"Unable to Launch MIDI Server"

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Level 1

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"Unable to Launch MIDI Server"

Hi,

After updating to Leopard 10.5.3, I no longer am able to access my MIDI settings in the Audio MIDI Setup Utility. Instead, I receive the following message:

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Unable to Launch MIDI Server

Audio MIDI Setup was unable to launch the MIDI Server. This means that you will be unable to view or edit your MIDI configurations.

Improperly written MIDI drivers can prevent the MIDI server from launching successfully. If you have recently installed a new MIDI driver, try uninstalling and and then relaunching Audio MIDI Setup. If Audio MIDI Setup works correctly after that, then please contact the driver's manufacturer for further support.

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Searching these forums, I found the recent thread titled "Problems with MIDI" partially helpful, but not enough solve my particular problem....

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7002788&#7002788

As I'm no expert with Mac's, I'm taking my time trying to understand what this problem is about and what my next best steps may be at this point to fixing it. The repair guy at the Mac Store suggested I try an "Archive and Install" option with Leopard, which I performed successfully last night, downgrading me from 10.5.3 back to 10.5.0. Unfortunately, I still get the same message above and have no access to my MIDI settings.

My next step was to create a new user account and try accessing my Audio MIDI Setup Utility from there. Success! Presumably, this tells that my problem is not system-wide, but confined to my User settings. Beyond this I'm clueless.

Finally, I have moved all of my MIDI drivers out of their folders from both the root library and the user library and saved them in a folder on my desktop. After rebooting, still, no access to the MIDI Setup Utility. (Note that I DO have consistent access to the Audio settings of this same utility -- just no MIDI.)

I find it interesting that this problem arose after installing 10.5.3 -- but after downgrading to 10.5.0, it remains with me.

Any suggestions as to what to try next?

MacBook (3,1) OSX Leopard, C2D, 2 Ghz, 4 GB RAM, Logic Studio 8

Posted on Jun 6, 2008 10:03 AM

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Answer 1

orangekay

Level 5

4,085 points

Jun 6, 2008 12:06 PM in response to fizay

Try unplugging whatever MIDI hardware you have connected and re-adding it piece-by-piece after restarting. Could also be a USB hub issue, so if you're using one, try taking it out of the picture.

If that doesn't help, this script will dump out a list (in a Terminal window) of all the third-party background software that it can find, including MIDI drivers.

http://www.khiltd.com/Downloads/ConsultantsCanary.tar.gz

Look through it for anything suspicious. No guarantee it will help, but it's quicker than a reformat and reinstall.

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Answer 2

fizay Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 6, 2008 12:06 PM in response to fizay

When I originally transferred my MIDI drivers from their folders (both the *main/ & *main/user/library/audio/midi drivers) and into temporary folders on my desktop, I did not include the emagic drivers, because they came with my computer and therefore, I assumed, would not interfere with this particular problem.

After posting the above problem, I went back and tranferred them to my desktop too. After doing so, I was able to access my MIDI drivers. I then transferred all drivers back to BOTH locations (main drive and user).

I then set-up a new MIDI device for my Edirol PCR-M1 keyboard controller, but then found that it wasn't successfully transferring MIDI to my computer, even after a couple of reboots. On a whim, I went to Roland's website and re-downloded, and then re-installed the drivers for this keyboard. After a final reboot, MIDI is transferring successfully and everything seems to be working.

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Answer 3

orangekay

Level 5

4,085 points

Jun 6, 2008 12:13 PM in response to fizay

Apple includes one Unitor driver in the default Leopard installation with a bundle ID of info.emagic.driver.unitor. If you've got more files bearing Emagic's name they probably came from another source.

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Answer 4

fizay Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 6, 2008 2:26 PM in response to orangekay

Right -- by "emagic drivers" I was not being precise as I could have been: I was referring to the single emagic driver you are referring to...which is located in both the general and user libraries.

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Answer 5

digijazz

Level 1

0 points

Jul 10, 2008 8:45 PM in response to fizay

I just upgraded to Mac OS X 10.5.4 from 10.4.11 and am experiencing the same problem you have described. When I launch Audio MIDI Setup and click on MIDI Devices, the error message is:

"Audio MIDI Setup was unable to launch the MIDI Server. This means that you will be unable to view or edit your MIDI configurations.

Improperly written MIDI drivers can prevent the MIDI Server from launching successfully. If you have recently installed a new MIDI driver, try uninstalling it and then relaunching Audio MIDI Setup. If Audio MIDI Setup works correctly after that, then please contact the driver's manufacturer for further support."

I should point out that Audio Devices in Audio MIDI Setup works fine.

So, I go to MOTU's web site and download the latest driver for my MOTU UltraLite. I follow the instructions and have a "successful" install of the driver and I restart my iMac. When I return to launch Audio MIDI Setup and click on MIDI Devices, I have the same error message:

Unable to launch MIDI Server...

My MOTU Ultralite has the latest firmware. When I power it up, it displays version 1.15. So, I assume that this is not a problem.

I should also point out that when I go into Apple menu, About This Mac, More Info button, and click on Firewire in the left hand column under Hardware that the info contained in the window on the right hand side displays:

Firewire Device Tree
Fire Wire Bus
Vendor 0x1F2 Device 0x115800

So, I think that my MOTU UltraLite is connected correctly, I just cannot launch the MIDI Server under Leopard 10.5.4.

I know that other posts to the Discussions for Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard have expressed similar issues. Can someone explain in clear English how I resolve this problem? Thank you in advance!

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Answer 6

an7on1o

Level 1

0 points

Jul 15, 2008 12:44 AM in response to fizay

Hi, there

I had a similar problem and I moved this plugin: DigiDioMidiDriver.plugin

from the folder Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL

to another folder elsewhere and that was it. (I moved it because I didn't wanted to delete it and I even still have it in my User's Documents folder, just in case)

I guess I have it because I use a Mbox2, but check if you do have it, if not, try moving (not deleting) some plug-ins from there, one by one, and if it doesn't work with the first one, move it back to the original folder and try with the next one, then you'll find out which is the one that is giving you a hard time.

I hope this was helpful, good luck

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