Yamaha AC_XG and error message

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kgirl72

kgirl72

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Hey peeps,

I have an error message when I try to start Sonar 2XL. It says the following drivers do not support the current audio format, or are in use by another application. It asks me if I want to disable them or use them anyway. Either way, they don't work. If I say use them anyway, I can't actually select my card as an in source, even though it shows my card there in the drop down menu. It just won't select it. If I disable it, it's not even showing.

However, in the first version of Sonar, it works. Anyone know what I can do to make my card with with 2XL? I've found the newest drivers that I know of.

Note: This is on my Toshiba Satellite 5105-S501 laptop. On my desktop computer, 2XL works just fine.

I have WDM drivers, but I just don't know what's wrong, and I've been pulling my hair out for days. Not excited about trying to get Support from Toshiba, and I doubt they can help me anyway. and I haven't really found anyone else touting this same problem.

Maybe it just won't ever work, but it's weird to me that it will in one, but not the other one. I am not "techie" enough to know anything about the bios stuff, and don't know if that's anything I need to mess with anyway.

I know pretty much nothing about this audio card, except that it is supposedly "sound blaster compatible". I figure if I have to I could record in the earlier version, then take it down to my basement, but a little convenience would be better.

Can you help me?
 
When you open Sonar, go to Options > Audio. On the General tab, look to see what your settings are for Audio Driver Bit Depth, and File Bit Depth. I'm guessing that you have these set for 24 bits, but your card only supports 16 bits.

Is there just one sound card in this computer?
 
Yes, I just have the one card. I actually tried to change those items, bit depth and audio. I don't think it worked, but I'll try it again. I have my laptop right next to me.

Kgirl
 
Already changed to 16 bits. No avail. Any other advice?

Thanks,
kgirl
 
OK. Did you run the Wave Profiler after changing to 16 bits? If not, you want to do that.

If still NG, try going to the Advanced Tab and selecting the checkbox for Always Use MME Interface, and for Share Drivers With Other Programs.

The MME selection will stop Sonar from using the WDM drivers, but let's see what happens. The results could help in diagnosing the problem.

Also, what OS are you running?
 
You are a GOD! I love you for life. I'm using XP, and it worked. I can now select my sound card, in and out, and though I haven't tried to record anything, I at least know that it's possible.

In the advanced section, it asks some other things, like apply dither. What is this? And will changing to MME cause any issues I should know about? It affects latency, right? But, I'm not sure that I am really worried about that, anyway, as I prefer to use audio more than midi. I'm interested in messing with some soundfonts, but I'm not really ready for all that yet. I'm just trying to lay stuff down, and archive ideas to develop and all that.

Now, would that have changed anything with Sonar 1? Probably not, but in case I have some other failure, I'd like to know I have a backup plan.

Again,
YOU ARE A GOD!

Thanks,
Kirstin
 
Wait a minute, does this mean that I can actually still record? You said that it might help in diagnosing the problem, does that mean problem not solved? Wouldn't this still record as I have it now?

By the by, the audio profiler didn't help...it was changing to the MME drivers that stopped the error message.

But, no matter what, you can't imagine the feeling of actually being able to SELECT the darn card. Well, maybe you can.

Thanks,
Kirstin
 
kgirl72 said:
Wait a minute, does this mean that I can actually still record? You said that it might help in diagnosing the problem, does that mean problem not solved? Wouldn't this still record as I have it now?
Click to expand...
Wow, I went from being a god, to "wait a minute" awfully fast. :)

The main issue with using the MME drivers is latency (as you already surmised). So long as your not using MIDI and you don't plan to use Input Monitoring, you shouldn't really be running into any problems if you stay with the MME drivers.

The thing I was referring to was the question of WHY the WDM drivers weren't working for you. You really should be able to use those drivers - unless the drivers were not designed for Win XP (which is quite possible). You need to check that out from wherever you got the drivers. Maybe see if there is a later version available that will work with XP.

In the meantime, enjoy.

Mike
 
No, you're still a God. But, I think they are the xp drivers. I downloaded them from windows update, and they were the xp drivers. But then I also saw that the Toshiba site had a version that had a newer date than the Windows updated drivers. It also, curiously, though it had the same version number, quite a larger file size.

Could this be an issue? Could it just be that my sound card, I'll admit, is not really any good?

I may want to use midi at some point, for soundfonts and the like. Generally, however, I'm more interested in laying out the song with my keyboard through a mixer, and utilizing the sounds in it, and singing through a mic plugged into my mixer.

