Octatrack crash

denisp · 2022-07-03T18:50:27.228Z

I just had a horrible afternoon performance where Octatrack would crash off every few seconds or minutes. It made me think of a heat issue, as the outside temperature was maybe close to 30°C and the device was partly exposed to sun. I managed to create some shadow and more air circulation around the device, but it kept crashing every now and then, even though less often.
The manuel says maximum operating temperature is 40°C, I’m pretty sure after at the end the Octatrack was not at 40°C.
Returning home I am doing more testing, and the machine keep crashing every few minutes to 20 minutes.
Did any of you have this problem ? do you think it could be the heat ? did the heat damage something ? can it be something else ?
I converted all the Static machines to Flex machine to see if the memory card could be responsible, but it crashes anyway.
At the same time next to the Octatrack, I had a Digitakt exactly in the same conditions, and it never crashed.
Thanks for your help !

bodymechanics · 2022-07-03T20:39:24.042Z

Going out on a limb a little, but it could be that the ribbon cables connections have gotten out of wack, and the heat exacerbated this.
If possible, watch videos on how to open the OT and re-seat the connections (take them off blow in them, and re-connect)

I would actually put in a support ticket first, and wait for a response. Elektron may recommend doing this.
Either way, open a ticket for repairs.

denisp · 2022-07-03T21:37:55.211Z

thanks, I did what you suggested but did not notice any problem on the ribbon cables.
in the interval I discovered a topic that describes very well what happens : “octatrack crashing” Octatrack MK2 Crashing - #37 by denisp
some people had their machine sent for repair…

SHS · 2022-07-04T14:16:25.106Z

One day my MK1 also started acting up. First spontaneous reboots, then completely shutdowns. In my case, the power supply was faulty. Dismantled, found poor-quality soldering, restored and everything works well. In fairness, it should be noted that at the time of the appearance of the problem, the device and the power supply were almost 10 years old.

bodymechanics · 2022-07-05T14:16:27.351Z

Did you pull each ribbon cable off and put them back on?

denisp · 2022-07-05T15:16:36.086Z

yes, there are two of them right ? they seemed attached solidly and they seemed the same after my remove/replace operation. I opened a support ticket and was invited to send the unit for repair.

denisp · 2022-07-23T15:55:27.834Z

Following up the first part of my story. After finding another Octatrack, second hand but still under warranty, my first Octatrack is on its way to repair.
Today, same story. A show in open air, hot afternoon but not excessive (weather service says 28°C), after about one hour of service this other Octatrack crashes the same way : screen goes blank, sound shuts down, LEDs stay dim orange. I have to power off and on to restore service. Following that first crash, other ones happen every now and then (5 to 20 minutes).
Other gear on the same table perfectly stay in service.
That second machine seems to be manufactured around the same time as my first one.
Needless to say, I am not happy.

Supercolor_T-120 · 2022-07-23T16:33:23.059Z

Have you tried a different CF card? sort of a long shot, but I had a bunch of really weird problems with mine a few years ago after it got too cold on a long car drive (maybe -5C for an hour and a half), and reformatting the card from a PC usiong a low-level format tool solved it (reformatting with Windows or the OT itself didn’t work). That was I think the winter of 2018/19 (could have been a year earlier) and it has been working fine ever since the reformat.

I wasn’t having crashes (for me it was projects that I saved would reload fine with no errors but parameters would be randomly changed - really weird stuff, like the record menu settings from track 1 jumping to track 5, and it was repeatable. But I don’t think it’s totally out of the question that a CF card problem could cause crashes too.

bodymechanics · 2022-07-23T18:30:42.438Z

My OT MKI has performed for a while at some HOT gigs.
My computer stalled, my video monitors crapped out, but never my OT.
I’m curious to know what Elektron says it was after you get it repaired, so please keep us updated.

denisp · 2022-07-24T09:39:28.253Z

thanks Supercolor, I just low-level formatted the card but crashes keep happening the same way : every 20min more or less, in normal indoor conditions.
Plus, crashes happen even when the machine is idle, so I don’t see why the CF card would cause this.

reeloy · 2022-07-24T11:34:58.304Z

…forget heat issues…
sounds most likely, somethings off with that power supply of ur ot…

if it would be a corrupted project file, it would not crash…it would freeze or act weirdly…

if it would be the card reader, or ur card, u would hear longer static files simply stuck in weird ways…

if u can’t check urself, let somebody else measure that powersupply first…
don’t think ur ot needs service…it just fails because of incorrect/unstable power support…

denisp · 2022-07-24T11:36:12.425Z

thanks reeloy, I tested that and used other Elektron PSUs but no effect on the crashes.

reeloy · 2022-07-24T11:39:47.122Z

…ot has it’s dedicated power supply…don’t interchange various elektron pu’s, even if they look the same…and be careful, some, like the a4’s give out more voltage/ampere ratio and coul really kill ur ot’s voltage input socket…

really sounds like unstable and not enough power symtoms…while too much can really damage…

while if u experience same symptoms while trying one of the digi pu’s, that would also hinto to ot’s pu is off, since they don’t provide enough power/ampere ratio for the ot…
keep in mind, ot is the actual oldest machine concept out there…

denisp · 2022-07-24T11:57:21.260Z

thanks, A4 PSUs are exactly the same : 12V/2A, also I tried 2 different Octatrack PSUs.
I might have mixed Digitakt and Octatrack PSUs, but even though Digitakt consumes less current, the PSUs are the same (12V/2A). I also have tried other brand PSUs with correct voltage and enough amperes. Just keeps crashing.
Also I may recall here basic electricity things about PSUs :

not enough PSU amperes or not enough PSU volts -> dysfunction but no permanent damage on the device, might burn the PSU
too much PSU amps -> it doesn’t matter
too much PSU volts -> might damage the device permanently.
I clearly wasn’t in any of uncorrect cases.

dktr · 2022-07-24T13:25:23.580Z

Sorry if I missed this in the discussion, but have you tried removing the CF card and booting in demo mode to see if it’s stable when run that way? I don’t remember the exact buttons to press to boot to demo mode but it’s described in the manual or quick start guide.

Supercolor_T-120 · 2022-07-24T13:38:46.911Z

It was worth a try - even though it was a long shot it’s also easy to do.

Both times this happened at outdoor shows, I wonder if it’s an issue with bad mains wiring by the show runners. I’ve had equipment damaged more than once that way, the worst time in a pretty well known, established venue that had been around for decades.

reeloy · 2022-07-24T14:43:09.436Z

…so u ruled out power consumption issue…heat issue…cv card issue, corrupted project issue and ran test mode…well, then, u need a ticket…contact elektron…
but no worries, whatever it might be, they’ll fix it…and won’t charge too much if ur unit might be out of warranty…

denisp · 2022-07-24T14:44:36.762Z

demo mode has crashed after about 10min. last hope is gone.

reeloy · 2022-07-24T14:48:03.770Z

…demo mode and test mode might be not the same…check for the test mode shortcut in the manual…

and u might wanna elaborate again, what u exactly mean by crashing…

mayyybee u did experience a corrupted project file, which indeed occurs rarely…

denisp · 2022-07-24T15:55:36.796Z

test mode shows OK everywhere, like shown in manual chapter 18.1.
about what I mean by crashing, see 3rd message of this topic : screen off, sound off, LEDs dim orange ; power off, wait 5 seconds, power on, restarts the machine until it crashes the same way a moment later with no apparent reason. Power off/on without 5s wait gives the same crashed state directely again.
corrupt project file : no, it happens on different projects, I also saved projects as new and nothing changes.