7.4cs3 not getting past DAE loaded during startup in Vista

[HaChIrish]

I've been all over this site and the internet, and besides the fact that Vista and Protools don't really mix, I can't find any help. Backstory:I went down to Guitar Center to pickup a simple audio interface (was looking to get one of the cheaper M-Audio boxes) and the sales guy suckered me into a Mbox2 Mini. I was surprised at how affordable it was, with Pro Tools included. Long story short I told him I was running Vista and he said no prob, just register your copy of 7.3 and you'll get a link to download 7.4 which should be compatible with Vista. So after a few hours trying to figure out how to register the software WITHOUT installing it (because it wouldn't), I get the link. I download, install it, then nothing happens, because 7.4 and Vista SP1 DON'T MIX So I uninstall SP1 and reinstall again. Finally it takes, but the driver won't load. So I go into device manager, do a manual install, and the driver finally installs (I think).
Now when I load PTLE it gets to DAE Loaded, then nothing. The green progess bar stops there, and I have to force quit. I've used the Tech Support Utility to dump the prefrences and database, although it's an XP program.
I also tried using the ASIO digidesign driver in Ableton Live 5, but it doesn't work either.
I'm running a Core 2 Duo, 2Gb DDR2 PC5300 memory, 400Gb HDD, an NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS, and I'm pretty sure my specs meet the requirements. I can't return it because it's "software", but the hardware seems to work, it's the priority software that don't. I really want it to work though. Can someone help...please?!

[mykhal c]

this is from the GENERAL TROUBLESHOOTING thread...



- Delete DAE and Pro Tools preference files
Start Menu > My Computer > Local Disk(C:) or correct hard drive (click "show the contents of this drive" if the files aren't displayed) > Program Files > Common Files > Digidesign > DAE > Right-click on the DAE Prefs folder and delete.
Start Menu > My Computer > Local Disk(C:) > Documents and Settings > "Your user folder" > Application Data > Right-click on the Digidesign folder and delete. (If the Application Data folder is not showing: Tools Menu > Folder Options > View Tab > Select "Show Hidden Files and Folders" > Click Apply and OK.)

- Delete the Digidesign Databases folders for all hard drives

This step can be useful when receiving random 'assertion' or 'neoaccess' errors, especially when recording or saving.

Start Menu > My Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Digidesign Databases > Right-click on the Digidesign Databases folder and delete. Repeat for all hard drives.
Start menu > My Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Program Files > Digidesign > Pro Tools > Databases > Right-click on the Volumes folder and delete.

these steps will usually fix the DAE loading problem

[HaChIrish]

Thanks for the tip. I did what you posted and it's not working. I cross referenced what you posted to delete with what the XP utility automatically deletes and it seems to be a match (all those files came back after I tried loading PTLE again).

[mykhal c]

Thanks for the tip. I did what you posted and it's not working. I cross referenced what you posted to delete with what the XP utility automatically deletes and it seems to be a match (all those files came back after I tried loading PTLE again).

try deleting the files again then go into ADD/REMOVE programs and do a 'repair' on PTLE. this was documented in the 7.4 README file. then reboot your box and see if that corrects things. hope that helps

[HaChIrish]

I appreciate all the tips, but none has worked so far. Any more ideas? I'll try a selective startup with just the drivers needed and see if that works.

[DigiTechSupt]

So after a few hours trying to figure out how to register the software WITHOUT installing it (because it wouldn't), I get the link.

Just to be clear on this - you can register easily by following the instructions on the online registration card that comes with any new system. Essentially, go to www.digidesign.com/reg and click on 'Register Your Product' - you'll need the codes and serial number off the registration card to do so.

You do NOT need to install Pro Tools to register.

So I go into device manager, do a manual install, and the driver finally installs (I think).

That is very likely the problem. You should not use that method to install the drivers as it can cause issues like this. The drivers are installed when you install Pro Tools.

You should uninstall Pro Tools from Add/Remove Programs, restart and install again. Make sure your hardware is connected to your computer during installation and ignore any Found New Hardware wizards that may pop up.

Here's a link to the Mbox 2 Mini Getting Started Guide which has more information on installation.

[HaChIrish]

I tried every uninstall/reinstall imagined. Nothing works. When trying to launch PTLE, it loads all the plug-ins, some DAE numbers, then DAE loaded stops. It once went past that but froze on some MIDI thing. And I can't get the ASIO driver to work in Ableton Live 5. Every other driver I have works except for the ASIO Digidesign driver.

[DigiTechSupt]

First, can you try launching from a different administrator account?

If that doesn't work, please post a Sandra report - instructions can be found in the Win XP/ Pro Tools 6.x/7.x General Troubleshooting thread.

