Mbox 2 Pro not recognized

[dlflowers]

I had been running Pro Tools LE 7.1.3 on Mac OS Tiger with no issues for years. I upgraded to Snow Leopard 10.6.3 (then updated to 10.6.8) and successfully loaded Pro Tools 9 last week. After loading, though, my Mbox 2 Pro is not recognized by my Mac and the power light is not on.

I have been working with Sweetwater's tech support team over the last week to resolve, but no luck yet. Here's what we tried so far:
- I have downloaded the current drivers (several times) for the Mbox 2 Pro
- I have uninstalled PT9.0.2 and reinstalled it, then updated to PT9.0.3
- I reinstalled Snow Leopard (v10.6.3), thinking that 10.6.8 was too current for PT9, and it still did not recognize the Mbox 2 Pro.
- I updated to Mac OS 10.6.7, with no luck.

My Mac:
- Processor 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- Memory 3 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
- Model iMac 5,1

Suggestions?

[KMcK]

Have you read this already?

http://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/self...p?DocId=207915

[dlflowers]

Yes. In step 3, I do not have a "Firmware" folder in the "Firewire" file. I only have a "DigidesignFirewireHelper" File. I ran this and restarted my computer. No dice.

[dlflowers]

How do I get the Firmware folder? Also, I replaced my firewire cable with no luck...

[KMcK]

Originally Posted by dlflowers

How do I get the Firmware folder?

All the file paths are given in the article:

1. Make sure everything in System Preferences is optimized (Energy Saver = Never, etc.) and minimize what's in /Library/Startupitems

2. Disconnect the Mbox 2 Pro

3. Move the "Mbox 2 Pro" folder from /Library/Application Support/Digidesign/FireWire/Firmware to the desktop

4. Connect the Mbox 2 Pro

5. In /Library/Application Support/Digidesign/FireWire double-click the executable “DigidesignFireWireHelper.” A terminal window will open and a split second later should display “[Process Completed]”

6. Restart the computer

7. Move the “Mbox 2 Pro” folder from the Desktop back to /Library/Application Support/Digidesign/FireWire/Firmware

8. In /Library/Application Support/Digidesign/FireWire double-click the executable “DigidesignFireWireHelper”. A terminal window will open and a split second later should display “[Process Completed]”

9. Restart the computer. The Mbox 2 Pro should come on 10-20 seconds after login.

10. With the firmware successfully loaded, move (or trash) the Mbox 2 Pro folder from /Library/Application Support/Digidesign/FireWire/Firmware to prevent the firmware loading on subsequent restarts.

[dlflowers]

KMcK:

I appreciate your help, and I don't want you to think I'm an idiot, but I do not have the Firmware folder. I go to Library/Application Support/Digidesign/Firewire, and the Firmware folder is not there. The only folder under the Firewire folder is DigidesignFirewireHelper. Let me know if I'm missing something...

Thanks again.

[KMcK]

Hmm, that's about the best I can do I'm afraid, as I don't have an Mbox2 Pro (or any kind of mbox for that matter). For some reason when I read your post the first thing I thought of was "firmware" I think just from back in the day whenever the Mbox 2's first came out and there were some issues.

Oh wait, looks like you can download the 1.43 firmware updater here. Make sure you get the right one for your Mac type (PPC or Intel) There is a readme file inside the .dmg that has install instructions, make sure you follow those.

Note that this firmware is from 2006, but I believe it is the most recent firmware (as I said I don't have this hardware so I'm somewhat guessing, but I don't find anything newer anywhere). It being so old though, there's a good chance your Mbox 2 Pro already had this firmware installed in it as I'm not sure what version of Pro Tools it originally was included with. Considering you have absolutely nothing working at the moment though it shouldn't hurt to try it, and if it's already up to date it'll probably just give you a message saying so when you try to install (or possibly a "hardware not found" message if the Mbox is so farked that the system isn't seeing it all).

Not guaranteeing success, just something to try since you seem to be up sh*t creek w/o a paddle at the moment. Good luck.

[DetroitT]

We are good with MBox 2 Pro's on 8-core Macs OS 10.6.8, PT's 9.0.3
Axiom Mk2 key controllers.
We installed 9.0.1 full install after the (Mbox_2_Pro_Driver_v90_69597) drivers, then update to 9.0.3

[dlflowers]

Okay...
I plugged the Mbox Pro 2 into a friend's Mac, who is running PT LE, and the power light came on (huge relief). So, there's nothing wrong with the interface.

Brought it back home, plugged back into my Mac, and ran the fix from the article above. Success! Power light is on and Mac recognized the unit...until...I plug in the ILok and open PT9. No more power light, and unit not recognized. Doh!

I'm close...just not there yet.

[dlflowers]

RESOLVED! I followed the fix instructions above, but I did not have the Firmware folder. So, I drug the Firewire folder to my desktop, disconnected the Mbox, ran the DigidesignFirewireHelper, and the unit started working. I'm afraid to drag the Firewire folder back to where it was, so it's still sitting on my desktop, but I can live with that. I don't know if it was a combination of everything I did over the past week, or just this. At this point, I'm just glad to be working again. Thanks to everyone for their help...