USB Midi Controllers Not Working On Windows 8.1 (SOLVED!) [Windows Update]

Anonymous
2013-12-13T08:10:58+00:00

Hello, I have a problem (see subject above).

I have been trying to fix it on my own but nothing seems to work.

I have never had this issue before and I have been Producing music since XP.

On Windows 8 my midi controllers worked just fine. As soon as I updated via windows store, My controllers have become unresponsive.

I have checked (And updated!) under device manager all of the Universal Serial Bus Drivers.

Everything seems to be working fine there, except when running any DAW (digital audio workstation) such as: FL Studio, Cubase, Pro Tools, Ableton, Ripper, Studio One, Reason.

The midi controllers show up as available but do not send or receive any midi messages.

Both my external Audio Interfaces work as far as Outputting sound in both Directwave and ASIO.

But midi does not.

PLEASE HELP, I do not EVER wanna be a MAC fanboy... but this Windows 8.1 update is pushing me away.

No Midi Controllers = No New music from me = Shopping around for a new system pretty soon :(

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2014-08-12T22:40:13+00:00

Description of the issue:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/usbcoreblog/archive/2014/01/21/windows-8-1-usb-midi-device-works-on-usb-2-0-port-doesn-t-work-on-usb-3-0-port.aspx?CommentPosted=true#commentmessage

Fix for this issue is in August update released this morning.  Please install update.  With this fix, you don't have to apply the registry setting to workaround the problem.

www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx for x86 systems.

www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx for x64 systems.

-Eliyas

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Anonymous
2014-01-10T02:17:10+00:00

We were able to repro the issue with TEXTECH INTERNATIONAL LTD. (USB\VID_15CA&PID_0101 ) MIDI device. This device works when connected to 2.0 but not on 3.0 port. We debugged the issue and found the regression.

The 3.0 host controller driver in Windows 8.1 is forwarding a MSOS descriptor query to the device and that some how causes the device to get confused. The interesting part is that the even though the device is not fully functional, it doesn't fail any I/O. So from looking at the bus trace, every thing looks good. It is this one query that is sent during initialization causes the device to sulk, and then it never internally recovers.

Windows 8 doesn't send this query.

Another thing to note is that this issue manifest only for composite devices.

Fortunately there is a registry override to inform the core USB stack to not send this query. So I request you to apply the registry setting for now to workaround the issue.  We will try to get this fix added to a future update and roll it out widely. 

Get the VID/PID/REV ID of the device from the device manager. For example, for the device I'm using the VID/PID/REV values are 15CA/0101/F110.  With that, create the following registry entry (this registry key might have been already created in some case) and set the "osvc" value to 00 00.

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\usbflags\15CA0101F110\

    REG_BINARY “osvc” = 00 00

Unplug and replug the device.

Let me know the results.

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141 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-12-31T13:57:46+00:00

    Hi.

    Yes. All drivers are up to date.

    Yes. Unplugging the USB cord on a midi controller resets the device. (Beginner Solution) Usually that would be the first thing you would try.

    Yes. Restarting the computer ALSO resets the device. (Beginner Solution) I agree with you "Very Simple procedure" Another solution that is usually the first thing you would try.

    I certainly did try the most Beginner Solutions before I posted here.

    My midi controllers show up as devices under Universal Serial Bus inside windows Device Manager.

    My midi controllers show up as devices inside all DAWs I have installed:

    Pro Tools, Reason, FL Studio, Ableton, Sonar, Studio One, Reaper, and Cubase.

    YET do not send or receive MIDI messages.

    Meaning, Windows and the DAWs detect that there are Midi Devices connected and available, yet do not allow communication with the midi devices. Nothing Happens!

    Like I said in my first post. I have been using Midi devices since Windows XP... I also used midi devices on Windows 7 64bit... So I think it is safe to say that I know the most Common "Solutions" for Reseting these devices as well as to check that the Drivers are up to date...

    I also used the same midi devices on this same Machine when it was running Windows 8... But! Ever since I upgraded to Windows 8.1 they no longer send or receive midi messages.

    Now, I do not know how much clearer I can be.... So Please stop giving me Generic/ Noob solutions,

    and please point me to an updated Windows Midi Mapper Driver Stack that will work on Windows 8.1

    So I can continue to do my work and be an Advocate For Windows-based Computer music production among my peers like I have for the past 13 years.

    Regards.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-01-01T16:58:35+00:00

    Hi,

    This could occur due to outdated driver for the MIDI controllers.

    I would suggest you to check for update and see if installing latest updates fixes the issue.

    Refer to the section “Do I need to check for updates?”

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows-8/windows-update-faq

    If the issue still persists, refer to the manufacturer website of the computer to update the chipset driver.

    Please let us know about the results.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-01-01T19:20:55+00:00

    What Part of "ALL DRIVERS ARE UP TO DATE" is it so hard for you "Support Engineers" to understand????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

    Every single one of you has told me exactly the same thing. It is not a solution. you are simply passing the buck.

    I have repeated myself with every single one of you.

    PLEASE READ MY LAST COMMENT! I asked you for no more Generic/ noob Replies.

    PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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