[HaChIrish]

SiSoftware Sandra

System
Host Name : SEAN-HP
User : Sean
Workgroup : WORKGROUP

Processor
Model : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E6750 @ 2.66GHz
Speed : 2.66GHz
Cores per Processor : 2 Unit(s)
Threads per Core : 1 Unit(s)
Type : Dual-Core
Internal Data Cache : 2x 32kB, Synchronous, Write-Thru, 8-way, Inclusive, 64 byte line size
L2 On-board Cache : 4MB, ECC, Synchronous, ATC, 16-way, Inclusive, 64 byte line size, 2 threads sharing

System
System : HP-Pavilion GN689AA-ABA m8277c
Mainboard : ASUSTeK Computer INC. Berkeley
Bus(es) : ISA PCI PCIe IMB USB FireWire/1394 i2c/SMBus
Multi-Processor (MP) Support : 1 Processor(s)
Multi-Processor Advanced PIC (APIC) : Yes
System BIOS : American Megatrends Inc. 8.14
Total Memory : 2.00GB DDR3

Chipset 1
Model : HP (Bearlake) Processor to I/O Controller
Front Side Bus Speed : 4x 333MHz (1.33GHz)
Total Memory : 1GB DDR3
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 333MHz (666MHz)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : HP w2408 Wide LCD Monitor
Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS
Imaging Device : Canon MP830

Physical Storage Devices
Hitachi HDT725040VLA360 400GB (SATA300, NCQ, 15MB Cache) : 372.61GB (C:) (D:)
Generic- Compact Flash (USB) : N/A (F:)
Generic- SM/xD-Picture (USB) : N/A (G:)
Generic- SD/MMC (USB) : N/A (H:)
Generic- MS/MS-Pro (USB) : N/A (I:)
Canon MP830Storage (USB) : N/A (J:)
TSSTcorp CD/DVDW TS-H653L (SATA150, 40x CD-R, 40x CD-W, 5x DVD-R, 5x DVD-W, 2MB Cache) : N/A (E:)

Logical Storage Devices
HP (C:) : 363.62GB (272.06GB, 75% Free Space) (NTFS) @ Hitachi HDT725040VLA360 400GB (SATA300, NCQ, 15MB Cache)
FACTORY_IMAGE (D:) : 8.99GB (1.22GB, 14% Free Space) (NTFS) @ Hitachi HDT725040VLA360 400GB (SATA300, NCQ, 15MB Cache)
CD-ROM/DVD (E:) : N/A @ TSSTcorp CD/DVDW TS-H653L (SATA150, 40x CD-R, 40x CD-W, 5x DVD-R, 5x DVD-W, 2MB Cache)
Removable Drive (F:) : N/A @ Generic- Compact Flash (USB)
Removable Drive (G:) : N/A @ Generic- SM/xD-Picture (USB)
Removable Drive (H:) : N/A @ Generic- SD/MMC (USB)
Removable Drive (I:) : N/A @ Generic- MS/MS-Pro (USB)
Removable Drive (J:) : N/A @ Canon MP830Storage (USB)

Peripherals
Serial/Parallel Port(s) : 1 COM / 0 LPT
USB Controller/Hub : Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Composite Device
USB Controller/Hub : Generic USB Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Composite Device
USB Controller/Hub : USB Composite Device
USB Controller/Hub : USB Printing Support
USB Controller/Hub : USB Mass Storage Device
USB Controller/Hub : USB Printing Support
USB Controller/Hub : Apple Mobile Device USB Driver
USB Controller/Hub : USB Mass Storage Device
USB Controller/Hub : USB Composite Device
USB Controller/Hub : Digidesign Mbox 2 Firmware Updater
USB Controller/Hub : eHome Infrared Receiver (USBCIR)
FireWire/1394 Controller/Hub : AGERE OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
Keyboard : Microsoft eHome Remote Control Keyboard keys
Keyboard : Microsoft eHome MCIR Keyboard
Keyboard : Microsoft eHome MCIR 109 Keyboard
Keyboard : HID Keyboard Device
Mouse : HID-compliant mouse
Mouse : HID-compliant mouse
Human Interface : Microsoft eHome Infrared Transceiver
Human Interface : HID-compliant device
Human Interface : HID-compliant consumer control device
Human Interface : HID-compliant device
Human Interface : HID-compliant device
Human Interface : HID-compliant device
Human Interface : HID-compliant consumer control device
Human Interface : HID-compliant device
Human Interface : HID-compliant consumer control device
Human Interface : USB Human Interface Device
Human Interface : USB Human Interface Device
Human Interface : USB Human Interface Device

MultiMedia Device(s)
Device : ViXS PureTV-U 48B0 (NTSC/ATSC Combo)

Communication Device(s)
Device : PCIe Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP

Printers and Faxes
Model : Send To OneNote 2007
Model : PageManager PDF Writer
Model : Microsoft XPS Document Writer
Model : Microsoft Office Document Image Writer
Model : Canon MP830 Series Printer X
Model : Canon MP830 Series Printer
Model : Canon MP830 FAX
Model : Adobe PDF

Network Printers
Model : \\SeansVAIO\Canon MP830 Series Printer

Power Management
Mains (AC) Line Status : On-Line

Operating System(s)
Windows System : Microsoft Windows Vista Home Media Center 6.00.6000
Platform Compliance : Win32 x86

Windows Experience Index
Current System : 3.5

Network Services
Adapter : Intel(R) 82566DC-2 Gigabit Network Connection

Performance Tips
Tip 2546 : Large memory modules should be ECC/Parity.
Tip 2 : Double-click tip or press Enter while a tip is selected for more information about the tip.

[Bharath]

I don't see MBox2 Audio driver under "USB Controller", so are you sure MBox 2 shows up properly in Device Manager?

If you unplug MBox2 Mini and start Pro Tools can you see how far it goes?