Can any of the computer buffs please help me with this USB/Line 6 related problem?

 
I have a Line 6 FBV Shortboard MkII foot-pedal control unit:
 

 
 
I can use it two different ways:

1. It connects directly to my Line 6 Spider Valve and is used to control all its functions etc.
2. It connects to my PC with a USB lead to:
   • act as an interface between the amp and the editing software (Spider Valve Edit) on my PC; for example, to create patches on the PC and then store them directly on to the amp.
   • act as a controller to operate the various functions of the Pod Farm 2 software on my PC. There is also a dedicated program (FBV Control) on my PC to set up and assign which switches do what.

The problem I'm having is when using the Shortboard connected via USB to my main Win7/64bit computer; the unit is working perfectly when connected to my amp, and also works when connected to my older Vista/32bit PC. Both of the associated Line 6 programs on the Win7 machine simply do not recognize the fact that the Shortboard is there for some reason. And for some strange reason, this has only happened recently - it used to work perfectly.
 
The unit powers up OK, and is recognized correctly in Device Manager as a Sound/Video/Game Controller. I've tried it in every USB port on my PC with no luck. Even when I tried it in the USB ports I've never used it in, it correctly installs the driver software (from Line 6 Tech Support: "The FBV Shortboard MkII uses Windows class compliant USB drivers that get installed when the device is connected").
 
I've also tried uninstalling and then reinstalling both the Spider Valve Edit and the FBV Control software, as well as updating the POD Farm/Toneport software and drivers to the latest versions.
 
I've even tried rebooting my PC with all my other USB devices (except keyboard, mouse and the Shortboard) unplugged but still no joy.
 
Does anyone have any idea how to troubleshoot this any further, or what might be preventing the Line 6 software from 'seeing' the unit.
 
Thanks in advance
 
 
Incidentally, here are the messages I'm seeing in the two Line 6 programs when the Shortboard is connected:
 

 

 
 
And if this helps, here are the drivers associated with the USB port I used to use successfully with the Shortboard:
 

 

I think Jan has the right idea. Isn't there a line 6 driver for it? That looks like the generic windows driver.
 
Steve

Are your USB Win7 drivers correctly up to date?
 
I noticed that a recent critical update from MS though marked as critical it was actually not selected by default for installation as it can cause some errors when installed.
 
See this link http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2862330
 
Other than that what would I know

 
Update (all ideas have failed to rectify the situation):

• I've since rolled back the firmware version of the Shortboard using my older Vista/32bit PC (which it works perfectly with)
• I've also done a System Restore as far back as I can
• I've run a full rKill + MalwareBytes scan which turns up nothing

 
Jan & Steve - thanks gents; I tried the uninstall/reinstall driver idea but to no avail. Steve, the guy at Line 6 said they have the unit deliberately use generic Windows drivers, so it's installing the correct ones. I tried the 'Update Driver' option but it says I have the latest installed.
 
Cheers George, I'm bang up to date with all my Line 6 stuff. But exactly as with all my Line 6 software (PodFarm/FBV Control/Spider Valve Edit), Line 6 Monkey doesn't 'see' the Shortboard at all; I even tried disconnecting my TonePort to force it to search for all available devices. On my Vista machine, Monkey recognizes the Shortboard immediately, and even tells me which version of firmware it's running.
 
John, thanks mate, I've been having trouble installing the last 4 Windows Updates for some reason so you might be on to something. After my System Restore, I'm currently trying again to get Windows up to date with all the Updates I rolled back, I'll let you know how it goes.
 
Pedro, there are no specific drivers available from Line 6 - the unit is designed to use generic Windows drivers, and the 'Update' option is telling me I have the latest version.
 
You have given me an excellent idea though, what I will do is check that the drivers that it's working perfectly with on my older Vista PC are the same drivers that are being installed on my Win7 machine.
 
 
Again, thanks everyone for chipping in
 
I'll go and try over at the Dell forum to see if they have any ideas, I'll report back if I get any joy.
 
 

spacey
Steve...you know to well how I feel about Line 6
but I feel stronger about wishing I could help you...
the only thing that comes to mind is, if I'm following you correctly, is
that maybe the driver for the Shortboard isn't the issue- maybe
Monkey needs to be updated for Win7. ?
 
