Random - Loosing all comunication - requires reboot

This scenario has started in the last 3 weeks.
Has anyone run into a situations like the following:

1 Initial startup - computer / HW startup and there's no stop or note on/off or any (midi ir usb?)response -
Reboot system required

2 the more common scenario is: ( either situation below )
I Startup computer / HW load organ, test operation and everything works fine,
-- then at some random time, usually after playing and then stopping for 1 or 2 minutes - All communication lost

OR... initially, not playing at all ( system is sitting idle ) for several minutes - then when ready to play -
all communication has stopped - no stop action, no keyboard response or launchpad response

Either scenario - 1 or 2 above requires a reboot and then I can play indefinitely ( so far).

This is recent in the last 2 or 3 weeks - my computer did have to go into a chkdsk mode recently ( why, I'm not sure - I don't recall doing any improper shutdowns but can't swear to it.

All Power Management settings are maxed out including processors - thanks to be published sticky on the site.

This system has been running flawlessly for about a year now - everything mentioned above has just occurred out of nowhere.

Sager I-7 laptop 64 gigs RAM 2) 1TB SSD's

1 Question on Windows 11 MS Updates? is there anyway to totally negate updating this computer?
I use an ILOK and NEVER have this machine online. it's a HW only machine and any "software" is downloaded to my workstation - archived there - and then copied to my HW computer via external USB drive.

I can't see the need for security updates and all of that If this computer is never online - ever.

Before I start going back thru restore points or a sector by sector fdisk routine or essentially really screwing something up, I wanted to see if anyone with real computer experience has run into this situation or has a clue what's causing it.

Thanks
Wayne

[mdyde]

Hello Wayne,

The only thoughts/suggestions that I have are:

1 Initial startup - computer / HW startup and there's no stop or note on/off or any (midi ir usb?)response -
Reboot system required

If you have Windows set to launch Hauptwerk automatically upon boot, perhaps the MIDI drivers (or some related component) haven't finished initialising properly by the point in time at which Windows is starting Hauptwerk. If so, either avoid launching Hauptwerk automatically and instead wait a little after logging into Windows before launching it, or see this topic with a script to make Windows delay launching Hauptwerk a little as the PC boots:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21071&p=157383#p157397

I think you could do something like the following:

- Remove Hauptwerk from the Windows StartUp group.

- Use Windows Notepad to create a text file with exactly the following contents:

Code: Select all

TIMEOUT /T 10
"C:\Program Files\Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ\Hauptwerk.exe"

- Save the file as a "Text Document" type (not .rtf or .doc etc.) with a '.bat' file extension into your Windows StartUp folder. For example, you could name the file "StartHauptwerkWithDelay.bat".

Then when Windows boots it should run that script (batch file), which will itself wait for 10 seconds then launch Hauptwerk. You could then fine-tune the delay time if needed by editing the file.

Regarding your other scenarios:

2 the more common scenario is: ( either situation below )
I Startup computer / HW load organ, test operation and everything works fine,
-- then at some random time, usually after playing and then stopping for 1 or 2 minutes - All communication lost

OR... initially, not playing at all ( system is sitting idle ) for several minutes - then when ready to play -
all communication has stopped - no stop action, no keyboard response or launchpad response

Perhaps a hardware/USB connection is getting dropped for some reason, e.g. because a USB device has gone to sleep.

In case it's relevant, here's an excerpt from the Hauptwerk user guide that covers how to prevent Windows putting USB ports to sleep:

... on Windows 10 you would use 'Windows Control Panel | System | Power and sleep | Additional power settings', select the 'High performance' power plan, then click its 'Change plan settings | Change advanced power settings', then make sure that the settings are set as follows:
Sleep: Hibernate after = Never (for 'plugged in' if present)
USB settings: USB selective suspend setting = Disabled (for 'plugged in' if present)

It might also be worth checking in your motherboard's BIOS to see whether there are any similar sleep/power-saving features to try disabling.

After checking USB sleep settings, you might verify that your MIDI or MIDI-USB interface has the latest driver. It sounds like your MIDI interface is disconnecting or being disconnected by Windows. It may also be a hardware fault on the MIDI interface or a cable, or a USB hub if it's connected to one of those.

Keeping the PC off the internet entirely does prevent all updates, even though Windows will keep nagging you. Not easy to prevent the popup warnings about updating antivirus, or security warnings if you disable antivirus.

I just typed a log reply and it vanished....anyway,


To answer the first possible solution, No, I don't launch HW automatically with windows because I need to run 2 different configurations.

Thanks also for the heads up on the not-so-obvious like USB hubs and everything else that's plugged into the system

I'll fire things up here and if nothing goes sideways, then I'll know i need head back to church and tear down the peripherals including usb cables haul it all back here and set things up in the studio start swapping things out and hopefully identify the problem.

Fortunately, I use identical MOTU ultralite mk5 interfaces for here and at church, but let's hope that's not it!


I'll report back if I find something or if I'm still stumped!

Thanks Wayne

[mdyde]

Hello Wayne,

Thanks for the update, and hope you manage to find a way to resolve it easily.

OH.. to answer any possible scenarios - I do not run my Audio Interface thru a usb hub. it's directly to the same physical port for both church and home.

Laptop operation is usually always with " Lid Closed"

Sager port configurations are: ( identical port config for both setups ):
USB1 - MOTU interface
USB 2 powered usb hub ( 5 amps)
HDMI - to !2 in touchscreen
USBC to touchscreen


The USB hub powers:
- plugged in this order
1. Novation Launchpad
2. ILOK dongle
3 Logitech unifying interface (for wireless trackball)
4 usb power to 12 inch touchscreen monitor

Hello all, I've isolated the problem - A windows repair will be needed. it won't boot at all now - just windows startup recovery options. I'm awaiting an RMA - in the mean time while it's being repaired - I have another windows 11 64 bit PC I can use while its being fixed.

I'm hoping if can I make a startup repair usb drive from another PC to get it to boot up so I can pull configuration files.
(I'm also downloading a Windows 11/64 image from Microsoft.)

What would be the best approach for the following: ?

1 if i can get the pc started to the point I can at least access files,

Can I reload HW and at least one good sample set I use regularly onto my temp PC - if so,

* What directories do i copy so I can have the same HW configurations on the backup PC so I can load organ configurations so I can have all of my:
* Stop jam assignments
*audio configurations ( pipe routing and audio channel configurations)
* registrations and my floating divisions configurations
* anything that I'm overlooking?

thanks for any advice.

Wayne

[mdyde]

Hello Wayne,

Have a look at the "Backing up and restoring your settings and data | Moving your settings to a new/different computer or restoring them to your existing computer" section in the main Hauptwerk user guide ( https://www.hauptwerk.com/documentation/ -- starting on page 33 in the current v8.0 version).

Martin, Great - I will follow those procedures. I'm relieved that's possible. all that's left is getting my HW pc to where I can open a file explorer and access my directories.

Thanks Again
Wayne

[mdyde]

Thanks, Wayne. You're very welcome. Good luck.