EMX FOR DOS DUMMIES

Ok so you want to use EMX with your EMAX or Emax 2 to transfer sound files to a PC and possibly across the WEB?  Sounds kind of tricky but you are a somewhat computer savvy sort of folk and are up for the challenge. Let me personally warn you that it is an arduous task that only the brave should attempt and expect much travail along the way. I struggled through each step of the process and nearly pulled all my hair out before I created my first disc and then the second disc was even harder.

Today I am somehow able to make EMX disc and although I still have nagging hang-ups, I would like to save others hours of frustration and share my experience with those who live for punishment and still may be interested in accomplishing this task (and maybe you will send me cool custom sounds hint, hint). This page will also be a reminder for me in years to come about how this stuff works.

WHAT YOU NEED

You are going to need the follow to accomplish EMX transfer.

1)      PC computer preferable older with a floppy drive.

2)      DOS 6.22 Download and copy to floppy for later.

3)      EMX Program Download it’s freeware.

4)      PK un-ZIP Download here or some unzip tool.

5)      DOS Skills and general computer tech skills as you will need to do internal configuration.

6)      3.5 floppies. MUST BE Double sided Double Density Disc’s GET HERE

7)      Extra floppy disc drives a spare IDE hard drive and much patience.

8)     DOWNLOAD  Cool EMX Sounds  

WHAT IS OUT THERE

I am going to walk through the process I underwent in my journey to “The Land Of EMX" f ile transfer. The first step was to read everything there was to know on the web concerning EMX

There are several places that have info on how to do this and I will leave links to them right here.   EMX INFO LINKS

LETS BEGIN SHAL WE

INFO: This program WILL NOT WORK WITH ANYTHING BUT DOS 6.22 or earlier. DO NOT TRY TO USE WIN98 DOS TO RUN EMX. It will look like it is working without any success.

In your Windows OS, Create a DOS 6.22 Directory under C drive.             Download DOS 6,22 into the DOS directory. UNZIP the Dos 6.22 into the Dos Directory. Download PK un-ZIP HERE if you need it. You must learn how to you unzip on your own.

Copy the unzipped Dos 6.22 to a Floppy and restart with floppy to test that computer works in DOS 6.22 then Reboot into your windows OS  without the Dos 6.22 floppy. If Computer does not work with Dos 6.22 ask a geek to help you out (I’m not that geeky).

Create EMX Directory under C Root directory (C DRIVE).

Download the EMX program into the EMX Directory.

Unzip the EMX program into the “EMX” Directory in the C Drive.     

    So now we have DOS 6.22 and the EMX Program, what next?

    We are going to take that spare hard drive I said you needed and make a dedicated hard drive for your EMX. This hard drive will let you boot the computer with DOS 6.22 and use the command prompt to open the EMX Script. This is where we bust out the screwdriver. I will now go into Chinese-point form language (like you read on a pack of firecrackers).

            Turn off computer. Open computer.  Remove hard drive (Windows C ).   Add (dedicated DOS 6.22) hard drive with external jumper to [master]. Place DOS 6.22 floppy disc in floppy drive. Reboot computer. End Chinese.  

You should now be parked at the dos prompt.

Looks Like this >  A:\

-Type: “fdisk” and then hit [ENTER].

This open a window that gives you four options.

1) Create DOS partition or logical DOS drive.

2) Set active Partition.

3) Delete partition or logical DOS drive.

4) Display partition information.

-We are going to type  #[3] [ENTER] to delete partition.

New window opens with 4 new choices.

1)      Delete Primary DOS partition.

2)      Delete extended DOS partition.

3)      Delete Logical DOS drive(s) in the extended partition.

4)      Delete non-DOS partition.

-We are going to type  #[1] [ENTER] to delete primary partition.

Delete primary partition (and any other partitions if there are any).

Return to FDISK prompt.

-Then Select #[1] create primary partition.

Three new choices

1)      Create Primary DOS Partition.

2)      Create extended DOS partition.

3)      Create logical DOS Partition.

We are going to type #[1] [ENTER] to Create Primary DOS Partition.

Make sure the size is less than 2100 Mbytes.

Now it time to format the drive.

Exit the FDISK  hit [ESCAPE]

From the Prompt A:\

Type

-“FORMAT C:\ /s”  (put a space between FORMAT and C and between C:\ and /s

This will format the C drive and write DOS 6.22 on to it so you can boot from it.

You should see this

WARNING: all data non-removable drive

Drive C: will be lost

Proceed with Format (y/n)

Type [Y] [ENTER]

The drive will now start formatting.

When finished take out floppy and reboot. Computer now should boot to a DOS Prompt after you Hit [ENTER] a few time to skip past date and time  settings . Looks like this C:/

We now have to copy the EMX program on to the DOS Drive.

Chinese begin again…

Turn off puter. Set original Windows drive external jumpers to [MASTER]. Place drive back in puter. Take out DOS drive. Set external jumper to Slave. Place DOS drive back in puter. Light Fuse. Place on ground.   Run like...  wait wait! Reboot computer. End Chinese.

You should no longer have floppy in disc drive when you boot. The Computer should boot up in your original Windows OS. Check Drive “D” it should be your DOS Drive if nothing else is installed. Once you find the letter of the DOS drive create a directory folder called EMX. Then copy the unzipped EMX files into the D Drive EMX directory. Then download some EMX files for your Emax from here and copy those into the same directory.

Chinese begin again

Turn off computer. Open computer. Remove windows hard drive. Set external jumper on DOS drive to master. Reboot computer. End Chinese.

When you arrive at the DOS PROMPT (command Prompt) C:\

Type “CD emx” [ENTER]

Then you will see

C:\EMX

Type “emx.exe” [ENTER]

The program should begin

Now use the instructions that came with the EMX Download and make a disc.

TROUBLESHOOTING

I should let you go your own now but this is where I really started having problems.

Stuff like “cannot access drive” or crashes at some % of completion. Here are some helpful tips.

Try to [Verify] you DSDD disc with EMX before you burn to it. If it says cannot access drive in the beginning hit space bar over and over as it prompts you to “hit any key to continue”

If all sectors and heads are bad try one of the following.

Sometimes I would be making discs for a while and then it would just stop working. Three areas to check out.

1)      I tried to verify with 8 different floppy drives before I found one disc drive that worked well. Just because a disc will not complete verify does not mean it will not work but EMX should read at least some sectors and /or heads at some point. (The Mitsumi D359M5D is the one that ended up working: all others failed)

2)      Eventually only one of my 3.5” DSDD discs (of a dozen) actually worked so I had to use it over and over. Get new ones. Also it may be that that disc had the older OS 3.2 as opposed to the latest OS 2.14. Try formatting the disc with older OS using EMX. http://www.emulatorarchive.com/Samplers/EmaxOverview/EmaxOS/emaxos.html       I am still investigating this. Use Verify to test a Disc. See note above

3)      You must type the exact file name EX: “blissdsk.em1”. If you typed an error like “blisdisk.em2” (2 errors) you will receive this warning Error opening file for read hit any key to continue”. Look in the C:\emx directory by typing “DIR” to see all of your download sound files exact name and extension.

    There are cool short cuts and other ways to set-up and run this program but that’s out of the scope of this info page. I hope you will not have too much trouble getting this working and I will also upload Custom EMX files to my website for free download. Please only bombard me with your cool custom sounds and not questions but if you must, you can email and ask me about something concerning the process I just describes. Enjoy