> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.sbtinstruments.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.sbtinstruments.com/troubleshooting/error-codes.md).

# Error codes

Look up the code on your BactoBox® screen and follow the steps.

Find your code in the table. Use the column for where the error appeared, during a sample or during a QC test. Follow the steps in order, and stop as soon as the error is gone. If the last step does not fix it, [contact support](/troubleshooting/contact-support.md).

Two steps come up often.

* **Clean and try again.** Run [Clean](/more/how-to-guides/clean-your-setup.md) with a fresh SBT [disinfection vial](/item-register/consumables/disinfection-vial.md), even if your current one has uses left. Then measure a new sample vial, or run the QC test again with a fresh SBT QC vial and a fresh SBT ready-made dilution vial.
* **Restart.** Switch BactoBox® off and on with the rocker switch. Wait for the *Home* screen, then try again with fresh vials.

{% hint style="info" %}

### When a step says *Run a QC test*

Run it with SBT consumables only, so the result tells you about your BactoBox®. The result decides what comes next. If the QC test passes, your BactoBox® works and the cause is in the sample. See [Sample gives an error](/troubleshooting/sample-gives-an-error.md). If it fails, follow the QC test column for the code it shows.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}

### Use fresh vials at room temperature

Alcohol left inside BactoBox® after Clean can lower the conductivity, so a vial you have already measured may read too low. Warm or cold liquid also changes the conductivity. Try again with a fresh vial, and make sure your dilution liquid, QC vial and dilution vial are at room temperature.
{% endhint %}

