Need to restart MIDI keyboard too often

[Sven]

I'm using a M-Audio Keystation 61 and it works fine except when I take a break for a while and go back to record with the keyboard I often have to turn it off and on again to have it work with Cakewalk.   I could be using it in a session for a while and then go away for 6 hours without even closing the Cakewalk project but then I'll often have to do the off/on trick to have Cakewalk see it again.  

It's as if it somehow goes to 'sleep' for some reason.

 

[Larioso]

Sound like "Allow system to turn off this device" is on

I think device manager och look up the keyboard among sound devices, I think, take properties and Power tab.

Then uncheck "Allow...."

[user 905133]

1 hour ago, Sven said:

I'm using a M-Audio Keystation 61 and it works fine except when I take a break for a while and go back to record with the keyboard I often have to turn it off and on again to have it work with Cakewalk.   I could be using it in a session for a while and then go away for 6 hours without even closing the Cakewalk project but then I'll often have to do the off/on trick to have Cakewalk see it again.  

It's as if it somehow goes to 'sleep' for some reason.

I have had this happen with my pre-M-Audio evolution keyboards but not just with Cakewalk. It happens with all MIDI software.  It used to happen years before due to some instability with the usb connector, but I taped  it down.  Then it started happening again after a Windows update which undid all (or many) of my energy/sleep settings. 

When it happens, I close out of the software and run midi-ox.  If that doesn't show the keyboard's midi, I know its not the software's issue. So I power cycle the keyboard and restart midi-ox so it can get the updated list of valid devices detected and reported by Windows.  Over the past several years, its seems to have been that Windows caused the keyboard to become unseen.

There could be other causes / solutions in your case. Just sharing some of my experience in case it helps.  

PS: Once in a while I go into all the power/energy/sleep settings and double check them in case Windows has undone them.  I often check Windows Update History to see which updates I've had to try to figure out which updates might cause the reset, but since it is inconsistent, I have not been able to narrow it down.  

Edited June 15, 2023 by User 905133
to fix some erroneous wording; to add a PS

[John Vere]

You need to possibly disable USB sleep mode. It’s in Windows settings advanced power options. 
If it’s not that then the keyboard itself has a power saving option. This happened to me with my Yamaha digital drum kit. I had to go into settings and disable it. 

 

You need to disable

Edited June 16, 2023 by JohnnyV

[rfssongs]

If all else fails make sure the cable & connections are good.

Actually that is so easy I'd eliminate  that first. 

[Sven]

I believe JohnnyV's suggestion above about turning off USB sleep mode helped me with this problem.

Thanks!