Using an PC bought in 1996 with Win95 and a Korg 01W, and SB16 (old). This setup has worked for me for years, but a couple yrs ago my system stopped taking sysex dumps from the Korg. With any Sysex program, including Cakewalk. I was messing with my system recently, for another reason, and for one night the Sysex dump worked. I had previously thougt the Korg was at fault. Now I know it is not. Anyway, I have buggered up my system again and NOW an attempt to do Sysex dump actually FREEZES my PC. Ctrl Alt Del doesn't even work!

All other MIDI stuff going back and forth works. Sysex TO the Korg works and all MIDI data in either direction. Just can't save off the Korg.

Do not have another instrument in the house to try, but could get an Alesis drum machine...

Any ideas? I can't stand this! Could installing DirectX have anything to do with it? (I don't really understand what that is).

Sandy

Faulty cables? One of my printers was driving me nuts once. I managed to print exactly one photo and then everything was scrambled. Turned out the cable was damaged.

Ever since then, I always start by testing another set of cables, no matter what it is.

-tek

Thanks for responding, but I would never have put up with it for a couple of years without trying every possible variable first. I've changed cables, tried both sound cards, etc etc. Last night I downloaded a couple of DOS dump programs and they wouldn't work either, so it can't be my Windows setup...

I guess I will just have to load Sysex on some other PC, like here at work, and drag my keyboard to it whenever I feel I need to save something. sigh.


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Sandy

I assume that you've tried all this:

1. Wipe out and re-format your HD.
2. Re-install your OS (keep it basic - no bells or whistles). I'd even get another copy of the installer, in case the one that you've got is "krafted".
3. Install ONLY ONE MIDI application and the necessary drivers for your cards. Nothing else.

4. Do all the setups and configurations according to the manuals.

You have to keep things very simple to be able to trace the problem. "Kinda" doing those steps isn't what I'm talking about.

If after doing that you're still haveing problems...
Then you've got a hardware-related problem.
Anything....
Bad RAM, bad I/O bus etc..

ED

I'll give that a shot! I have already removed 1 MIDI card (although there was atime when everything worked fine with both of them installed). I've been re-formatting and re-installing my OS for weeks now, trying to fix an unrelated problem, and for one night the Sysex problem did disappear. I was able to save the stuff that's been hanging around on my Korg that I was stuck with due to being unable to save it! I have 2 version of the OS . I suppose I should go with the original drivers and try it with them first.

For the other problem I am having someone suggested I do a Low Level format. Yikes.

I'll give your suggestions a shot (but not tonight!).

Sandy

Old soundblaster cards are notorious for not handling large sysex well. Probably your problem IMO

Not likely the card's fault, if there has not been a problem before. Note the "This setup has worked for me for years" part.

-tek

Wait a second. Hold on. Dont Plow that drive so fast. Lets back up a little. Would it not make sense to first try doing a sysex data dump from the Korg into another piece of hardware that you know will accept it's sysex? It's real easy to find another Korg owner to do it

You said:
I was messing with my system recently, for another reason, and for one night the Sysex dump worked. I had previously thougt the Korg was at fault. Now I know it is not.

If your conclusion is contingent upon one successful, or even an entire evening of data transfer, that's not good enough to say it works reliable. You have to look at it as your success rate with all attempts from the first point of failure up to now. Intermittent problems and keyboards go hand in hand.
My best advice would be to FIRST get some electronic circuit board cleaner and some moving switch oil. Bench the Korg and give it a good cleaning. Dont be suprised if you see the remnants of the coke that spilled that no one told you about. Between that, dust, animal hair, and any other suprises from previous owners that may exist, this could be the cause of the problem, plus the board gets the maintenance it may likely need on it's contacts. Your board circa by model should be on at least it's second maintenance interval by the minimum or more depending on it's frequency of use. If the unit successfully dumps into other gear regardless of the above maintenace; then you can start plowing your HDD on the 'puter. If it is at all possible, get rid of Win95A,B,OSR2, whichever, any of those opsys'es are pretty bunk. Really up there on the blue screen list. You should be running Win98SE at the very least. If it's a Pentium II or better, I would actually run XP Pro on it in 9X mode. There is a hard part to this though. You have to read about how to do it correctly so ALL of your programs WILL run. If it is the board like I think it is, don't feel alone. I've had a healthy share of intermittant problems like that. I know it can really get to ya.
I agree with -tek on the SB16. Providing it is in the proper enviorment settings, those cards are real diesels, although a bit gritty by nature for my tastes. I just hope it all works out for you man.
MORPH!

Wow that's a lot of stuff to consider. I'm actually pleased that somebody said it may be dirt in the Korg, coz I always wondered if that were possible and it's something physical you can fix. Though I am scared to open it, it is due for a lot of cleaning anyway (beer and cat fur).

It can't possibly be the sound card coz I I always had two of them the same (until this week when I ruined one) and the Dump stopped working on both of them at the same time. (Yeah the old SB is cheezy but my old system doesn't want to work with anything else!)

I plan to get an entire new PC very soon. But it is good to know that this may just be about a dirty Korg. I wll take it to work and try, but Uh-Oh I don't see any way to hook up MIDI cables. It's a SoundMAX sound card, whatever that is. Guess I'll just go ahead and open it up.

Thanks guys for all your consideration and I'll get my boyfriend to point me to wherever they sell electronic circuit board cleaner and moving switch oil. Or maybe I'll take it to be serviced....

Happy Thanksgiving

Sandy (mickeyandjack are cats whose fur is in the Korg)