mp171 odd problem, odd solution

[totoro]

I was called out to a 171 that customer said could not scan to email and no faxing in or out. Upon arrival found out that there was a power outage before problems began. No surge protection on unit at all. Could not make copies, no printing or anything. Pressing any of the function keys ie... fax, scanner, or printer would cause the machine to freeze up. Went to print a counter sheet and got a sc819. Re-flashed all firmware and made no difference. I was on the verge of ordering a new controller pcb when my partner called me to ask a question. I answered his question and asked him if he had run into this problem before. He said that the last machine that froze on him ( mp6000 ) was a bad HDD. I unplugged the HDD and was able to make a copy. I re-formatted the HDD and everything was fixed. I don't understand why that fixed the machine. I have never had a bad HDD cause a machine to freeze or not be able to make copies. I can't get my head to wrap around why this worked. Can one of the experts here explain this to me?

[PinevskiS]

Re: mp171 odd problem, odd solution

Hello, For this problem the 171 are 100% right.Once Ricoh has made this machine we very often have this problem . We trying to change firmvaer, memory and printer contoller but it was always without success. Ricoh 161 has never had this problem (SC 819) and freeze- the machine because it is not possible to incorporate the HDD. This means that the best Ricoh 171, to have standard HDD not optional than that should be paid plus money and for which no customer is always ready to pay. Ricoh 161 has a different software from Ricoh 171. It is good that Ricoh 171 more are produced, has now replaced Ricoh 201. I hope that all these flaws who had ricoh 171 already removed the ricoh 201. This is my personal opinion, although my colleagues not believed when I told them about this problem. B.R. Saso

[Dumus]

Re: mp171 odd problem, odd solution

Disconecting Fax unit from main board.
It will work as a copier, printer and scanner.

[Sweden_GBG]

Had simular problem at ricoh mpc 2800... please wait.... slow and freez.. format or sometimes change hdd solve the problem.

[FMC]

Re: mp171 odd problem, odd solution

If you have a machine that uses 2 HDD's (MPC3500 for example) then swap the connectors over and usually that will fix it. Happen's quiet often to me. I would also recommend you invest in a HDD caddy to format the HDD's a Ricoh carge a fortune and 99% of the time you can fix them by re-formatting them.