Audio inputs not reaching channel meters from digi 003 Rack +

[dubbyd]

Hello and thanks for reading my post,

I've spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to overcome audio input issues with my previously working setup:
•ProTools LE 8.0.5
•Digi 003 Rack +
•Generic 1394 Firewire PCI card with 3 ports - "1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy)" with Microsoft driver version 6.1.7601.23403
•Dell Studio XPS 435T
•Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64bit
•Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 960 @ 3.20GHz
•24GB RAM
•EVGA's NVidia GeForce GTX 970 Display Adapter
•1TB SSD system drive
•1TB secondary SATA drive

I can't explain what changed other than I didn't use ProTools for a few months. Here are the problems I'm experiencing.
•Audio inputs do not register on the channel meters. I've checked every input (XLR and 1/4") and the result is the same for all
•Audio can be heard over the monitor ONLY if I select "Options" > "Low Latency Monitoring" and turn the monitor volume on my digi 003 rack up to 80%, but still they do not register on the meters
•Intermittent issues with Starting ProTools as it starts "Restoring Controllers / Initializing Controllers". Error message: "Could not create a new document because Assertion in "d:\code\135988\alturaports\dfw\views\umenu.win32. cpp", line 1166."
•Note that all the other features I use work just fine; my Oxygen 49 MIDI controller, all the Virtual Instruments, effects, etc

My troubleshooting includes all tasks below, with no benefit to my audio input problem
•Checked the I/O settings for each channel in the Mix window, and checked the physical channel input pots on digi 003 rack unit
•Replaced firewire cable
•Tried every combination of firewire ports between the digi 003 rack and my three firewire ports on the firewire card
•Deleted all the I/O settings and re-established Defaults for Input, Output, Insert, and Bus
•Downloaded full installer for ProTools 8.0.4 from Avid
•Followed Avid's Windows 7 Optimizations and Troubleshooting Guide: http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/e...oting/en349411
•Full uninstall of ProTools 8.0.5 (Including manual cleanup of leftover folders and files) > Reinstall ProTools 8.0.4
•Full uninstall of ProTools 8.0.4 (Including manual cleanup of leftover folders and files) > Install digi 003 drivers > Install ProTools 10.0 from Avid's Optical Media
•Downloaded full installer for ProTools 10.3.10 from Avid
•Downloaded digi 003 driver "Install Avid 003 (Rack) 9.0.8.exe" from Avid
•Reinstallation of clean Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64bit Operating System > Install digi 003 drivers v 9.0.8 > Install ProTools 10.3.10
•I have a second digi 003 Rack + unit I was able to borrow for testing. It behaves exactly like the other unit
•Installed a new SIIG PCIe firewire card. It's the one recommended by Avid for use with ProTools (Mfg Part# NN-E20012-S2) http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FWCardPCIe http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/e...ility/en352647

Respectfully,