Fast answer

Do not reset first. Back up your data and choose only after reading the OS 1.51 boundaries: Empty Reset clears patterns and Sounds while preserving the +Drive; Factory Reset overwrites the active RAM project, +Drive slot 1 and Sound bank A.

Fastest check and exact settings

  1. Confirm this is an original Digitakt running the relevant OS scope.
  2. Back up the data that matters before selecting any reset.
  3. Read the Empty Reset and Factory Reset warnings in the OS 1.51 manual.
  4. Choose the least destructive documented action only when it fits the problem.

Diagnose it

Do you need to retain patterns, Sounds or +Drive content?

Yes: Back up before any reset and avoid Factory Reset unless its documented boundary is acceptable.

No: Still read the reset warning; the two reset types affect different data.

How to test

You make an informed reset choice without treating data loss as a troubleshooting surprise.

Why this happens

Elektron documents different data-loss boundaries for Empty Reset and Factory Reset.

If it still doesn’t work

Recheck the physical MIDI direction and the exact source device setting. If this behavior differs on your hardware, keep the model/revision and setup details for a correction report.

All Digitakt (original) fixes
Provenance

Sources & review

Last desk review: . Documentation does not replace a physical hardware test.

Sections reviewed: User Manual OS 1.51, Empty Reset and Factory Reset.