<p>Even if the issue disappeared alone, it seems that the disk initialization failed from time to time.</p>
<p>For more detail: we have to remember that during startup and after sleep/hibernate of the acquisition program, it has to interrogate and negotiate with the microSD card the type,capabilities etc of the disk. This is independent of filesystem type. There are timeouts involved and it can happen, depending on the quality of the disk and its internal status (every miscroSD card has its own microconroller) that this initialization fails and acquisition fails to store data or even crashes.
Error handling of such situations is not easy and may not be implemented sufficiently.</p>
<p>If the system has been used for long time, it may be worthwhile to ensure clean contacts (remove/replace microSD card a couple of times, but not too often)
Changing the the microSD card helps also sometimes.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-30T19:14:24.460Z
I did try with a few different cards, so I think I did the remove/replace as you suggest.  Interesting about the microSD having its own microcontroller.  I can report that when a cycle is skipped, the time logged for the next cycle is correct.
Catherine
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-01T06:57:44.100Z
IIRC, the Soundtrap generates also a log file, indicating all detailed internal activities. Not sure if you have them available.
WMXZ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-25T05:44:13.140Z
2024-09-25T05:44:13.140Z
WMXZ
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/wifzc3xY.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/wifzc3xY.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a>I am bench testing. I am using Host version 4.0.20, and I'm running a programmed start. The ST600 is open, so I can watch when the lights come on to indicate it is recording.  I'm getting a flaky result - sometimes the ST records for the first cycle, and then no subsequent cycles, sometimes it  doesn't record for the first cycle, sometimes it is a combination of several cycles in a row recording, then several not.  When I retrieve the data - the cycles with recordings follow what I saw with the lights.  Does anyone have any idea of what to try?  It is not that it isn't being recorded on the sd card - it is not waking up at all to record. I need to deploy this in the field tomorrow, which I won't do if I can't figure this out.</p>
<p>Additional information:  This same behavior is happening with host version 4.0.16.28177, 4.0.20.24454, and 4.0.23.22423.  It is happening whether I have 1 SD card in or 2 SD cards.  Whether I have them in slots 3&amp;4 or 1&amp;2.  I program the unit, hit 'deploy', then disconnect the usb cable; I then leave the unit outside of its case and watch the lights turning on (red then green) to know it is recording.  I let it run through 3 to 10 cycles then I reconnect it to the computer and use the host program to retrieve the files. I have 6 units and 2 of them are behaving this way, while the other 4 are behaving as I would expect.  The two that are skipping cycles were just out for a year deployment each with no issues, and they tested normally last year.  Batteries are all fully charged (window will not expand to show that Status sidebar more than is shown in the figure).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-23T16:52:16.793Z
I would suggest, to provide some screen-shots of your setup and describe exactly what you are doing, so that someone with a ST600 can reproduce what you experience. Small details matter. have you PC always connected (you say bench testing)? do you other thing with PC? or, if you let PC alone, does it go to sleep.Are batteries new? etc.etc
WMXZ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-24T13:48:21.573Z
I assume, you are reformatting always before deploying the configuration?
WMXZ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-24T22:05:34.057Z
Yes, I am reformatting always.   I managed to get both units to behave again, so they are redeployed, we will see next year how they did.
Catherine
<st600><skipping>
Why is my Soundtrap ST600 skipping cycles?
# Why is my Soundtrap ST600 skipping cycles?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-09-23)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/wifzc3xY.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/wifzc3xY.png)I am bench testing. I am using Host version 4.0.20, and I'm running a programmed start. The ST600 is open, so I can watch when the lights come on to indicate it is recording. I'm getting a flaky result - sometimes the ST records for the first cycle, and then no subsequent cycles, sometimes it doesn't record for the first cycle, sometimes it is a combination of several cycles in a row recording, then several not. When I retrieve the data - the cycles with recordings follow what I saw with the lights. Does anyone have any idea of what to try? It is not that it isn't being recorded on the sd card - it is not waking up at all to record. I need to deploy this in the field tomorrow, which I won't do if I can't figure this out.

Additional information: This same behavior is happening with host version 4.0.16.28177, 4.0.20.24454, and 4.0.23.22423. It is happening whether I have 1 SD card in or 2 SD cards. Whether I have them in slots 3&4 or 1&2. I program the unit, hit 'deploy', then disconnect the usb cable; I then leave the unit outside of its case and watch the lights turning on (red then green) to know it is recording. I let it run through 3 to 10 cycles then I reconnect it to the computer and use the host program to retrieve the files. I have 6 units and 2 of them are behaving this way, while the other 4 are behaving as I would expect. The two that are skipping cycles were just out for a year deployment each with no issues, and they tested normally last year. Batteries are all fully charged (window will not expand to show that Status sidebar more than is shown in the figure).

**Tags:** st600, skipping

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I would suggest, to provide some screen-shots of your setup and describe exactly what you are doing, so that someone with a ST600 can reproduce what you experience. Small details matter. have you PC always connected (you say bench testing)? do you other thing with PC? or, if you let PC alone, does it go to sleep.Are batteries new? etc.etc  
> **username_1**: I assume, you are reformatting always before deploying the configuration?  
> **username_0**: Yes, I am reformatting always.   I managed to get both units to behave again, so they are redeployed, we will see next year how they did.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-09-25. Score: 0

Even if the issue disappeared alone, it seems that the disk initialization failed from time to time.

For more detail: we have to remember that during startup and after sleep/hibernate of the acquisition program, it has to interrogate and negotiate with the microSD card the type,capabilities etc of the disk. This is independent of filesystem type. There are timeouts involved and it can happen, depending on the quality of the disk and its internal status (every miscroSD card has its own microconroller) that this initialization fails and acquisition fails to store data or even crashes.
Error handling of such situations is not easy and may not be implemented sufficiently.

If the system has been used for long time, it may be worthwhile to ensure clean contacts (remove/replace microSD card a couple of times, but not too often)
Changing the the microSD card helps also sometimes.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I did try with a few different cards, so I think I did the remove/replace as you suggest.  Interesting about the microSD having its own microcontroller.  I can report that when a cycle is skipped, the time logged for the next cycle is correct.  
> **username_1**: IIRC, the Soundtrap generates also a log file, indicating all detailed internal activities. Not sure if you have them available.  

---

