Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
By szr Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:49 pm
Anyone come across the following errors?

My multi/AKM lockups are same as documented here:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=138571

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Basically when I try to load multis, the progressbar just sits at zero, not a HD problem, as it loads all other files perfectly..
Also not a mpc format conversion glitch, as I did a basic test with a fresh multi and two samples, no go.

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Unit locks up when doing a memory clear... removed the ram.. no difference.. Tried os 1.60 .. same prob.

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Selecting fx from the listbox either causes a lockup, or the selected effect is not activated/selected after selecting!

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Also gets stuck at loading screen upon booting if I change the global samplerate.
Works again after a few tries.
By szr Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:38 pm
Got the 4K working as good as perfectly recently, no more lockups!
I'll document what I did, as it may help others.

(European MPC FWIW...)

Blew lots of Styrofoam bits and some metal particles with compressed air from the inside of the 4K

LCD stripes (this was another problem) where fixed by taking an eraser to the contacts on the end of the LCD cable.

Next thing was to clean a sticky coffee/nicotine residue off the mainboard with oil and a toothbrush.

Then I reseated the FX card... it's a b*tch to get to.

Then I reseated the LCD cable while the unit was running...as it wouldn't boot after trying to run it without the fx card.. which fried the inverter :oops: ... got a replacement from mouser for 20$.. installed a few days ago, all running beautifully since then. Memory clears fine, multis load again. :)
By labcoats Fri Mar 09, 2012 8:22 pm
Yeah, good ol fashioned DIY as Lampdog says.

As Feline says on the other thread its a bit of a mystery that one. I once had this problem with a Roland S750. Samples, partials, and patches would load up, but not performances or Volumes. It turned out it was in fact a corrupted Zip disk, except the corruption was really specific to two types of files.

Is there any way you can download a multi, load it on to a USB thiny and see if it works. You never know there could just be an issue like I had with the s750. But I dont think so, so why did I post this :mrgreen:

When you connect to Aksys I take it everything seems fine there?

Edit:
Whooaa, I just realised something. Im pretty sure i got this when I picked up this MPC4k a couple of months ago (UK Model). When I got it home I plugged it in and proceeded to try and load up any sound from the hard drive. It was a real mess, bits of files everywhere but I thought I would check out some of the instruments which were in Multis to see if any were worth keeping. IM certain I got the same thing with the progress bar hanging. I decided instantly I couldnt be bothered trying to wade through all those sounds as I had every intention of building my own personal library (which Ive been working on) anyway. I just never gave that hanging bar any thought. I presumed it was just a huge file until I read what you have said. Maybe it is a corruption specific to to Multis??
By szr Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:33 pm
It's not corruption specific to multis, In my case it was nothing to do with corrupt files.
All the multis that caused lockups when trying to load them... load perfectly now!

The thing that seemed to really fix it was reseating the FX board... everything was intermittently working before then.... but cleaning the residue/dirt out seemed to make it hang less often, that was a while before I even went near the FX unit.
Last edited by szr on Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Lampdog Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:18 pm
At least twice a year, certain electronics in my crib, I'll break apart and thoroughly clean. I have a pioneer theater receiver from 1995 in my living room, runs strong as the day I bought it. I keep it clean inside and out, never had a problem with it.

Now what about that coffee/nicotine build up on your mobo, how did that get there? Did you buy it from someone or was that your doing?
By szr Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:53 pm
I love working on old hifi gear like that too... alot of it is nice and serviceable... unlike newer stuff. I fixed a separates sony CD player recently.. only needed one screw removed to get at everything... beautiful engineering.

Re 4K: Bought it like that, got it cheap cos of the problems... anyway the residue is still there, just not quite as noticeable... there are splash drops of the same cr*p on the inside of the case which I tried to get off with various cleaning substances.. but wouldn't come off.... It was not something that leaked in from the top either, as the part of the motherboard where it's at has no openings above it... so looks like the previous owner spilled something right into it while fiddling around in there... maybe while he was making the custom HD/CD burner brackets... which is where the metal particles/filings came from that I had to clean out :shock:
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By charlieocali Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:54 am
Lampdog wrote:At least twice a year, certain electronics in my crib, I'll break apart and thoroughly clean. I have a pioneer theater receiver from 1995 in my living room, runs strong as the day I bought it. I keep it clean inside and out, never had a problem with it.

Now what about that coffee/nicotine build up on your mobo, how did that get there? Did you buy it from someone or was that your doing?



Today I decided to get me MPC4000 working 100%.

Symptoms:

1. Not connecting over USB to aksys
2. Won't hold the date in the global settings
3. Cannot change sample rate (restarts at 44.1 everytime)
4. No sound every one and a while, had to bang on the bottom to get it going

Cure:

1. Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol
2. Can of air, (duster)
3. Deoxit Gold

I cleaned the PCB boards with Alcohol. Did not wipe them, just rinsed them with the alcohol. I sprayed all the connectors with Deoxit, inside and out, and I blew the machine out with air to get rid of dust and debris.

The machine is 100% functional now, no problems. Not to mention it loads faster, connects to aksys, no issues.



Peace.
By adrian Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:59 am
Powered up my MPC for the first time in a couple of years and ran into the AKM. problem too. There is some strange issue with those AKM. files. Glad this forum is still around.
By adrian Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:09 pm
szr wrote:Well, you live in the US, a bunch of techs there who can look at it.
Otherwise, if you want to take the risk, try the various 'fixes' that worked with us.
You should never have not used it in years ;) These machies don't like that.



I have no problems finding a tech to work on my MPC. :wink:

I discovered another weird issue regarding the AKM. loading. As others have stated, the MPC will hang on the LOAD screen while attempting to load an AKM. file. My AUTOLOAD file will load with no problems, including the AKM. When I turn off AUTOLOAD and try to load the file manually, IT WILL NOT LOAD! Very weird.

I may not have used my MPC in a couple of years, but I did turn it on at least once a month just run it a bit.