I have been trying in vain for months to get my Saffire recognized by my Win 10 computer, or more accurately, the FW card recognized by the computer.
The Saffire is such a great interface for me that I would like to keep using it.
I have installed and re-installed the FW card many times, and the only time it was 'seen' by Windows was the first time I did it. It doesn't even show in the Device Manager anymore. I have run the 'check for new devices' thingy every time I did it, but nothing.
I'm not sure if there is a driver for it that needs to be installed, and the donated FW card (thanks, Bapu) didn't come with a disk.
Any suggestions?
 
I can get another interface, probably a Focusrite or TASCAM, maybe a Steinberg, but I'm so used to the Saffire and I'm old and set in my ways. The DAW computer is also old (almost 13!), running XP, and who knows when it will give up the ghost.
Any suggestions? Or what to be wary of in an interface?
 
Last year, I bought a Yamaha MX 49 to replace my broken Yamaha PSR GX 76, and It works great. It has an interface in it. Using the Steinberg/Yamaha ASIO driver and it provides excellent low-latency performance. I can record both MIDI and audio through it via USB, but I have yet to find a way to monitor the playback while recording and not have the playback also record on the new track. I would think that would be an essential task for an interface. And there are no mic or guitar inputs on it.
Oh, and the level is so low as to be unusable. Regardless of how loud I have the keyboard's volume, or how high the record level is on the computer, it rarely rises above -30 in the recorded track.
So really, unusable as an audio interface. On the plus side, MIDI works great!
Anyone familiar with the MX and using it to record anything?
 
Anyone got the winning lottery numbers? 

I'm using a Windows 10 compatible Firewire PCIe card (with T.I. chipset) with my MOTU 896Mk3 Hybrid.  No problems with firewire or the interface. 
 
Here is the PCIe card that I'm using (bought from Amazon). I suspect the card you have is either not compatible with the PC hardware or Win 10.
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006DQ0KD2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
 

I have a Saffire.

You probably need to install the legacy FireWire drivers for Win10. Can't find the download link so try this:

https://answers.microsoft...2e-61a123d0de87?page=3

Also make sure you're on the latest mix control drivers.

From what I read on other forums, e.g. www.tenforums.com and what I've researched there is only one firewire driver.  There were others but officially there is no "legacy" driver.   However, I used the default (not legacy) driver in Win 7 with a Saffire Pro 40 and it worked OK (I forgot about changing to the Legacy driver when I built a new system).
 
 
 
 

MS did release a downloadable Win10 legacy driver somewhere seems to have disappeared. The Win 8 legacy driver might work though. I am assuming the discussion on my link is about it have not read it fully.

If non legacy drivers are working that's because you are on a different FireWire chipset.

I've always used a PCIe card with a T.I. FW chipset.  That is what the "DICE" and "DICE II" FW chipsets require.  The Saffire Pro 40 has a DICE II FW chipset in it.  Most of the "older" audio interface units use the DICE/DICE II chipsets and why many will not work or work correctly if connected to a Firewire port in a PC that is not a T.I.
 
 http://www.wavefrontsemi.com/UserFiles/File/sell_sheets/DICEII_Presentation.pdf
 
http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/HW/Firewire.htm
 
 

Yup
But it will work correctly though with legacy FireWire driver.

+1 to the TI chipset mentioned above. IIRC Alex had mentioned that Win10 broke the ability for Saffires to use the VIA chipset (is what I run without issues on Win7). Win10 and the VIA chipset were a no go initially, so I never got Win10.
 
Check your Device Manager and see what is listed under IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers. If that is VIA, I would contact Focusrite and ask for their recommendation. Also, I backed out of the Saffire MixControl upgrades and left it at version 3.4 on this machine - running MixControl 3.4 on Firmware version 2761 - but also realize that is Win7 using VIA. Even with a TI card recommended by Focusrite, you may need a specific MixControl/Firmware revision to work best.
 
Again, the best bet is to contact Focusrite with your computer specs and ask them. Another reason I have refused to upgrade this unit is because Focusrite removed features on the newer models (no built-in VRM, one less monitor path out, and I *believe* they removed the internal audio loopback, but not sure on that one - Saffire models were the only ones to include this feature).

Alex, here is the thread I started, on the www.tenforums.com about the "legacy" FW driver. 
https://www.tenforums.com/drivers-hardware/91787-1394-firewire-driver.html
 

Running a Saffire Pro 40 with via PCI Firewire Card with Ti chipset in
my boxes for almost 10 years .
A lot of good advices above , another one that might help you:
 
On many old mobos have been power reduced PCI-E to PCI ports  which were not capable of running Firewire Audio interfaces.
Means if you are running a PCI (not E )to firewire card this can
cause problems.
 
Hope that helps.