Safety and Recovery
Read this page before flashing. Keep the recovery files and equipment available whenever you install a modified OS.
Recovery Requirements
A failed flash can leave the installed OS unable to boot until stock OS is reinstalled. Recovery requires a working Startup Menu, a DIN MIDI interface, and a copy of the stock OS. The Startup Menu is separate from the operating system, but this procedure cannot recover a unit whose Startup Menu or MIDI input is unavailable.
octabam is community maintained and is not supported by Elektron. Flashing modified firmware carries a risk of data loss or a unit that cannot boot. The recovery procedure depends on a working Startup Menu and MIDI input; it cannot repair a unit whose Startup Menu or MIDI input is unavailable.
Reinstall Stock OS over MIDI
The Startup Menu is separate from the operating system and provides a way to reinstall stock if the modified OS will not boot. Recovery requires a working Startup Menu, a DIN MIDI interface, and a copy of the stock OS:
- Power off. Hold FUNC and power on → STARTUP MENU.
- TRIG 3 → MIDI UPGRADE → "READY TO RECEIVE MIDI UPGRADE".
- Send
downloads/extracted/OCTATRACK_OS1.40C.syx(created bymake os) over DIN MIDI with a SysEx app, or run:
make midi-flash PORT=<port> SYX=downloads/extracted/OCTATRACK_OS1.40C.syx
If the unit boots far enough to enter USB DISK MODE, you can also install stock OS from the CF card. The Octatrack USB port cannot send an OS upgrade.
TRIG 2 → EMPTY RESET clears battery-backed RAM and settings, not the card.
Resolve a saved-data File Warning
If a project file for FX page 2 parameter locks, Kits or MIDI scenes is unreadable or incompatible, a message names the affected data and file. This can happen with damaged or incomplete files as well as older formats. An ordinary stock project without these extra files does not need them.
Press NO to dismiss the message and keep the original file protected, or YES to see the options. Turn LEVEL to choose, then press YES:
| Choice | What happens |
|---|---|
| KEEP FILE / SKIP SAVED DATA | Leaves the original file untouched. Its saved data is unavailable for this session. |
| START FRESH / REPLACE FILE | Continues without the old saved data. The next save replaces the file. For Kits, the project's stock Parts become the starting Kits. |
| BACKUP FILE THEN START FRESH | Starts fresh, but the next save first copies the original to a .bak file. |
These choices do not upgrade or recover the old contents. Keep the file if you want to investigate or recover its data later. Pressing NO from the choices also leaves it protected until the next project load.
Common Questions
Is this official Elektron firmware? No. Nothing here is endorsed by, supported by, or affiliated with Elektron.
Does flashing touch my card or projects?
No. An OS upgrade does not touch the CF card. Two exceptions: a remix
carrying KITS writes kits.work into each project it loads (a stock OS
ignores the file), and BRAIN writes its card.work / card.strd.
MKI or MKII? Both run the same OS 1.40C file, and both can flash an octabam image. octabam's own effects have only been tested on an MKII.
Has an official remix run on a unit? The current official remixes have passed port checks; those checks do not prove hardware behaviour. The delay and reverb bus without the core modules (bottleservice) has run on Sam's MKII. See each remix page for current hardware status.
Why can I not download a built image?
A built .bin or .syx contains Elektron's OS. Distributing it would
distribute their software, so you build it yourself from your own copy.
Where are hardware failures recorded? The failure register records observed failures, causes and fixes. It cannot guarantee that a particular unit or flash attempt will recover.