Topic: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

Had to revert back to Windows 7 via Bootcamp on my Mac Pro for some gaming work.

Trying to get everything up and running. Downloaded the latest drivers for my RME Fireface 802, Cubase 8.5.2, an RME Firmware update, etc.

No matter what I do, I get the error ""The audio driver could not be loaded. Please make sure your audio hardware is connected."

Windows 7 sees the unit. TotalMixFX (RME's bundled software mixer) sees and reacts to the unit. Any ideas what could be causing this?

2

Re: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

USB or FireWire?

What is shown in the Device Manager exactly?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

Thanks for the reply - I tried both USB and Firewire. Device manager says the unit is installed and working properly.

4

Re: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

When exactly do you get this error message? Did you try DIGICheck with Hardware level meters and via ASIO?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

And in what software do you get the error (ASIO, WDM)? Or is it a general Windows error? Then maybe switch back and forth the number of WDM device in the Fireface driver dialog.

6

Re: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

It could be that the newest version of the Fireface driver requires Windows signing. I encountered much the same issue as you when I upgraded from 3.118 to 3.119 - my computer could see my Fireface 800, but couldn't use it. When I reverted to 3.118, everything began to work properly once again.

I see that as of today, RME is still providing a link to 3.118 on their downloads page - give it a try.

Frank Lockwood
https://LockwoodARS.com
Fireface 800, Firmware 2.77
Drivers: Win10, 3.125; Mac, 3.36

Re: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

Yes, seems like downgrading to the lower driver did the trick.

Thanks for the tip! I wish I saw this before blowing away Windows 7 and installing 8.1, which ALSO didn't work until I downloaded that older driver...

So Windows Signing and Bootcamp don't mesh?

8 (edited by fl 2016-11-06 14:14:51)

Re: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

GPnicolett wrote:

So Windows Signing and Bootcamp don't mesh?

It's not because of an incompatibility between Windows Signing and Bootcamp. In another thread - https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=24362 - you'll find the suggestion that Fireface Driver version 3.119 requires the system to have had Microsoft update KB3172605 installed which, among other things, will implement Digital Signing. KB3172605 has a prerequisite (it won't install unless you've already installed KB3020369).

There is an issue with KB3172605, in that it will disable Bluetooth if your machine uses Intel Bluetooth hardware (and drivers). If you don't need Bluetooth capability, then go ahead with this installation. Having these two KB updates installed will give you the added benefit of speeding up the amount of time required to scan for new updates when you run Windows Update (no more waiting hours and hours for the update scan to complete).

Here's a link to an online article explaining this situation in detail: http://www.infoworld.com/article/313667 … rever.html

Thankfully, Fireface driver version 3.118 is still available, at least for the time being.

Frank Lockwood
https://LockwoodARS.com
Fireface 800, Firmware 2.77
Drivers: Win10, 3.125; Mac, 3.36

9

Re: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

Today I applied Microsoft's KB3172605 update (I already had KB3020369), and following the re-boot, I installed Drivers version 3.119 for my Fireface800. When that rebooted, my various audio programs which had previously been connecting to the Fireface properly would not run. Downgrading to 3.118 fixed things, and I'm debating about whether to uninstall KB3172605.

Frank Lockwood
https://LockwoodARS.com
Fireface 800, Firmware 2.77
Drivers: Win10, 3.125; Mac, 3.36

10

Re: Windows 7 Bootcamp RME Drivers not working

Rather than restoring my system, I kept KB3172605 and also installed KB2999226 on MC's advice.

Now all is running smoothly with Driver version 3.119 with my FF800 on Windows 7 Pro 32 and 64 bit.

Frank Lockwood
https://LockwoodARS.com
Fireface 800, Firmware 2.77
Drivers: Win10, 3.125; Mac, 3.36