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Old 04-27-2014, 02:31 PM
SpaceGeek SpaceGeek is offline
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Default "Unable to locate hardware" when starting

Greetings,

I just purchased Pro Tools 11 at The Guitar Center, and could not get the software started because of this popup box. I then upgraded to version 11.1.2. The software startup got further before this pop-up box appeared.

I am running a Lenovo W530 workstation notebook under Win 7 and with an i7 processor and 32GB ram. All drivers are up to date and working. All other software, including Sibelius 7, work just fine with no issue on audio output. I purchased Pro Tools due to (hopefully) a strong interface between Sibelius and Pro Tools.

Is there some utility I can use to figure out the problem? This makes no sense that Avid would not be capable to program the software to start and allow selection of drivers for specific functionality, particularly if this is exclusively an audio I/O issue. Unfortunately, the pop-up provides no clue as to what the offending issue is.

Additionally, the software shouldn't block use if other (Firewire or MIDI) hardware is not present. I thought that the eleven character disk volume issue was stupid enough, but, I am beginning to question the overall robustness of the software, and the software developers.

Just for your reference, I am an aerospace electronic engineer with over 34 years experience. This isn't a user issue. I can't even get into the software to do anything.

Thanks for any help offered...
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  #2  
Old 04-27-2014, 04:42 PM
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Southsidemusic Southsidemusic is offline
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Default Re: "Unable to locate hardware" when starting

Hi

Welcome to the Forum

Try holding down the "N" key when launching PT11 and when the window comes up asking for audio device, chose your interface and press OK.

See if this helps at all and please let us know

Best Regards
Christopher
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Old 04-27-2014, 05:11 PM
SpaceGeek SpaceGeek is offline
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Default Re: "Unable to locate hardware" when starting

Thanks for the response.

Holding the letter "N" key down does not make a difference. I still get the popup. Any other suggestions?
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Old 04-28-2014, 07:03 AM
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junkgear junkgear is offline
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Default Re: "Unable to locate hardware" when starting

When you are launching PT are there any other audio applications running? If so, close them and try just launching PT.

Also, I'm assuming you are using the onboard audio in your laptop. Do the drivers support ASIO or are you using ASIO4ALL?

Are you using an external HD for your audio in PT? If not, then even if you do get things running, you are asking for problems down the line.

Have you looked at the Help us Help you post in the forum? It contains a lot of info to help get your system set up for PT.

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Old 04-28-2014, 05:13 PM
SpaceGeek SpaceGeek is offline
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Default Re: "Unable to locate hardware" when starting

Just out of curiosity, the PT screen gets to "Loading Plug-Ins VarFi". Then the "Unable to locate hardware" popup appears. Is there any way to narrow down the offending conflict?

What is ASIO?
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  #6  
Old 04-28-2014, 05:21 PM
mesaone mesaone is offline
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Default Re: "Unable to locate hardware" when starting

This is the first time I can say "this isn't rocket science" and be completely relevant.

ASIO is Audio Stream Input/Output, the protocol that Pro Tools (and many other audio workstations) use to stream audio to/from an interface on Windows systems.

Thing is, your laptop's built-in sound card only has a WDM driver - which works fine for Windows system sounds and browsers and media players, but not for Pro Tools. Sorry to report that in this case, it is actually user error - you haven't set up your system so that Pro Tools can "see" your sound device.

So, what you need to do is get ASIO4ALL. This will "wrap" the WDM driver for your sound card so that it is available to Pro Tools as a low-latency ASIO device.
  1. Download the 2.11 Beta2
  2. install it (make sure you tick the "install offline settings utility" box or whatever it is called)
  3. Reboot your computer
  4. launch Pro Tools, hold N at the splash screen.
  5. "ASIO4ALL V2" should be automatically selected as the playback engine
  6. Click OK
Now you should be in business. You do not need to hold N every time you start up, it's just good to do it this once to make sure everything is properly installed.
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  #7  
Old 04-28-2014, 06:45 PM
SpaceGeek SpaceGeek is offline
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Default Re: "Unable to locate hardware" when starting

THANK YOU!!!!! IT WORKED!!!

I greatly appreciate the help to get this far.

Now to go and find out how to decouple the RAID 0 drives to two independent drives...
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Old 08-11-2014, 08:07 AM
albertkinng albertkinng is offline
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Default Re: "Unable to locate hardware" when starting

Any solutions for Mac? I'm having the same issues. Can't use my Mbox mini since the pop up of "can locate the hardware" start appearing. please help.
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Profession: Imaging, advertisement and creative audio producer
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