Help, Music keg no longer works.

[XxWickedz28xX]

OK, trying to make a long story short.
I got a new comp with Vista. PMM did work for a minute then stopped. I went back to a older comp with XP, and now nothing works. PMM will not recognize DMS, no PHYTSYS on the computer.
Now whenever I plug the DMS into the cradle, the comp doesnt do anything, and when I remove the DMS from the cradle, it shuts down the computer!?!!
I dont mean to be a pain, but could someone help me out. Ive been without the DMS now for a few months and its killing me lol!!! HELP!!!

[markbowen]

We'll probably need some more information to help you out.  It will be easier if you can stay on the XP machine, too.

Some basic questions:
Hacked or original DMS?
Does the DMS work in your keg?
USB 1.1. or 2.0 cradle?  (If it's 1.1, are the correct drivers installed?)
Does the green light on the cradle light up when you insert the DMS?
You wrote that the phtsys partition doesn't show on the computer, but does the phtdta partition show? 

If the phtdta partition is showing, you may be able to use the Phathack DMS Tools (http://forum.phathack.com/index.php/topic,1641.0.html) to repair the DMS.  If nothing is showing up, it's either a cradle issue, or the drive is toast.  The fact that the computer shuts down when you remove the DMS suggests a hardware or software conflict.

[XxWickedz28xX]

We'll probably need some more information to help you out.  It will be easier if you can stay on the XP machine, too.

Some basic questions:
Hacked or original DMS?
Does the DMS work in your keg?
USB 1.1. or 2.0 cradle?  (If it's 1.1, are the correct drivers installed?)
Does the green light on the cradle light up when you insert the DMS?
You wrote that the phtsys partition doesn't show on the computer, but does the phtdta partition show? 

If the phtdta partition is showing, you may be able to use the Phathack DMS Tools (http://forum.phathack.com/index.php/topic,1641.0.html) to repair the DMS.  If nothing is showing up, it's either a cradle issue, or the drive is toast.  The fact that the computer shuts down when you remove the DMS suggests a hardware or software conflict.

Hey Mark, thanks for replying!
-Original DMS, about 5 years old, but original.
-The DMS does not work in the car, or on the computer.
-It is the 1.1 cradle, not sure if the drivers are installed, everything worked fine before I tried Vista. Once I noticed Vista wasnt working with PMM I went back on this comp(XP) and things went batty.
-The green light comes on, the DMS sounds like its loading, but never does. After a while, the light goes out. Then When I remove the DMS from the cradle, the computer shutsdown and restarts.
-Im not exactly sure where to find either one of those partitions you mentioned. I went under my computer/mangae/storage, and nothing about phtsys or phydta is there. Is this the correct way to find them?

[markbowen]

You need to be sure that the proper drivers for the cradle are installed.  Is the XP computer you're using the same one you used before (which worked) or a different one?  If it's a different one, you have to install the drivers.  You can still get them from Phatnoise here:  http://www.phatnoise.com/downloads/drivers.aspx

(It's possible that you inadvertently installed conflicting USB drivers, which might explain the rebooting.  Check all your currently installed software in Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs.  Also try a different USB port.)

If you have a proper connection, you should see two drives in My Computer, one called phtsys and the other called phtdta.  If you aren't seeing those, there is a connection problem -- or the partitions are corrupted.  Check under Windows Disk Manager, and if you see a drive that shows up as unpartitioned, or something like that, there's your problem.

[XxWickedz28xX]

Yup, same XP computer that always worked.

I cant seem to find the PMM disc that came with the misickeg since I uploaded it onto the vista comp. Is there anywhere one the web I redownload it?
Id like to start from scratch on the XP computer if possible. Im gonna try that USB drive link you posted firsth though. But first I'll look to see if I have any other drives installed, and if so I'll remove them all and use the one you sent.

The computer used to beep when I would plug the DMS into the cradle, not anymore though.

I'll post up once I get on the XP comp and load up that USB driver, im posting on teh Vista computer, its more of our daily computer. The XP comp is retired and only used for PMM and some torrents.

As always...THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!!!!!

[XxWickedz28xX]

ok, so I removed all USB drivers, then installed the one from the link above.

Now The comp beeps again when I plu in and unplug the DMS, but nothing else.

[markbowen]

If your computer's not rebooting now, I guess that's some progress...

Nothing else happens though?  The green light on the cradle doesn't come on when you insert the DMS?

You need to find out if the problem is the drive or the USB cradle, through the process of elimination.  If you have an external 2.5" USB case, put the drive from the DMS into it and check.  If the drive works in the case, the problem is the cradle.  Alternatively, if you have a spare working laptop drive, put that drive in the DMS and check it in the cradle.  If it works, then the problem is your DMS drive.

[XxWickedz28xX]

Yup, the green light comes on the cradle when I plug the DMS into the cradle. It "revs" up like its loading, but nothing ever loads.

The computer also beeps when I plud and unplug the DMS, it didnt before.

The comp would only restart or turn off when I would remove the USB cable from the comp. I was trying to plug it into a different port, and it shut down on me. I didnt try doing that again, Im sure it cant be good for either.

BTW, the DMS does not work in the car.

I dont have access to any of those test methods you listed above, plus Im not sure what half of that stuff is anyway unfortunatley for me. LOL  Im barely computer literate. Is there anything else I could do? It looks like my options are dwindelling slowly to a search on ebay for a new dms and cradle.

[VorTechS]

Try installing my DMS tools as Mark suggested, the thread with the download link is here: http://forum.phathack.com/index.php/topic,1641.0.html

Start the application, click on the 'DMS Tools Mode' button and let us know if there is anything listed in the 'DMS Device' dropdown.

