Prop Challenge Copier MT4/MT5 Troubleshooting Guide

If trades are not copying correctly between your MT4/MT5 challenge accounts, start by checking the Transmitter/Receiver configuration, account permissions, symbol names, lot-sizing settings and MetaTrader Experts/Journal logs.

Most copying problems can be narrowed down by identifying exactly where the setup differs from the expected configuration.

This guide covers common problems involving:

• Trades not copying

• Incorrect Receiver lot sizes

• Different broker symbols

• Pending orders and TP/SL

• Duplicate or unexpected trades

• Slow or delayed copying

• Multiple challenge accounts

• MetaTrader and MQL5 errors

Before troubleshooting, make sure all participating MetaTrader terminals are running on the same Windows computer or Windows VPS and that Local Trade Copier EA MT4/5© is installed correctly in each terminal.

For the complete initial setup procedure:

Read: Prop Challenge Copier MT4/MT5 Installation Guide →

For detailed explanations of the EA inputs:

Read: Prop Challenge Copier MT4/MT5 Settings & Inputs Guide →

Prop Challenge Trades Are Not Copying

If a trade opens on the Transmitter but does not appear on the Receiver challenge account, check the following in order.

1. Confirm the Transmitter and Receiver Modes

The source account should have:

Account Mode: Transmitter

The receiving challenge account should have:

Account Mode: Receiver

On the Receiver, verify that the correct:

Transmitter Account Number

has been entered.

2. Check Auto Trading / Algo Trading

Make sure automated trading is enabled in the participating MetaTrader terminals.

Use:

Auto Trading in MT4

or:

Algo Trading in MT5.

3. Check the Receiver Login

The Receiver must be logged in using its normal trading password.

Do not use the investor/read-only password on a Receiver account because it does not provide the trading permissions required to open, modify or close copied trades.

A Transmitter can use investor/read-only access where appropriate.

4. Confirm That the EA Is Running

Make sure Local Trade Copier EA MT4/5© is attached and running in the required Transmitter and Receiver terminals.

For a normal Transmitter or Receiver role, attach one Local Trade Copier EA instance to one chart in that terminal.

5. Check the Symbol

Compare the exact symbol name in the Transmitter and Receiver Market Watch windows.

For example:

EURUSD → EURUSD

requires no suffix configuration.

But:

EURUSD+ → EURUSD

EURUSD → EURUSD.r

or:

US500 → SPX500

requires the appropriate symbol configuration.

See Different Broker Symbol Problems below.

6. Check Trade Filters

Review the Receiver settings for filters that could intentionally prevent the trade from being copied, including:

• Symbols

• Magic numbers

• Comments

• Ticket numbers

• Buy/Sell direction

• Trading days

• Trading times

• Volume conditions

7. Check the Lot-Sizing Method

If you are using a risk-based lot-sizing method that requires a Stop Loss, make sure the required Stop Loss information is available.

If the calculated Receiver volume is invalid or below the broker's permitted minimum, review the relevant lot-sizing settings and broker specifications.

8. Check the Experts and Journal Logs

Open the Receiver's:

Experts

and:

Journal

tabs.

Look for messages generated at the time the Transmitter trade should have been copied.

These logs are important because they can identify the actual error instead of requiring you to guess its cause.

9. MQL5 Signal Subscription Trades

If the Transmitter account is subscribed to an MQL5 Signal, MetaTrader restrictions can prevent EAs from accessing or operating on the subscribed trading activity in the normal way.

If this applies to your setup, review the current MetaTrader/MQL5 Signal restrictions before troubleshooting the copier itself.

10. Restart and Retest

If the configuration appears correct:

1. Remove the EA from the relevant charts.

2. Restart the MetaTrader terminals.

3. Reattach Local Trade Copier EA.

4. Reconfigure the Transmitter and Receiver.

5. Open a small test trade.

6. Check the Experts and Journal logs if it still does not copy.

If necessary, reinstall the MQL5 Market purchase through the same MQL5 account used to purchase it rather than manually copying the EX4/EX5 file between terminals.

