Sonar Platinum crashes immediately upon starting playback

I'm still in "learning mode" with Sonar...
I ran all of the tutorials and was happily using Sonar Manchester for several days when suddenly it stopped working. Now, it crashes immediately when I begin a playback of an existing project. I tried several different projects, all based on the tutorials, and it crashes on all of them. It plays back about one measure, then "goes white."
I have tried this...
    * restored my (Win8.1) system to the state it was in before the latest "disaster recovery" updates from Microsoft.
            (These had installed themselves just a couple of days ago.)
    * reinstalled the latest Sonar Platinum version, via the Command Center
    * reinstalled the drivers for my Scarlett 18i8
 
The problem remains.
I can't use Sonar at all, now, which of course does not make me very happy.
Anyone have any clues for something I may not have thought of?
Thanks much...
      -Ernie
 

I'm using the latest build of Manchester. (reinstalled it thru Command Center, just to make sure.)
I do also have the latest drivers for my Scarlett 18i8. (reinstalled them, just to make sure.)
 
I just now tried changing my Sonar playback device to my system's built-in Realtek speakers, to take the Scarlett 18i8 out of the picture. The project played for a few more measures than when I designated the Scarlett -- but after a few measures, Sonar crashed again (went white, with "Not Responding").
 
Does reinstalling Sonar through the Command Center really do a full reinstall?
 
Interestingly, while I was typing this, Sonar came back to life... so I tried "play" again, and the result was the same. Played a few measures -- I clicked the Stop button and Sonar went back to "Not Responding".
This has now happened twice while I type -- I stop to ponder what to say next, and Sonar suddenly comes back to life, I play a few bars and click "stop" and Sonar goes back to "Nor Responding".
Now it's happened a third time -- Sonar comes back to life, plays for as long as I let it play, goes to "Not Responding" when I click the stop button.
 
That's where it stands now. Three times is enough, I think... I'll kill Sonar thru Task Manager now...
 
 
 
 

I think the problem is with the Focusrite Scarlett18i8.
The unit won't work with my other software packages that are supposed to be able to use it for audio.
Googling around reveals that a lot of people have reported the same problem.
No one seems to have a fix, though.
I'll log a ticket with Focusrite, but I'm feeling pessimistic...

Is it plugged into a USB3 port by any chance?

From what I read, the Focusrite Scarlett18i8 supports USB 2.0, not 3.0.  I had the same problem with my Roland Octa-capture, I had it plugged into my USB 3.0  port and Sonar Kept crashing.   I then plugged it back into USB 2.0 port on the computer and and Sonar stopped crashing.  
 
Try it out.

Yet More Info: In Device Manager, I see an "Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)" for the USB2 port where the Scarlett is plugged in. I unplug the Scarlett and plug in something else (a disk drive), and Device Manager is happy with what got plugged in.
If I plug Scarlett into a different USB port, THAT port goes to "Unknown USB Device" in Device Manager. Plugging something ELSE into that port makes Device Manager happy with the port again.
Rebooting my computer does not change this situation at all.

Thank you, but that wouldn't make any difference. You install the drivers BEFORE connecting the Scarlett to the computer, not after it's already connected.

OK thanks, that was worth a try.
Had no effect on the problem, though. Still get an instant crash in Sonar if I try to play through the Scarlett. And after Sonar crashes, Scarlett disappears from the Device Manager, and unplugging/replugging it gets "the last device you connected to this computer malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it."

Nothing from Focusrite yet. But if they're on the US East Coast (are they?), then my support request was late yesterday afternoon. I'm still watching & waiting.
You have this problem too?

Hmm.  I know the cardinal rule in troubleshooting is that it is always software/drivers and rarely hardware,  but that does sound suspiciously like a hardware problem. (I had a usb dmx controller that failed and gave me the same error).  Fingers crossed it is not though.   Have you tried the interface on another Pc just to rule that out? 

Please detail the settings for your Focusrite interface - Sample Rate and ASIO Buffer Size, and also please detail from Sonar, it's Sample Rate and the various ASIO-reported latency values (Edit>Preferences>Audio>Driver Settings and then the ASIO Reported Latency values shown below the ASIO Control Panel button).
 
Thanks, 
 
Bob Bone
 

I've have talked to Focusrite Support out here on the West Coast.
They've always been there for me the couple times I've had to contact them.
 
https://us.focusrite.com/stores/distributors/United%20States%20of%20America
 
Focusrite Novation Inc. - US Sales, Marketing and Technical Support
840 Apollo Street, Suite 312

El Segundo,

CA

90245

United States of America

Telephone: (310) 322-5500

What do you use in your project? What VSTis? When the Sonar crashes you should be seeing a pop-up window with OS report, stating what particular module or DLL is causing that crash.

Nice Glad you got it working.
All the best.

Glad you got it sorted out!  Sometimes all this tech stuff is so frustrating......
Anyway, glad I could help out.
 
Michael