Don't know about Vista, but I know XP can only handle about a dozen MIDI drivers, and if you plug the same device into different usb ports it installs the same driver for each one so the total can get used up and you can't add any more devices. There is a way to go into the registry and delete the duplicates, which might help you.
This link is to the Cakewalk support site and explains how to do it. http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/kb/reader.aspx/20090210
Afterwards, it's best to try to be consistent about using the same port for a given device as much as you can.
Best,
Chris
From: "Per Boysen" <perboysen@gmail.com>
To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 7, 2012 11:16:26 AM
Subject: Re: Unreliable Midi
I have not used Windows since XP but I happen to remember that exactly
what you are describing is known as an IRQ Conflict. Not saying that
this still exists on Vista but you can research it and find out. With
XP I had to reinstall the system because there was no other way to
control which hardware the limited number of IRQ numbers should be
distributed among. The user profile you are describing was the best
way of getting oneself into the IRQ Conflict zone - i.e. plugging many
different devices in and out.
Greetings from Sweden
Per Boysen
www.perboysen.com
http://www.youtube.com/perboysen
On Wed, Mar 7, 2012 at 5:01 PM, Michael Peters <mp@mpeters.de> wrote:
> I'm continuously pissed off by the way that my various USB midi controllers
> turn up or don't, or get confused, or disappear, on my Vista notebook.
> Advice needed!
>
>
>
> I use Bidule but it isn't Bidule's problem, it is a Windows Vista problem.
> Does it get better with Window7? are there any tools that I can use to
> monitor what happens, or to better take care of the USB devices?
>
>
>
> I regularly use two Nanokontrols and a Softstep. Sometimes I use a Nanopad,
> a Nanokey, and an Axon midi converter. I usually load a Bidule first that
> only consists of Midi monitors so that I can see which devices work and
> which don't, so that I can unplug/replug them.
>
>
>
> Some of the symptoms are
>
>
>
> - the Softstep sometimes disappears. I have to unplug and replug it to come
> up again. Today it refuses to show up even though Windows makes a recognize
> sound when I plug it it.
>
> - the various Nano devices get mixed up often, or don't all show up.
>
> - when plugging them into different ports, everything gets mixed up
>
>
>
> This is driving me nuts. I can't believe there is no remedy for this (and
> no, I don't want Apple products :)
>
>
>
> Michael
>
>
