everytime i try to do a pattern copy i get stuck on the last step. . .i cant reload the backup, instead of the screen saying (lod) it says (prt) . . .any help???

It's protected (memo on page 37 and instructions on page 38).

Also, every time you do a back-up, your SP-404 global system settings are saved.

So you will want to unprotect the A/B banks first. Then back-up your pattern again, before doing the flying lotus copy trick.

If you don't back-up while the banks are unprotected, you will have to 'unprotect' the banks after each restore of a pattern or sample. Which obviously is a disaster because you need to switch your machine on and off, to be able to restore /copy more patterns or samples.

I'm having a real pattern copy issue....

like every third time I try to load a backup-pattern the LOD process stopps --> ERR accures and the files on bank and a+b are in a state like they were hours ago... some samples are missing, mark points ain't there...

if you have that problem too... don't worry.... just turn off/on the machine twice and everything is cool again... it kinda sucks though, that's why I do my pattern copy stuff with the computer....


might be card related but i think i'm getting this with every card I have...

That's some weird ass ish. You need to switch the SP off twice? Sounds like a bug of some sort, or perhaps it can't properly read the cards indeed.

first time i switch it on: ERR and the internal banks are weirdly messed up
second time everything is fine....
scared the shit out of me the first times, now i'm used to the routine...
maybe my patterns are too hot and the 404 needs to cool down for a bit.

Did some more thinking, but I think it's unlikely to be related to the cards actually.

Among the first things on boot up the 404 will try to initialize the internal memory first and than the compact flash card if inserted though.

To bad you can't back-up / restore on the internal memory only, so you can test if it's unrelated to flash cards.

But I think in a worst-case scenario the internal memory of your 404 might be dying on you.