## Codes

| Code | Message                                              | During a sample                                                                                                                                                                                                 | During a QC test                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| ---- | ---------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 1000 | Electrical signal is too low                         | Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                                                                      | [Remove and reinsert the flow cell](/getting-started/installation/install-flow-cell.md), then clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md) |
| 1001 | Electrical signal is too high                        | Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                                                                      | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 1101 | Electrical noise is too high                         | Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                                                                      | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 1111 | Electrical noise is too high                         | Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                                                                      | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 1121 | Electrical noise is too high                         | Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                                                                      | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 1131 | Electrical noise is too high                         | Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                                                                      | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 1200 | Conductivity is too low…                             | Clean and try again → Check that you use SBT dilution liquid at room temperature → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                         | Check that the QC vial and dilution vial are at room temperature → Clean and try again → [Check liquid uptake](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-liquid-uptake.md)                            |
| 1201 | Conductivity is too high…                            | Check that your dilution liquid is at room temperature, not warm → Dilute more, for example 1:1 000, to see if the growth medium raises the conductivity → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md) | Check that the QC vial and dilution vial are at room temperature → Restart                                                                                                                       |
| 1202 | Conductivity was not stable…                         | Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                                                                      | Check that the QC vial and dilution vial are at room temperature → Clean and try again → Restart                                                                                                 |
| 1203 | Conductivity sensor is malfunctioning                | Clean and try again → Restart                                                                                                                                                                                   | Clean and try again → Restart                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 1204 | Could not read from conductivity sensor              | Clean and try again → Restart                                                                                                                                                                                   | Clean and try again → Restart                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 1205 | Conductivity is way too high…                        | Check that your dilution liquid is at room temperature, not warm → Dilute more, for example 1:1 000, to see if the growth medium raises the conductivity → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md) | Check that the QC vial and dilution vial are at room temperature → Restart                                                                                                                       |
| 1206 | Conductivity is way too low…                         | Clean and try again → Check that you use SBT dilution liquid at room temperature → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                         | Check that the QC vial and dilution vial are at room temperature → Clean and try again → [Check liquid uptake](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-liquid-uptake.md)                            |
| 1207 | Cleaning liquid conductivity is too high…            | Appears during *Clean*. Clean again with a fresh SBT [disinfection vial](/item-register/consumables/disinfection-vial.md) at room temperature.                                                                  | Appears during *Clean*. Clean again with a fresh SBT [disinfection vial](/item-register/consumables/disinfection-vial.md) at room temperature.                                                   |
| 2000 | Detected events are too fast                         | If your sample holds many particles, dilute it more. Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                 | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 2001 | Detected events are too slow                         | If your sample holds many particles, dilute it more. Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                 | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 2004 | Liquid moves slower than expected                    | If your sample holds many particles, dilute it more. Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                 | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 2006 | Flow did not stabilize in time                       | If your sample holds many particles, dilute it more. Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                 | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 2010 | Velocity differs between detection sites             | If your sample holds many particles, dilute it more. Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                 | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 2020 | Concentration differs between detection sites        | If your sample holds many particles, dilute it more. Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                 | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 2030 | Flow cell may be clogged                             | If your sample holds many particles, dilute it more. Clean and try again → [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md)                                                                                 | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 2103 | QC test required                                     | Appears when you press *Measure* on a new flow cell. [Run a QC test](/maintenance/qc-test/run-qc-test.md).                                                                                                      | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 3000 | Particle concentration is too high…                  | Dilute more. Clean and try again. See [Hit the right concentration](/more/how-to-guides/hit-the-right-concentration.md).                                                                                        | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 4001 | No objects detected                                  | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Restart → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                                           |
| 4010 | …total cells/mL is outside the allowed range…        | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Clean and try again → [Check your consumables](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-your-consumables.md)                                                                                         |
| 4011 | …particles/mL is outside the allowed range…          | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Clean and try again → [Check your consumables](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-your-consumables.md)                                                                                         |
| 4012 | Detected object velocities are outside normal limits | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 4013 | HF phase is not within…                              | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                                  | [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                                                     |
| 4014 | HF amplitude is not within…                          | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                                  | [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                                                     |
| 4020 | QC test failed…                                      | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Clean and try again → [Check the flow cell](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-the-flow-cell.md)                                                                                               |
| 5010 | …total cells/mL is outside the allowed range…        | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Clean and try again → [Check your consumables](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-your-consumables.md)                                                                                         |
| 5011 | …particles/mL is outside the allowed range…          | Does not occur                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Clean and try again → [Check your consumables](/troubleshooting/qc-test-fails/check-your-consumables.md)                                                                                         |
| 8100 | Measurement did not compute final data in time       | Restart → [Update BactoBox® software](/more/software/update-bactobox-r-software.md)                                                                                                                             | Restart → [Update BactoBox® software](/more/software/update-bactobox-r-software.md)                                                                                                              |
| 9969 | The electronics may be damaged                       | Restart → [Update BactoBox® software](/more/software/update-bactobox-r-software.md)                                                                                                                             | Restart → [Update BactoBox® software](/more/software/update-bactobox-r-software.md)                                                                                                              |
| 9970 | Could not read reference file                        | Restart → [Update BactoBox® software](/more/software/update-bactobox-r-software.md)                                                                                                                             | Restart → [Update BactoBox® software](/more/software/update-bactobox-r-software.md)                                                                                                              |

In a QC test, codes 4001 to 4020 come from the QC vial. Codes 5010 and 5011 come from the blank, the plain dilution vial measured at the end.

The wording of a message can differ between software versions. The code stays the same. Code not listed? [Contact support](/troubleshooting/contact-support.md).

## Messages without a code

| Message                                                                      | Go to                                                                                                         |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Program could not run to completion                                          | [Program could not run to completion](/troubleshooting/other-problems/program-could-not-run-to-completion.md) |
| Flow cell invalid, flow cell obsolete, flow cell depleted, flow cell removed | [Flow cell does not work](/troubleshooting/other-problems/flow-cell-does-not-work.md)                         |
| Update failed                                                                | [Software update failed](/troubleshooting/other-problems/software-update-failed.md)                           |
| This site can't be reached                                                   | [Cannot connect to Access](/troubleshooting/other-problems/cannot-connect-to-access.md)                       |
| Initializing, Stopping                                                       | [Stuck at spinner](/troubleshooting/other-problems/stuck-at-spinner.md)                                       |

For other problems without a message, see [Other problems](/troubleshooting/other-problems.md).


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