d8b Forum

Hi all,

I know this topic has been thrashed, trashed and bashed but before I start down the long and winding road to troubleshoot error 43, here is what I can remember:
1. Check the monitor, mouse and keyboard connections, swap in and out with alternates if possible.
2. Check battery, BIOS if video is availiable
3. Check BFC clean contacts
4. Re-load OS if possible
5. Swap HD (I kept the original "working" HD with 5.1 installed for times like these)
6. Re-seat and clean contacts for video, I/O and effects
7. Swap or temporaily remove some RAM
8. ???? Anything else
9. If it think it is the MOBO, does anyone know where I could obtain one?
Alternately I could:
A. Mount the CPU on a 3-axis sine wave vibration tester, adjust for 16Hz and maximum excursion, press "start". Go to the studio, set Marshall to "11" hit a power chord and smile
b: Buy a used dxb and shoot thineself
c. Wait until the Dan W. Pink "Hanna Motown-Radio Disknee" super duper D8bMKII version becomes availiable
d. All of the above
Waddya think?

Hi Steve.

I would add checking the data cable too.

When I get the Error 43 message, usually it fixes just with a reconnection of the BFC (With the unit turned off, of course) and a nice reboot.

Or wait for the "dWb - Very Limited Edition" to be available...

Peter Holmquist.

Hi Peter,

Thanks...yes I forgot that in the list.

For the dWb we can dream cant we? The truth is other than the uber-$$$ SSL, and the other pure daw controllers (and perhaps the new Tascam desk) there really is not anything out there that can do everything a d8b can do. (Nice Automation, 12 auxes, fair to excel plug ins, etc). The d8b is finiky, has some issues but 10 years later is still quite viable. They are worth keeping going (I hope mine does) It is really a nice match with my HDR and MDR and most everyone is happy at 48K. I have bought fixed and sold three d8b's in the last 4 years. You would think I could keep mine happy......

Very cool MKII drawing and thanks for the new site. I think the old one is toast. Also enoyed your studio building photo's..engrossing.

Steve

I will definitely run mine to the end...

I'm glad you like the renders of the d8bMkII thing. In fact the 3D model was done long time ago during the "Mackie bring back the d8b" thread. So I just photoshoped the add up.

The studio construction diary was a very time consuming thing to do while the work was happening, but it was worth the effort. I'm still showing the pictures to my new clients and it makes them to feel like they were on a really professional studio

Why don't you upload a picture of yourself or an avatar to your account? I think it's cool that we can see us each other, and it gives the place more color and life. If you want to add your avatar, go to the User Control Panel (at the top left), click on the Profile tab and go to the Edit avatar section. The picture maximum dimensions are width: 150 pixels, height: 150 pixels.

If you have trouble resizing your image just send it to me and I will resize it for you.

Peter Holmquist.

Hi Peter,

Will do.... as soon as I spend some time on the d8b.... Every time I boot I cross my fingers and talk to it...come on baby..come on... you can do it...

It reminds of my old '79 MG covertable ....Every darn weekend in the driveway trying to get the twin SU carbs tuned close enough to idle... Finiky, a PITA, covered in gasoline..etc, but a blast to drive...Like the MG I will also drive the d8b into the ground...I don't think I will bounce any 10mm wrenches off it in anger though

Best to you
Steve

Got it!!!
Flakey mouse connector... Also sprinkled some fairy dust, lit 17 incense candles and gave the CPU a little jolt. I thought 440VAC was just about right.
Now if I could only get the smell out of the control room...

The dangerous thing with Error 43 is that you can almost dismantle the whole studio, reconnecting cables, swapping cards and even turning the console upside down to do the Ribbon Connection Correction Procedure just to discover that the problem was a flakey mouse connection!

I'm glad you solved it.

Peter Holmquist.

Hi all, glad to be in such knowledgeable company.

My current experience with OS reinstallation on the D8B is such ...
1. Accidentally rendered a v3 inoperable, so was trying to reinstall v3 using floppies made from the installer at mackie's site - even went as far as ...
a. Reformatted harddisk using a PC
b. Reinstalled v3 OS
c. Applied v3.1 patch
d. Reinstalled Plugins
2. But D8B just refuses to move past the last text screen, and of course the dreaded "... Error 43 - Unable to load host"
a. Check all connections
b. Reinstalled all over again several times and nothing works
c. Reinstalled from v2 upwards; tried all possible combinations ... no luck at all

Finally, out of desperation, downloaded the trial v5.1 to see if it's a hardware problem I have. Viola! It boots up and straight into the V5.1 screen and was able to run the OS without any problem (of course for 7 minutes at a time only).

Question is whether the v3.1 OS found on the Mackie web has any inherent problem, e.g. a bootloader that doesn't load all files correctly, etc.

Or has anyone here a copy of v3.1 OS installation files that you're sure is working. Would really appreciate if I can have a go again at getting the D8B to work in its original v3.1.

Thanks a ton guys for reading and look forward to any help.

Regards,
Mel

Formating the HD in a PC would not be enough. You have to format it using this instructions.

I'm surprised the V5 worked!

Download again de v3.0 and the patch and make a new fresh set of diskettes.

Peter Holmquist.

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your speedy response.

Forgot to add in my first post that I went the full 9 yards (having read forums/d8b docs very carefully) and have also formatted the HDD under the Mackie OS installer, several times actually.

By adding the "format:on" in the tools.ini file, you are given the option each time during system install whether to "format" harddisk, or "skip". I went through both routes many times; of course when I formatted, I also reinstalled the patch and plugins after; and when I skipped, I just left the other files intact and tried my luck rebooting the D8B. It just freezes at the final text screen without fail.

It is during one of these final few "skip" installation processes that I tried installing the trial V5.1. It immediately booted up fully and initialized the mixer, asking for authorization, going into demo mode on "cancel" and is fully operational for 7 minutes before a reboot, etc. I went to Desktop to check the harddisk contents and can see that all the V3 folders/files are still intact.

It gets more interesting ...

Now that I finally got the D8B working under V5 and proven that it isn't any hardware or interconnection fault; I reinstalled V3 over it by simply 'skipping' the format. Same old problem, it freezes at the text screen (to ensure integrity of the V3 OS that I've downloaded from the site, I've downloaded the file more than twice and expanded/created flesh set of floppies from them as many times) ... it just never reaches the point where the V3 Mackie logo gets displayed on screen.

Back to V5 and it works again ...

At that point, I simply inserted the V5 floppies to reinstall the OS, again "skipping" the Mackie format, and the system boots up and works again.

Problem with the V3 OS I've got?
--------------------------------------
So my gut feel is whether the V3 OS that I've downloaded more than once still has problem and didn't complete full installation, although the VFD messages confirmed that every step had been completed fully.

Perhaps a little favour ... would you have a known good copy of the compressed V3 OS installation file stashed away safely somewhere that you can email to me for testing. I've ran out of option now (after wasting a full day trying all combinations of physical/hardware/software reinstallation); except of course paying $299 for the V5 OS (nice, but not really something I need, as I've been pleased with V3 for my applications).

Once again, thank you very much Peter.

Mel