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Old 12-29-2021, 01:48 PM   #1
maf118
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Default Continuing error message, yet all is working

I keep getting the following error message with each project I open. It says:

The following MIDI inputs could not be opened:
2- Focusrite USB MIDI
The following MIDI outputs could not be opened:
2- Focusrite USB MIDI

I just went through the Focusrite set-up again via their tutorials, and everything is perfect. Also, once I click out of that message, everything works fine, or so it seems. I've been using Reaper for about six months now, learning more and more each day, so all the playback, recording and rendering is working fine, meaning the Focusrite 4i4 is opening the MIDI inputs and outputs, right?

I just downloaded the new version of Reaper, but that didn't clear up the issue. I need to know if something bad is happening in the background. I've attached a screen shot showing this error message (hope it worked), along with the MIDI device setup under Reaper Preferences. Can anyone help? The constant error message is annoying as I don't know how to fix it. Thank you!!!
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File Type: jpg Screenshot reaper prefs.jpg (45.6 KB, 75 views)
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Old 12-29-2021, 02:02 PM   #2
RobertP
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Try enabling the 'Focusrite USB MIDI' both in and out
and disabling the '2 Focusrite USB MIDI' both in and out.

I seem to remember something like this with my Focusrite 8i6 at some point.
Did you change USB port for the 4i4
Might be worth a look but make sure you do not have 2 Focusrite drivers installed.
Dunno how you might do that but...
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Old 12-30-2021, 07:13 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertP View Post
Try enabling the 'Focusrite USB MIDI' both in and out
and disabling the '2 Focusrite USB MIDI' both in and out.

I seem to remember something like this with my Focusrite 8i6 at some point.
Did you change USB port for the 4i4
Might be worth a look but make sure you do not have 2 Focusrite drivers installed.
Dunno how you might do that but...

Thanks, Robert. I see your logic, but in doing your suggestion, the same message keeps popping up. Or rather, I get the reverse. If I enable/disable one set, I get a message that the other set could not be opened and vice versa.

As for the USB port, I did recently install one of those USB strips, which the Focusrite now plugs into as well as external hard drives. But I've had that now for over a month and this issue only popped up this past week.

Like I said, everything is working okay, thankfully (knock wood). But the message pops up continually throughout a session.

Maybe I'll see if Focusrite has a board similar to this. Thanks for your help! (I'm still open to other suggestions from others!)
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Old 12-30-2021, 10:46 PM   #4
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Have you tried plugging the Focusrite back into the port it was located before moving to the strip? That could be a possible reason.


"Sudden" problems tend to be Windows update related. I think there may be residual information from disconnected devices retained by the USB controller and Windows update changed something that shuffled the USB load order for the device.
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Old 12-31-2021, 02:36 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by maf118 View Post
Thanks, Robert. I see your logic, but in doing your suggestion, the same message keeps popping up. Or rather, I get the reverse. If I enable/disable one set, I get a message that the other set could not be opened and vice versa.

As for the USB port, I did recently install one of those USB strips, which the Focusrite now plugs into as well as external hard drives. But I've had that now for over a month and this issue only popped up this past week.

Like I said, everything is working okay, thankfully (knock wood). But the message pops up continually throughout a session.

Maybe I'll see if Focusrite has a board similar to this. Thanks for your help! (I'm still open to other suggestions from others!)
Did you try enabling both?
not sure what that might do though...
what zx said above is what I was getting at but didn't say, some of these things don't like usb port changes.
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Old 12-31-2021, 02:27 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zxzxzxzx View Post
Have you tried plugging the Focusrite back into the port it was located before moving to the strip? That could be a possible reason.

"Sudden" problems tend to be Windows update related. I think there may be residual information from disconnected devices retained by the USB controller and Windows update changed something that shuffled the USB load order for the device.
No ZX. I considered that, but all my plugins are now located on an external drive, and backups are on yet another. I really need the strip to work, but I will test out your theory before I finish up tonight and will come back to this thread with the results, in case I succeed and anyone else needs an answer.

I do believe this started right after an update. Yep.

And Robert, yes, I did try enabling both, but all that does is give me a message that says the MIDI inputs and outputs for BOTH sets can not be opened, which, to me at least, sounds like a paradox as, like I said, it continues to all work, except for the error message popping up after every single action I take. UGH! I'll try ZX's tip in a few hours, as I'm not at a good place to unplug everything, workflow wise.

Thank you to you both! --Mary Ann
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Old 12-31-2021, 03:26 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maf118 View Post

I do believe this started right after an update. Yep.
If it was a Windows 10 update then for some reason they seem to play havoc on occasion with USB audio devices. Some time ago MS added features to allow settings for some audio devices to be specific to applications. I have had to deal with that with Amateur Radio kit that links up as audio devices on a Windows 10 laptop and it’s why Reaper is still on Windows 7 here.

For a similar issue on Windows 7 I found starting Reaper with its installed shortcut that reset things helps, as Reaper rescans for vsts etc. And you get a clean audio/midi devices dialog to set them up.
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Old 01-04-2022, 08:01 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Boogieshoes View Post
If it was a Windows 10 update then for some reason they seem to play havoc on occasion with USB audio devices. Some time ago MS added features to allow settings for some audio devices to be specific to applications. I have had to deal with that with Amateur Radio kit that links up as audio devices on a Windows 10 laptop and it’s why Reaper is still on Windows 7 here.

