Error Opening Devices - Every Time I start Reaper

[Boogieshoes]

I get the popup window saying that Reaper could not find my Novation Impulse 25 Keyboard (connected via USB) even though it is up, running and was well before I start Reaper.

1. Click 'Retry' - nada... goes in a loop going no where back to error message.

2. Exit Reaper and try again - same thing

3. Leave Reaper running, unplug the USB and then reconnect and click 'Retry' on the dialog and everything is fine...

Is this a common occurrence with Midi devices? although it has never said it hasn't found the Roland Octa-Capture also connected or the Line 6 Pod XTLive if that was in use in place of the Octa-Capture.

(I haven't found a way for both the Octa-capture and Pod XTLive to coexist and get mixed reports on the likes of Asio4all ideas.

[Boogieshoes]

Have tried everything, clearing drivers and reinstalling, changing back the firmware to work with automap resettting the midi etc. All to no avail.

If I was happy to unplug the keyboard usb and reconnect it and click retry on the error message then the keyboard works after a fashion…

Totally exasperated everything as the PC is a dual boot XP Pro and Windows 7 Pro box and will take ages to wipe down and reinstall everything as well as tangle with MS to reactivate the Windows bits….

The whole lot is just going to have to sit in heap in the corner until I can summon the will to start all that and the Novation keyboard is going … maybe in the bin.

[karbomusic]

Was it being used with any other software before you launched reaper? Or was the computer asleep before you launched reaper?

[Boogieshoes]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Was it being used with any other software before you launched reaper? Or was the computer asleep before you launched reaper?

Karbo,

The PC is an old P35DS4 motherboard, with an E8200 dual core, so circa 2008 machine.

The problem occurs no matter when, no other applications were set to run aside from the Nvidia graphics card, Antivirus TSRs that startup with Windows.

Novation released an updated firmware for the Impulse keyboard when they ceased supporting Automap. To be honest I had barely used the keyboard as the Automap didn’t seem to sit well with Reaper so things like transport controls etc. Never worked. As I read it they also released an updated USB driver to go with the firmware which replaced Automap operation with HUI.

Once or twice pre the update, Reaper would do throw the same error, always highlighting the Impulse device but it wasn’t a repeatable error every Reaper startup. It may have got slightly worse with updating from version 5 reaper to the later version 6 so I did think maybe it is a software timing thing to do with reaper startup what it does and how long it waits post trying to initialise devices. It is strange that it is the Novation Impulse only that is being affected and not the Octa-Capture, so it’s drivers or firmware seem most likely cause.

To me Windows with its registry and never really being convinced that install or more importantly ‘uninstall’ routines do actually do a tidy job, so trying to trace what is going on at that level is fraught with problems. Combine with that that software including Reaper has its own config files in Users/username/app data/roaming/Reaper eg. The midi .ini file that holds device data then things can get more convoluted to diagnose.

I tried to keep the original reaper midi ini file but and get Reaper to create a new one but that changed the error but the impact was the same, it doesn’t matter if I used the old or new drivers firmware or Automap I have gone in circles trying to find a path and I have to admit defeat. If I am honest now, which is essential, then having tried so many things albeit trying to keep track I am no longer confident that I have a full record. When it gets to that stage, the old option really is to admit that and just start with a clean slate by wipe and reinstall. It’s just a pain.

I saw and read in awe the detail you went to helping Tod with Windows 10 issues. To be honest I wondered quite how Tod kept pace with all the detail and actions, knowing that would not have. So I must say that I very much appreciate your kind reply, but I have truly hit a wall with the the problem and I am resigned to the fact If I want to fix it, I have to start again. I simply don’t trust the Novation kit not causing a repeat.

[karbomusic]

I'm not sure if that's two yesses, two no's or a no and a yes to my questions. I'll just guess it's two no's.

[Boogieshoes]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I'm not sure if that's two yesses, two no's or a no and a yes to my questions. I'll just guess it's two no's.

Ok Fair enough I apologise I was in a very dark moment having fought with the beast as long as I had and am still doing.

so:

1. No I could have just started the PC and fired up Reaper, no other software accessing the Novation Keyboard that I would have deliberately started beforehand.

2. I sat back and before going heavy handed then,

2a. used used MidiOX on second pc with original USB drivers to ensure the Keyboard firmware was the latest HUI variant.

2b. cleared main Reaper Pc of AutoMap and Old Drivers again.

2c. restarted the pc checked no drivers found and and installed the latest Novation Hui drivers.

3. used the Reaper startup shortcut that resets everything back to factory defaults.

4. Walked through setting up Audio device (ASIO) to Octa-Capture and configureing the Midi devices...... not as simple as I would like as the info here;

https://support.novationmusic.com/hc...irmware-update

The page is using Apple and the dialog boxes and device names do not match. The info given is somewhat vague but implies using (MIDIIN3 for Windows) .. as default on Windows I have the following devices for MIDI showing in Reaper;

INPUTS:
CTRL(Octa-Capture)
Impulse
MIDI (Octa-Capture)
MidiIN2 (Impulse)
MidiIN3 (Impulse)

OUTPUTS:
CTRL(OCta-Capture)
Impulse
MS GS WaveTable Synth
MIDI (Octa-Capture)
MidiOUT2 (Impulse)

Setting the keyboard up as Novation suggest i.e. enabling MiniIN3 as they suggest then setting up a track for midi input form that device evokes no detected signal in the track monitor display (vu meter). Setting up 'Impulse' as the input does get data to the track and to a vst.

However, then we get to setting up the OSC as in the last dialog box in their information and it all goes to pot. I can select HUI(partial) and I can select MINIIN3(Impulse) for the Input but NOT the output (the Apple naming convention in the novation guide doesn't help). I have tried numerous variations of setting. This is definitely where the error is arising. If I enable the HUI as Impulse IN and OUT in this section the setting is accepted but does not act AND the Midi Input error arises at any start up of Reaper again whihc is clearable by unplugging the USB and reconnecting it but I cannot get other controls on the keyboard to work.

So basically the idea of using the HUI is a total failure. I can get the keyboard to work for midikeys but anything else is hopeless. They clearly have NOT actually worked this through at Novation at all.

THE ONE THING IT HAS DECIDED is that it isn't worth trying to do a complete reinstall of windows and all the rest which I was going to do.

Additional EDIT

After further Faffing about and NOT BOTHERING AT ALL WITH THE NOVATION final steps on the OSC control settings. Reaper would start up and not complain at all about Midi Devices with the Midi Input for the Impulse set as Enabled for input and Control.

Trying to setup the Preferences/Control/OSC/Web settings is the cause of the Midi Devices Startup Error. That section of Novation instruction is total garbage and likely to cause immense trouble and time wasting like it has for me.