could it be a battery that needs replaced?

konradh
Thanks for all the thoughts.

Konradh - is this a MIDI keyboard or a PC/qwerty keyboard?

Sorry for my lack of clarity.  This is a music/MIDI keyboard.  Specifically, the problem is with an M-Audio Key Rig 49, although my little Akai LPK25 has the same issue.
 
The PC is a Sweetwater Creation Station, custom built for Sonar/audio work.

Now this makes more sense!!!!!!! Sorry...
Still likely to be drivers/firmware/environmental - will look up.

I used to run into this issue a lot.  For some reason it only seemed to affect Sonar. What used to work for me is to click on Preferences and click on "apply" button without actually changing anything. This seemed to get Sonar to see controller again.
 
This thread is a good example of why hosts should wait some before moving threads on the assumption it is a hardware issue. If the OP is under the impression it is a software issue, it stands to reason that others may look here first as well. This would be a non-issue if search worked better. 
 
 

Here is my advise.
1) Run Windows update several times inc optional updates.
2) Go to your computer manufacturer website () and update your BIOS.
3) Assuming you are running Intel, update your drivers (inc chipset) here:
http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect?iid=dc_iduu
 
4) Check for latest drivers and firmware here for mAudio, could not find anything for AKAI:
http://uk.m-audio.com/support/drivers
 
Thanks
 

dubdisciple
This thread is a good example of why hosts should wait some before moving threads on the assumption it is a hardware issue. If the OP is under the impression it is a software issue, it stands to reason that others may look here first as well. This would be a non-issue if search worked better. 
 

@Dub sorry disagree we can only go on what the OP is saying whether it is right or wrong. We/they are unable to mind read, if a thread is still in the wrong forums it can still be moved again if necessary. I still believe this isn't actually a Sonar issue as the OP says he needs to reboot (that's straight away shows it's most likely a hardware/device driver problem), but now the thread has got so large it probably doesn't matter any more. Anything before #13 is now irrelevant it seems.

Getting rid of "ghost" USB devices might help...
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Getting-rid-of-ghost-devices-seems-to-have-fixed-my-Sonar-Platinum-shutdown-errors-m3174611.aspx

Splat

dubdisciple
This thread is a good example of why hosts should wait some before moving threads on the assumption it is a hardware issue. If the OP is under the impression it is a software issue, it stands to reason that others may look here first as well. This would be a non-issue if search worked better. 
 

@Dub sorry disagree we can only go on what the OP is saying whether it is right or wrong. We/they are unable to mind read, if a thread is still in the wrong forums it can still be moved again if necessary. I still believe this isn't actually a Sonar issue as the OP says he needs to reboot (that's straight away shows it's most likely a hardware problem), but now the thread has got so large it probably doesn't matter any more. Anything before #13 is now irrelevant it seems.

 
I get that, but you are right..you are not mind readers. Sometimes the initial post does not give the whole story. It's not going to break the internet to pause before making a determination when it is not 100% certain. If it gets moved to hardware after 30 minutes rather than within minutes, it might be clearer to all exactly why it was moved rather than feeling the host rushed to play judge and jury based on personal opinion ( even if that hunch was right). It's  not a big deal in the big picture, but it may save hosts some work and help improve perception of hosts as not being so trigger happy.

I get the point ... however..
 
Well somebody made a comment straight away, and I made the comment 5 hours later... nothing happened anyway. The problem with waiting is that it can cause even more disruption, the longer you wait the more eyeballs are on it, which means often you get the most the complaints moaning about what happened (that if it gets moved)... leading to more conflict and more boring debates about nothing (in this case nothing has happened).. Also a host setting a timer on every thread really isn't best use of their time, they shouldn't be expected to look after the forums like a woman mothering a child. If mistakes are made they can always be corrected.

Anyways never mind :) On with the topic.