I feel like such an uneducated person talking at all in this forum, but it has been a joy to read. This is the first time I've ever posted, but I've been lurking here for a long time.

Thanks,
Kirstin
 
Why not try the Toshiba drivers? Since the file size is different, it seems there may be something there. And if it doesn't work out, you can always go back to the ones you're using now.

I wouldn't spend a lot of time trying to fix this now, though. If you can't get the WDM drivers to work, just use the MME drivers and start recording and learning the software. When and if you get to the point where you encounter latency problems (and you might at some point), c'mon back and we'll see if we can get it squared away.

FWIW, I have been doing digital computer recording with PA9/Sonar for over two years - and I'm still using MME drivers.
 
kgirl72, I know exactly what the problem is, I had the same hassle.
This is what you do:
Go to Options> Midi Devices. Select "Microsoft GS wavetable SW Synth" as an out put and click "Move selected devices to top". Click on "Okay".
Next, go to Options>Instruments and under inputs you should have Microsoft GS wavetable SW Synth and a whole bunch of channels selected. Channel 1 will be sufficient for now (should be the top one). Under the "Uses Instrument column on the right, select General MIDI (you can change this later, its only to get you up and running). Make sure there is a black line connecting the two columns together with the selected output/channel and uses Instrument.
Next go to Options>Audio and you will see a tab for drivers. Click on drivers and highlight Yamaha AC/XG WDM AUDIO in both sections of the menu. They MUST be highlighted in blue. When they are, click on "okay." Now go to general tab and make sure YAMAHA AC/XG WDM audio is present in both Playback and Record Wave Device. Select 16 as the File bit Depth. Then hit Wave Profiler and follow the instructions. Restart Sonar. You should now be set-up okay.
Post back and let me know how you get on.
 
Paul881 said:
kgirl72, I know exactly what the problem is, I had the same hassle.
This is what you do:
Go to Options> Midi Devices. Select "Microsoft GS wavetable SW Synth" as an out put and click "Move selected devices to top". Click on "Okay".
Next, go to Options>Instruments and under inputs you should have Microsoft GS wavetable SW Synth and a whole bunch of channels selected. Channel 1 will be sufficient for now (should be the top one). Under the "Uses Instrument column on the right, select General MIDI (you can change this later, its only to get you up and running). Make sure there is a black line connecting the two columns together with the selected output/channel and uses Instrument.
Next go to Options>Audio and you will see a tab for drivers. Click on drivers and highlight Yamaha AC/XG WDM AUDIO in both sections of the menu. They MUST be highlighted in blue. When they are, click on "okay." Now go to general tab and make sure YAMAHA AC/XG WDM audio is present in both Playback and Record Wave Device. Select 16 as the File bit Depth. Then hit Wave Profiler and follow the instructions. Restart Sonar. You should now be set-up okay.
Post back and let me know how you get on.
Click to expand...


Hi Paul881,

Thank you for responding. I haven't checked back on this, and I did not subscribe myself to my OWN THREAD!

So, your reply got me all excited. I tried it, but it did not work. However, I don't actually have any midi interface hooked up to my computer, so this may be a problem. I did select the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth, and set it to General Midi. Already at 16 bits. Then, maybe I shouldn't have, but I went ahead and unchecked the use mme drivers box. Ran the wave profiler, and restarted. Same error message. So, I opened up the midi device manager again, and the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth was not on the output, it just wasn't showing there at all. My Yamaha XG_wdm synth was as well as the Microsoft Midi Mapper. On the input side, there was NOTHING, which is correct, as I did not have anything (my usb midi interface)plugged in in this capacity.

Don't know beyond that what I may have done wrong? Why would the Microsoft Wavetable synth be there initially to select, and then altogether disappear when I restarted? I couldn't select it again if I wanted to.

Any more info on this?
Thanks a lot in any case.
Kirstin
 
On the input side, there was NOTHING, which is correct, as I did not have anything (my usb midi interface)plugged in in this capacity.
Click to expand...

Kirstin, you don't need to have anything plugged into your USB/Midi to make this work. I used my lap-top for soft synth work, with no external midi device.

You should have inputs showing, the xg should be in the input and the output sections. For some reasons, your xg drivers are not being recognised. Tell me all what you have listed under Options> Audio> drivers and what you have selected/highlighted in blue.

