Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

Hi all!

I have a Zoom R16 (8-channel audio interface) and a perpetual Pro Tools Studio license on a laptop, I'm trying to connect them together to record some drums (timbales).

I have the Zoom R16 setup in audio interface mode, installed the correct audio interface drivers for windows, and was off! I was able to record in ProTools. However, I then restarted my system, logged in, and now all of the sudden windows won't recognise my audio interface?

Here are some images of the various error messages when I plug the interface back in:


Attachment 16116

Attachment 16117

Attachment 16118

My specs on this machine:

Windows 10 Laptop
Intel I7 4 Cores
16GB of RAM
GPU (of some sort, I don't remember which one)
SSD start up drive.

It's not the best system for recording... but it should work.. no?

I have tried:

- Re-installing drivers
- Turning everything off and on
- Switching cables around
- Downgrading to a legacy version of ProTools
- Re-installing everything

What could possibly be the cause?

Another note: I was getting an AWFUL lot of latency when I did get it working when I plugged it all in the first time (before it broke)

Re: Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

What changed? Is automatic updates disabled?

Unplug any other USB devices and make sure this is connected directly to the laptop.

I would try making sure the R16 is powered from the proper wall wart and not internal batteries (remove any batteries to be sure).

Make sure no other apps or Windows is trying to use that interface.

Are you using the ASIO interface? Not say trying to use ASIO4ALL? If ASIO4ALL is installed try uninstalling it.

Hold down 'N' as you start Pro Tools and make sure the Playback Engine is set to the proper device.

You sometime might need to kick stuff in the guts to make sure a driver really uninstalls and installs OK. Like disconnect the device, run the driver uninstaller. reboot (even if the uninstaller does not ask for it). reconnect the device, make sure it's not found. disconnect again. Run the installer again, reboot and reconnect the device and see if it works. Never let Window plug and pray do anything.

Re: Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

This looks more like a Windows driver issue than a Pro Tools issue.
With the R16 turned on and connected to your system, open Windows Device Manager and make sure you see the R16 listed under Sound Devices. If it eith is not listed or has a red X next to it, then you are definitely having driver issues.
Let us know and we can take it from there.

Re: Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

Hello,
Thank you for responding.

I had a look and realised there were no windows updates at all when I came back to the system.


Have tried this, to no avail

It is indeed

I made sure that was the case when I initially plugged the interface in and it worked briefly.

The Zoom r16 is an AISO interface... However, I believe it's quite an old interface nowadays.

Yes, I have made sure that was the case, but pro tools came back with the -6117 error https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=420967

I have done all of this, manually re-installed, restarted, etc. I'm struggling! Could it be a compatibility thing with this driver (which I belive as I say might be a bit old) and the latest version of ProTools?

I purchased a Pro Tools Studio perpetual licenses about 4 months ago - What is the oldest ProTools version I'm entitled to use? Perhaps I could try connecting this interface with an even older version?

Are there any alternative drivers for ProTools? Am I able to somehow route the 8 channels of my r16 into VoiceMeeterBanana and then into pro tools, using VM as the ProTools interface?

Thanks again.

Re: Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

That's what I thought.
It did initially show there when it worked, but now I can't see the device under sound devices.

As I mentioned I was getting a LOT of latency when recording when it worked for the first time - I don't know if that has to do with anything?

Re: Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

If it is not showing up in device manager, then there is no way Pro Tools is going to find it.

You can try disconnecting the R16 from your computer. Go into Windows Device Manager and under the View menu, click the option to Show Hidden Devices. Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section and hopefully you will see an entry for the R16. If you do, right click on the entry and select Uninstall Device. When the uninstall device dialog is shown, make sure you check the box next to Attempt to remove the driver and click the Ok button.
Do not reconnect the R16 yet.
Restart your system, go back into device manager and make sure it is gone.

From there, I would install the R16 driver and reboot. Once the system is back up, try plugging in the R16 and seeing if it shows up in device manager. If it does, make sure there is no red X next to it. If there is, you will need to find the issue. If all looks good, you can try starting Pro Tools while holding the N key.

Hopefully this gets you further along.

Also, make sure you have a good USB cable before doing any of this.

Re: Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

Thanks for this.

I have a strange feeling my USB cables are crap... It worked for a moment at the beginning, now it doesn't... No windows updates or anything... Doesn't that sound like a cable issue to you?

Re: Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

Maybe(and its certainly a good idea to try a good-quality cable. If nothing else, you will at least have a spare cable).

Another thing to check; a required system tweak of disabling Power Management on all USB ports(aka "USB Root Hub" in Device Manager):o

Re: Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

You've already moved ahead onto better troubleshooting give there is no device showing up.

But to be clear

That was not the question. The question is were you actually using that ASIO driver for that interface. It's easy for Pro Tools to seemingly start up with the wrong interface and if you have ASIO4All installed Pro Tools can access devices via their WDM (not ASIO) driver. And when you mention things like large latency that can be a sign that is happening. And this is why to double check what interface Pro Tools is actually using as the playback engine, which you did so it's not using ASIO4ALL. But if that is installed and you don't need it I would uninstall it, sometimes 3rd party software include ASIO4ALL without making it super obvious. Never just assume that Pro Tools will always pick the correct playback engine, another thing in looking at the playback engine list is to see all the interface options shown, checking that there is hopefully only one entry for a device, if there are multiple you need to understand what is going on.

This is unlikely, cannot ever say for sure, but it's unlikely. ASIO pretty much is ASIO, unless there is a bug in a driver things tends to work, it can be prone to some glitches around interpretations about some subtle parts of the ASIO standard, but an ASIO application generally just works with an interface with an ASIO driver.

We now know it's likely nothing to do with Pro Tools and is a driver/driver install issue. You might only see issues with Pro Tools in cases like this because Pro Tools is the only app using ASIO. But that does not mean it's a Pro Tools problem. Unfortunately you've probably wasted time messing around with stuff when you needed to focus on the driver.

A quick look over people complaining on the internet about driver install issues gives the impression that Zoom has more than it's share, but that might be an unfair conclusion. You are getting great advice here from folks, but if you end up still stuck you might get help from Zoom support or look on Zoom forums for help. And if anything an "older driver" might raise suspicion it might have a harder time installing on say the latest Windows 10 or 11... not so much that an old driver will have problems with any ASIO app.

Re: Windows Not Recognizing Audio Interface
 

Hi all, brilliant, thank you all for this fantastic advice.

apologies - I was limited on time so I swapped out the laptop with a better computer, installed the drivers, and pro tools, and it worked. That's the worst type of fix - when you don't know what broke it, but I suspect it was as everybody here says a driver issue.

Thanks again!