I'm not in the office today so I don't have access to a VS-700C, but in general I'd run the following tests. There's only one test SONAR-side that I can think would have had any impact from updating to Windows 8.1 due to potential file corruption. More thorough testing of the hardware itself I'd recommend having an expert from Roland dig into since they have access to the service manuals, etc.
 
Anyhow, here's what I'd test:
 
Test 1 - Reset some of SONAR's MIDI settings
 
1) Open the Run Command by holding down the Windows key on your keyboard and pressing "r".
2) At the run prompt type the following: %appdata%\Cakewalk
3) Navigate to your SONAR folder
4) Locate and delete the files named TTSSEQ or TTSSEQ.ini as well as CTRLSURFACE or CTRLSURFACE.DAT
5) Close the folder and re-launch SONAR. Behind the scenes SONAR will recreate these files.
6) Reconfigure SONAR to use all of the VS-700 MIDI ports properly. Make sure you're following the set up properly. More thorough instructions here http://www.cakewalk.com/s...S700_Installation.aspx
 
At this point open a project and test again. I have seen this correct issues on the console before (such as a single ARM button not working).
 
Test 2 - Perform a factory reset on the console
 

1. Set all DIP switches on the Rear Panel to “off” (down).
2. Hold down [TIME CODE] at the upper right of the Top Panel and switch 
on the power.
3. At the Top Panel, hold down [SHIFT] at the lower left and press [ ] at 
the lower right to display 16. Do factory reset? on the LCD screen.
4. Press [OK/Enter].
The settings are changed to their factory defaults, and END is displayed 
on the LCD screen.
* To quit without executing a Factory Reset, switch off the power without pressing 
[OK/Enter].
5. Switch off the power.
 
Of course at this point test again. Make sure to return the DIP switches to their original position.
 
Test 3 - Enter the VS-700C's test mode to check the motors for the faders/re-calibrate them
 
Entering the Test Mode
1. Verify that the power source is off.
2. Connect only the power cord.
3. Set all DIP switches on the Rear Panel to “off” (down).
4. Hold down [TIME CODE] at the upper right of the Top Panel and switch 
on the power.
* Pressing different switches or pressing the switches in the wrong order results in 
failure to enter the Test Mode. Redo the operation from the start.

 
Test 13 or 14 is a Fader Motor Check (depends on the firmware you have installed but the LCD should indicate which test you're on)
 
You can skip between which test you're on by doing the following:
 
Jump to the next item:Hold down [SHIFT] and press [ ].
Jump to the previous item:Hold down [SHIFT] and press [ ].
 
Instructions for the fader motor test are:
 
Never touch the faders during fader operation.
* If a single movement fails to reach the target point within 2 seconds, the fader in question is automatically determined to be not OK, “NG” (“not OK”) and the failure point are displayed on the LCD screen, and the test is ended.
Failure points:128 stepwise locations from the lower edge (0) to the upper edge (127)
The nine faders automatically make five round trips for calibration.
1. When the displayed message Now Calibration Wait! disappears and calibration ends, press [OK/Enter].
The nine faders automatically operate in the three patterns shown below.
• Pattern 1: Lower edge -> upper edge -> lower edge (two round trips)
• Pattern 2: Lower edge -> center -> upper edge -> center -> lower edge (two round trips)
• Pattern 3: Lower edge -> rising by 1/6 at a time -> upper edge -> descending by 1/6 at a time -> lower edge (one round trip)
2. Press [OK/Enter] to advance to the next test item

 
Quitting the Test Mode
Any Test Mode item can be ended by simply switching off the power to the 
unit.

For me this issue predates SONAR X3. I definitely used to see it on X2 and I want to say that I even saw it on Windows 7. Since I never actually use the Master fader on the console, I just thought it was a flaky fader or something. I was actually a bit relieved when I recently saw that others were also seeing it in another thread in the V-Studio forum. If multiple people are seeing it, it is almost certainly some sort of software issue.
 
It seems to me like there is something wrong with the initialization sequence for the console. I suspect that either the Master fader is not receiving the correct reset command or something is being sent that deactivates it under certain circumstances.
 
-e.B

e.Blue
For me this issue predates SONAR X3. I definitely used to see it on X2 and I want to say that I even saw it on Windows 7. Since I never actually use the Master fader on the console, I just thought it was a flaky fader or something. I was actually a bit relieved when I recently saw that others were also seeing it in another thread in the V-Studio forum. If multiple people are seeing it, it is almost certainly some sort of software issue.
 
It seems to me like there is something wrong with the initialization sequence for the console. I suspect that either the Master fader is not receiving the correct reset command or something is being sent that deactivates it under certain circumstances.
 
-e.B

Thanks for chiming in re: your experience with other SONAR builds & Windows versions. That does help to know it's not necessarily specific to 8.1. I don't think we have enough information to suggest the problem is SONAR or the VS-700 Control Surface Plug-in yet. For all we know the console firmware could be at fault or the master fader motor itself being flakey after so much use. We really don't know so we probably shouldn't assume one way or the other.
 
If we want to confirm whether or not SONAR is sending the message we could use a combination of MIDI Yoke/MIDI Ox to get a print out of MIDI commands sent to the console when a project is launched. I'll have to give this a look tomorrow when I have a VS-700C available, but I would imagine the message for the master fader should be the same (other then the relative position) at each project launch. Absence of that message altogether would obviously indicate an issue SONAR side, but I feel doubtful about this.
 
I'm interested to know everyone's experience with the factory reset and fader calibration test. Those instructions aren't exactly publicized anywhere, as far as I'm aware, so this might interesting to find out whether or not there is any impact on the performance of the motors.

Hi I am so happy finally cakewalk and roland was aware about this issue. Regards the last replay, I uninstalled the win 8.1 and installed win 7 and vs700 set and sonar x3d and tried more than 50 times NO PROBLEM and master fader is doing the job perfectly. again I installed win 8.1 plus all the drivers and sonar x3d , problem came back and master fader works sporadically. I think it must be the best diagnostic to show that the problem is belong to new driver which is 2.0.2 on win 8.1 . 

Reza, regardless is it possible you and others could go through #21 and confirm?
It's important everything is ruled out.
 
Thanks..

Hello,

I just made the test 1 of the post #21 by Ryan Munnis.
I opened and closed about 20 projects and each time the master fader functioned perfectly! Very encouraging.
I rebooted my computer and then reopened about 20 projects and the master fader continued to work well!
I continue testing.
Thanks

Gabriel

gabriel i did what you did but still have problem :(

Hi Reza
 
I will continue tested.
Maybe I was very lucky?
I try that twenty times.
Or is it because I have windows 8 instead of 8.1?
Did you try the test # 2?

I will do the test 2 and will let you know.

Hello,

I opened some project this morning and unfortunately it did not work.
Test # 1 does not work ...
Still the same problem.