MOTUnation.com

Hi there! Newbie here.
Long post ahead, but I really have to spill out all info in one go, so it turns out quite a lot!

Have searched the forum but haven't really found anything that resembles the following issue, I had last wednesday when just installing the CD that came with my MOTU 828 mk3:

Followed installation manual thoroughly and installed the software from the CD - without connecting the 828mk3 at all - that came with the box, and it said I should restart the computer, so at reboot...

1. BLUE SCREEN AND DUMP The faintest glimpse I was able to catch was a file that was named something in the vein of mfw***.sys - or similar - and then a hex dump, and then my computer just frooze at a DOS prompt screen saying."NO BOOT DISK OR DISK ERROR".

2. I hadn't even had the chance to turn the 828mk3 on at all, or even connecting it.
3. Did try to booth with original XP CD, but that didn't help either.
4. Sorry, had no time to download their latest driver, which wasn't that new anyway (July something). According to manual you should install that one first, and thereafter, UPGRADE the driver as soon as possible. Most companies just provides patches and upgrades, and doesn't provide you with full drivers, just add ons. I don't know how MOTU does this. I hadn't even got a chance to do this.
5. Made damm sure, that ALL EARLIER FW drivers and soundcard entries on registry and whatnot where removed. Restarted computer several times after that just to see if this was ok. It was.
6.I did not even TRY to connect the MOTU 828 mk3 since this problem occured.

Now, my computer is in limbo, since it even whacked the boot sectors out , and I can't even repair it. It is most certainly this installation CD, since I made sure prior to this, that I could reboot alright. Luckily, I made an external hard disk backup just prior to this. All of this year, the PC has been very very stable, and it is not even on the internet. This is the first time I ever got a blue screen and unable to reboot at all, no matter how much recovery and repair tool one does. Tried the REPAIR from the Windows XP CD.... still kept on tugging after one night, progress bar in the middle somewhere...can't even reinstall, repair or recover OS.

Here's my PC's specs:

MUSIC XPC Shuttle Barebone PC from 2005 (bought early 2006 though, brand new, no DIY project)
OS: Windows XP Home, SP3
Pentium 3,2 Ghz
2 Maxtor 160 GB hard disks 7000 rpm
2 GB RAM
ASUS Grahpics card (slow one, not for gaming)
FW Card PCI with the one and only working Texas Instrument FW chipset on. From http://www.exitdata.se, as setup and recommended by the music shop.
Phoenix FirstWare Recover program installed by vendor (not using any Windows partitions)

This PC is never on the net (or ANY network) , and thus, has neither Antivirus, nor Antispyware programs on it. Programs and updates are done by another computer that has all these things on and updated too. All programs/updates/drivers brought over by a USB stick only ! This PC has only a few music software installed and OS. Both computer, FW card, and Motu 828mk3 was bought from the same vendor (a music shop), neither they nor wholesale agent of Sweden, could help me and they said I should register on MOTU and ask them. So I did. Haven't heard from them yet. The MOTU 828 mk3 is residing at the shop now, and they will test it on monday.

NOTE: MOTU 828 Mk3 did not work in standalone mode either, but I am not sure that you can just bring it out and switch it on just like that, without going into CueMix or software from PC initally to set the parameters so it can work like that. It does not tell you anything about that in the manual.

NOW HAS ANYONE ELSE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS? Or anything that resembles this.

kr
/Mats

it works standalone with supplied adapter. standalone operation has a chapter in the manual.
now, regaring driver try this http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... 14&t=31565

reeper wrote:it works standalone with supplied adapter. standalone operation has a chapter in the manual.
now, regaring driver try this http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... 14&t=31565

Well I don't know. That link was of a problem with Ultralite Mk3, and getting no sound. Mine is MOTU 828 mk3 not Ultralite. That one seemed to go perfectly well albeit without a sound. I didn't even get to that part. I just installed the programs on the CD when it crashed. I hadn't even got a chance to go over at any webiste, to download any updated driver. Now I can try this, but I hesitate, since when I get my computer again up and working, which means updating and reinstalling and reformatting the harddisk totally, I definitely don't want to even TRY to install an updated driver which will put me in the same situation again. I will take a full week before I have reinstalled anything to were it was. And do a proper recovery point and backup all hard disk (doing a ghost image with ALL the boot records and hidden things intact).

Even the Phoenix Recover Pro software was installed, and I couldn't even restore an earlier verison of the OS. All boot sectors seemed corrupt. Tried all things in Recovery console too with all the bootcfg /scan, rebuild, and MBR commands that I could think of. Now, The Phoenix Recover Pro partition is gone too. The Windows restore function (or recovery) is absolutely of no use. Now, I have reinstalled, but STILL has to use original CD to just boot it up and get in. It can't still boot from harddisk. It says "Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disk and Press Enter". And when rebooted with a CD in, it cruises right in to the newly installed OS without a hitch, but I have not yet found out why I can't boot from HD. All boot ini, and ntldr, and such things are Ok, even physically. But I think this is a matter on other forums.

The standalone has a chapter in the manual of course. Supplied adapter?! If you mean the one who provides the 828 with mains ac/dc current, there is no adapter. Mine just got one MAINS lead, 220 v. Plugged directly in. It never works on juice just from the FW cable. I think you confuse mine with the other thread, that was about the Ultralite.

tested on another computer, at the music store.
Also, as if this wouldn't be enough:

When trying to update firmware, as per instructions pressing the page button at the same time as turning it on , the MOTU 828 mk3 displays the follwoing message:

"BAD CS FPGA ERROR"

Have searched this forum of it. No hits. No hints are given on MOTU site, which support pages sux big time. In my humblest opinion.

That's a defective unit and will have to go back to MOTU to reset EEPROM and install/reinstall new firmware

Thank you!

Now, after bickering for a week at the music shop, they finally got in another unit, and had to COMPARE those two first before they made a final judgement. Mine was erroneous. To the extent that it crashed and hanged my computer beyrond bootability. On the mfwave.sys file or something. They sent it back. My unit has definitely something wrong with it. I finally got a new one, and that unit was no problem with. However, it had to reboot computer for all of the 6 instances of different drivers, it did not go automatically, as said here on this forum and in the manual. So I am still a bit wary of it all. Not a favorite of mine, MOTU. It still can't take my XLR cables on the main output. It hums. No other unit I've got XLR on hums with those cables. Had to put in XLR to TELE adapters, of an older design. That removed the hum. I mean, it hummed even when the MOTU unit is totally disconnected from the mains and fw cables. So it's a passive grounding thing inside.

Thus, this shaky start means that it is up to the consumer to check quality first. MOTU is definitely not alone on this, but it took a whole week of my projects, and had to loan another friends MAUDIO after I got my computer back to working again. Another week for music shop to determine that it was wrong with the unit and not my pc (music store had my pc for a couple of days too). Too much trial and error.

And if this unit still turns out flaky, through connection or otherwise, I might put it out on e-bay after 6 months or so, and go for RME instead. Or even PCI-card or PCI-express card based units. It's worth the additional cost. I am not that sure about firewire anymore. The protocol seems too flaky and "open" for interpretation. It's a hit and miss if something really work like it is supposed to.

But thanks everyone, for all help so far!