Megadrum with Windows 10 Laptop -USB Issue

[tobykea]

Hi there, I'm trying my Megadrum brain on my new laptop tonight and for some reason the two don't want to play together. The PC is unable to recognise the USB device.
I'm wondering if there is an incompatibility issue with my Megadrum which is around 7-8 years old and Windows 10?

The error I get is "The device cannot start (Code 10), "A device which does not exist was specified".

Anyone else experienced this issue and worked out how to fix?

Any info would be great.

Cheers,

Toby

[dmitri]

I can think of two things:
1. A stripped down version of Windows 10 without USB MIDI drivers.
2. Too old version of PIC USB firmware (PIC18F2550?) or old (incorrect) wiring around PIC.

[tobykea]

Hi Dimitri, my unit has a PIC18LF2550 IC and I upgraded the firmware on it sometime last year.

My Windows 10 OS works with other audio devices, an RME audio Interface that allows for MIDI also..

The old (incorrect) wiring around the chip you mention, are there known compatibility issues with older hardware?

Cheers,

Toby

[dmitri]

Hi Dimitri, my unit has a PIC18LF2550 IC and I upgraded the firmware on it sometime last year.

My Windows 10 OS works

So, is it a stripped down version or not?

with other audio devices, an RME audio Interface that allows for MIDI also..

Is it using Windows supplied "USB MIDI" driver?

The old (incorrect) wiring around the chip you mention, are there known compatibility issues with older hardware?

Yes and long ago a correct wiring was shown in http://www.megadrum.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=702

[tobykea]

The RME interface uses it's own driver now that I look at it.

Not sure if this is a stripped down version of WIndows 10 or not. I bought it brand new from a reputable place and not from the back of a truck so I'm hoping is a full blown version..

That being said the driver that appears to be being used in WIndows 10 is named "usbser.sys" which does'nt inspire a lot of confidence in me..

On my XP there are 8 drivers associated with the Megadrum when I look into the "USB AUdio Device" in Device Manager. One of which named "USBAUDIO.sys".. Much more encouraging.

So it seems I don't have the right drivers?

[tobykea]

I can't seem to find anywhere the Windows 10 USB AUdio drivers. Surely they exist.

I'm trying to find the equivalent usbaudio.sys driver for Windows 10 but I can't for the life of me find it or any sort of Generic USB Audio device drivers from Microsoft.

Anyone else using Windows 10 with Megadrum? If so, what are your drivers named as and are they Microsoft ones?

Cheers,

Toby

[Kabonfaiba]

No problems with Windows 10 here.

DeviceManager.PNG

If you reboot the laptop, plug in the USB cable with Megadrum on and Windows can't find the drivers, I would suggest there is a conflict with an existing driver package by the OEM.

I wouldn't bother trying to hunt down "driver.sys", or start migrating drivers manually. This is not the way Microsoft works any more. Starting with Windows 10 there has been a massive improvement to automation with drivers.

I have worked on plenty of "dead laptops" and with a fresh install of Win10, they simply do not need the user interference that you needed with Windows 7. The only drivers you need from the OEM nowadays is the software to enable things like function keys, battery utilities and possibly touch-pad drivers to unlock more gestures, that's it.

Everything (and anything else you find in the programs list to do with drivers or utilities) can be uninstalled, then run windows update and let it work.

The issue can be avoided altogether if reformatting - which is a last resort for you, but even so, not difficult for anybody to do in Windows 10 now, just takes a days work.

[tobykea]

Hi Kabonfaiba, thanks for the info and the pic. I've managed to progress a little further however Megadrum Manager can still not connect.

I suspect I'm still missing a few drivers or that my USB hardware PIC18LF2550 and associated firmware is too old.. Not sure.

I took a screenshot of my driver details and there are a few differences to what you posted. Mine shows up as "USB Audio Device" as opposed to Megadrum as in your pic and I also only have a couple of Megadrum Software devices whereas on yours there are quite a few. I suspect that is due to my USB hardware and firmware being too old?

I'd be keen to see what drivers are associated with your "Megadrum USB Device" and compare.

Not sure how to progress from here. Perhaps get a newer PIC and load the latest USB firmware to see if that solves the problem..

Pic of driver screenshot attached.

Cheers,
Toby

[Kabonfaiba]

Replicated that view on my system for you.

DeviceManager2.PNG

I see ksthunk.sys is missing on yours, so I zipped it and attached it for you. No idea why it's missing, or whether this will even work, but it's worth a try right?

ksthunk.zip

[tobykea]

Thanks Kabonfaiba. My machine does have that ksthink.sys file in the System 32/Drivers directory but for some reason it's not being called upon to be used by Megadrum when installing drivers.

I tried two other laptops today, two Windows 7 Machines with the same, if not worse results. Also used an awesome peice of software called "usbdeview" which shows you everything going on with a USB device.

In this software, on my WIndows 10 machine it showed a "USB Audio Device" and a "USB Composite Device" is setup and connected. In "SOftware Devices" in Device Manager I see 2 MIDI ports 0, associated with Megadrum also. It's at this stage I'm wondering why the hell Megadrum Manager can't talk to my Megadrum as it appears driver wise I have all the necessary components, albeit the missing ksthunk.sys file..

I also plugged in an "Evolution" MIDI keyboard to see what drivers get loaded for it. Exactly the same ones as for Megadrum in my case. No ksthunk.sys file loaded for that either.

The MIDI keyboard worked no issues. Megadrum even worked no issues with Superior Drummer loaded in Reaper. So MIDI over USB is in fact working on this Windows 10 machine.

I just can't connect to Megadrum Manager. Same with on the two WIndows 7 machines I tried.

My next step wwill be upgrading my PIC18LF2550 chip with the latest firmware but I would have thought it should still work as is on whatever machine..

Maybe not. Perhaps that is the issue here.

Anyway, I'm operational I guess, I can use my XP machine to configure, then plug into my laptop which has my audio software on it.

All this wasn't an issue on Sunday until my harddrive on the XP machine died and I lost Superior Drummer and a few other things..

A few lessons learnt for sure..

Thanks for the help.
Toby