Wrong Lot Size on the Challenge Account

If trades copy correctly but the Receiver challenge account opens the wrong volume, first check the selected:

Lot Size Type

Then review the settings associated with that lot-sizing method.

Fixed Lot

Confirm that the configured fixed Receiver lot is the intended value.

Multiplier / Proportional Multiplier

Check:

• The main multiplier

• Any Custom Symbol Multipliers

• Receiver balance/equity values where applicable

• Broker minimum lot

• Broker maximum lot

• Volume step

If Custom Symbol Multipliers are used, make sure the Receiver symbol name—including any Receiver suffix—is entered correctly.

Risk-Based Lot Sizing

If your selected risk calculation requires a Stop Loss, make sure the trade has the required Stop Loss information.

Also check:

• Stop Loss distance

• Tick value

• Tick size

• Contract specifications

• Minimum lot

• Maximum lot

• Lot step

A large Stop Loss distance can result in a much smaller calculated position than expected.

Lot Size Always Appears as 0.01

If calculated volumes unexpectedly remain at 0.01 on a particular VPS, compare the same configuration on a local computer or another VPS.

If the calculation works correctly elsewhere with identical settings, the comparison can help isolate whether the issue is specific to the VPS environment.

Different Receivers Can Use Different Lot Sizes

When several challenge accounts follow the same Transmitter, do not assume that every Receiver should open the same volume.

Each Receiver can use its own lot-sizing and risk configuration.

The trading signal can be identical. The financial exposure does not have to be.

For detailed configuration:

Read: Prop Challenge Copier MT4/MT5 Settings & Inputs Guide →

For multi-account risk considerations:

Read: Prop Firm Challenge Risk Management Guide →

Different Broker Symbol Problems

If some symbols copy correctly while others do not, compare the exact symbol names shown in the Transmitter and Receiver Market Watch windows.

Same Symbol

EURUSD → EURUSD

No suffix configuration is required.

Transmitter Suffix

For:

EURUSD+ → EURUSD

configure on the Receiver:

Suffix of the Transmitter Account: +

Receiver Suffix

For:

EURUSD → EURUSD.r

configure:

Suffix of the Receiver Account: .r

Same Suffix on Both Accounts

For:

EURUSDm → EURUSDm

configure:

Suffix of the Transmitter Account: m

and:

Suffix of the Receiver Account: m

Completely Different Symbol Names

For:

US500 → SPX500

configure:

Special Symbol 1: US500,SPX500

If a symbol still does not copy, check:

• The exact Transmitter symbol

• The exact Receiver symbol

• Whether the Receiver instrument is available for trading

• Broker minimum/maximum volume

• Volume step

• Trading hours

• Contract specifications

• Experts and Journal messages

Symbol mapping identifies which Receiver instrument corresponds to the Transmitter instrument. It does not make the trading conditions of two brokers identical.

Pending Orders or TP/SL Are Not Copying

If market trades copy correctly but pending orders, Stop Loss or Take Profit values do not behave as expected, review the relevant Receiver settings.

Pending Orders

Local Trade Copier EA MT4/5© can be configured either to:

• Copy pending orders to the Receiver if 'Copy Pending Orders=true', or

• Avoid copying the pending order itself and copy the resulting position as a market trade when the original pending order is triggered on the Transmitter, if 'Copy Pending Orders=false'.

Check the selected pending-order settings before treating the behavior as an error.

Stop Loss and Take Profit

Check whether TP/SL copying and modification are enabled according to your intended configuration.

Copy Take Profit=true/false

Copy Stop Loss=true/false

Remember that different brokers can have different:

• Entry prices

• Spreads

• Stop levels

• Execution conditions

If Keep Original TP/SL Distances is enabled, the Receiver TP/SL can be adjusted so that their point distances from the Receiver's actual opening price correspond to the original Transmitter TP/SL distances.

