iDJ2 Boot up and shut down problems

[STEVE HANLEY]

Hi All

Over the last few weeks I've been having problems with booting up my HDD on the iDJ2. Two out of the last three occasions, it's taken a lifetime to initialize. So much so I thought I was going to have to get the CD decks out of the back of the car. But after several long agonising minutes it finally kicked in to life.

I have VDJ5 as back up on the laptop. But because the mixer is built in to the whole unit I can't use that either. Martin (Vectis) has shown me where to buy identical HDD's as extra back up. Which I'm about to order.

The other problem after each gig is it won't shut down in the normal manner. It tells you on the display screen it's shutting down and then just seems to freeze. Then nothing. I'm then forced to shut it off at the 13a mains socket on the wall. That can't be any good for it, can it???

Could the two problems be linked?? Any thoughts please??

Thanks in advance

Steve

[Excalibur]

Hi All

The other problem after each gig is it won't shut down in the normal manner. It tells you on the display screen it's shutting down and then just seems to freeze. Then nothing. I'm then forced to shut it off at the 13a mains socket on the wall. That can't be any good for it, can it???
Could the two problems be linked?? Any thoughts please??

Thanks in advance

Steve

Not in my very humble opinion, no. At a guess, every time you shut it down thus, it introduces an error, which may be causing it to start slowly. Perhaps. :confused: :confused:

Downloading manual now, back later when I've read it.

[Vectis]

iDJ2 not NDJ2 ;)

As suggested Steve the first point of call really ought to be the hard drive, especially if it's suffered any knocks or had to have the power dropped on it in order to shut the unit down.

In the meantime do you have a memory stick or another USB drive that you can stick a few tracks onto to prove that the unit boots OK and works with another drive/stick?

The iDJ2 will let you connect external devices to the line in sockets for mixer channels 1 and 2, so there shouldn't be a problem bypassing the internal decks and using an external CD or laptop via the same mixer. You basically hook the devices up to the Line 1 or Line 2 inputs, select line/phono signal levels for each, then there's a toggle switch somewhere on the fascia that lets you switch between the internal deck or the external input for mixer channel 1 and another on the opposite side for mixer channel 2.

Manual is here
http://www.numark.com/company/media2.php?download_id=ATNRa1ZnAjU%3D

and the bit about using external devices is on page

- 5 for the connection diagram
- 6 for the line/phono switches (need to select the line for CD/laptop; phono is for turntables)
- 11 for the location of the toggle switches (numbered 13)


My money is on the hard drive. I'd get a second pronto and get everything copied across. When you're happy that it's good and working, reformat the original and duplicate everything back again.

[Excalibur]

iDJ2 not NDJ2 ;)


My money is on the hard drive. I'd get a second pronto and get everything copied across. When you're happy that it's good and working, reformat the original and duplicate everything back again.

A devotee of the Great Vectis should already have brought the second one into play, and then gone out to buy the third one. ;)

Any reasonable quality HD should be fine, if you'd been using a Cortex, I'd have specified powered, but I do know that certain unpowered ones work with Numark. For the time being, use a stick to test, as Vectis says.

[STEVE HANLEY]

iDJ2 not NDJ2 ;)

As suggested Steve the first point of call really ought to be the hard drive, especially if it's suffered any knocks or had to have the power dropped on it in order to shut the unit down.

In the meantime do you have a memory stick or another USB drive that you can stick a few tracks onto to prove that the unit boots OK and works with another drive/stick?

The iDJ2 will let you connect external devices to the line in sockets for mixer channels 1 and 2, so there shouldn't be a problem bypassing the internal decks and using an external CD or laptop via the same mixer. You basically hook the devices up to the Line 1 or Line 2 inputs, select line/phono signal levels for each, then there's a toggle switch somewhere on the fascia that lets you switch between the internal deck or the external input for mixer channel 1 and another on the opposite side for mixer channel 2.

Manual is here
http://www.numark.com/company/media2.php?download_id=ATNRa1ZnAjU%3D

and the bit about using external devices is on page

- 5 for the connection diagram
- 6 for the line/phono switches (need to select the line for CD/laptop; phono is for turntables)
- 11 for the location of the toggle switches (numbered 13)


My money is on the hard drive. I'd get a second pronto and get everything copied across. When you're happy that it's good and working, reformat the original and duplicate everything back again.

Hi Martin

Ordered the one you suggested tonight........NJD2??? sorry I've got datamoons and scanners on the brain at the moment:D :D


A devotee of the Great Vectis should already have brought the second one into play, and then gone out to buy the third one. ;)

Any reasonable quality HD should be fine, if you'd been using a Cortex, I'd have specified powered, but I do know that certain unpowered ones work with Numark. For the time being, use a stick to test, as Vectis says.

