• Registered: 2008-02-15
  • Posts: 4

Topic: Weird problems with UCX install

Hello,

I've been using my UCX as a mobile solution on my laptop for sometime now. Runs great, no problems. I don't use it often. I have decided to plug it into my home studio to replace an older FF800 device that has been retired and sold.

My problem is that the UCX will not play well on my system. It is an older i7-4790K cpu on an Asus Sabertooth MB with a Z97 express chipset and 16 gb ram.

The issues I run into is that is slows the system down - windows open slowly and sometimes only the outline of the window shows until I move the window around a bit. When I open the ASIO settings window for the UCX, it opens with just an outline at first, finally filling in. However, I have no control over the settings. It is stuck on 1024 buffer size and I can't get it to change as is the case with all of the settings in the window.

I have been reading on here about IRQ conflicts and the such. Not sure I have found anything that seems to be in conflict but that is really new territory for me so don't really know what I'm doing. I have plugged it into every USB port on my computer (2.0-, 3.0, 3.1) and they all react the same. When I uninstall the device everything goes back to normal.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Eric

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2019-01-29 07:32:49)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,179

Re: Weird problems with UCX install

Your PC is only 5y old, could be worse wink

You have a very fast 4 GHz CPU which reaches still 11176 Passmarks (my E5-1650v3 6-core CPU is only a little bit more performant with 13614 passmarks). So I assume you have no performance problem in general.

But you should make your list of informations complete...

What OS and version ? Should it be Win10 then which release, 1709, 1803, 1809 ?
Which UCX firmware and driver version (did you upgrade to the latest UCX firmware and driver version).

What grafic card do you use ? The Intel HD Graphics 4600 which is built-in into the CPU ?
Maybe it's an issue related to the driver of the graphic card.

Shall you use the Intel HD Graphics I would try to use a dedicated GPU with least power consumption and zero fan feature in the BIOS so that it's completely silent when running Desktop applications.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2008-02-15
  • Posts: 4

Re: Weird problems with UCX install

Ramses, Thanks for the reply. As you said, I have no real performance problems in general. It is quick enough and I have never really lacked for CPU power. I am a home hobbyist so I think it will suffice if I can get this issue sorted.

OS: Windows 10 Pro 1803
UCX - latest driver (1166) and firmware (I flashed it with latest 2 days ago, I can't get to the about tab (it won't respond) to see what it lists)
Graphics card - Radeon RX 580 - I am running a 4K monitor for screen real estate so need to use this rather than the built in GPU.

I don't really know how to check if the graphics card has an issue. When I checked its IRQ it was -6 which seems like a good thing from what I read in other posts.

Unfortunately, it is almost 2am here so I am going to bed but will check again in the morning.

Eric

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,179

Re: Weird problems with UCX install

I had a bad nvidia driver, switching GPU drivers to older or newer version changed things for me.
Maybe also BIOS upgrade, but careful, make a note about the version which is flashed now.
Get both BIOS files that you can revert it back shall it cause issues.

Eventually replace GPU to one inexpensive nVidia, shall all other things not work.
But with Zero FAN feature !

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2008-02-15
  • Posts: 4

Re: Weird problems with UCX install

Spent most of the day working on this with a brief stint of success. In the end, back where I started from.

1. Flashed my BIOS to the latest (I was 2 behind)
2. updated all drivers for my MB
3 Updated to the latest Windows version
4. After flashing the bios I had an interesting thing happen. I plugged in the UCX and it worked. I had access to the settings panel and set everything just how I wanted.
5. I opened StudioOne and played and recorded without any issues. Everything was fast and responsive and no outlined and empty windows opening. I thought it was all good! I had my computer out on my desk to remove non-needed cards and such. All that is currently installed is the video card. I turned the computer off, closed it up, (left all the cards out). I then plugged in the other usb devices I have and when I restarted, I was back to the drawing board. So, I unplugged the other usb devices and rebooted. No change, still back to the issues I was having.

I have a Presonus Studio 2|6 usb I am now using for my mobile rig. Installed the driver, plugged it in and it worked without issues. So I am left clueless on this and still frustrated.

Do I need to consider a USB PCI card to get the UCX on it's own controller?

Ramses, you suggest an nVidia graphics card. My AMD is on an MSI negative interrupt so wouldn't this take it out of the issue as far as conflicts go?

Eric

6 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2019-01-30 08:02:26)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,179

Re: Weird problems with UCX install

Very strange as everything worked already.

> I have a Presonus Studio 2|6 usb I am now using for my mobile rig. Installed the driver,
> plugged it in and it worked without issues. So I am left clueless on this and still frustrated.

This little interface has much fewer channels and could operate in a different USB transfer mode.

> My AMD is on an MSI negative interrupt so wouldn't this take it out of the issue as far as conflicts go?

Did you configure / tweak it to use MSI ? Careful, I made already the experience, that not every driver supports it and then you get into severe issues. My conclusion is to leave it up fully to the vendor of the card/driver whether Message Shared Interrupts (MSI's, negative interrupts) are per default enabled of not.

> Ramses, you suggest an nVidia graphics card.
You could try to use Intel HD Graphics of the CPU to see whether it makes a difference.

BTW .. Is this a fresh installation of Win10 ? Or is this an upgrade installation from Win7 ?

You might want to try both, fresh installation of latest Win10 and of Win7 on other disk.
Perform Diskimages with Macrium Reflect to an internal backup disk or external (USB 3.1 gen2 stuff .. works faster)
of: current state, fresh OS installation, after installation of only required driver: chipset, network, USB3, graphic driver.

Alternatively get a tested turnkey system for audio, Xi offers now also more inexpensive systems:
http://xi-machines.com/de/systeme-audio.php

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,770

Re: Weird problems with UCX install

Have you a) tested the unit with another computer or USB port and b) tried another power supply for the UCX?

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2008-02-15
  • Posts: 4

Re: Weird problems with UCX install

Ramses,
- I have not tweaked any settings for the card to use MSI, it did it on its own.
- I will try the built in graphics to see what that does.
- this an upgrade from 7. I have a few different computers I work with and I thought this was a fresh install so I will do that.

Daniel - I have used this with my laptop which is what I bought it for initially and it works without a problem. I have tried each USB port on my computer with the same effect. I do not have another power supply but could order one to see if that makes a difference. The fact that it works with my laptop makes me think it is not that.

I will work on this today and see what happens. Again, grateful for the help!

Eric

9 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2019-02-02 15:22:20)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,179

Re: Weird problems with UCX install

I recommend alternatively to what Daniel proposes clean installation on parallel disk or
Disk image, clean installation, try minimum install, if it works, full install and perform backups, otherwise restore.

At least you know then that it's not based on a somehow screwed up system.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

10 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,582

Re: Weird problems with UCX install

> I then plugged in the other usb devices I have and when I restarted, I was back to the drawing board.

It might be helpful to hear what those devices were.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website