Protools LE 7.4 (MBox 2) on a Dell Notebook

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fulano

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Hey,

It might be a long shot that anyone has experienced this but I figured it was worth asking the forum. I hope I can even describe the problem adequately. Here's my best shot at it.

I am running Protools LE 7.4 which came with the MBox 2 purchased in 2009. I have successfully recorded with it on two computers (Both PC's running Windows XP) . The first was My desktop at home which is the family PC too. (I did check it last night and it works like a champ still if I connect the MBox to that PC). The other was a Dell laptop (issued to me by my employer). I successfully recorded on that laptop routinely (may 10 sessions or so over a year or more). This fall I turned it in for a new work PC, which is also a Dell running XP.

When I connected the MBox Sunday and powered on my monitors I immediately started to hear a low volume click at regular intervals. I hear this in the monitors and the headphones. I hear this with only the headphones attached to the Mbox and no other inputs/outputs connected. If I open up a previously recorded session and push the play button, I hear an incredible amount of higher volume buzzing/static that is to the point of being completely unlistenable. If try to record in a new session or even listen to the click track I get the same thing in the headphone and monitors.

I have ruled out the USB cable (bought a brand new one to be sure), I have ruled out the MBox itself (used it on the other desktop with no problems). I uninstalled and reinstalled Protools twice and the problem still exists, but based on ruling out the Mbox and cable and not having any inputs hooked up to it I think the problem has to be in the installation of the software on that specific PC or some setting on that PC that is causing it.

The only other piece of info that MIGHT mean something is that I get an error on startup that crashes protools that says DAE error -1115. If I restart it until I don't get that error then everything looks cool but I have the low volume click with no playback and the horrible static/popping/hissing during play or record functions. Not sure what DAE -1115 means. Is it a clue at all or unrelated.

Help!!!

Thanks in advance.
 
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first thing i'd try is pluggin the mbox into a different usb port.


are there bright lights on the mbox or are they dim?

If they're dim it may not be getting enough power from usb, or the drivers may be missing for it.
 
I tried all the USB ports. Seems like one doesn't work as well as the other (dim light/bright light issue) but the one that does light it up brightly is the one I am using and is having the problem. Thanks for the suggestion though. I am at a loss what to try next.

I did get an install disc for version 7.3.? with the Mbox so i thought about installing that and trying it and see if the issue goes away.

I want to get a dedicated machine for recording but so far have sunk the available funds into the things I had to have thinking I could use that laptop to get me by. I was hoping to get some recording done the next few weekends, but right now options are limited.
 
have you looked for mbox driver updates?

when i upgraded PT8 to PT9, the mbox stopped working on my dell laptop.

turned out i needed to download mbox drivers separately (wtf?!??!)



also, are your usb drivers up to date? any problems with other usb devices?

seems like code 1115 is related to firewire/usb communication problems?

if you have other usb devices attached, take them out temporarily just to test.
 
I will try that. This is a dumb question but is updating the Mbox drivers just a download from the Avid website or something?

Haven't noticed problems with any other USB devices but it couldn't hurt.
 
yeah, you should be able to download them straight from avid.


hope it helps!
 
Update:

I downloaded a firmware updated. When I tried to install it, the .exe file could communicate with the Mbox (the button to check the current firmware version worked). When I chose "update firmware" it tried for a few seconds and then I got an error stating that the firmware update failed. I tried this from the laptop in question first. then I tried it from the desktop (the PC on which the Mbox still works fine) and I got the same problem!

Man these are not user friendly!

Do I have any support options from Avid? When I go to their website it looks like one needs to "purchase" support.

Where else can I turn?
 
if it says "cannot communicate with mbox" or something similar, then you probably need to install drivers.

check control panel / system / hardware / device manager to see if your mbox shows properly, or if it shows 'unknown usb audio device'
 
well, it did not say 'unknown audio device' before, however, I tried again tonight and was able to update the firmware. Now the problem is that the PC doesn't recognize the Mbox at all and now it says 'unknown device'. Do I need to download a driver too? I assume the driver on my install disk is not valid for the new firmware because I tried to reinstall and it di not fix anything.
 
I hate to be this guy, but...

Steenamaroo said:
the drivers may be missing for it.
Click to expand...

Steenamaroo said:
have you looked for mbox driver updates?
Click to expand...

Steenamaroo said:
you probably need to install drivers
Click to expand...



Yes,,,installing or updating drivers is what i recommend!



You might have luck if you go to device manager and find where it says "unknown audio device"...

double click that device and click the button for install drivers if it's there.

Follow the screens and tell it you want to specify a location.

When prompted, point it to the drivers folder on your Protools disc, if there is one.

If that doesn't work, look on avid website or google search for drivers.

Good luck.
 
Neither PC (the laptop that had the noise issues) nor the desktop which did not have any problem before recognizes the MBox at all now. It does not even bring up the annoying "found new hardware" wizard. All I can assume is that the drivers associated with my PT 7.4 version do not work with the firmware update. Can't see a way to undo the firmware upgrade. I downloaded the old version of the firmware and when I go to run the .exe it says no version of PT can be found (it is looking for PT 6.8 from what I can tell from some messages that come up). It feels like I've ruined the MBox for good because the computer can't even communicate with it now but I guess there is still hope of an updated driver. The drivers that come with my version of PT (7.4) obviously can't communicate with this version of firmware or something. Should I upgrade the PT software? I'd sure hate to pay for that and then find out the MBox is fried.

Starting to wish I had gone with a more user friendly interface/software combination than Protools/Mbox.
 
Do you still see 'unknown audio device' in the list?

If so,,,just install/reinstall the drivers...

if it doesn't work,,,THEN we'll speculate....
 
Simultaneous post. I appreciate your input and I don't want to sound like I don't. I am just really frustrated.

I uninstalled and reinstalled PT which includes that point that it says to plug in your hardware and it installed all the drivers at that point I assume. It did not give error messages.
 
fulano said:
Simultaneous post.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, don't sweat it.


Honestly though,,i'm not saying it'll definitely work 100%,,,BUT it's really really really worth trying to manually install the drivers.

I've had to do it a few times,,so go back up a few posts and try those steps, then let me know what happens.
 
Installed the drivers. Didn't work. CRAP!!!!

I really hate this. I am not a recording engineer, I am an amateur songwriter, and I really wish I had made a different choice of platforms. Trying to decide if buy support from Avid makes sense.
 
damn.that's a shame

does the mbox now show up in device manager?
 
yes it shows up as an unknown USB device and I can select it and chose reinstall drivers and all. Then I point to the right file and it acts as if it is installing it. Gives the warning that it was not XP certified or whatever that warning says. It does not give an error or anything, but nothing changes. It still does not show up as an MBox and when I start protools and come to the prompt to connect protools hardware I can't get past that point. It just doesn't recognize it as an MBox now.
 
when it says the driver is not certified, are you clicking continue anyway?

sounds like your stuck in a loop...try the following.

Plug in the mbox.
locate the 'unknown device' in device manager.
Delete it.
unplug the mbox.
Restart the pc.
Plug in the mbox and follow the on screen instructions for installing drivers.

During the process it should pop up 'found new hardware : mbox 2' or something like that.

if that never happens i'd guess your mbox may just be broken...
 
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