Thanks Peter. You were my next port of call;) :D

[Jiggles]

Title Changed. :)

[STEVE HANLEY]

Title Changed. :)

Cheers Callum (Hic):daft: :beer1: :beer1: :beer1: :beer1:

[STEVE HANLEY]

Bump

Problem still isn't solved. If anything it's getting worse as it's taking even longer to initialize. Sometimes anywhere between 20 and 40 mins:eek: :eek: Both Andy Neen (Deltic )and Martin (Vectis) have had a go from updating firmware etc. The lot but to avail.

Anyone else any ideas? As it's really starting to :Censored: me off;)

[Excalibur]

Bump

Problem still isn't solved. If anything it's getting worse as it's taking even longer to initialize. Sometimes anywhere between 20 and 40 mins:eek: :eek: Both Andy Neen (Deltic )and Martin (Vectis) have had a go from updating firmware etc. The lot but to avail.

Anyone else any ideas? As it's really starting to :Censored: me off;)

Well if Andy and Vectis have had a go, it's no good me offering my pearls of wisdom then! :daft:

Firmware update and new HD would have been my initial suggestions.

Following that, elimination: Borrow a HD from someone, and try that. Try sticks, as another comparison.

Steve, I'm assuming that like every digital DJ should, you have at least one monster stay at home personal use only non produb attracting Hard Drive. Thus, you can wipe any errant travelling drive, and restore it to a pristine state, assuming that any problems you had with it were data related, and not mechanical.

I have to say, ( fate tempting mode engaged ) the hard drives I use have been mechanically sound. The only problem I had was with a dodgy USB cable.

[supersound]

I will phone you today Steve,I will hopefully make you happy.

Paul

[STEVE HANLEY]

I will phone you today Steve,I will hopefully make you happy.

Paul

Cheers Paul

At about 3pm I'm about to have 2 extremely long telephone conversations with Mr Deltic and Mr Excalibur regarding Cortex Manager. Then you and I will talk mate.:daft: :daft: Confused??? You certainly will be

[deltic]

Well if Andy and Vectis have had a go, it's no good me offering my pearls of wisdom then! :daft:

Firmware update and new HD would have been my initial suggestions.

Following that, elimination: Borrow a HD from someone, and try that. Try sticks, as another comparison.

Steve, I'm assuming that like every digital DJ should, you have at least one monster stay at home personal use only non produb attracting Hard Drive. Thus, you can wipe any errant travelling drive, and restore it to a pristine state, assuming that any problems you had with it were data related, and not mechanical.

I have to say, ( fate tempting mode engaged ) the hard drives I use have been mechanically sound. The only problem I had was with a dodgy USB cable.


peter it's the idj2 not initialising ie the process before it gets to reading a hard drive,once the thing switches on it works perfectly.

[Excalibur]

peter it's the idj2 not initialising ie the process before it gets to reading a hard drive,once the thing switches on it works perfectly.

Ah! I think. Now this may be really silly, but there's a trap I fall into as a Cortex user. To fire up a Cortex, it's recommended to stand with your finger on the power button for at least four seconds. Apparently this forces it to do something helpful. You know whether it's correct by the startup screen you get. Two bars good, four bars bad. When I absentmindedly treat the D2 in this way, it sulks, and won't play. Worth a try? :confused:

And does it have any bearing on how it starts whether the HD is connected or not? I'm clutching at straws here, as you can see.

I'd have put my life savings on software update/new HD as a guaranteed fix.

Another straw, can you backdate the software?

[Vectis]

Perhaps also try with the keyboard disconnected in case of rogue signals or worse, a sticky key you're unaware of?

(don't think I've suggested that yet!)

[deltic]

Perhaps also try with the keyboard disconnected in case of rogue signals or worse, a sticky key you're unaware of?

(don't think I've suggested that yet!)

martin it's just the same with nothing connected,at the moment it is running on the latest firmware one of my thoughts was to revert to an earlier version to prove the point or dump the firmware and re flash it.

i only had a quick look when steve brought it down to me and as he needed it for a gig the following night i thought it a bit risky to go messing too much.

to be fair it probably needs to come in to the workshop and stay with me for further trouble shooting.

i have lent steve a cortex and mixer for back up just in case the idj dies or doesn't initialize totally.

when steve gets the issues he is having with cortex manager under control,then i can maybe have a look at the idj.
personally i think the firmware is slightly corrupt caused by not ejecting the drives correctly.i don't think it's a hardware/component fault because the thing works perfectly when it eventually initializes.

