Getting error and ProTools will not launch

[richardssllc]

Thank you both (Weed and Christopher) -
It basically confirms the point I was trying to make: Windows doesn't have a proper driver, and neither does AVID (at least one that works yet..). Typical finger-pointing between OS and application vendors.

[Darryl Ramm]

There is no “finger pointing” here between Avid and Microsoft. Pro Tools needs an ASIO audio interface. It’s your job to make sure your PC has one. Avid does not and cannot provide ASIO drivers for third party interfaces, Microsoft cannot write drivers for third party audio interfaces. They might distribute them (but relying on plug and play/Windows download is not a good idea). The company that needs to provide ASIO drivers is the audio interface vendor, the mechanism responsible for installing them is *you*. What Avid should be doing is providing clear user understandable errors when things fail because you have not installed an ASIO audio device on your computer. Avid *sucks* at making clear predictive error messages for many types of problems caused by user mistakes.

ASIO4ALL is a workaround for non-ASIO interfaces that wraps standard Windows Audio drivers to make them look like an ASIO driver. No serious audio interface should require ASIO4ALL—Not even a low-end Solo. If you install that and it does not work properly the folks to contact are Focusrite support. It is unclear what exact version of the Solo you have, and we have no idea what versions of the drivers you have tried to install, etc. but Focusrite’s support website is the next place for you to visit...

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[richardssllc]

I appreciate your input, Darryl.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough in my original post (I'm new to this Forum), but I don't have a Focusrite - I'm just using the PC's onboard analog outputs in the short-term until Amazon delivers the FireWire PCIx card. Once that's installed and talking to my SC48 mixing console, I'll update my profile with the hardware specs for reference in future discussions. Of course I'll use the AVID-provided FWx32 driver for all that.

So, now I'm wondering why we would consider the PC's motherboard, specifically the audio section (common to most PCs mobos), itself a "third party interface"? My last post was written from the point of view that it is not. PT ran OK initially, using only the first of the three onboard analog output pairs (as Stereo L and R). It wouldn't boot after I enabled the other two pairs, which was resolved as described in previous posts by installing the ASIO4all driver (thanks again, Forum members).

I certainly agree that better instructions up front (like: BTW, new PT users with Windows PCs, you'll need an ASIO driver, etc.), and, clear user understandable errors, should be provided.

After The Weed mentioned it in a previous reply to my posts, I did look at Microsoft's WASAPI audio API, and I think Microsoft should include it as an included current Win OS feature for ASIO functionality. Or, back to my original point, couldn't / shouldn't AVID include it in the Windows version of PT? I suppose that depends on the "third party" hardware distinction question.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by richardssllc

I appreciate your input, Darryl.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough in my original post (I'm new to this Forum), but I don't have a Focusrite - I'm just using the PC's onboard analog outputs in the short-term until Amazon delivers the FireWire PCIx card. Once that's installed and talking to my SC48 mixing console, I'll update my profile with the hardware specs for reference in future discussions. Of course I'll use the AVID-provided FWx32 driver for all that.

So, now I'm wondering why we would consider the PC's motherboard, specifically the audio section (common to most PCs mobos), itself a "third party interface"? My last post was written from the point of view that it is not. PT ran OK initially, using only the first of the three onboard analog output pairs (as Stereo L and R). It wouldn't boot after I enabled the other two pairs, which was resolved as described in previous posts by installing the ASIO4all driver (thanks again, Forum members).

I certainly agree that better instructions up front (like: BTW, new PT users with Windows PCs, you'll need an ASIO driver, etc.), and, clear user understandable errors, should be provided.

After The Weed mentioned it in a previous reply to my posts, I did look at Microsoft's WASAPI audio API, and I think Microsoft should include it as an included current Win OS feature for ASIO functionality. Or, back to my original point, couldn't / shouldn't AVID include it in the Windows version of PT? I suppose that depends on the "third party" hardware distinction question.

Ugh sorry, I was really confused then trying to catch up on this thread.

Stop thinking about "audio interfaces" you need to be carefully specific here. On Windows they are either WDM or ASIO interfaces, two entirely different specifcations for how audio software talks to audio hardware. Pro Tools and many other DAWs requires a ASIO interface to run on Windows. Standard Windows audio interfaces implement WDM audio, not ASIO. Some motherboards and PCIe audio cards targeting higher-end audio use will have ASIO drivers for them, most won't.

Windows has has historically had such poor audio capabilities that the ASIO interface standard was developed by Steinberg and is used by multiple different DAW and other audio applications. Every serious audio interface from any vendor intended to run with a DAW will have an ASIO driver provided by that vendor.

ASIO4ALL is a hack, a wrapper for a WDM driver that makes it look like an ASIO driver, how well it works depends on the interface and WDM driver. If a native ASIO driver is available for your interface/PC Motherboard/Audio card you should be using that. If you are picking a PC where you want to use the motherboard or audio card with pro Tools you should be looking for one with an ASIO driver. If you have no other choice then sure try ASIO4ALL. WASAPI is the evolution of WDM, not ASIO. When most folks here say WDM we mean WDM or WASAPI, and indeed ASIO4ALL wraps both WDM and WASAPI and makes it look like ASIO.

As a user you are expected to know this, the ASIO requirement is included in Pro Tools documentation, etc. but Avid should have Pro Tools check if it sees a ASIO interface or not and and if not provide a clear understandable error message. There are whole sets of cryptic crash or other error messages Pro Tools gives with interface problems that help nobody.

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I found this to be a Softube (AAX version only) Plug-In Authorisation issue; ProTools would not start and the plugins had not been authorised in a running instance.
I re-installed the bundled Softube plug-ins via Gobbler (after Resetting Presets with Trasher 12, swapping in ASIO4ALL, upgrading Application Manager, UnInstalling Softube plugins, Uninstalling ProTools, running CCleaner / Registry Clean & Re-Installing Protools). I reinstalled the full libraries via Gobbler and started ProTools and it ran the first time.

Hope that helps.

Windows 10, Protools 12.2 First, ASIO4ALL Driver.

[richardssllc]

Thanks for the additional input, Dan -

As I'd mentioned previously, it's a moot point now that I have the FireWire connection (FWx32) between my Pro Tools PC and the SC48 mixing console. I.e., I don't have to rely on ASIO4ALL, which I've deleted from the PC. I'm able to receive 32 inputs directly from the PT PC, and, send 32 direct outs from the console inputs directly to the PT PC. Seems to work OK - with one exception..

If the console is already powered up and FireWire connected, the PC will not start - I mean as in BSOD won't start. The PC will start up in Safe Mode, so it's still some kinda driver issue. If I simply unplug the FireWire cable, it WILL start up normally, then I reconnect the cable and all is good again.

Any ideas? Obviously it's an easy work-around, but I'd like to understand WTH is going on - thanks in advance -