Since today i’m having a strange issue with the samples i transfer to the Octatrack. I get no error when transferred from my laptop, but when loaded in a slot (Flex or static) It just plays like first second and then It plays noise or silence.
I’ve tried different samples, fresh projects, different cables and different computers, to no avail. Seems to play correctly the samples already loaded (my projects work ok), but any samples newly transferred just doesnt work.
Also, if i connect the Octatrack to the laptop and play the samples from the mounted CF, It plays correctly. So the samples seem to be correctly transferred to the CF thought…
Any suggestion? I could try formatting the CF and copy the folders back, but i would like to avoid It as long as possible
I have tried copying some samples that i already had in the Octatrack (so i know for sure they work) and some worked and other didn’t. Also it’s strange, sometimes It keeps the waveform of the previous samples (even though its playing silence or noise)… It looks pretty meses up
Its pretty strange. Now when trying to preview one of these files, It plays one second of the file and the rest of other sample of other sample that was loaded in that slot before… I guess its some problem with how it reads the CF, but its pretty strange that the files are played correctly on the laptop with the Octatrack mounted… So its something of how the Octatrack reads the CF i guess
I will try to get a second CF and see how It behaves. I have a gig this weekend, i hope It works ok (seems to read everything right with the existing projects/samples)
I had a few problems after several years without formatting, like PARSE ERROR (corrupted bank file). Almost full. Then it crashed and I lost nearly everything.
Worked fine after format.
Defragmentation is maybe a longer workaround, dunno.
No, just in case question, leaving USB connected can lead to freeze.
I have just tried emptying until 800mb free, rebootibg both laptop and octatrack, using a different cable in a different port… Same issue
I Will try formatting. But not sure if its better to try after this weekends gig or do It now, in case the existing projects start to fail too…
Yeah but don’t want to spend 50bucks for something that could fixed otherwise free i have been playing with my projects and all seem good. Will try to get a second hand card tomorrow, if It works ok i will proceed with formatting etc
@sezare56 one last question. Does It make sense to test this that Gemini says?
That last piece of information is the absolute golden key to this whole mystery! If your computer can play the file perfectly straight from the CF card while the Octatack is mounted in Finder, it means two things:
The file itself is not corrupted on the card.
The USB cable, ports, and the CF card are transmitting data correctly to the computer.
So, why does the computer read it fine but the Octatrack plays it horribly from that exact same card? The issue isn’t hardware; it’s how the Octatrack’s operating system (OS) is managing that specific Set or Project.
When the Octatrack mounts the card to your Mac/PC, it acts as a passive card reader. But when you unmount it, the machine indexes the audio files using its own internal system files (the .strd and .work files it creates inside your projects). If those index files get corrupted, the Octatrack misinterprets the headers of any new samples loaded into that project.
Let’s fix this by isolating the machine’s software with these two steps:
The Clean Project Test (Isolating the Bug)
It is highly likely that your current project file is corrupted, causing it to break the reading of any new sample you load into any folder.
Press PROJECT and go to CHANGE.
Create a completely new project in an empty slot.
Set a track to a Static Machine and load one of those samples that was failing.
If it plays perfectly in the new project, mystery solved: your previous project file was corrupted. You can either keep working on the new one or try to clean up the old one.
Creating a Brand New SET From Scratch
If the issue still persists even in a brand-new project within that same Set, the corruption is at the root level of the “Set” folder.
Connect the OT to your computer.
In Finder, go into the card and create a brand-new folder at the root level named, for example, TEST_SET.
Disconnect the OT safely, go to PROJECT → SYSTEM → CHANGE SET, and select TEST_SET.
The machine will reboot completely fresh. Create a new project inside it and try loading the sample.
One Last Thing: Watch out for RAM Cache (Flex vs. Static)
If you are doing these tests on a Flex track, remember that the Octatrack’s RAM doesn’t always clear out automatically if a recording buffer is looped or active. Make sure you run this definitive test using a Static Machine. Since it streams directly from the card, if Finder can read it, a Static Machine in a clean project must read it correctly.
Try the new project step first—it has a 90% chance of being the culprit!
I’ve tried a new Set and project, but it still has the same problem. I copied a sample to test it, and it plays one second of the sample, followed immediately by chunks of other samples (which aren’t even in the audio folder of the new Set; they belong to the old Set)
This is what Gemini says about It:
Wow! That is a total plot twist, but the new photo and the behavior you are describing give us the definitive answer.
Look at the screen now: that is actually a real waveform! It is no longer the solid block of digital static from before. What you are seeing there is real, legitimate audio, but with a major issue: the Octatrack is reading the sample while pointing to the wrong memory addresses on the CF card.
The fact that the machine tries to play your new sample, plays it for a second, and then suddenly jumps to playing fragments of old samples that aren’t even in that folder (or in that Set) is the textbook symptom of a Compact Flash card with a completely corrupt file system or physical degradation (broken hardware).
What exactly is happening?
When you delete or move files on your computer, Finder tells you it was successful, but the card’s File Allocation Table (the “map” that tells the Octatrack where each file begins and ends) is damaged.
The Octatrack goes looking for your new sample data at “Address A”, but because the card’s map is broken, it jumps to “Address B”, where the magnetic data of old samples from your other projects still physically resides. Your computer’s Finder (which has much more advanced error-correction algorithms) manages to piece the file back together on the fly, but the Octatrack’s operating system completely loses its mind.
The Ultimate Solution (Step-by-Step)
Don’t waste any more time tweaking projects or folders; the issue is the physical storage. You need to do this urgently:
Save your work: Connect the Octatrack to your computer via USB (or use a card reader if you have one) and copy your entire project folder (your original Set) to your computer’s hard drive so you don’t lose anything.
Low-level physical format (From the computer):
Mount the card on your computer.
Do not use the quick format option. Open the Format utility in your OS, choose FAT32 (or MS-DOS FAT on Mac), and make sure to uncheck the “Quick Format” box. This will force the computer to scan every single sector of the card one by one to check for damage.
Factory Format (From the Octatrack):
Once formatted on your PC/Mac, insert it back into the Octatrack.
Go to PROJECT → SYSTEM → CARD FORMAT and format it again from the machine so it creates its own clean directory structure.
The Verdict
If, after doing a full low-level format, you load samples again and it still does the exact same thing (mixing old audio with the new), it means the CF card is dead. Flash memory chips have a limited number of write cycles, and when they fail, they either get “frozen” or mix up memory blocks.
The solution in that case is to buy a new Compact Flash card. Try to look for a SanDisk Ultra or SanDisk Extreme (16GB or 32GB is more than enough; avoid cards larger than 64GB as the OT can become sluggish when indexing files).
Do the full format and let’s cross our fingers that this CF card revives!
