Protools kills MIDI setup

[oreo1]

I've been rebuilding my software after a mac system crash last week. One thing i can't seem to solve.

My Mac Midi Setup utility hasn't been working properly. It doesn't show any of the MIDI devices I am using, gives me the message "unable to load MIDI server"and then suggests that the cause is probably a bad MIDI driver. Meanwhile, my library/audio folder shows several drivers located there.

This morning I tried a test. First I used Time Machine to swap an older copy of the entire library/Audio folder with the current copy. After that, Midi Setup Utility showed 3 drivers working OK. They include the Apple IAC driver, Digi002 driver, and something called Network.

Then i loaded Protools. This is PT 8.01 on a Digi002 running OS 10.5.8. Dual G5.

When I shut down Protools, I immediately checked the Midi setup. It gave me the same error message as before, and it didn't show any of my drivers from 5 minutes ago. I conclude that Protools operated on the MIDI setup tool in some way to make the drivers disappear from MIDI setup. And yes, these drivers are still there, physically, in my Library/audio folder.

Any ideas on how to stop this from happening. I care about it, because other programs, especially Melodyne, apparently need the IAC MIDI driver to work with MIDI. Melodyne still loads, but it gives the message that MIDI is not loaded.

[Dism]

Originally Posted by oreo1

I've been rebuilding my software after a mac system crash last week. One thing i can't seem to solve.

My Mac Midi Setup utility hasn't been working properly. It doesn't show any of the MIDI devices I am using, gives me the message "unable to load MIDI server"and then suggests that the cause is probably a bad MIDI driver. Meanwhile, my library/audio folder shows several drivers located there.

This morning I tried a test. First I used Time Machine to swap an older copy of the entire library/Audio folder with the current copy. After that, Midi Setup Utility showed 3 drivers working OK. They include the Apple IAC driver, Digi002 driver, and something called Network.

Then i loaded Protools. This is PT 8.01 on a Digi002 running OS 10.5.8. Dual G5.

When I shut down Protools, I immediately checked the Midi setup. It gave me the same error message as before, and it didn't show any of my drivers from 5 minutes ago. I conclude that Protools operated on the MIDI setup tool in some way to make the drivers disappear from MIDI setup. And yes, these drivers are still there, physically, in my Library/audio folder.

Any ideas on how to stop this from happening. I care about it, because other programs, especially Melodyne, apparently need the IAC MIDI driver to work with MIDI. Melodyne still loads, but it gives the message that MIDI is not loaded.

I would try running a Permissions Repair. I find that tends to clear up MIDI issues.

[DigiTechSupt]

Originally Posted by oreo1

I've been rebuilding my software after a mac system crash last week. One thing i can't seem to solve.

My Mac Midi Setup utility hasn't been working properly. It doesn't show any of the MIDI devices I am using, gives me the message "unable to load MIDI server"and then suggests that the cause is probably a bad MIDI driver. Meanwhile, my library/audio folder shows several drivers located there.

This morning I tried a test. First I used Time Machine to swap an older copy of the entire library/Audio folder with the current copy. After that, Midi Setup Utility showed 3 drivers working OK. They include the Apple IAC driver, Digi002 driver, and something called Network.

Then i loaded Protools. This is PT 8.01 on a Digi002 running OS 10.5.8. Dual G5.

When I shut down Protools, I immediately checked the Midi setup. It gave me the same error message as before, and it didn't show any of my drivers from 5 minutes ago. I conclude that Protools operated on the MIDI setup tool in some way to make the drivers disappear from MIDI setup. And yes, these drivers are still there, physically, in my Library/audio folder.

Any ideas on how to stop this from happening. I care about it, because other programs, especially Melodyne, apparently need the IAC MIDI driver to work with MIDI. Melodyne still loads, but it gives the message that MIDI is not loaded.

I don't think it's Pro Tools causing the problem, but I won't rule it out at the moment.

You should try the specific MIDI preference trashing from the General Troubleshooting thread - it's in one of the replies.

If that doesn't help, try creating a new administrator account, sign into it and test from there. That will help us understand if it's a problem with your current admin account.

