desk is running with all plugins, I will have a good look at the links you have suggested.

David

Hey David...

Just follow what Peter has suggested to dig yourself out of the current dilemma of this thread. I merely suggested the links based on a) 'having to use Win XP' and b) the apparent requirement of utilizing the floppy disk installation process. I certainly may have misunderstood the whole point in reality, that's reason for the caveat at the bottom of the posted reply - SOP for me for transparency purposes and not to be misleading. Difficult to assess things when not physically present to view the actual proceedings... I'm sure you can understand that...

Moreover, if the desk is in good shape and performing well, that's absolutely what you'd want. The host/cpu on the other hand is where the upgrades physically need to happen... the 'pc' part of the platform - boot disk, memory (if applicable) and a floppy disk emulator ('optional'). IMHO the boot disk change to a compact flash card is a literal requirement for the stability and 'peace of mind' of any D8B owner...

Apologies for anything that may have been misleading, and good fortune to ya on your efforts in this endeavor!

\m/

Hi David,

The extraction process goes as follows (I have just done this on a windows 10 machine to grab the screenshots):

1. Locate your downloaded ZIP file.



2. Double click the ZIP file. This should open the ZIP file and display the internal folder structure (in this case just one folder)



3.Double click the folder. This should open the folder and display the contents (the three .exe files)



4. Double click one of the .exe files. This should bring up a warning which we can safely ignore as the files are not interdependent.



5. Click "Run". This should start executing the file, but windows will ask if you really want to do this...



6. Seems the forum will only allow me to upload five pictures so will continue in next post...