If there is, then do the following:

NOTE: YOU WILL LOSE ALL YOUR MUSIC FILES ON THE DMS FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS!

• Select the appropriate firmware from the 'Firmware' dropdown.
• If you are not sure which version you had installed on the DMS, then select the latest (biggest) version number for the head unit/car manufacturer you are using.  (You mention Keg, so I assume it's a Kenwood Keg, so choose 'Kenwood v13.01')
• Again if you are not sure which version you had installed, check the option 'Reflash Box with firmware'.  If you know the version you selected is already the one running on the box, uncheck this option (it will save you 10-15 minutes of waiting time).
• Ensure the option 'Install non-hacked firmware' is CHECKED.  (If your box has previously been hacked, then UNCHECK this option)
• CHECK the option 'Install SSA/VIOT Plugin' (No Kenwood Keg should be without it)
• Click on the 'Repair DMS (FULL)' button.

[XxWickedz28xX]

Thanks Vortech....im gonna give it a shot now.

[XxWickedz28xX]

ok, nothing appears in the "dms device" dropdown. That doesnt sound good huh?

[markbowen]

You're right back where you were, still have to determine whether the cradle or the drive is faulty.

With the DMS plugged in, did you check in disk management (right click my computer, left-click manage, select disk management) to see if any "unknown disk" or "unformatted disk" shows up?  If something shows up there, it means the cradle works.  If nothing shows up there, then we still aren't sure if the problem is the drive or the cradle, and you'd have to try the methods I posted earlier.

That said, a USB 2.0 cradle is a worthwhile investment, no matter what.

[XxWickedz28xX]

Man, this sucks. I dont have access to any of those methods you posted about.

Nothing out of the normal shows up under disk management, unfortunately.

These pahtbox/dms' are getting hard to find here, for a reasonable price.

[VorTechS]

Your only other option would be to find someone close to you that can apply the hack to your box for you so you can put a new drive in the DMS.

If there's no-one, I'll do it for the cost of return shipping (I'm in the UK).

[XxWickedz28xX]

Thanks for the offer VorTechS. You got PM.

[XxWickedz28xX]

IM BAAAACK!! lol


Ok, so I once again seek the boards knowlegde.

I ended up buying a used DMS. My computer is seeing it fine. Phatnoise works, and I loaded about 4gb of music on it. Saved and ejected like it was supposed to. I put it in the music keg and it doesnt work. WTF!?!?!

There are 2 lights, the left one blinks, the right one is one steady. I dont remember the colors, its close to midnight here :p

Anyone have any tips for this frustrated music keg lover?

[S80_UK]

As far as the DMS is concerned, do you know if it is an original?  Do you know if it has ever been repartitioned?  (don't, by the way).  And had your Keg/Phatbox been hacked to allow any hard disk to be used? (I guess not if you had to buy a DMS).

As for the LEDs...  Red LED should be steady - it indicates power is on.  Green LED blinks - it depends what it really looks like. 

For example, when Keg/Phatbox starts up, the green LED flashes two or three times as the software gets loaded off the disk. It should then be mostly off except when navigating the music or playing it.

If it is a fast steady blink for around 5 minutes (could be less, could be more) then the Phatbox may be trying to copy firmware off the disk.  Once done, the box should restart and then just a few irregular blinks as the disk is accessed.

If is is a repeating sequence - so many blinks then a gap, then so many blinks then a gap, then it it trying to indicate some kind of error.  It depends how many blinks there are - and we don't necessarily know all the error codes - but try us anyway.

It generally won't hurt to leave the box flashing the LED for quite a while just to see if it changes (especially if it is just re-copying the firmware into the Phatbox).

Let us know what you see....

[XxWickedz28xX]

Ahhh, see I only left the DMS in the keg for about 2 minutes.

From what I remember, one light was steady (Red), the other just blinked non stop. It didint seem to blink in any kind of code, but I wll make sure in the morning. So what your saying it that it might have been doing firmware updates or something like that? I dont think I ever updated the Keg in the 5 years Ive had it.

I have no idea if the DMS is original or not. Im gonna take a wild guess and say no. If its not original, will it work in a original keg?

[markbowen]

I have no idea if the DMS is original or not. Im gonna take a wild guess and say no. If its not original, will it work in a original keg?

If the DMS is not original, it will not work in your keg, since your keg has not been hacked to work with non-original disks.

Let's assume for now that it is an original (and if it's not, you should get your money back), and the reason it's not working is because it was used with a different head unit.  Use the Phathack DMS Tools in Tools mode to update the firmware on the DMS to whatever head unit you have.  Tick the boxes to "install non-hacked firmware" and "reflash box with firmware."

Once that's done, take the DMS out to the car, and with the car radio turned OFF, insert the DMS into your box/keg.  Turn on the radio, and the box should power on.  The green light should be blinking.  Once that starts, you can shut everything off.  Give it 10 minutes, more or less, and then it should stop. 

When it's finished, take the DMS back inside, load some music on it, and then back to the car to test.  You may have to disconnect and reconnect the box to initialize the connection between it and your radio.  If everything has gone right, it should work.

[XxWickedz28xX]

Mark, Im pretty sure this is a hacked DMS. I got it off of ebay for $100 US. The 4 screws on the back of the DMS all have a tamper proof yellow dye. My original 10g DMS did not have that.

Honestly, original or not, I just want it to work.

I have the DMSTools v2 12 already installed. Should I still follow your directions in your previous post?