Unfortunately, I don't have my lap top with me, but will get my new one towards the end of next week so will go through the whole pain barrier again to get it set - up.:( maybe I'll be able to help you more then...or maybe I'll be in the same boat as yourself:) I hope this helps. Post back ASAP.

Paul
 
Hi Paul,

Actually, the AC_XG DOES show up in the audio input and output. It always has. For some reason, the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth is mapped through the XG wdm device (Yamaha) and when I initially opened up the midi window, the Microsoft midi device was shown as an option. When I selected it and moved it to the top, and then followed all of your other instructions, I reopened Sonar, and it didn't work. Furthermore, the Microsoft midi device was gone, and there were no instruments selected anymore. The only option that will work with midi devices is the Yamaha AC_XG.

These are the Toshiba updated drivers that I am using. The initial ones that came with the computer did the same thing. There is no driver for this on the Yamaha website, and it does not support them. It tells me to go to my laptop manufacturer. (Toshiba). Honestly, I have no interest in calling them, as I have heard that it is a nightmare, as well as the fact that the tech support people rarely have good english. Not my experience, just what I keep reading about people's experience with them.

The real issue that I'm having is not with the Yamaha, because I recently bought a Layla 24 to use with both my laptop and my desktop. The desktop works fine, except that with windows98se (half the hardware on that computer won't work with XP) I cannot in good conscience use the WDM drivers, although it does give me the option to do so.

Anyway, with my first run through checking the Layla on my laptop, the same problem occurs. Exactly. Only, it says it can't use either the Yamaha or the Layla devices. If I change them to MME, it will use either one. I don't know why I'm so bothered by it, as I'm not a huge midi user, but part of the reason I don't mess with it is that it never lets me use the audio controls if I do use the wdm device. I cannot select inputs or outputs in the track view if I uncheck mme, run the wave profiler and then re-open. It's confusing to me.

Then, I uninstalled the layla drivers, and took out the PCMCIA card. (not in that order). Put it all back to the Yamaha, and we're back at square one.

I tried to check the IRQ situation. True, my operating system is all included on a system restore disk, so I don't have an XP disk other than the XP pro upgrade disk. The computer comes with Xp home. Anyway, the computer in the device manager shows that it is not set as standard pc, but the ACPI option instead. I tried to change it to Standard PC to avoid the IRQ steering stuff, though everything says it has no conflicts. This caused multiple problems, though it did install most of the drivers, many of the Toshiba functions did not work correctly, including my touchpad, so my only option for a mouse at that point was to plug in my USB graphics pad and hope that would work. This did work, but eventually, after several scary screens and unsuccessful tries of turning off my computer, at which point I thought I had no hope of anything but just reformatting altogether with the system restore disk. I got it back on thankfully, and under standard pc, it still didn't work. since so many other things wouldn't work under standard pc, I changed it back. More scary restarts, then everything was back, except that I had both ACPI and standard PC listed under computer, which was curious.

So, today, I did a rolled back to a restore point from Jan 7, and the Standard PC option is now gone, and we are REALLY back to square one.

I thought about trying a full install from the upgrade disk doing a fresh install instead of an upgrade. But, since some of the laptop controls didn't work I don't think I really want to do this either.

Does anybody out there have this problem? Or, is it just me? I've been through several BBS's, and there are similar issues, but I never see that anyone really resolved the issue, or their resolution just doesn't want to work for my laptop.

Damn computers.

Thanks!
Kirstin
 
And, one other thing, Paul, and anyone else who might care to take a stab...though my highlight color shows up as a pinkish-red, not blue, both the input and output drivers are highlighted...they are not NOT selected.

Am I making sense...or babbling like a drool fool?

Again, thanks,
Kirstin
 
James,

Thanks for the thread, but I don't think that's the card I have. I have some codec-crap thing. I don't even care about that anymore...I just want the Layla to work correctly.

Okay, whew, done.

Thanks,
K.
 
Kirstin, I have read you last few posts and am at a loss to suggest anything else. From what you are saying, you can get the XG to work with your midi devices, but can't let your Layla to work?
It would seem that your system is not letting you select your Layla drivers, are they the pink highlighted ones mentioned in your last post?

And is your XG in and out drivers highlighted in blue and therefore, selected? I guess they must be, as you can get the midi to work with the XG.

Sorry to labour these points but its important to get the facts straight.
 