[deltic]

Ah! I think. Now this may be really silly, but there's a trap I fall into as a Cortex user. To fire up a Cortex, it's recommended to stand with your finger on the power button for at least four seconds. Apparently this forces it to do something helpful. You know whether it's correct by the startup screen you get. Two bars good, four bars bad. When I absentmindedly treat the D2 in this way, it sulks, and won't play. Worth a try? :confused:

And does it have any bearing on how it starts whether the HD is connected or not? I'm clutching at straws here, as you can see.

I'd have put my life savings on software update/new HD as a guaranteed fix.

Another straw, can you backdate the software?



you must of been typing at the same time as me

hard drives are a1 ok,one of the first simple tests was to try it with a small pen drive with only a few songs on.

if you hold your finger on the power button for 4 seconds it forces the idj into firmware update mode.

[ppentertainments]

May have no relevance, but try formatting the drives to fat32. One of my cortex needs this and have found the mep runs smoother this way. No experience of the numark, but could be the solution.

Steve, if stuck with cortex I am free tues evening if you want to pop it across.

[deltic]

May have no relevance, but try formatting the drives to fat32. One of my cortex needs this and have found the mep runs smoother this way. No experience of the numark, but could be the solution.

Steve, if stuck with cortex I am free tues evening if you want to pop it across.

steve has one drive formatted fat 32 which will be grand for writing the cortex library onto and the other is ntfs although you can't write a library to it you can use file browser

[STEVE HANLEY]

May have no relevance, but try formatting the drives to fat32. One of my cortex needs this and have found the mep runs smoother this way. No experience of the numark, but could be the solution.

Steve, if stuck with cortex I am free tues evening if you want to pop it across.

Am about to have a long chat with Andy and Peter this afternoon as why when it gets to reading 70% of reading the files on the hardrive it crashes:confused: but need to come and see you next week anyway Chris

[Excalibur]

As far as I know, I never got the phone call.:confused: However,one important point to remember, empty the recycle bin before updating Cortex library. If you don't, it can find all sorts of silly things in there, and add them to your drive.

[deltic]

As far as I know, I never got the phone call

me neither

[Excalibur]

me neither

No news is good news? :confused: :confused:

[deltic]

No news is good news? :confused: :confused:

pretty much

[CRAZY K]

martin it's just the same with nothing connected,at the moment it is running on the latest firmware one of my thoughts was to revert to an earlier version to prove the point or dump the firmware and re flash it.

i only had a quick look when steve brought it down to me and as he needed it for a gig the following night i thought it a bit risky to go messing too much.

to be fair it probably needs to come in to the workshop and stay with me for further trouble shooting.

i have lent steve a cortex and mixer for back up just in case the idj dies or doesn't initialize totally.

when steve gets the issues he is having with cortex manager under control,then i can maybe have a look at the idj.
personally i think the firmware is slightly corrupt caused by not ejecting the drives correctly.i don't think it's a hardware/component fault because the thing works perfectly when it eventually initializes.

This is depressing--issues with Cortex Manager as well:(

My hdc 1000 runs as good as gold although I never allow updates having seen what Microsoft updates can do to a perfectly running laptop--:eek:

I go with Peters suggestion that maybe backdating will help--it got me out of trouble with my second Cortex when I first bought it.

Regarding powering down corruption I did not read the Cortex book and had been switching the Cortex off randomly for about 3 years before I noticed a post on here from Peter mentioning the correct procedure in the manual :eek:

No damage was caused by my abuse;) but the IDJ2 may be more sensitive.

Hope you get it fixed quickly.

[Digital Jack]

Does the cortex contain a battery for keeping the operating system memory alive , like you have in a pc or laptop to maintain the bios settings ?

Only a thought , I've not met a cortex unit face to face.

[deltic]

Does the cortex contain a battery for keeping the operating system memory alive , like you have in a pc or laptop to maintain the bios settings ?

Only a thought , I've not met a cortex unit face to face.

it's not the cortex with the problem

[Excalibur]

Regarding powering down corruption I did not read the Cortex book and had been switching the Cortex off randomly for about 3 years before I noticed a post on here from Peter mentioning the correct procedure in the manual :eek:

No damage was caused by my abuse;) but the IDJ2 may be more sensitive.
.
Fear not, Alan. It turns out that though what I said was correct, and best practice, the Cortex powers down safely anyway, so no worries there. The Numark doesn't work the same. If you don't do as I suggested, ie eject the drive before powering down, problems occur, and compound themselves, resulting in an eventual failure.


Does the cortex contain a battery for keeping the operating system memory alive , like you have in a pc or laptop to maintain the bios settings ?

Only a thought , I've not met a cortex unit face to face.
I don't know or care what's inside it. If it works, I'm happy. :D


it's not the cortex with the problem
Most sensible thing you've said for a long long while. Sadly. :( :( :(