[oreo1]

Thanks for the tips guys. Nothing works so far.

I fixed my permissions (twice). I ran the Protools tech utility which apparently deleted some preference files. I deleted a few other ones on my own as well.

I don't know how to change administrators. So i didn't try that.

But I do have OS 10.5.8 loaded on 2 hard drives on my G5. When i start from the 2nd drive, MIDI setup works as expected. It's only my startup drive that seems to have the problem. Tomorrow I may switch drives. I'm kind of curious if protools will even run, if booted off a different drive.

i agree with you, that the problem "feels'" more like a mac problem than a Protools problem. I was just hoping that someone here might have dealt successfully with this problem previously. I guess not.

[DigiTechSupt]

Originally Posted by oreo1

Thanks for the tips guys. Nothing works so far.

I fixed my permissions (twice). I ran the Protools tech utility which apparently deleted some preference files. I deleted a few other ones on my own as well.

I don't know how to change administrators. So i didn't try that.

But I do have OS 10.5.8 loaded on 2 hard drives on my G5. When i start from the 2nd drive, MIDI setup works as expected. It's only my startup drive that seems to have the problem. Tomorrow I may switch drives. I'm kind of curious if protools will even run, if booted off a different drive.

i agree with you, that the problem "feels'" more like a mac problem than a Protools problem. I was just hoping that someone here might have dealt successfully with this problem previously. I guess not.

The app for trashing prefs doesn't trash the MIDI prefs, which is why I referred you to the G.T. thread. You should try it.

Here's info on how to create a new administrator account:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.h...5/en/8235.html

[oreo1]

Sorry i haven't responded to this last bit of advice more quickly.

I just created a new login account. Then I tested the mac's Audio MIDI setup tool from this new account.

YES, MIDI setup works just fine from within this new account. The screen shows an IAC and a Network MIDI driver.

So now that I know that the problem is a function of my own account, what can i try next to troubleshoot? Any help is appreciated?

[DigiTechSupt]

Originally Posted by oreo1

Sorry i haven't responded to this last bit of advice more quickly.

I just created a new login account. Then I tested the mac's Audio MIDI setup tool from this new account.

YES, MIDI setup works just fine from within this new account. The screen shows an IAC and a Network MIDI driver.

So now that I know that the problem is a function of my own account, what can i try next to troubleshoot? Any help is appreciated?

Have you tried the trashing of the specific MIDI preferences in your old account, per my previous instructions?

[oreo1]

Ys I did what you suggested.

I just uncovered something that makes me wonder if i may be sniffing at a solution. In other threads I have read, I have learned that certain MIDI drivers are either found in the users library or the mac hard drive's library. But not both. I just noticed that in my system, I have redundant MIDI drivers in BOTH places.

My user library/audio/MIDI drivers folder shows these MIDI plugins:

DigidesignfirewireMIDI.plugin
DigidesignMBox2MIDI.plugin (I don't have an M-Box, but use Digi002R)
DigidesignMIDIIODriver.plugin
DigiDioMidiDriver.plugin
M-Audio USB support.plugin (My Oxygen 8)
NIUSBMIDIDriver.plugin (I have several Native Instrument programs)

My Mac Hard drive's library/audio/MIDI Drivers folder shows these MIDI plugins:

DigidesignfirewireMIDI.plugin
DigidesignMIDIIODriver.plugin
DigiDioMidiDriver.plugin
M-Audio USB support.plugin

Could this be the cause of the problem? If so, which group do I delete?

[oreo1]

No need to respond. i just deleted all those drivers from my mac hardrive/library/audio folder. And MIDI suddenly works again just as it is supposed to. And my various music programs load quickly again (if at all).

So put this into your knowledgebase when somebody else has this problem. Basically this: MIDI drivers can only be located in one folder.

I'm not sure how that redundancy occurred, but I have been dealing with a long and difficult repair of my entire hard drive since it crashed two weeks ago, from a combination of bad memory and bad directories.

Actually. please answer me one question if you will. Do I need that M-Box driver if I have no M-Box?