MPC500 freezing/popping glitch

Alright, my new CF card arrived, and it didn't solve the problem. But I needed more space anyway, so it's all good.

I THINK my samples are in mono already. They're individual WAV files. I'm using MPC Maid to edit the PGMs, and the pan settings are all set to 50...
Is there any way to INSURE my samples are in mono? Are they already?

Use the same samples but try creating the program on the 500 from scratch and see if you have the same problem. Maybe it was the MPC Maid in the library with a candlestick.

Did you at least took it apart and checked the CF reader's pin? If it was used, then I suspect someone rammed a CF card with excessive force and bent a pin. When a bent pin is contacting with another pin then your MPC will freeze and glitch.

BTW, it has nothing to do with panning. If you don't know what you sampled then you'll never know because only during sampling is when you can put it stereo or mono, not during playback. Either the internal RAM needs reinitializing or that 128 RAM is corrupted. Or the pins. Read the manual, its good stuff.

I looked at the CF pins from the outside and they looked to be in order... I'm trying to take it apart to get a closer look, but there's nothing about how to do it in the manual. There are a couple really hard-to-get-to screws under some of the buttons.

I don't think the issue's the RAM. I actually removed entirely, and it didn't solve the problem. In fact, the MPC doesn't seem to function any differently without it. Right now I'm trying to get a better look at the pins.
Okay, so the buttons come off, but this is only getting more and more intimidating as I'm proceeding.

The pins, from the outside at least, LOOK like they're all in line. Before I proceed any further, would a bent/touching pin be noticeable before complete disassembly?

Also, any advise on how to get to the CF card reader/pins should I need to? I've got the cover off, and removed the screws holding down the pads, buttons, and fader sections. But I can't seem to get the board under it up. Absolutely any advise would be hugely appreciated: I'm very new to this sort of thing, and the whole thing's pretty intimidating, and the service manual diagram is only getting me so far.

The CF card only comes into play when saving or loading. What you described is what happens when you hit the polyphony limit. Using effects will make the 500 hit that limit sooner. Try turning off the effects including any master effects. A sample set to poly that is hit a bunch of times will also get the machine to its limit. Before you go too far into disassembly, check these things out and also make sure mpc maid isn't writing a bad program. Anyway, good luck. I hope you find a solution. If you're still under warranty. Don't discount calling akai.