896mk3 Driver Install Failure

[mweiss]

I'm replacing a dead 896 Original that I always used with my Sony GRX650 laptop for the last 7 years to record concerts and other multi-channel events with a new 896mk3H. I've uninstalled the original drivers, rebooted and started the installation of the new drivers that came with the 896mk3H. I am unable to proceed due to the following unexpected error:

"The procedure entry point DecodePointer could not be located in the dynamic link library KERNEL32.DLL"

As I need this setup to record an event next Friday, I'm in a bit of a panic. I cannot seem to use my old driver for this new unit, so I'm left with installing the new drivers, but they refuse to install.

Any ideas what could be wrong?

[mweiss]

The initial problem was found to be need for Win SP2 update. I did that and the drivers install fine (at least the disc installation part). However, when I plug in the 896mk3H and power on, hardware detected MOTU Audio and nothing else. CUE Mix can't find the hardware. Neither can MOTU Audio Console.

I've uninstalled, rebooted and reinstalled the software four times so far. Same result. When I power on the hardware, sometimes it detects the hardware and looks for a driver, but then Windows says it cannot find a driver and gives up.

On my desktop, this driver was found in system32 folder, but on the laptop, Windows cannot find it, even though the CD ROM installation went without errors. I'm at a loss to see what's wrong. Should be a bullet proof installation process.

[mweiss]

A look in the system32\drivers folder for both systems reveals part of the problem:

The desktop system that works and installed okay with the drivers has

tmcomm.sys
motubus.sys
mfwamidi.sys
motufwa.sys
mfwawave.sys

The laptop only has two of the above files in its drivers folder. For some reason, the installer is not copying all of the drivers to the hard drive!

[mweiss]

Updated the Sony GRX560 to Win XP SP3 just now, and did another clean install of the drivers. This went as usual, no errors. However, once again, when I power on the MOTU, no hardware is detected.

[CSprague]

Been a long time since I’ve dropped by here.
First thought turn on the Sound device before booting the laptop.
Second is that XP had a flaw where it only allowed a certain number of USB devices it stored them in the registry, may have been fixed with the service packs. Did you do a clean install when you said you re-installed the OS?

[mweiss]

I'm connecting via Firewire, not USB. The USB works, but it's too slow (v1.1, not 2.0). It's the FW that won't detect. The ONLY other device this laptop has EVER connected to was my 896 Original, which died around Thanksgiving this year, leaving me with no way to record concerts. So I bought the 896mk3H, thinking it would be a straightforward installation. Maybe it's the fact that the mk3 has FW800 ports which are 9-pin and I'm using a 9-4-pin adapter cable. I tried two of these cables and neither one works. Maybe I'll return them as 'defective'.