Quad-Capture drivers go missing in Sonar, even though still on the system...reboot!

Hi. I've been experiencing this issue on and off for quite time with X3d. Sonar will stop working - usually other times I'll close the project and won't be able to load anything else - and will stay on the system and I am unable to reload it.
 
Going to Task Manager, unplugging my Quad, turning off midi-key usb, usually doesn't get rid of it. On the rare occasion the process is stopped, when I restart Sonar, it'll tell me that there are no drivers to be selected and go to Preferences to reselect...but Sonar does not see them, even though they're on the system in Device Manager and can play other Window sounds...I need to reboot the system for them to be 'seen' again by Sonar.
 
The project that usually causes this kind of instability - and X3 is pretty stable...had no Blue Screens since using the Quad - has some automated lanes on some waves - vol, Nectar 2 voice enable/delay, wet. I have used automation on other projects, but on this particular project, quite a few more than say normal...I don't know whether this is causing the issue?
 
My Quad is running at: 48000Hz, 6 on the audio buffer, using Direct Monitor, Low latency mode. Project recording/playback is set at 24bits. Audio buffer play/record ranges from 512 to 1024, depending of crackles and drop outs. Midi is set at 64 and 300 milliseconds. 
 
Mind you, this is not the only project where Sonar has stopped working. But when it has, and I'm able to restart it - without rebooting - the drivers are not found. A log-off can sometimes work, but usually not.
 
Anyone finding this at all? 
 
Thanks
 
PS. My Creative Elite Drivers are still on my system, but I will disable them in Device Manager before running the Quad. I'm assuming this does not cause any conflict?

I once had problems with a PC sound card interfering with my recording interface device (a Saffire  Pro 40 at the time) and would have similar problems to what you have.  Disabling the PC's sound card fixed the problem.  You may want to try that to see if that is what is causing the problem.  
 
Disable the PC sound card, either in the BIOS (best way) or by disabling it in the Device Manager. 

A couple of things to try.  Be sure that the USB port is not going to sleep. Try moving it to a different port. This will require an uninstall and reinstall.  

Yup - What Bob says, plus disable any audio devices not used, sometimes windows will have HMDI Monitor ports as audio devices, USB devices such as webcams etc....

Get rid of them - Just to be safe.

markyzno
I had this issue with my Delta 1010 and was unable to resolve it. 

FWIW I dont believe its actually a Sonar issue but an issue with the drivers for the card and since alot of users that experience this issue are across different sound cards (therefore different drivers) and different systems its almost impossible to nail it.

The most obvious things to check are....

1. Have most updated drivers
2. Disable any other onboard sound devices in device manager
3. Make sure Windows is updated.
4. Firmware of the soundcard updated.
5. Firmware of BIOS most current (although I wouldnt fully recommend doing this unless you know what you are doing)
6. Is BITBRIDGE running 32 bit plugs at the time of crash? If so try using JBRIDGE instead.

I haven't played with it...so it's default. I'll have a look, but I've not even seen JBRIDGE. I'll try it if I can find it.
 
Thanks

robert_e_bone
If your Windows sounds play through your audio interface, and you are using ASIO as a driver mode, then you are setting the stage for trouble, sounds like you have your audio interface set to be the default Windows audio device.  IF that is the case, and Windows sounds are enabled, then anytime Windows sounds try to play while Sonar is running, your system may hang.
 
IF the above is how you have things currently set, I would suggest:
 
1.  Turn off Windows sounds
2.  Set your Windows default audio device to your on-board sound, and set specific audio applications, such as Sonar to use your audio interface in ASIO mode.
 
I recommend you give the above a try and post back, 
 
Bob Bone
 
 

Thanks Bob...my Creative drivers are disabled when I'm using Sonar. I have no Windows 'sounds' - except startup sound. If I'm using Sonar, and want to play say a video tute and/or maybe a video from the net, then Windows will use it, so perhaps this might cause an issue? - although I usually don't do this when working on projects.  The other day, whilst using Sonar, I had my Canon printers start up - delayed - this caused Sonar to hang...but this is not the issue I'm finding here.

Just a data point - I'm using x3d and on my laptop (not a dedicated DAW) I use a quad capture and I haven't had any issues.

CakeAlexS
Please disable on board sound in the BIOS (not device manager) I suggest, that will at least rule out a card conflict.
You may want to try renaming your AUD.INI afterwards as well.
Can you confirm that this does not happen with brand new Sonar X3D projects?
 
Cheers.

My onboard sound card has been disabled for years now. My creative PSI is disabled via device manager. New projects usually go okay for a while, depending on what I do with them. This particular project may have something going on that causes this issue. It's not the only project that has caused this particular issue mind you...but it regularly does so and it's difficult to pin-point where the problem lies. I suspect it's related to the automation on a vocal wave file...too much going on for processing...who knows?
 
Where's that AUD.INI?

Okay, ripped out the Creative, issue still occurring. Sometimes I'll be working on a project and I'll get an audio dropout and suddenly no sound. It's all beyond me I can't figure it out. It just happens from time to time. Even if I can get sound out of the card on the system, Sonar just doesn't see it. I have to unplug the Quad, close Sonar, re-plug the card in, test it and then restart Sonar...workarounds. 
 
In a perfect world everything would work as it's supposed to. 
 
Thank to all for taking the time to offer some solutions.

I have had Sonar unable to find drivers before in 2 kinds of situations:
 
1.  If my Sonar Driver Mode is set to something other than ASIO, it will not see Presonus Audio Interface, which has ASIO drivers, and I have to remove the check boxes for the on-board sound first, THEN I can change Driver Mode to ASIO.
 
2.  If I happen to plug in my audio interface to a different USB port, then it doesn't seem to find it, so I just always plug it into the exact same USB port anytime it gets disconnected (which itself is quite rarely done).
 
As far as drop outs go, I would suggest you look at your reported latency values in Sonar, and shoot for something around 10-11 milliseconds.  Sometimes the presence of a Wi-Fi adapter can cause all sorts of latency spikes, which cause lots of audio problems.
 
In addition, when you are experiencing audio dropouts, you can quickly determine if one or more of your loaded effects are causing the dropouts, by simply hitting the 'E' key on your computer keyboard, which will toggle all effects off/on.  If the dropouts go away after toggling the effects off, then you need to go through the process of figuring out which plugins are doing this.  (look for plugins that use look-ahead processing or chew up lots of CPU).  Boost 11 and Perfect Space can cause dropouts when these effects are loaded while in the tracking/recording process.  Those are really meant for mixing/mastering, not for recording.
 
So, give the above a shot and please post back, and I will try to help further, if needed.
 
Bob Bone