"Lockdown" Error Code 38 data gathering.

Enough data has finally been gathered and a few conclusions can be made:

• The "Lockdown" Error Code : 38 is, in fact, caused by too many "slots" being taken up on a particular character.
  
• Both the Inventory (Equip, Use, Etc., Setup, Cash) and Link Skills can be implicated as taking up "slots".
  
• Freeing "slots," whether Inventory or Link Skill, can unlock a character.
  
• Link Skills are counted individually, meaning each addition of the Cygnus Knight stackable link skill counts as one "slot" e.g. if you had the Dawn Warrior and Wind Archer Link Skills stacked, it counts as two "slots".
  

Ideas or notions that need more evidence or refinement include:

• Items in the Cash Inventory slots may or may not count towards the limit. We are working on the premise that they do, however no empirical evidence exists that indicates whether it does or does not. This is a result of being unable to enter the Cash Shop. The earliest this may be tested is January 22, 2014 with an expiring item.
  
• There is some discrepancy in the data that either points to some things not occupying "slots" (like items in the Cash tab) or some things occupying multiple "slots".
  

Avenues of further study and questions unanswered, some requiring methodology to be developed to prevent permanent account lockdown:

• Do items in pouches, bags and the like take up "slots" individually or does the vessel count as one "slot"?
  
• Do equipped items count towards the overall limit of "slots"?
  
• Do the Monster Life, Medals or Familiar systems contribute to "LD" EC : 38?
  

Please continue for the actual data collected. This isn't my data nor are they my notes, I simply cleaned them up, omitted personal information, replaced shorthand with jargon that is used in this thread and formatted them for my brother.

 Spoiler

Attempts that are numbered indicate successful logins, those that are preceded with an "X" indicate situations where "LD" EC : 38 was induced. Each of the columns indicate the number of "slots" taken up. The last three are sums of those columns i.e. "Inventory Sum" is the sum of Equip through Cash, the following two columns add the last two as appropriate. A progression of thought and explanation follows the table, it's long-winded because he is just like that.

Attempt	Equip	Use	Etc.	Setup	Cash	LS	+ CK LS	Inventory Sum	+ LS	+ CK LS
1	95	81	44	61	26	0	0	307	307	307
2	93	80	34	46	25	12	2?	278	290	292
3	94	77	33	46	25	12	2?	278	290	292
4	94	81	36	47	25	12	2?	282	294	296
X5	94	81	36	47	25	12	2?	283	295	297
6	94	81	36	47	25	11	2?	283	294	296
X7	94	82	36	47	25	11	2?	284	295	297
8	94	82	36	47	25	11	1	284	295	296
9	94	81	36	47	25	12	1	283	295	296
10	94	78	36	47	25	12	2	280	292	294

Attempt 1: This is my inventory following "LD" EC : 38 unlocking, to my recollection, (which in hindsight, might be questioned) nothing was changed from the time of unlocking to the collection of this data.

Attempt 2: No "LD" EC : 38 expected, in an attempt to prevent lockdown, as much inventory space was cleared, however a large number of collectible Equips, Chairs and important scrolls were left intact. If I can't play the game how I want to play it, I might as well not play at all.

Attempt 3: Logging out for the day, I need a reference of my account in case something bad happens over the Server Check. No "LD" EC : 38 expected.

Attempt 4: I have omitted several sets of data from Attempt 3 to Attempt 4, do note that Attempts 3.X->3.Y were simply adding items to the inventory with Attempt 4 being the last successful login until Attempt X5.

Attempt X5: "LD" EC : 38 achieved. You may notice an increase in Etc. and Setup contrary to what I told you (adding to Use only), I am currently doing a few Events. I think this result definitively supports the idea that inventory is contributory to "LD" EC : 38, it also indicates Etc. and Setup are counted in our "slots" theory. At this point, I intend to test Link Skills, 282/294(+2?) is definitely the limit for this character though.

Attempt 6: The Mercedes Link Skill was removed and lo and behold, the account was once again accessible, I was quite nervous when entering the PIC, I though I might have made a huge mistake tempting fate. Note that the totals are now 283/294(+2?). Link Skills definitely contribute to "LD" EC : 38 and to take up at least one "slot". Why so vague? I considered that Link Skills might be special or even based on level, since my Mercedes Link Skill was Level 2 we might actually be sitting at 283/293(+2?). It will be tested next.

Attempt X7: "LD" EC : 38 again. One Use item was added and the error has returned, we can probably now say that Link Skills take up one "slot," definitively, the Mercedes Link Skill Level 2 takes up one "slot". I will address the "?" in the 282/294(+2?) limit next.

Attempt 8: I removed the Dawn Warrior Level 2 Link Skill and was able to log in to the character. This proves that Cygnus Knight or at least the Dawn Warrior Level 2 Link Skills each count separately and not as one. I wonder if other "containers" work like this too, in particular the Profession Bags and things similar to it. At this point, the limit to the character is determined to be 296 "slots". I'd bet like the old EC : 38 that this value will be "unique" to each character, it probably isn't but there are so many other variables we have not yet accounted for, that it appears "unique" per character.

Attempt 9: I removed one additional Use item and added the Hayato Link Skill to reinforce the idea of being able to rescue my character in the future if I get careless. I probably should have used the Level 2 Kaiser Link Skill for equality to the Mercedes Level 2 Link Skill, but I am fairly confident all Link Skills take up one "slot".

Attempt 10: Reestablishment of all old Link Skill and logging out for the night, another nightly data roundup, no conclusions to be drawn here. We got a bit of work done here, I hope it helps others.

I am too tired to look into it tonight, but could you see what happened from when I first logged in to when I found the limit. Initially, 307 "slots" taken was still able to log in to the account, now we are down to 296 as the limit. I don't know what it could be. Cash Shop? Link Skills counting twice (which was refuted)? I really hope this isn't a case of decaying "slots" that would be awful.

I have been affected by error code 38 for almost 3 weeks now. I would just like to help confirm suspicions and provide additional information.

-I have experienced error code 38 first with monster life for 2-3 months, then with cash shop, and finally with lockdown when entering PIC a few days after cash shop.
-The character affected is my “main” character.
-I first experienced this error upon changing channels. It may be important to note that I had almost a full inventory of equips from boss runs before changing channels.
-The ONLY time I was able to successfully log in was after removing all 10/12 link skills from my main character. It only worked once, though. Subsequent attempts to add/remove link skills did not work for future logins. Shortly after logging in, I attempted to change channels and crashed with the same error. I made the mistake of not clearing most of my inventory and am unable to log in ever since.
-I don’t remember suffering from error code 38 from cash shop three years ago.
-Yes, my character has expanded inventories.
-Yes, my character was created and used before the shutdown of MTS.

Additional Info
-Since I am a collector, I usually have a lot of stuff in my inventories such as chairs and untradeable equips. I also have a robust monster familiar collection (over 200+) , an active level 32 monster life farm with many monsters, as well as a large medal collection.

A lot of what you say is true for my brother too, both in the first paragraph and that bit at the end, as an avid collector his inventory is full all the time, his Familiar collection is hovering at or above 500, his Monster Life Farm is at least Level 35 because I know he has the milk cartons and he has many Medals.

EDIT: Oh, wow, I was formatting for such a long time I missed two relatively lengthy posts.

PandaHugs' Theory

You hit it right on the head, as my brother's work indicates, it is highly inventory and Link Skill dependent.