Mix Rack Bios Out of Date and USB drive problem

[Rob Warren]

Hey all,

I have a Profile Demo coming tomorrow.
I'm using the D-show stand alone software 2.7.1.6.

Everytime I start up the software I get...
"The Mix Rack Bios is outdated please contact Digidesign
Customer Support for instructions on how to update your system."

I don't have anything hooked up as this is just my computer PC
running XP doing this with the D-show software.

So...i've ignored this so far because I can actually work and program
my show that I need to use for this week.
however...now I want to save my show to a USB drive so I can load it
on the demo Profile coming tomorrow.
Well...it won't save to the USB drive. It sees a USB drive in the D-show but when I hit the transfer button I get this...
"A file system error occurred. Failed to get necessary information
about the disk. The file name, directory name or volume label syntax is incorrect."

I know my USB drive is fine. I used on a different (Yam***) console and it worked fine. Also I threw a word doc file on there just to see if it works and that went on there. D-show seems to not want to use it.

I'm just wondering if this Bios problem is doing something to cause the USB drive problem???

any thoughts? thanks in advance,

Rob

[Sheldon Radford]

Hi Rob,

I'm not sure what could be causing the error message, as it shouldn't apply to the Standalone Software.

Here's one thing to try:
On the Options > Devices page right click on the Mix Rack icon and choose "Use FOH Rack". Shut down the VENUE D-Show software and then re-start. Does the message go away?

Sheldon

[Geb]

Everytime I start up the software I get...
"The Mix Rack Bios is outdated please contact Digidesign
Customer Support for instructions on how to update your system."
[...] So...i've ignored this so far because I can actually work and program
my show that I need to use for this week.

Yes, I see the problem (in the code), we are (in 2.7) doing a check that shouldn't be done in standalone environment. Please continue ignoring this message, you are doing the right thing... Nothing happens besides this alarming dialog.
Your PC's motherboard must be mistaken for a motherboard found in our systems, but obviously it has a different BIOS (which doesn't matter for standalone).

"A file system error occurred. Failed to get necessary information
about the disk. The file name, directory name or volume label syntax is incorrect."

Could it be that your "My Documents" folder is on the network?...

-g

[Rob Warren]

I tried that already, and it basically would then say

FOH Rack bios is outdated instead.

Now I'm having all kinds of trouble.
I downloaded the USB updater off the website not knowing really
what it does. I ran it and since then my D-show software is a mess.

I can't reload the show I've worked on. I can see the file but when I
hit the load button nothing happens and all my channels seem to be reset.

So far for a demo, this isn't helping me get excited to buy this thing.
I realize this may be a computer type of issue. I'm not necessarily putting
all the blame on digi. I want to say that to be fair as this is a public forum.
I really hate to lose all the work I've done creating my show.
I'll get in touch with my sales person I was just trying to see if anyone out there had any problems like this. My sales person has not had any issues like this before so I thought I'd post here to see.
Not sure what to do from here. I may just have to re-create everything from the console. (stinks)
I am glad that you guys have a basic 48 channel program already configured.
At least it's more naming and some patching and telling what reverbs go to what auxes type of thing and not starting over from scratch.

I do appreciate your help,

Rob

[Rob Warren]

Originally Posted by Geb

Yes, I see the problem (in the code), we are (in 2.7) doing a check that shouldn't be done in standalone environment. Please continue ignoring this message, you are doing the right thing... Nothing happens besides this alarming dialog.
Your PC's motherboard must be mistaken for a motherboard found in our systems, but obviously it has a different BIOS (which doesn't matter for standalone).

Could it be that your "My Documents" folder is on the network?...

-g

Yes! My documents folder is on a network?

Do tell?? what's that mean?

alas light showing forth in thy tunnel,

Rob

[Rob Warren]

Okay, thank God for the History tab.
I don't know what's going on but I finally saw the correct dates and times
come up in the history tab that I needed.

My show is up on the software now, so now it seems that I need to save it
some how to the USB drive.
I'm still not sure why all the hicupps, but at least I got my stuff back.
That history folder is a great thing.

so far things are a little better, thanks for your help,

rob

[Geb]

Originally Posted by Rob Warren

Yes! My documents folder is on a network?
Do tell?? what's that mean?

Some users have this setup where there "My Documents" folder is placed on some (office) server, possibly by their IT department. This means that the transfers need to be made between a network location and the key disk, and it happens that this is enough to make the transfer operation fail.

As a work around, you can copy your show files manually from your key disk to your home folder, where ever it is.
On your key disk, locate the show files you are interested in. They should be in something like:

<key drive letter>:\D-Show\Consoles\<D-Show or some other name>\Shows\<Show Folder Name>\<Show Files>.dsh

Copy the .dsh files in your D-Show folder, at this location:
My Documents\D-Show\User Data\<Show Folder Name>\<Show Files>.dsh

(names between '<' & '>' need to be substituted in your case).

Then launch the D-Show software, and you should be able to find your files immediately in the Load tab of the Transfer page.

Let me know if that works for you,
-g

[Rob Warren]

thanks,

I see how it works now. Wish there was a way to fix this
so I can use it normally. Would be nice if I can tell it where
to save shows instead of just automatically looking at the
My Docs folder. ( I mean without shutting off my network setup)

thanks for your help, at least now I know I just can copy the file
back and forth depending on which way I'm going.

thank you guys for the quick response, that means a lot.

rob

[Rob Warren]

just figured I'd go ahead and post again about this process so far.

the demo unit came in and I got everything plugged up with the snake,
plugged in the power and grabbed my USB stick that you guys helped me
figure out. and just like that man ...easy...went to the transfer window and my show came right up into the Profile.

this console is taking place of a Midas XL-200. It's an older very tired one.
so far I've done just a choir rehearsal and small school Christmas concert soundcheck. the Piano and vocals were so much clearer and present.
It blew the Midas out of the water. this thing rocks so far.
The Worship Pastor doesn't want to give this thing up, he liked it so much.
(this being a demo it's scheduled to leave Monday)

anyway, we'll see how it does with a full band this weekend.
so far I really like this console. Sweet. I like the way this sounds. With my system (EAW 650) it's a more discreet and refined high end. Instead of a vocal getting a little harsh or painful when pushed, now is sweet.

I was messing with the snapshots earlier today making snapshots for each scene on this school play for tomorrow night. I caught the webinar archive on this tonight. (very nice)
I've actually enjoyed being able to watch these webinars on your site.
It's helped me know what to do with some of this before this demo unit arrived.

Pretty easy to get around. this is the first time I ever saw one other than pictures or video online. In just a few hours I was feeling comfortable.
I have very little digital console experience and I feel good about using it this weekend.

again thanks for your help getting my programming issues worked out.
So far I love this thing.

rob warren

[Geb]

Hi Rob,

Good to hear things are working so well for you now. Happy users make us happy!
And thanks for telling us about your early problem: this gives us a clear list of things to work on when we are not building new things! ;-)

-g