Please help..can't read internal or card data via USB, need

[Milo]

Hi, please can anyone help, my Fantom S is going for a repair at the weekend in 3 days' time (faulty realtime controller knob) and I'd like to ensure I've got a good backup of all my internal user data in case the thing gets reset. It would be absolutely disastarous for me and my band if I lost 5+ years worth of finely tuned sounds (patches and performances).

I have a memory card which I perform user backups to regularly, using the synth's 'utility->user backup' menu option, and then I take copies of it (via PC memory card reader) to my PC..but I've never dared try to restore from them (I don't want to risk overwriting/breaking all my synth data), so I don't know if that would work.

So to be safe I figured I'd just copy the internal user memory to my PC via USB. So I connected my Fantom to my PC via USB cable and tried to access the internal user memory...I get a F:FANS USER drive pop up on my PC, in that I see the ROLAND and TMP folders...but when I drill into ROLAND, I get another ROLAND and TMP folder..drill deeper..nothing. Total size..0Kb (allegedly). Something not quite right obviously. So I then try to access a memory card that I put in my Fantom via USB too....drive letter comes up as F:Removable Disk...and when I try to access that, it says 'drive not formatted, do you want to format it now'...which I say 'no' to obviously. (But I can read the card fine using a PC card reader). I used to be able to access the internal memory and memory cards via USB..now it won't work. I've also tried a different PC (laptop)..exactly the same thing happens. Given that the card is OK, and everything seems to be fine patch/performance wise on the synth itself, I don't think the card/internal memory is at fault...it's the USB connection. Only thing that has changed since I successfully used the USB connection...is that I'm now using Windows XP SP2 on both PCs (was previously just XP with no service pack).

So...next I try using the Roland Librarian software and MIDI cables to pull off the patch and performance data, to save on my PC. It pulls off the data OK, and I appear to be able to save it OK...but when I tested whether or not I could write back individual performances...it doesn't do anything. I'm supposed to be able to select a performance, choose 'write selected'..and it's supposed to overwrite the same numbered performance on the synth..but it does absolutely nothing. All cables are in OK and my MIDI is set up correctly (using the correct midi IN/OUT ports and channel 17) so I don't know why not.

Please can anyone help me? I need to be confident I have a good backup of my synth that I can easily use to restore my data from if I lose it during the repair. Does anyone have any idea why my USB connection doesn't work anymore? Anyone have clue as to why the librarian software won't write back to my synth?

Thank you in advance, eagerly anticipating some advice

Milo

[Matias]

I had this with Juno-G.
I have 3 workarounds, try the first one: connect USB with your wav-associated-media-player *closed*. In my case, it was Winamp, for others it was Windows Media Player.

Tell us if it worked.

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Juno-G + SRX-07
Sao Paulo - Brazil

[Milo]

Hi, I don't have any media player software running. I do have software for my Creative Vision media device installed on my PC, I wondered if that might be causing the problem...but I tried the USB connection on my laptop too which doesn't have the software...same problem.

I also saw a post about disabling power saving on the USB hub (in device manager USB hub properties), which doesn't make a difference; I've also tried different cables, different USB ports on my PC, also tried unplugging all USB devices apart from my Fantom....no difference.

I suspect this is a problem with XP SP2 or the USB cable/connection rather than my Fantom's file system, it worked perfectly when I had XP with no SP. If my Fantom had a problem with the internal file system, then surely I'd see major problems with my user patches/performances? Also if it was a problem with my memory card, then I wouldn't be able to read it on my PC via a card reader.

I've seen mention of needing the right USB drivers...is that something I need to look at? I thought I could just 'plug and play' and XP would detect the USB device...could that be my problem - do I need to install some different USB drivers?

Finally...what's the chances of me using the 'wrong' type of USB cable? I thought if it fits..then it's the right type..but I've read posts that suggest there are 'active' and 'passive' cables which I'm guessing relate to whether they carry power or not...does anyone know if that's true? What kind should I be using for the Fantom?

Sorry for the waffle but I'm starting to panic a bit. Time is ticking to the repair on Sat..if I can't be sure I've got a good backup of my internal sounds I'll probably cancel the repair for fear of losing all my data..it's that important to me!

Thanks for the suggestions so far

Milo

[Matias]

Last resource is: plug your CompactFlash card into a digital camera (yours or from a buddy of yours) and plug it in the PC.

But anyway, wav-associated-media-player didn't work, disabling power savings too... Try the last one: assign a fixed drive letter to it. My Computer - Manage - Storage - Assign Letter.

I noticed the bug happens when you connect and a explorer window pops-up. When that window does NOT open, you have to manually open it and things work smoothly.

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Juno-G + SRX-07
Sao Paulo - Brazil

[Milo]

Hi, I can read my memory card (SmartMedia not CF btw) fine with my card reader on my PC, that's not the problem. My primary goal is that I want to be able to get at the contents of the Fantom's internal memory, to back it up to my PC.

I have already tried assigning a drive letter, but I don't get the option to in storage management, for some reason, or maybe I just can't find it?

Milo

[Matias]

Microsoft explains:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsse ... x?mfr=true

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Juno-G + SRX-07
Sao Paulo - Brazil