dms cartiage cannot be detected...

[pug_ster]

Hi,

I got brought a phatbox for my vw New Beetle about 2 years ago and it worked until last year.  it keeps giving me error 'no magazine' but I don't have problems when I used my old 6 cd magazine changer.  So I put my 20gb dms cartiage into my dms-usb2 cradle and it detects in my pc as 'ata 1.1.0.2 device' and I can't see the 2 drives.  I didn't do an a backup of the hard drive.  I am guessing that I am SOL and probably have to buy a new cartiage, right?

[VorTechS]

If you are running Windows XP, you could check under Computer Manager, Disk Management and just check that the disk is being recognised correctly.  If not, then the issue is likely to be with the DMS, but it could also be a problem with the cradle.

If you are not running XP, then you might need to re-install the cradle drivers - something may have gone awry with your drivers.

If the disk checks out okay, and you've already hacked your PhatBo,x then you might be able to re-partition the disk and at least get it usable again.

If not, then you should beg/borrow/steal an original DMS and hack your box now (and then see if the disk is recoverable).

[pug_ster]

Strange... I took apart the dms cartiage and put the hard drive in an usb enclosure and I was able to detect the 2 partitions.  Then I took back the hard drive back into the dms cartiage and it was able to detect it.  I guess you need a good old reset and this is a good time to hack the cartiage now.  Thanks alot.

[g60racer]

I have a similar problem.  Have a completely stock unhacked box.  It worked fine for three years in my R32 til this week, when I got the "no CD" message. 

Phatnoise Music Manager does not recognize my DMS cartridge, but it shows up in my computer (XP Pro sp2) as a hard drive and I can access all its files through explorer. 

Suggestions?

[VorTechS]

If the DMS is okay, then it's likely to be a loose connection inside the PhatBox.

Do a forum search (you'll find it in the top right corner if you are on the default forum layout) for 'loose connection' and check out previous answers to such problems.

[g60racer]

No, you didn't read what I wrote.  Neither the phatbox or PMM will recognize the DMS, but my computer does - I can access all the files through explorer, which means the DMS drive still physically functions.  But the drive doesn't get recognized by the PB or PMM software.  It's obviously a software issue, not hardware. 

I am guessing that an important file got corrupted. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and what the fix may be?

[markbowen]

You wrote that the DMS shows up in your computer as "a hard drive."  It should actually show up as two drives.  Are both phtsys and phtdta partitions visible?  PMM will not recognize a DMS unless it detects both partitions.  If one of the partitions is corrupted, it also will not work in the PB.

If both partitions are visible, then run a scan on both to check for physical errors.  Ultimately, I suggest you try to repair the DMS using the hack and repair CD.

[g60racer]

Thank you.  ^ 

Yes, it is showing up as the two drives you mention, however upon closer examination there are many daemon characters showing in the file names, which look suspiciously corrupted. 

How should I go about scanning them for errors?  Is there a particular program I should use?  Since the DMS is not being detected by the PMM software, I cannot successfully run the DMS Doctor on it. 

Could you point me toward the source for the Hack and Repair DMS CD?  Would love to give that a whirl.

[markbowen]

To check for errors, just use the disk tools in Windows, but do a full surface scan.  If it hangs, your drive is probably stuffed.  I had similar problems with one of my old drives, and in the end it was a drive failure.

You can find the hack/repair CD at http://downloads.phathack.com/judb/DMS-Hack-or-Repair-v1_5.iso

You burn a CD directly from that image (in Nero, "burn from image"), then boot up with the CD in the drive, without the DMS inserted in the cradle.  From there, the screens should be fairly self-explanatory.  A word of warning, running a repair will erase all data from the phtdta partition, and you will need to reload the firmware for your PB using PMM -- assuming PMM will see it after the repair.  (After reloading the firmware, delete the files forceupdate and forcesettings from the phtsys partition, otherwise it will try to reflash the firmware on your PB when you put it back in the car.

If you need more details on these procedures, kindly search the forums.

[g60racer]

Thanks.  That's exactly the sort of procedure I was looking for.  I will give it a run and report back.

[g60racer]

That link is an empty rar folder.  Any other source for the iso?

[sbingner]

it's not a rar file... it's an ISO

[g60racer]

Exactly the problem.. that link posted above is not an ISO, it's a rar file, which extracts to become an empty folder.  Anyone have a working link to download the real ISO file?

[g60racer]

Nevermind, someone fixed the link.  THanks!  It downloaded the iso file this time around.  Will report back!

[g60racer]

That iso file burned to a CD doesn't appear to do a thing.  I boot up with it in the drive, and ... nothing. 

Anyone have a source for DMS repair software that actually works?

[sbingner]

you don't burn it TO a CD you burn it AS a cd... use your "write image" or "write ISO" function

[g60racer]

I appreciate the clarification, just in case I didn't know that.  Not trying to sound sarcastic. 
I did do it that way though, twice now, and it's not a bootable CD.  What precisely is supposed to happen?

[markbowen]

I'm not sure that you are burning it correctly, because that is an ISO image of a bootable CD, and when burned properly it will boot you into a Linux environment and run the hack and repair tools.

Just to clarify, assuming you are using Nero to burn:
Go to "Recorder" and select "Burn Image."  Select the ISO file that you downloaded, and at the next dialog box click "Burn."

If you are certain that you have burned it properly, check your computer's BIOS to make sure it is set to boot from your CD drive.