Disk Error 21 with FDSLoadr... HELP!

[Feel]

Hi!

So i'm using a homemade FDS cable and a laptop booting on dos. Everytime I try to load anything (being disk kacker or a gamefile) I get the following error message:

"DISK ERROR 21." and the progression bar freezes at the beginning.

I'm completely clueless as to where to go from there or what to do.

Anyone has some kind of answer? Thanks in advance!

[ericj]

Don't plug the FDSLoader cable into the RAM adapter until after you've already got the game loaded in FDSLoader. If it still doesn't work, then it's most likely a problem with your cable or LPT port settings.

[Feel]

Thanks for your answer.
My LPT is set on ECP. I've read somewhere that ECP ant EPP works and somewhere else that only EPP would work. Any real info on that?

Also, i'm pretty sure my cable works, i've double checked all the connexions.

[famifan]

i've read somewhere that ECP ant EPP works and somewhere else that only EPP would work. Any real info on that?

yup 

according to cable schematics it uses port in bit-banging mode and with low speed. So it doesn't care about port mode at all. Even SPP or other 3 letters wierd buzzword

[ericj]

What kind of parallel port are you using? Is it a true port, a usb converter, or pcmcia card type?

[Feel]

What kind of parallel port are you using? Is it a true port, a usb converter, or pcmcia card type?

It's a true Parralel port.

The laptop works under win98 and is in fat32. I boot with a Wix 98 install cd then go to command prompt. The way it has to be.

Error 21 i think has to do with headers. But i'm using the same roms that i've used on a laptops friend, with his cable and that worked fine there. Its just my laptop that gives me he error 21. And i can't figue out why.

[ericj]

If fdsloadr loads the file, then it's probably okay. I'm back to thinking its your particular port or a cable issue. Is it grounded correctly?

[Feel]

I've checked all the connexions on the cable, everything is as it should be.

I really don't see what can be the problem here. Maybe its because i'm running win98 and it misses some drivers? Could it be that?

[famifan]

The laptop works under win98 and is in fat32.

that makes sense! 

just curious to know what is the voltage level of truth on your parallel port and your friend's one

[Feel]

The laptop works under win98 and is in fat32.

that makes sense! 

just curious to know what is the voltage level of truth on your parallel port and your friend's one

How do I check that?

[famifan]

also you might want to use parallel port checking software to produce some output