oooookkkkk. Well, lets try it this way.

I would back up the system because it is basically a computer.
Computers break and fail, most of the time with little warning, and
usually at a most inopportune time.  Your system is no
different. I say you, assuming that you work for the Eventide
Company.

For you to tell me that there is no system backup essentially
would indicate a flaw in your support system and the necessary
availability of redundancy in my opinion. Additionally that is an interesting
statement since it states in your manual the following:

Page
51 last line in the paragraph addresses backup: We also recommend
making a backup of your setups with the new software version, to
either a memory card or via a sysex dump. (You have stated elsewhere
that there is no Eventide provided utility for a sysex dump and that
requires an after market sequencer)

Page 53 in the manual addresses the ?Dump? process and states
the following in the Warning section: If
you do a ?backup? in this way, especially to a computer, it would
be a good idea to do it twice, to two separate files, and then to
compare the size of the files. (this would indicate that you too are
paranoid when saving settings and feel the need to use good computer
science practices in order to create redundancy)

On
the same page the next section addresses bulk copying programs and
backup it states: The
Bulk Copy function makes it easy, for example, to backup
internal presets to a card. (to me internal would indicate settings
from the factory, correct? Or maybe it also refers to the first 100
spaces of memory allocated to the user not sure.)

So the next question is
loading, saving and deleting as necessary or as may be deemed prudent
at any given time, programs, tweaks, adjustments, presets or how
ever you would prefer to term them, either to the memory card or to
the internal memory. These need to be available in a redundant manner
which would require a backup of said items or the complete system.

If you are out on the road using this box and it fails, for
whatever reason, since you state there is no provided system backup
or means of reinstalling it with the factory presets, what exactly do
you do? No doubt you will notice that redundancy for the most part is
provided according to your web page and manual which indicate that
you provide for reinstalls of the OS and backup via a Compact Flash
Card. This of course assumes that some gorilla hasn't taken a sledge
hammer to the unit or the flying monkeys have not shorted something
out and released the smoke.

What about the problems relating to taking the programs that are
on you web site under the Eclipse section and loading them. I so far
have had no success with this. You did clarify items that I may have
over looked in the manual such as the necessity of the program being
in the PRG folder. I will try again and make sure that I address
those items. If that is the case, then either I missed it or it was
not stated.

I will also tell you that I have not been able to use the memory
card to update the OS as you state I should be able to do on the
support part of the web site. It runs forever, like hours, and does
nothing.

If you are not getting the specific answers you want, perhaps you
should consider rephrasing the question. I have no intent of arguing
with you. There are enough problems
elsewhere. I am working my way through this pretty much the same way
I would expect anyone else that buys your system and is not familiar
with it will. At least I assume that, but guess there is always the
possibility that I'm not as smart as others and am incapable
learning. I'm not trying to start an argument here, that is the
furthermost thing from my mind. I am trying to be sure I know what
the problem is I seem to be having and how to fix it. Consider it to
be a learning curve that can benefit others as well as you and your
company, assuming that you work for the manufacturer, by working
through it and providing accurate documentation for future users
etc..

I'm not really sure how else to define ?settings? that I have
not already used. That seems to be part of the confusion on your end.
But if there is no means of backup, then I really don't understand
your confusion with that term since it can only refer to the programs
that are available in one of the three sections of the memory the way
you have it laid out or the actual OS itself.

First 100 user internal

100 to 499 Eventide stuff

500 to 999 memory card stuff.

I don't know how else to term it.

I am trying to back up the settings that exist on the machine as
it is installed by your operating system in order to understand
exactly and be comfortable with saving and restoring these settings
as you have them initially configured in your system. It would appear
that this can be done via a system reinstall but it would be
necessary to set the entire system up again including the programs
post install. Thus the desire for s system state backup. 

As far as sharing programs, settings, tweaks or how ever you would
prefer to term them, it would be nice to work through this a few
times BEFORE I would have to depend on it at a remote setting just to
be sure how robust the process is and that I am doing the correct
thing. I'm sure it is simple and that I just missed some small item.

I am going to step through the methods that you stated previously
in message stamped (Fri, Jan 18 2008 2:17 AM) and see if the PRG
folder is what I missed in order to confirm that either this card, a
Sandisk 2.0GB SDCFJ is not working correctly, (in spite of the fact
that the Eclipse seems to interfacing with it properly and it works
on my computers) or that I am doing something that you never
allowed for.

You state ? Eventide does not
support loading presets on a card from external locations.? OK but
they came from your web site under the support section for the
Eclipse. I would think that would not be what you would consider an
external location but I could be wrong. That was the point of putting
them under the support page in the first place correct?

You also state in the same paragraph
?You do this at your own risk.? BINGO! Thus the desire to have
the system state back up so I can recover if I screw up. That is just
basic computer science 101.

I understand better after your message
the way the programs are stored and the format as well as the fact
that they apparently must be in a PRG folder. I did not do that
before and that could well be part of the problem if not all of it.
This may be stated in the manual somewhere and I just missed it. If that
is the case I am sorry to have asked the question.

You state the following. ?When
downloading an Eclipse patch from the web, just move the downloaded
file into the open CFC reader folder, then take out the card, insert
it into Eclipse and load/save the patch.? The problem would be that
it is not seeing any of the programs. the statement you made earlier
concerning the PRG may very well be the cause. I'll look.

You state ?Also, your card may well
not be compatible, or you may have some corrupted datas.?

The card seems to work fine on the
reader I have on both my desktop and laptop. The ?backup? that I
have attempted seems to work fine for a good number of the files, but
when it gets to the end of the list, it fails. And it is incredibly
slow. Like a few hours worth. The Copy of program spaces 100 to 499 was what I was
attempting in order to actually understand what was there. Since I
started this document in response, hopefully with the answers you
don't seem to have, I started a ?Copy? of the onboard programs
100 to 200, to the memory card that is in question. It has barely
moved and as you can tell, this has taken a bit of time to put
together. It can't possibly be this slow normally can it?

After this, I will take a look at using
the PRG folder and loading a single file to see if I have success
with that.

So I am trying my best to give you the
answers you want. I have tried to explain what I think you need in
order to guide this process. If not, please restate your questions
and I will do my best to accommodate. What did I miss?

Thanks,