newTIboyRob Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 (edited) For some of you, this may be deja view, as I encountered the same oddity with my other SD2IEC connected to VIC-20. But for those of you new on the scene, here's the situation: I have an SD2IEC connected to my C64. Without a printer connected to it, it loads and runs the FB64 menu browser perfectly from C64 basic. All the disk images within various folders from the FB64 menu load and work perfectly and are lightning fast as well. However, I have a penchant for word processors and spreadsheets, and these are naturally best suited for use with a printer, in my case the MPS 803. When I have the printer connected to the SD2IEC's serial port with the printer off, a LOAD "FB64",8 will immediately give a DEVICE NOT PRESENT error. Then retyping that same command will get the FB64 browser menu to load and run. But even with that success, I have seen 2 things happen with the printer off: after navigating to my WORDPROCS folder which loads, the disk image of one word processor called EASY SCRIPT (which is very nice by the way) one time I tried would not load, thus I couldn't run the program file itself, yet after power down then up, another processor called "SKIWRITER" (also very nice) did work with the printer off. When I powered down and re-tried to get to EASY SCRIPT, still with the printer off, this time the disk image did load and I was able to run the program file.... I'd call all this fluky, wouldn't you? I also have noticed this: if I keep everything connected and turn on the printer before even turning on the C64, everything works perfectly. So it seems like I have 3 options: 1) Keep all connected and deal with the flukiness 2) Keep the printer connected at the SD2IEC end and then connect the other end of the cable to the printer and only turn that on for when I actually need do any printing. (I am adamant about not hooking up the serial printer's cable to the SD2IEC itself every time I want to print.) 3) Always turn on the printer before the C64 and proceed as usual without a hitch, which will avoid the DEVICE NOT PRESENT error message and non-loading of any subsequent disk images and/or program files I don't like any of the above 3 options really. #1 is just the unpredictable, #2 runs the risk of cable and/or port damage over time, and #3 means I have to turn the printer on when I want to do anything on the C64, (and the majority of the time I likely am not printing; just either basic programming, typing and/or editing in wordprocessors and/or spreadsheets), and it also means having to keep the printer on for hours and hours, essentially compromising its life. Some kind of device time out issue? Anyone experience this with their set up? Have a work around? Suggestions? Which of the 3 options would you choose? I am leaning towards Door #1 Edited June 24 by newTIboyRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newTIboyRob Posted June 25 Author Share Posted June 25 ...more oddities... now tried with the printer on beforehand, LOAD "FB64",8 and got the DEVICE NOT PRESENT error, with it working after retyping that same command. Then powered off then on, and got the same result with the exact same scenario. On try 3 however, it worked at first asking. I reached out to the manufacturer of the SD2IEC to see if he has heard of this issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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