usb conflict with cakewalk causes system freeze

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corky

Post by corky » Fri Sep 19, 2003 2:51 pm

I've just upgraded to a fast, big machine (2.8 ghz p4 with hyper threading) - made by a music pc specialist. Soundcard is an Audiophile internal. The budget ran out at that point, which means I'm still recording with Home Studio 2002 (XL).

My problem is that I can't plug any usb devices into the thing without Cakewalk crashing - basically, the whole machine will completely and unpredictably freeze when I'm using that application - no others. I've had to stop using usb mouse and keyboard, run my oxygen 8 through the midi port and unplug the printer every time I want to do any music. None of this is impossible to manage, but it is a major irritation - and obviously means I'm unwilling to invest in usb music peripherals.

Is this a USB2 problem? - I never had it on my old system, using exactly the same software and a ton of USB devices.


csamuel

Post by csamuel » Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:01 am

My Cakewalk Express 8.0.4 crashes frequently. MIDI interface is Midiman's Midisport (Midi to USB) with the latest drivers. OS is Windows 2000 Professional SP4. Since my Cakewalk Express came bundled with the Midisport drivers it has no serial number so I don't know if there's a patch. Trying to get somewhere (i.e. a virtual serial number so I can register) with Cakewalk support but so far nada. Wish it didn't crash. Seems like a nice program.

corky

Post by corky » Thu Oct 02, 2003 7:00 pm

I wouldn't bother - I don't know anyone who's ever had a reply from cakewalk support. The software is brilliant, but that's where the interest stops, I think.

Re: my original problem - I've now had a little experience of the same thing with other media software - Ulead Media Studio Pro and even Real Player. so it's a USB2 problem, not a cakewalk one I reckon. Maybe it's my soundcard drivers. Maybe it's one of a zillion other things. I think I'm probably just going to have to live with it.

madpuppyx

Post by madpuppyx » Sat Oct 18, 2003 12:21 am

Actually,I've had really good luck dealing with Cakewalk customer service!! Sounds weird, but actually just adjusting my sound card's buffer solved my intermittent crash problem!(I use Tascam US-224). I don't know,it worked for me, try it. (Make your adjustments with the program closed,then re-open, my computer would crash if I made the adjustment with SONAR running.) Good Luck!!

Wildman
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2003 4:22 pm
Location: Wilmington, NC

Post by Wildman » Sat Oct 18, 2003 10:06 am

Corky,
I use Sonar 3.0 as of last week after upgrading from 2.2XL. I've got a 2.2ghz with twin 100gig HDrives & 512mb of RAM on the front end. I use 2 IOMEGA 48x48 CD burners, a Logictech cordless keybd/mouse, a wireless network adaptor, as well as a hard wired mouse all in usb ports. Then I use one port with a powered usb powered hub giving me 4 more usb ports. I have the Audiophile 2496 soundcard, a 4x4 midi sport usb interface, an, "Oxygen" controller/usb, a Sony mini disk recorder, & all of these work flawlessly in Windows XP. I would suggest going to the MOTU website, www.motu.com & upgrade/reinstall the latest drivers for your soundcard. If I'm not mistaken, you'll have to to into device manager & remove your current driver & upon reboot, it will install. Don't quote me on that process but I seem to remember having to do that at one time. There is also a little program called, "MIDIFIX" that cleans up midi communication. I feel certain that the USB should not be the issue. You didn't say which soundcard you have????? I can say with great authority that the, "CAKEWALK SUPPORT STAFF" for the most part has been less then supportive although once in a while I've accidently lucked up on a tech that really knew the software & how to adjust the parameters the right way in one call.......... Once in a while!!!! Seems that all the different support/tech staff all have many index fingers on the hand that they use to point the problem at someone else!!! A more detailed description of your system/OS/soundcard/ram/Hard Drives, etc...... & I may be able to offer a solution. GOD BLESS to you & yours,,,,,,, WILDMAN IN NC :roll:

andychap
Posts: 685
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2003 7:26 pm
Location: UK

Post by andychap » Sat Oct 18, 2003 8:45 pm

If it is happening with other programs then it sounds like a conflict with the USB system. If it is new then I would get onto the PC support staff.

GretscGuy
Posts: 434
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2003 1:26 pm
Location: Massachusetts USA

Post by GretscGuy » Wed Oct 22, 2003 2:15 am

I am running Windows XP Professional with a midisport 2x2. I was running the device under W2k a few weeks ago. It's a curious little device, it works great by it'self, but if you try to mis it with another midi port it sometimes gets lost. There is also a small process for reinstalling drivers:

1- UNPLUG MIDISPORT and run UNINSTALL
2- (in W2K/XP) goto run and type 'regedit'
3- This will bring you into the registry do 'find' and seart for 'MidiSport'
Remove the entire M-Audio folder Key
4- Restart
5- Reinstall M-Audio MidiSport drivers (availible at midiman.com)
6- Plug in MidiSport and Restart again (for good luck!)
7- Start Cakewalk and check to see if MidiSport is listed, if it is, select it and move it to the top.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!

Corky

Post by Corky » Tue Nov 11, 2003 9:04 pm

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions - this is a really useful & supportive forum. I finally fixed it, and hope the following advice is of use to anyone experiencing similar system hangs.

1. phoned tech support for my pc three times - no help - told me to use the system restore etc. This didn't work.

2. Got fed up and downloaded the newest BIOS for my motherboard (intel D865PE). Carefully wrote down the BIOS settings, which my supplier assured me had been "optimised for audio use". Installed new BIOS and changed settings to those originally on the machine. Didn't work.

3. Got really fed up and set the BIOS to intel's 'optimal settings'. This changed the speed of USB legacy support and enabled the onboard soundMAX audio.

4. Immediately disabled soundMAX in windows.

Success - no problems since.

The moral is - don't trust suppliers to 'optimise' your machine, even if they're music specialists and you're paying over the odds for the system...

My machine, which I'm now very happy with, runs xp home. It has a 2.8gig P4 chip with hyper threading , a gig of RAM, one partitioned 120 gig seagate barracuda hard drive. It has an internal audiophile card and I use an m-audio oxygen 8 usb keyboard.


Once again, thanks to everyone who offered assistance on this one. It really was appreciated in my time of sorrow.

DonHarris

Post by DonHarris » Sun Feb 08, 2004 8:20 pm

Corky,
Thanks for your information. I haven't seen anyone else's explanation that sounded so direct and/or successful. I would like to talk with you more, to see if you think I could replicate some of the solutions you tried on your machine. So if you could write me a dontharris@comcast.net, I would appreciate it. I am having much trouble with crashes. Everything I do with HomeStudio 7 causes my entire machine to freeze.

Thanks so much!

Don

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