I did the Sweetwater Windows 7 optimization (all steps), and now I I have no midi input. No devices are listed in "Options/Midi Devices." I have a basic midi keyboard, connected to a UR-22 interface. That works; I can load my music and it plays (somewhat better after the optimization). Everything was working fine before the optimization. I had a simple two-ended midi cable running between my keyboard and my Ur-22. I hooked up an M-Audio Uno to see if that would work. The computer recognized it and installed drivers, but still I have no midi devices recognized in Sonar. I'm wondering if disabling all the services in msconfig may have done it? Windows Audio Service? Thanks, I really need to solve this as I can't work until I do.

Check in device manager and see if you have a working MIDI device in Windows. Obviously the first step is to undo the stuff you did that caused the problem. If you have a recent restore point (you did create one before you started this resetting fest didn't you?) may fix it. Just looking at the Sweetwater recommendations I would suspect you disabled something under startup items that you need. By the way the priority for background services thing probably is bad advice. 
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/pc-optimization-guide-for-windows-7/
 

Stopping the Windows audio service will kill Midi dead in the water - I did it myself once and couldn't figure out why there was no Midi. Re-enabling the service cured it!

Bristol_Jonesey
Stopping the Windows audio service will kill Midi dead in the water - I did it myself once and couldn't figure out why there was no Midi. Re-enabling the service cured it!

Hiding all Microsoft Services before a reckless disable all should have protected that, and in fact on my Win7 machine Windows Audio Service is not exposed in MSConfig. But I do have a service, EMu Audio Service, that is exposed, and I am pretty sure killing that would crump my audio/MIDI interface. The Sweetwater advice to just kill everything except MS services without knowing what each service does is ill advised. 

I did try re-enabling Windows Audio Service last night, but had trouble doing so. Maybe because it was hidden? (I did hide MS service before disabling all (I followed all instructions to the letter). I'm on my internet rig at the moment. When I get on my music rig later today I will get WAS enabled somehow; hopefully that will solve it, as suggested. I'll let you know guys, and thanks for the help. 

michael diemer
I did try re-enabling Windows Audio Service last night, but had trouble doing so. Maybe because it was hidden? (I did hide MS service before disabling all (I followed all instructions to the letter). I'm on my internet rig at the moment. When I get on my music rig later today I will get WAS enabled somehow; hopefully that will solve it, as suggested. I'll let you know guys, and thanks for the help. 

You can also get at services by using the Services control panel applet. Hit the windows key (or start button) and in the search box type, "Services". You'll see it in the list, it's named, strangely enough, "Services". :) You'll need admin rights for this. 
 
Scroll down to "Windows Audio" and double-click on it. In the dialog box set the startup type to "Automatic." While you're in there, make sure "Windows Audio Endpoint Builder" is also set to automatic.
 
 
 

slartabartfast
Check in device manager and see if you have a working MIDI device in Windows. Obviously the first step is to undo the stuff you did that caused the problem. If you have a recent restore point (you did create one before you started this resetting fest didn't you?) may fix it. Just looking at the Sweetwater recommendations I would suspect you disabled something under startup items that you need. By the way the priority for background services thing probably is bad advice. 
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/pc-optimization-guide-for-windows-7/
 

I enabled the background services on your advice. I'm sure you know more about it than I do.

Bristol_Jonesey
Stopping the Windows audio service will kill Midi dead in the water - I did it myself once and couldn't figure out why there was no Midi. Re-enabling the service cured it!

Yes, I pretty much had settled on that laying in bed last night. I did try to re-enable it, but it wouldn't happen. See below for further comments.

slartabartfast

Bristol_Jonesey
Stopping the Windows audio service will kill Midi dead in the water - I did it myself once and couldn't figure out why there was no Midi. Re-enabling the service cured it!

Hiding all Microsoft Services before a reckless disable all should have protected that, and in fact on my Win7 machine Windows Audio Service is not exposed in MSConfig. But I do have a service, EMu Audio Service, that is exposed, and I am pretty sure killing that would crump my audio/MIDI interface. The Sweetwater advice to just kill everything except MS services without knowing what each service does is ill advised. 

I did hide all the MS services before taking the hatchet to the rest. Read on!

kevinwal

michael diemer
I did try re-enabling Windows Audio Service last night, but had trouble doing so. Maybe because it was hidden? (I did hide MS service before disabling all (I followed all instructions to the letter). I'm on my internet rig at the moment. When I get on my music rig later today I will get WAS enabled somehow; hopefully that will solve it, as suggested. I'll let you know guys, and thanks for the help. 

You can also get at services by using the Services control panel applet. Hit the windows key (or start button) and in the search box type, "Services". You'll see it in the list, it's named, strangely enough, "Services". :) You'll need admin rights for this. 
 
Scroll down to "Windows Audio" and double-click on it. In the dialog box set the startup type to "Automatic." While you're in there, make sure "Windows Audio Endpoint Builder" is also set to automatic.
 
 
 

I was able to get the Endpoint Builder (whatever the heck that is) enabled by enabling the power service. Picked that tip up on a MS forum. I'm getting there!