Modifications Are Not Synchronizing

If the initial trade copies but later TP/SL changes do not, check:

• Receiver settings

• Experts log

• Journal log

• Whether another EA is modifying the same position

• Whether the broker accepts the requested levels

Test the complete trade lifecycle on demo accounts when configuring a new broker combination.

Copying Trades Between Accounts of the Same Broker with Limited Terminals 

When both your transmitter and receiver accounts are from the same broker, you’ll need to add a second terminal for that broker to your Windows computer or VPS. To do this, download the MT4/5 installation file from the broker’s site and set a different destination folder during installation. This will allow simultaneous operation of both accounts in separate terminals. 

Duplicate or Unexpected Trades

One Transmitter Trade Creates Multiple Receiver Trades

For a normal Transmitter or Receiver configuration, make sure only one Local Trade Copier EA instance is attached to one chart in each terminal.

Multiple copier instances configured for the same role can result in unintended behavior.

Receiver Trades Close Immediately

Check whether:

• More than one Local Trade Copier EA instance is running

• Another trade copier is running

• A multiplier or trade-management EA is modifying the same trades

• Receiver protection settings are being triggered

Then check the Receiver's Experts and Journal logs for the actual messages generated when the trade closes.

Trades You Intended to Exclude Are Being Copied

Review the Receiver filters for:

• Symbols

• Magic numbers

• Comments

• Ticket numbers

• Buy/Sell direction

• Trading days and times

If filtering by magic number, verify the actual magic number associated with the Transmitter trade before changing the Receiver settings.

Trades You Expected to Copy Are Being Excluded

The same filters can also prevent intended trades from reaching the Receiver.

Temporarily simplifying the Receiver configuration can help identify which filter is responsible.

No Copying of Signal Subscription Trades Anymore 

MetaQuotes has introduced a new limitation that prevents copying or multiplying trades from signal subscriptions. As a result, the Local Trade Copier EA MT4/5© and any other copier tools can no longer perform this function. 

You can learn more here: https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/473035

Terminal: When an account is subscribed to a signal, MQL5 trading and history functions are disabled. This includes receiving open orders, history, and executing trades. 

Slow or Delayed Trade Copying

Under suitable local conditions, Local Trade Copier EA MT4/5© can typically synchronize trading activity in under 0.5 seconds.

This refers to copier synchronization time, not guaranteed broker execution time.

If copying becomes slow or intermittent, check the complete environment.

Check the MetaTrader Terminals

Look for:

• Frozen charts

• Delayed price updates

• Unresponsive terminals

• High CPU usage

• High RAM usage

• Long pauses when switching terminals

If MetaTrader itself is freezing or becoming unresponsive, copying can also be delayed.

Check the Windows Computer or VPS

Starting resource guidance:

Suggested starting resources:

• 2 Terminals: 2 CPU Cores, 4 GB RAM

• 3-5 Terminals: 4 CPU Cores, 6 GB RAM

• 7-8 Terminals: 6 CPU Cores, 12 GB RAM

• 10-15 Terminals: 8 CPU Cores, 16 GB RAM

• 30+ Terminals: 16-24 CPU Cores, 48-64 GB RAM

Additional VPS considerations:

• Latency: Opt for a provider with data centers near your broker’s servers for optimal performance.

• Disk space: Provide 50-100 GB of SSD storage for smooth operation.

• Operating system: Ensure your VPS runs a compatible Windows Server OS.

These figures are starting guidance rather than guarantees. Actual requirements depend on the terminals, charts, EAs, brokers and other workloads running on the system.

Check the Experts and Journal Logs

Look for repeated errors, reconnections or other messages occurring at the same time as the delay.

Separate Copier Synchronization from Broker Execution

A trade can be transmitted by the copier quickly but still be executed later by the Receiver broker because of:

• Network latency

• Broker response time

• Market liquidity

• Spread

• Slippage

• Trading conditions

For a more detailed performance guide:

Read: How to Optimize MT4/MT5 Trade Copier Speed →

Multiple Challenge Accounts Are Not Synchronizing

If one Receiver works but another challenge account does not, troubleshoot each Receiver independently.

