Sorry if this question has been answered before.
After being super excited by the arrival of my new (secondhand) Octatrack, I was aware of all the issues surrounding the CF card. I was planning to stick it in once and never touch it again. However, when turning on the OT it just tells me to insert the CF card even though I already did that… Any ideas as to what I could do?!
That’s not good. This could be three things
A bad card
Not seated in slot
Bent pins or broken pins
Pull the card out with minimal lateral force. Look inside the slot with a pen light and see if the pins are bent or missing
Yep, I see one really bent pin
Affirmative ! Talk to the seller or ask Elektron (via a support ticket when you register) about your best options
That’s about as bad as it could be. That CF socket need replacement.
CF card reader bent pins give me flashbacks to my MPC 1000… Those pins are so easily damaged. Hope you get it sorted with the seller.
Yes!
When I see such things I allways ask myself: Why does one try to sell so obviously damaged equipment? What kind of mindset?
I agree, can’t get my head around it… Still doubting myself that maybe I did it the first and only time I stuck the card in, but being aware of the fragility I can hardly believe that…
No need to replace the slot. This problem is solved by carefully aligning the bent pin. Repeatedly faced this problem while repairing various equipment. It is usually straightened with precision tweezers and a syringe needle.
Yeah, might work, but @Saucy bought it second hand and if there´s the chance the seller sold it in this condition, I´d first try to sort it with them and then try straighten it myself.
I never bent a pin on any CF reader, it must take some brute force to do as the card slot has guide rails to prevent it happening, the only thing I can think is something must have been in the slot like maybe a piece of packaging debris?
The other question is how can such things happen on a so expensive device…
Me neither - and I’ve swapped cf cards many many times in cameras - it’s how I’d read the images. The OT cf card slot has similar guides…
All cf card readers have a similar design, I guess. You can find people having issues with bent pins on all sorts of devices, cameras, card readers and whatnot.
Given how many cameras are sold, the numbers are probaply low in comparison.
I´m not trying to play down the issue, it certainly sucks! Just wanted to mention that it´s due to the nature of the design of cf card readers. Should be able to solve it with a bit of luck or a steady hand. 
IIRC Elektron can replace the cf card reader these days. An older Mk1 design needed replacement of the whole mainboard (which ofc costs more), but it´s much easier these days with the Mk2s.