For a similar issue on Windows 7 I found starting Reaper with its installed shortcut that reset things helps, as Reaper rescans for vsts etc. And you get a clean audio/midi devices dialog to set them up.
Thank you, Boogie. I even have been in touch with Focusrite, who had me do a reinstall of the Control Panel, but I'm getting the same message.

The Focusrite support guy said it looked like my drivers had doubled, but even before the reinstall, I could see that nothing had been duplicated. But I did the reinstall anyway.

I'll tried starting Reaper from the shortcut, but the same thing is happening. I do have the option to check the box that says "Do not show this message again," which I may do at this point, as everything in regards to MIDI is working just fine. I'll wait to hear from Focusrite one more time, then I may just click out of that box so that it doesn't constantly torture me.

Thank you for your thoughts!
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Old 01-05-2022, 06:45 AM   #9
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Do you have a MIDI device hooked up to the Focusrite?

I'll get that message if I unplug a MIDI device.
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Old 01-05-2022, 09:16 AM   #10
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Do you have a MIDI device hooked up to the Focusrite?

I'll get that message if I unplug a MIDI device.
You may be onto something. I think this happened right after I unplugged my old MIDI keyboard from the back of the Focusrite (I used the five-pin cables). I was just testing a sound from my old Yamaha--never recorded anything, then unplugged it within a day or two. And it was right around then that I started getting this message.

I can't do it now, but I'll rehook up those cables later and see what happens. But I'm curious--do you have to keep a MIDI device hooked up at all times now in order to not keep getting this annoying message?
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Old 01-05-2022, 11:01 AM   #11
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Regarding keeping something hooked up...

My guess is that if you have something enabled that isn't there you get the message (which really does seem to make sense).

I would just plan on disabling it when not connected and then enable it when connected.
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Old 01-05-2022, 06:10 PM   #12
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Open the Windows Device Manager and look under "Sound, Video and game controllers" you may see your device listed multiple times. Windows can be pretty dumb sometimes or sees ghosts. For whatever reason it may think it is seeing two of the same device.

If there are two instances for your focusrite, "disable" one of the duplicate devices. There should be a button to do that or it can be done through drop down menu under "Action". It's easy enough to undo.

Before you disable either device make Sure Reaper is closed. After disabling, start reaper back up. If no error message appears and it works as it should you can leave the duplicate disabled or remove it. If there's any funny business, close Reaper and disable the device you just tried and enable the other.

Hopefully that is the issue. If not, then I recommend enabling both devices ticking the check box to suppress the message as long as it is working properly. Beyond this it gets quite gnarly for a non-tech savvy individual as you say you are. I'm quite certain the problem is just a cosmetic nuisance.

I currently have my VOX Tonelab ST showing up twice in device manager, but I have no errors on start up so I'm just going to leave it at that because it works. Good luck.
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Old 01-14-2022, 10:32 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zxzxzxzx View Post
Open the Windows Device Manager and look under "Sound, Video and game controllers" you may see your device listed multiple times. Windows can be pretty dumb sometimes or sees ghosts. For whatever reason it may think it is seeing two of the same device.

If there are two instances for your focusrite, "disable" one of the duplicate devices. There should be a button to do that or it can be done through drop down menu under "Action". It's easy enough to undo.

Before you disable either device make Sure Reaper is closed. After disabling, start reaper back up. If no error message appears and it works as it should you can leave the duplicate disabled or remove it. If there's any funny business, close Reaper and disable the device you just tried and enable the other.

Hopefully that is the issue. If not, then I recommend enabling both devices ticking the check box to suppress the message as long as it is working properly. Beyond this it gets quite gnarly for a non-tech savvy individual as you say you are. I'm quite certain the problem is just a cosmetic nuisance.

I currently have my VOX Tonelab ST showing up twice in device manager, but I have no errors on start up so I'm just going to leave it at that because it works. Good luck.

Thanks, Z. I'm seeing two Focusrite listings...one for MIDI and one for audio. I'm assuming both of them are necessary as I see those two choices when I create a new track. But if I'm feeling brave in the morning, I'll give it a try. As for enabling both of them, when I do that, I get a message that says that "both outputs cannot be opened." BOTH. Nuts, right? Of course they can be opened because everything is working!

I tried hooking up my old MIDI keyboard again, thinking that maybe if the MIDI cables were attached to the back, the message would stop. But it didn't. Same thing keeps happening. (Someone suggested that I do that--apologies if it was you and I'm forgetting.) But that did nothing. In fact, I couldn't even get that keyboard to record in MIDI even though the hookup is pretty simple (using the five-pin cables). That's a problem for another discussion on another day.

I've been writing back and forth to Focusrite, and they've been reading my emails too quickly, as the suggestions have been too obvious. I think the guy is finally caught up with what I'm asking, and I said I was going to try the MIDI pin cables to see if that would get rid of the message. I did the test tonight and let him know it didn't work, so I'll see what they say in the next response.

Just fyi, they had me reinstall the Focusrite Control panel, to make sure there were no duplicate drivers, so your suggestion was definitely on the right track.

I'll see what Focusrite says, but I'm getting pretty close to just ticking the box that says "don't show me this message again" as I agree with you that it's most likely a cosmetic nuisance that was set off by either a Windows update, a Reaper update, or my using those MIDI pin cables a few weeks ago just to test a sound in that old keyboard. All three of those things happened around the same time.

Thanks for weighing in again, Z!
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