Check Each Receiver's Transmitter Account Number

Every Receiver must point to the intended Transmitter.

Check Each Receiver's Login Permissions

Each Receiver must use normal trading access rather than an investor/read-only login.

Check Symbols Separately

Different challenge accounts may use different brokers and therefore different symbol names.

For example:

Receiver A: US500.r

Receiver B: SPX500

These accounts require different Receiver symbol configurations even though they follow the same Transmitter instrument.

Check Receiver Settings Independently

Each challenge account can have its own:

• Lot sizing

• Symbol configuration

• Trade filters

• Trading schedule

• TP/SL settings

• Account protection

A working configuration on Receiver A does not prove that Receiver B is configured correctly.

Check Windows/VPS Resources

As the number of MetaTrader terminals increases, CPU and RAM requirements also increase.

If several terminals freeze, stop updating prices or become unresponsive simultaneously, check the Windows/VPS resource usage.

Advanced Transmitter/Receiver Configurations

Local Trade Copier EA MT4/5© supports multiple Transmitters and Receivers.

When using more complex configurations, verify each connection individually before adding the next account.

Testing the setup incrementally makes it much easier to identify which terminal or Receiver configuration introduces a problem.

Copying from 2 Transmitter Accounts to 2 Receiver Accounts 

Watch this video to see an example of copying trades from two transmitter accounts to two receiver accounts with ease. 

Copying with 3 Accounts: 2nd Account in Dual Receiver and Transmitter Role 

The video demonstrates a configuration involving 3 accounts. The 1st transmits trades to the 2nd, which acts as both a receiver and a transmitter to the 3rd, facilitated by 2 Local Trade Copier EAs MT4/5© on separate charts. 

No Copying Between Transmitter and Receiver Accounts - Receiver in Investor Mode 

In this video, you can observe a scenario where copying does not work initially because the receiver account was accessed using the investor password. Since this password allows only monitoring privileges, trades cannot be copied. Once the user logged in with the master password and reactivated the Auto/Algo trading feature (disabled due to the account password change), copying proceeded normally. 

Special Index Symbol Copying with 2 Receivers Configured Differently 

In this video, 1 Transmitter Account sends US stock market indexes to 2 Receiver accounts with unique symbol requirements. The 1st receiver account adds a .r suffix to US500 and US30, requiring entry of this suffix in the Suffix of the Receiver Account section. The 2nd receiver account uses SPX500 and WS30, which need to be specified in the Special Symbols setup for accurate copying. 

Copy Stocks Between Brokers Using Local Trade Copier EA MT5 

This video showcases how to use the Special Symbols setup in Local Trade Copier EA MT5 for stock copying between brokers. TSLA.NAS, a Tesla stock, is automatically mapped due to its dot suffix and transfers smoothly to the receiver. For ABBV.NYSE, the Special Symbols feature is required to map it correctly to ABBVIE on the receiver side. 

Excluding Trades with Specific Magic Numbers 

This video illustrates how to exclude trades based on their magic numbers from being copied from the transmitter account to the receiver account. Such trades may originate from an EA or other system using a unique magic number. To find the magic number, hover over the trade’s ticket number in the transmitter account’s Trade or Trading History tab (Expert ID). The video shows trades from the Manual Trade Panel EA MT4 being copied initially. After adding the magic number to the Magic Numbers Not to Copy setting, further trades from this expert are blocked. 

Restricting Specific Symbols from Copying 

This video demonstrates how you can stop selected symbols from being copied to the receiver account. Initially, trades are copied as expected, but once the Symbols Not to Copy setting is updated with the specific symbol, it is no longer transferred. 

Error of Setting Timer in MT4

If Local Trade Copier EA MT4© fails to initialize and MetaTrader reports an error setting the timer:

1. Restart the MT4 terminal.

2. Attach the EA again.

3. If the problem remains, restart the Windows computer or VPS.

4. Reopen MT4 and retest.

If the error continues, save the Experts and Journal messages for further diagnosis.

