Copying a style disk - argh!

[guymerritt]

I have an old CVP65 that I paid too much for about 9 years ago. Still, the piano sounds great and I have about 5 music style disks that have pretty good - if somewhat "analog-y" - sounding accompaniment rythms. In fact, most of the accompaniments that are any good are on disk. The problem is that acetate degrades and Yamaha refuses to (A) replace the disks, or (B) give me a clue as to how to back them up. I am furious as this is utterly ridicuous. No one - with the possible exception of myself - cares about having these old disks. What the hell am I supposed to do, just buy another digital piano???? There was an individual who was a customer at a music store where I used to work and I have been trying to find him; he was a computer whiz and he, in fact, did know how to make such copies. I other words, I know it can be done but I have tried every program (for 3 years) I could find and nothing will work. Does anyone have a clue with regards to this?

[smarks]

Can I ask you to clarify what it is you have, and what you want to do? Are these older styles just on standard 3.5 inch floppy disks and do you just want to transfer the info to a hard drive or another floppy?

And what happens if you just try to have your computer read these disks in a usual PC way? If you have trouble, what is the nature of the trouble? Do you get the message common with current Yamaha discs that your PC wrongly thinks the disc has not been formatted? If so, look into the RipA Root program that can be found in a forum discussion on this site.

If it's something else, give us a little more detail and we'll try to help.

Rich, LV

[guymerritt]

Just stumbled out of bed here so I hope I'm coherent. I have 5, 3.5 inch standard floppies called "style disks' which were distributed for the CVP65 and similar models of the same era. One of the disks has, like, 2 rythms/styles that don't work with the CVP65 but the rest all work fine. Otherwise, the piano has about 40 built in rythms (something like that...I don't know the specs) - no decent, simple, ballad sort of deal, etc. So, you really need the disks - in my view - for this piano. When they crap out, which tape does, you're up the creek. Still can't get over Yamaha's attitude on this - completely crazy. Notice you're from Vegas....I worked for almost a year at the Dunes in the lounge (with a guy named Roy Clayborne). Anyway, that's the deal. When I actually wake up I'll look for that program you mentioned. I have tried EVERYTHING for 3 years....argh.

[guymerritt]

I just noticed I wasn't 100%, completley clear on what I need to do... The disks still work and I want to copy them before they don't - that's it. I want to make duplicates or physical copies of the floppies to other floppies - or to my PC hard drive and THEN to a floppy - the route they take is unimportant. I need the info on those floppies cloned to new floppies in the event I misplace or damage one of the floppies (or they wear out). Anyhoo - that's the deal.... One, in fact, has already crapped out but - it's a long story - by sheer luck I had 2 of that disk.

[guymerritt]

I REALLY was not awake earlier. What happens when I try to copy them is I get an "error at Block" something or other and it virtually destroys the new floppy - that's another aspect. I've ruined so many floppies it's crazy. I've gotten a variety of errors, actually - "Error reading track1, sector blah blah blah...." And, afterwards, as I mentioned, the floppys cannot be reformatted for use using anything I've ever tried. And I have tried everything. Literally, I cannot list all of the off-the-wall and mainstream software programs I've used. Wrecked 2 flopppies again yesterday. "Killdisk" - a low level format utility - couldn't even restore the floppies to an unformatted state after I attempted to copy one of the style disks. Found some program - in Russia - that almost acted like it would work (for copying). No dice. It seemed to read the style disk then spit out a bunch of errors when writing - and ruined the new floppy - again.

[guymerritt]

How do I find RipA Root on this forum deal?

[MWiseguy]

Go the forum "Midi and XG" and you will note a post by Midi Magic which will direct you to the Riparoot program.

Hope it works out for you.

MWiseguy

[Midi Magic]

Hi guymerritt

What OS do you use on your PC? The reason I ask is that there are two versions if the Ripper program.

RootARipper is for NT, 2000 or XP and RipARoot works in DOS both are very easy do use.

For all of those floppies that will not format you could try and format them in the CVP. I have often found that the CVP will format a disk when the PC won't.

Do your style disks have any titles or numbers on them?

Have fun

[guymerritt]

I've been gone all day and just got in - I am using Windows 2000 and also have a couple of Linux boxes. I will try all of the suggestions. I have, in the past, gone the route of formatting disks in the piano in an attempt to make this work - didn't help. Apparently there is some really, really, odd encryption in these things (touche, Yamaha). A lot of the copy programs I've tried bragged they could copy any floppy on earth and failed miserably with these disks. It as if they were made using alien technology.....lol. Yamaha makes such great stuff but this, in my view, is off the charts in terms of customer service. I'm editorializing - wrong page, I suppose. Onward and upward. I'll try all of the above...Thanks very much (grumble grumble - still annoyed with Yamaha.....). I sold a mountain of their pianos, too. Seems like they'd give me a couple of old disks.

Guy Merritt
Lansing, MI

[Midi Magic]

Hi

I have not tried using RootARipper with Win 2000 as I only have XP, ME, Win 98, Win95 and DOS this end.

RootARipper should do the trick.

Their disks are no big deal you just need to know what they have done.

Do your style disks have any titles or numbers on them? As I may well have some style disks this end as I had a CVP 75 in the past.
I am sure mine weren't protected.

Let me know how you get on.