 

Spacey I am assuming his monkey is up to date since it goes through a check to see if its updated ,
 
Strammy you might try copying the drivers over, but I smell a windows update RAT, the last update hosed my Notion 3 software, well specifically the Nalparion licensing  service...

I don't know if this will help or not. Have you right clicked on the program and tried "Compatibility Mode" or on the desktop icon?
 
When graphics drivers remain on the computer then they can get messed up. Have you removed the item in Device Manager and started up the computer until Windows 7 finds no drivers (and do not install them) to sort of clean out all the drivers or multiple instances of the drivers being installed (more than one time up to several times) ??
 
If you can I think you can stop Windows 7 from installing the drivers when it sees the hardware and do not install drivers until you see if multiple instances of drivers are installed ??
 
Not sure, if any of that will help but there is also Driver Verifier or just the "verifier" program that you can run also?
 
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/244617
 
---------------------------------------
When graphics drivers are not fully un-installed then some drivers may remain, and at that time, Windows 7 was started until all versions of drivers were un-installed by deleting the device in Windows 7 in Device Manager until Windows 7 only came up and installed "Standard VGA" graphics drivers for the graphics card.
 
It seem though that you are running the same drivers all the time perhaps, so different versions like graphics drivers are probably not the problem, but it never hurts to check.
 
Running "verifier" in the search box may not help but, if some update from Windows 7 made the drivers incompatible, then you may just find out running "verifier" without the quotes, but then again, perhaps you just need new drivers and those have not been made so you are stuck with the original drivers from Windows, and ugh! then.
 
Something may be interfering now with the drivers and that takes more work to find out in the computer.
Right now I know it is not the same probably as graphics drivers, and if you had it where you get an error message then that may help also (which should be a setting in Windows 7 I am not sure about but if the driver crashes then turning off "automatic restart" in Windows 7 may give you an error code instead if your computer is doing any of that in the first place).
 
http://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-help-support/210693-appcrash-exception-code-c0000005.html
 
At first that may not be any error code you get, but read further down the page, and see if any applies to your problem with the driver for your unit. And since it is a Microsoft driver, then perhaps that webpage will not help at all. (??)
 
After that, ugh! I would have to think further or it may just be the drivers do not work anymore for some reason.
 
 

spacealf ...
When graphics drivers are not fully un-installed then some drivers may remain, and at that time, Windows 7 was started until all versions of drivers were un-installed by deleting the device in Windows 7 in Device Manager until Windows 7 only came up and installed "Standard VGA" graphics drivers for the graphics card.
...

Same thing with any Windows, up until somewhere in W7 ... though I thought you did not have to worry about uninstalling/installing drivers for anything in W7-Pro, or 64bit, as far as I know.
 
This was the case with World of Warcraft, all the way up. Every month you have to uninstall the graphic drivers, go CLEAN UP THE FOLDER IN THE DRIVE (<<<<----- STRUMMY!))) and then install the new drivers.
 
Glad I don't have to do this again!
 
I'm still setting up my w7-64bit machine for music. Just got the midi working and am preparing some screen shots to see if I can get more help when I'm ready!. Thx

 
Al, many thanks for the advice and those links, I'll let you know how I get on.

I haven't seen anyone else post this yet, so I'll do my part to offer a nuggat of wisdom.
 
Have you tried replacing your USB cable with a Monster USB cable?
 
[ducks and runs for cover]

Well, I do not know if it is the right direction exactly when I post anything. It just had to do with graphics cards and people not totally un-installing old ones or doing a clean installation. But in my case, a person may not have that option with Windows 7 as it seems to just want to install drivers if it finds something instead of giving an option. In my case with the graphics drivers and cleaning out old ones, there were ones (a previous version) that Windows 7 had (which I did not even know where it came from) also there. But that may be different than any USB drivers for some hardware. ??
 
It may just be a lot of work that leads to nothing either being solved. Compatibility works only with some programs, but in the end I try and get the Vista drivers for the hardware to work in Windows 7 perhaps if that can be done, since the unit works in Vista.
 
Always the big question mark (and Microsoft programs not really helping all that much sometimes anyway).
 

Make sure you're attaching all cables in the proper direction!  Otherwise the bits won't flow correctly.