Backing up my card

Copy all of the contents to a computer from the card.
Copy all the contents from the computer to another FX formatted card.

You now have an exact duplicate.

Or, to save a step, just keep the backup on the computer.

Carl
Fantom X-7, RD-300s

So you have a SM and a CF card, correct? First question I have is, are you sure you have both PC card to Smart Media adaptor and a PC card to Compact Flash adaptor? If so, then first put the Fantom in USB mode with the SM card, copy the stuff to computer, exit USB mode, change to CF card, put it in the USB mode and copy the data to CF card.

More on USB mode:
http://fantomized.info/docs/faq/Fantomized-FAQ.html#entry6.1

Carl, I thought it would be that easy. I can copy the files over and they are all there, but the FX won't read the card as an exact duplicate. Especially, though, it won't show my live play entries.

Art, I think this is the info I was looking for as I hadn't tried usb mode. And yes, I specifically used a CF card adapter and a SM card adapter, just in case it was the adapter that got lost or damaged too. I could keep one with the FX and the other in a different location. I will try this in USB mode and report back. Thanks!!

Mike

Strange.
I copy from PC to CF all the time and never have a problem with the Fantom reading what is on the CF. I usually keep all of my sequence file on the computer and copy them to the CF when they are needed. Then I just pop the CF into the Fantom and all is right with the world.

A card copy feature would be a nice software upgrade. I seem to recall that my Ensoniq SQ-80 had a Disc Copy function and that was almost 20 years when it came out.

Carl
Fantom X-7, RD-300s

Carl, I think that it has less to do with being able to read what's on the card, which it does, but more about it not being an exact replacement card, which I can't understand. For instance... The live play mode in the FX is an absolute lifesaver for me. I can organize the entire 2 hour setlist in order, including loading appropriate samples, rps and songs and recall them just by pressing the next button. If something happened to my SM card I'd be royally screwed. So by putting in the 'exact copy' replacement CF card into the FX, you would expect everything to be exactly as the original card right?....but no. All the data is on the card but it is not organized. I have no live play entries and samples are not 'associated' with patches or performances. Is this something that you've not run into or it just hasn't applied to what you're doing?

I'm going to try Artemio's method and see if that's the cure.

I would think that if you have the live play pointing to songs on the CF, then if you replaced the CF with an exact duplicate, and the song was in the same place, it would still see it. I do use the live play mode, but have not tried that exact scenario. My set list changes each week, so I don't keep everything the same.
I'll give that a try though and see if it works.

Carl
Fantom X-7, RD-300s

Here is what I just did.
I got an empty CF card and formatted it in the Fantom.
Then I put in my CF card with my sequences on it and setup a couple of sequences in the live play mode. Then verified that the work properly.
I then copied all the data on that card into my computer (in my case, I just use the same adapter that goes into the Fantom and stick it in my laptop).
I removed that CF from the computer and insert the blank one and copied the data from the computer to the new CF card.
Then I took that CF card and insert into the Fantom and loaded the sequences like normal using the life play mode and everything worked fine.
I have not tried this with patches or performances saved on the card since I always save my performances as sequence file, even if there is no sequence data. I just find it easier to manage that way.

Of course, Art's way will also work, but I seldom use the USB connection for file transfer. I have found it is just as easy to use the CF card and adapter.

Carl
Fantom X-7, RD-300s

Carl and Artemio...thank you for all the help with this subject. Both methods have worked flawlessly. In the end, the only problem I was really having was that my newly purchased CF card was defective. That is probably one of the most frustrating situations. You truly expect a new piece of electronic equipment to perform perfectly, but not always the case. I finally went and bought another CF card and within minutes, everything transferred over, booted up the FX8 with the new card and there it was...an exact duplicate.

Thanks again for all the help.

Mike