[SOLVED] All Of A Sudden X2 Is "Unable to open audio playback device."

It could be a USB connection issue. I am using a powered hub which normally works fine. After flipping switches ON & OFF and reloading Sonar several times the project now works... for now.
 
Steve

Wave profiler doesn't scan for ASIO settings. That's why Sonar provides access to th ASIO applet that an ASIO driver installs where as WDM and MME are scanned internally as Windows see them too. That's also another reason why Windows can't use ASIO drivers.

In my case other projects worked fine. It was only this project and it's related sequentially numbered projects that gave this warning. So something goofy going on with them. Most strange, though I believe it to be a USB glitch as noted above.
 
Works fine today.
 
Steve

I have narrowed the trouble down to the ASIO drivers. I cannot even open the MOTU Audio Console to check the settings.
 
Will have to troubleshoot it later.

Could it be Windows disconnecting the interface, due to settings in Power Management?
 
Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Power Options\Edit Plan Settings, then click on Change Advanced Power Settings, then:
 
Expand 'USB Settings'
Expand 'USB Selective Suspend Setting'
Set it to 'Disabled'
 
The above will tell Windows NOT to act on its default behavior of disconnecting idle USB-connected devices.
 
Also, IF you have sleep/hibernate active, this can cause problems for devices and/or Sonar waking back up properly.  I recommend you either turn sleep/hibernate behavior off, make it manual, or set the time to something long enough to where if you go fix a cup of coffee and/or accidentally pay attention to the spouse you won't go into sleep mode.
 
If you do go into the Power Management settings, I happen to also:
 
1.  Use the High-Performance power plan
2.  Alter the USB Selective Suspend setting (as noted above)
3.  Expand the Processor Power Management option, expand the Minimum Processor State option, and set that to 100%, so that my CPU never winds down.
4.  I never allow Windows to turn off the hard disk.  (this might get set when you choose High Performance power plan, can't recall)
5.  I also never let Windows automatically sleep and/or hibernate.  (I do have shortcuts I set up to manually allow me to Lock, Sleep, Restart, and Shutdown, and if you want the shortcut 'innards' to build those for yourself, just post back to that effect, and I will post that info.  I use those all the time and under Windows 8 I find them quicker than using the default methods in Windows 8).
 
Bob Bone
 

@robert: I do all that too.
 
@scook: I think it's a Sonar issue because I can have X1 32bit, X1 64bit and X2a 64bit open at the same time and both X1s will see the MOTU while X2 will not. So I'm doubtful it's a Windows issue.

Curious - Why do you have multiple Sonars running concurrently?  And with what driver modes specified?
 
Also, have you tried using a different USB port?  Maybe one of your other ports will work out better?
 
Bob Bone
 
 
 

Anderton
Try plugging directly into your motherboard's USB connection instead of the hub.
 
FWIW the way I've achieved the most reliable audio/USB operation is by dedicating a 4-port USB PCI card just for audio devices (note that combo USB/Firewire cards aren't recommended).

Hey Craig, that may help. I actually have 4 ports on the laptop but I use the HUB because I have 6 peripherals shared between 2 computers so I'm not constantly messing with USB cords. I have found that certain HUB ports are better than others so I may just reorder how they're plugged in.