That's okay Paul. I actually did post a message on the Toshiba support line, and am waiting for a response. apparently, no one else is having this problem in the entire online community! So, I'm hoping that they will just tell me that a clean install will do the trick. I really think that this is an IRQ thing.

Midi is fine. The only problem is that I can't run WDM drivers. It always gives me this error message when I do. Running the MME drivers, as dachay told me to do in the initial stages of this post works well. Same for the Layla24. That's why I'm thinking, since the audio drivers ALWAYS end up sharing an IRQ with at least 3 other drivers, that it is actually the Windows configuration. The way the Toshiba is set up with their installation disks puts Windows XP setup as ACPI, which doesn't let you handle the IRQ steering. Even though the device manager says there are no conflicts, I think there are. In almost any Windows XP configuration literature concerning those working with audio, they recommend installing Windows as "standard pc" instead of ACPI. I honestly don't know what either of these mean very thoroughly, but have a bit of an idea.

Anyway, if it always only works MME, I will survive. I am trying to answer everything you are asking as fully as possible. Sorry, if it's not working. But, yes, the midi is selected (not in blue, but in pink, as I'm a girlie girl and changed my color set up ;) as well as is the drivers in audio. All AC_XG (midi and audio.) As I said before, with MME drivers, it ALL works, with WDM drivers, ONLY midi will record. Under WDM, in the track, when I try to select my inputs and outputs, there is nothing to select, or at least, I am not allowed to select the inputs and outputs, even though under audio window in Sonar, the drivers are selected. It is very odd. This all happens after trying the wave profiler after unchecking the MME driver check box, then reopening the program, at which point I get the error message, and though I can use the midi portion of the card, I am not allowed to SELECT any of the inputs or outputs in the audio tracks. But, going back in to the audio window and re-checking the MME box, then running the wave profiler and re-starting Sonar lets me use the audio inputs and outputs. I'm just stuck with latency problems as a result. Maybe I should actually, which I am just now getting a lightbulb going off after months, just use the midi stuff under WDM even though the audio tracks can't be recorded, and then just importing whatever track I've made into the program to use as audio AFTER I've switched back to MME, then I can record my audio tracks.

The only unfortunate thing about this is that I can't monitor any signal with effects going this route, at least not on my recorded vocal and instrument tracks that are NOT midi. Which I don't NEED, but would be NICE. I can probably find a way to workaround this issue...just might take up a bit more time. Last time I checked, no one was asking me to do anything for THEM, so I don't exactly have any deadlines if you know what I mean.

Currently, I am not even using the Layla drivers (I uninstalled them until I figure out what's going on.) I'm not even recording on this, I'm using my desktop instead, on which the Layla works fine. But, in Win98, I am not using WDM. I think it would be great if one or the other would figure out a way to work with the WDM drivers. I don't think it's a problem with the Layla drivers on my laptop, the exact thing happens with each different card's drivers. So, hence the IRQ issue.


I would just go home and try a clean install today, but I don't just use my computer for music. I'm a student, so that stuff is on here, as well as tons of work stuff and emails. So, until I have enough time to do all the backup necessary to save the stuff I need to save, I won't be re-installing windows.

Maybe you can answer this though, which has nothing to do with Sonar, but with backing up files. If I'm using Outlook from OfficeXP, and did backup using the backup option under the start>accessories>system>backup program, does it save those emails? Maybe you don't know. But doing the save as from the file menu is just too irritating just to find some actual files that I can burn onto a disk. I can't seem to find a folder on the computer that shows that it has these emails inside of it. I don't know what files it saves when you do a backup, whether it's just what's in the MY documents folder or what. I would know how to save my audio files in Sonar, but just can't find any actual email files in any folder called Outlook. They've got to be here somewhere, but little old me doesn't find them anywhere I try to.

Anyway, no worries on the other. I CAN record, just not as easily as I'd like to...I know there's an answer out there, and somehow it will be found.



Thanks so much for trying to help Paul, dachay and James. I so appreciate it. If you think of anything, let me know. Otherwise, I'll keep it plugging.

Kirstin
 
THANK YOU kgirl for having the same EXACT problem as I... and THANK YOU Paul881 for the fix!

I have had Sonar 2.0 XL in the box for almost a year without being able to get it to work on my laptop. I have been using Cakewalk PA9. I have a Yamaha AC-XG sound card too. I have installed, deleted and reinstalled Sonar 3 times! I was almost going to sell it on Ebay!

Paul's fix worked perfectly! YESSS!
 
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