Trade Is Disabled

If the Receiver reports Trade is disabled, check:

• Whether trading is enabled for the account

• Whether Auto Trading / Algo Trading is enabled

• Whether the Receiver uses normal trading access

• Whether the intended symbol is available and tradable

• Whether the Receiver symbol requires suffix configuration

For example, if the Receiver uses:

EURUSD.r

configure:

Suffix of the Receiver Account: .r

Check the Experts and Journal logs for the exact message accompanying the failed trade.

Unknown Error

If Unknown Error appears:

1. Check the Experts and Journal tabs for accompanying messages.

2. Restart the MetaTrader terminal.

3. Reattach Local Trade Copier EA.

4. If necessary, restart the Windows computer or VPS.

5. Test again.

If the error continues, collect the relevant logs and account/setup information for further diagnosis.

An Unknown Error by itself does not identify a specific cause, so do not assume that it proves a broker restriction or any other particular problem without additional evidence.

Initialization Failed

If a Market-installed EA fails to initialize after a system or MetaTrader change, verify that:

• You are logged into the correct MQL5 account

• The product is installed through the MQL5 Market

• You are using the current installed version

If necessary, reinstall the product through:

MT4: Market → Purchased

or:

MT5: Navigator → Market → My Purchases

rather than manually copying the EX4/EX5 file from another terminal.

Error 12152

This error message, with code [12152], indicates a network problem that disrupts the download process.
Steps to fix it:

1. Check Internet Connection: Ensure your internet connection is reliable and stable. A weak connection can cause interruptions.

2. Restart MT4/5 Terminal: Close and reopen your platform to reset its connection to the MQL5 servers.

3. Update MT4/5 Software: Check for updates and ensure your terminal is running the latest version.

4. Firewall/Antivirus Settings: Adjust your security software to allow MT4/5 access to the internet. Add exceptions if required.

5. Reinstall the Product: Try downloading the product again after performing these steps. If the issue persists, it might be a temporary problem on the MQL5 server.

Error 1003

Here’s how you can resolve the issue:

1. Internet Connection: Make sure that your internet connection is stable. Unstable connections can interrupt the download process.

2. Restart MT4/5: Close and restart your MT4/5 platform to help resolve any temporary connectivity issues.

3. Check Firewall/Antivirus: Confirm that your firewall or antivirus isn’t blocking the download. Temporarily disable them and try downloading the EA again. Once successful, add MetaTrader 4/5 and the MQL5 Market to your exceptions list.

4. Reinstall MT4/5: If the issue continues, uninstall and reinstall MT4/5. Don’t forget to back up any important data before uninstalling.

Error 500

The 'Error 500' generally indicates a server-side issue, like overload, maintenance, or temporary downtime at the MQL5 Market.
To resolve this, follow these steps:

1. Verify the Server Status: Look for any announcements about server problems or maintenance on the MQL5 website or forums.

2. Confirm Internet Connection: Ensure that your internet connection is stable. You can restart your router or change networks if needed.

3. Update MT4/5: Outdated versions of MetaTrader might not be compatible with the MQL5 servers. Check for updates.

4. Check Your Security Software: Sometimes, firewalls or antivirus programs may block connections to the MQL5 servers. Disable them temporarily to test the connection.

5. Try Again Later: As server issues are often temporary, retrying the installation after some time may resolve the problem.

Initializing Failed with Code 1

To fix this issue, verify that you are logged into your MQL5 account. Products must be installed through the Market tab in the Terminal window (MT4: Purchased, MT5: Navigator >> Market >> My Purchases), rather than copying the ex4/5 file from another terminal.

Stay logged into your MQL5 account for the purchases to work.

After logging in, restart the MT5 terminal and try the setup again.

If the problem persists, uninstall MT5, download the branded version from your broker, and reinstall the MQL5 Market purchases before retrying the EA setup. 

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