Cakewalk now starts up then dies

[IronRod]

I previously was able to run Cakewalk -- I had posted this comment when I couldn't get the audio to my external speakers.  Now, since adding my Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 and bundled software, I can no longer run Cakewalk.  The splash screen appears, there's a dialog behind the splash screen, then it dies (see attached video and screen shot).  Is there a log or some other file(s) that Cakewalk creates that I can check what is happening or get it to keep running?  Maybe a debug option to start Cakewalk from the commandline?

I uninstalled and reinstalled Cakewalk; no improvement.

I tried disconnecting the audio interface just to see if it made a difference.  The behavior is the same.  It just changed the text at the top : It previously said "Wave Profiler (FocusRite Scarlett...)" but then it changed to "Wave Profiler (WDM Kernel Streaming)".  Despite reconnecting the 4i4, it continues to show that title.

 

Edited February 19, 2022 by IronRod

[user 905133]

Maybe I misunderstood, but based on the previously thread I thought you were going to download and install the ASIO drivers for your interface, but I don't see that you mentioned doing that and what the results were. The screen shot above doesn't show that you selected ASIO. See [P]references > Audio > Playback and Recording > Driver Mode.  It looks like you are using WDM/KS for the Driver Mode.

Oh . . . . When you say you installed the bundled software, does that include the current drivers?

It looks like the profiler is profiling the Realtek audio.

Edited February 19, 2022 by User 905133
To add some additional comments

[scook]

First make sure the FocusRite ASIO driver is installed.

After that, make sure the FocusRite driver is the only entry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ASIO

If there are others, they probably should be deleted.

If in doubt post an image of this part of the registry.

 

Then it may be possible to recover Cakewalk  with a full personalization

This process overwrites some files in "%appdata%\Cakewalk\Cakewalk Core" and resets some Cakewalk registry entries

To run a full personalization, 

• right-click the Cakewalk icon
• while holding down the CTRL key, click Open from the context menu

It should show this dialog

click OK.

If all goes well, Cakewalk should locate and choose the FocusRite ASIO driver. Go through Cakewalk audio preferences and validate the entries.

If the DAW crashes, look in "%appdata%\Cakewalk\Cakewalk Core\MiniDumps" for a minidump and/or review the Windows Event log.

 

 

[IronRod]

The ASIO drivers are installed as part of the setup of the Scarlett 4i4.  I know they are there because Ableton (the bundled software with the 4i4) shows it and is using it fine (see below).  It is the only ASIO identified in the registry (see below).  There are no dmp files in the MiniDumps folder.

I tried the "personalization" step @scook mentioned, got the dialog, clicked [OK].  Cakewalk still does the same thing.  As noted in the original post, I've even uninstalled/reinstalled Cakewalk with no improvement.  That included using CCleaner to clean the registry in between.  I would've expected that to give Cakewalk a fresh start.  The issue with Cakewalk first manifested after connecting and setting up the 4i4.  It doesn't even allow me to get in to change settings or anything; just dies at start up.  I'm going to try another uninstall, clean the registry, remove all signs of Cakewalk on the drive, and see what happens with reinstall. 

 

 

 

 

[scook]

15 minutes ago, IronRod said:

That included using CCleaner to clean the registry in between.  I would've expected that to give Cakewalk a fresh start. 

I would not make that assumption.

There are detailed instructions on the support site on how to perform a clean install of Cakewalk.

Be aware step 9

Quote

Open the following directories and delete their contents: C:\Program Files\Cakewalk and C:\Program Files(x86)\Cakewalk

will delete everything in the default VST2 location "C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\VSTPlugins"

If there are any plug-ins in the folder that are not part of the CbB distribution, it may be a good idea to copy the folder somewhere safe before  performing step 9 and copy them back after re-installing.

 

If the clean install fails, contact support@cakewalk.com

 

[Promidi]

Have you tried the BETA focusrite drivers at beta.focusrite.com

[sjoens]

Just opened a fresh instance of CbB, clicked File. clicked New, clicked Basic, clicked OK. CbB started to open the new project then disappeared off screen without a trace.

It did the same a few hours before after working a while in another project.

This happens occasionally without warning for no apparent reason at any time in any place.

[Promidi]

You might want to update your Vdist runtimes.

See:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads

[sjoens]

Appears I have the latest and always have. Don't they install with CbB? Seems they did with Sonar.

I have 25 versions plus "Tools for applications" dating 2022 back to 2005.

[Promidi]

10 minutes ago, sjoens said:

Appears I have the latest and always have. Don't they install with CbB? Seems they did with Sonar.

Yes, they do.  However, there may some applications that install an earlier version.

I like to have only the latest versions installed. 

From time to time, I have had CbB issues that have been fixed by installing the latest version, even when I believe I had the latest version installed.

[sjoens]

Interesting. Just did a search if ok to remove older ones and found most recommend not to. Maybe older apps need them? I donno.

Will reinstall the latest for kicks.

[Promidi]

When I say “I like to have only the latest versions installed”, what I mean is the latest version of a particular year......  i.e. The latest 2008, 2013, 2015 versions, etc.  I would still leave the latest of each available year installed.

[sjoens]

Gotcha. Since they're only file libraries it won't hurt to leave older ones intact in the event some app may need them, tho.

[IronRod]

This was resolved.  I contacted support and they directed me to the Clean Install Cakewalk article -- steps which I'd already done before without success.  BUT: The article included a link to an entirely different installer (newer) than the original I had.  Using that one, everything installed and when I fired up Cakewalk it found my audio interface and set itself up correctly.  All is well.

Edited March 1, 2022 by IronRod