User profile for user: FIddlecase
FIddlecase Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Using Firewire sound cards in Windows on a mac....

Hi all. New user here!
I got a Mac Pro to use with Protools, and all is fine with that.
BUT I also have got used to using Adobe Audition on my PC... and it is only for PC, no Mac version.
All three of my sound cards, including a Digidesign 002 and and M Audio Firewire 410 are Firewire devices, and I discovered, after buying and installing Paralells so I could run windows and thus the Audition software, that it doesn't support Firewire! Nor does VMWare Fusion.
Now, I reckon I could use Bootcamp, despite the hassle of rebooting each time I want to change from one set of software to another. Does Bootcamp support firewire? Can't find any details at all.

Also, I have no install disks with my Mac (2nd hand machine, good price but no disks!)... is there anywhere to download the Bootcamp software.. I cannot find any on the Mac site...

Thanks for any incoming advice!

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jun 10, 2010 8:57 AM

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User profile for user: Fortuny
Fortuny
User level: Level 7
21,461 points

Jun 10, 2010 8:51 PM in response to FIddlecase

Hi and welcome to Discussions,

yep, neither Parallels nor VMWare Fusion nor VirtualBox support Firewire in their Virtual Machines.
Not sure if they ever get this sorted out.

BootCamp supports and let you use FireWire with Windows.
But there are some reports of not-working FW audio devices when using BootCamp.
Refer to the support Forums of the manufacturer of your devices for problems and solutions.

The OSX install DVDs are the only legal source for the BootCamp Drivers.
All downloads you can find on Apple Download website are updates only, which only work when the Drivers from the DVDs are installed before.

The seller of your mac should have provided you with the OSX install DVD that originally came with it when bought new, since these DVDs are machine-specific and cannot be used on other Macs.

You might wanna call Apple and ask for a replacement OSX Leopard 10.5 disc for a relatively small amount of money.
Have the Serial Number of your Mac at hand when doing so.

The other possibility is to buy a OSX Snow Leopard 10.6 retail disc for USD 29 which also includes the even newer BootCamp 3.x Drivers.
(With 10.5 Leopard the Drivers are at version 2.x).

Regards

Stefan
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Using Firewire sound cards in Windows on a mac....

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