Thread Scarlett Solo Stops Working Randomly (z77 Chipset issue?)
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Brian Chapman
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First post
1 Posted on 12/25/2015 at 05:15:56
I've seen this issue, or at least something that sounds very, very similar, posted around here. The problem being that my preamp/mixer/audio interface stops working, presumably the USB disconnecting - only for me, I don't get a disconnect message or noise, my device never disappears from the playback/recording tabs, and it continues to be considered the primary means for those functions. But all of the media pauses where it is as if the USB device is no longer there until I change devices or otherwise. In order to get it to work, I can either reboot, or simply unplug and replug the USB, allowing windows to disconnect the device and reconnect the device and it's fine.
It happens randomly, but it also seems to be exacerbated when Windows itself "changes" for lack of a better word. Meaning anytime a UAC message pops up, or I'm installing new software, or even changing graphic settings in a video game, there's a good possibility that it will trigger the issue. But it's not limited to that.
I should also note, that I have a little more experience than most of the posters, with this issue. As I can say confidently it is a system issue, not an issue with the Scarlett Solo. Or at least not solely. I say that because the exact same thing was happening before I got the Focusrite product, when I was running my Audio Technica BPHS1 headset through a Behringer 302usb Mixer instead. That was the entire reason I ordered my brand new Solo. Maybe that will help.
I will also say that I heard a rumor that there were known audio issues with the z77 chipsets. Unfortunately I'm stuck with the z77, as I am not in a place where I can buy a new CPU that uses a 1150 socket vs. the 1155 that my current CPU utilizes. THe z77, as you probably know, is the best if not only remaining set out that you can pick up. I've been brainstorming ways I could potentially bypass the problem if it is a conflict with the z77 chipsets. I'm not sure, but could I potentially get a PCIe usb host adapter and have it bypass the chipset? Or would the system just utilize the new usb ports as if they are part of the motherboard?
Here's a LatencyMon report:
I've tried a great deal of troubleshooting with this issue to no avail, here is where I will list my failed attempts and methods:
My problem is I think it's a conflict with the z77 chipset and usb audio devices in general (uneducated guess) and I can't change chipsets, because I'm trapped with my i5 3470 CPU for the foreseeable future.
I'm worried I'm going to simply have to use a standard 3.5mm headset, sacraficing quality and essentially wasting hundreds of accumulated dollars.
It happens randomly, but it also seems to be exacerbated when Windows itself "changes" for lack of a better word. Meaning anytime a UAC message pops up, or I'm installing new software, or even changing graphic settings in a video game, there's a good possibility that it will trigger the issue. But it's not limited to that.
I should also note, that I have a little more experience than most of the posters, with this issue. As I can say confidently it is a system issue, not an issue with the Scarlett Solo. Or at least not solely. I say that because the exact same thing was happening before I got the Focusrite product, when I was running my Audio Technica BPHS1 headset through a Behringer 302usb Mixer instead. That was the entire reason I ordered my brand new Solo. Maybe that will help.
I will also say that I heard a rumor that there were known audio issues with the z77 chipsets. Unfortunately I'm stuck with the z77, as I am not in a place where I can buy a new CPU that uses a 1150 socket vs. the 1155 that my current CPU utilizes. THe z77, as you probably know, is the best if not only remaining set out that you can pick up. I've been brainstorming ways I could potentially bypass the problem if it is a conflict with the z77 chipsets. I'm not sure, but could I potentially get a PCIe usb host adapter and have it bypass the chipset? Or would the system just utilize the new usb ports as if they are part of the motherboard?
Here's a LatencyMon report:
Spoiler - Click here to read more
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your system appears to be having trouble handling real-time audio and other tasks. You are likely to experience buffer underruns appearing as drop outs, clicks or pops. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 1:19:28 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SYSTEM INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Computer name: QUORA-PC
OS version: Windows 7 Service Pack 1, 6.1, build: 7601 (x64)
Hardware: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd., Z77X-UP4 TH
CPU: GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3470 CPU @ 3.20GHz
Logical processors: 4
Processor groups: 1
RAM: 16342 MB total
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU SPEED
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reported CPU speed: 3203 MHz
Measured CPU speed: 1 MHz (approx.)
Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.
WARNING: the CPU speed that was measured is only a fraction of the CPU speed reported. Your CPUs may be throttled back due to variable speed settings and thermal issues. It is suggested that you run a utility which reports your actual CPU frequency and temperature.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.
Highest measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 5031.177122
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 3.922025
Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 264.378160
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 1.571372
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED ISRs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.
Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 178.933188
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: dxgkrnl.sys - DirectX Graphics Kernel, Microsoft Corporation
Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0.128425
Driver with highest ISR total time: dxgkrnl.sys - DirectX Graphics Kernel, Microsoft Corporation
Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0.175778
ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 7102311
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED DPCs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.
Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 284.079301
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: ndis.sys - NDIS 6.20 driver, Microsoft Corporation
Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0.607186
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: iusb3xhc.sys - Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver, Intel Corporation
Total time spent in DPCs (%) 1.336617
DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 40051023
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-999 µs): 8
DPC count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.
NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.
Process with highest pagefault count: chrome.exe
Total number of hard pagefaults 43889
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 35470
Highest hard pagefault resolution time (µs): 503181.187324
Total time spent in hard pagefaults (%): 1.239655
Number of processes hit: 32
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PER CPU DATA
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 353.841575
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 178.933188
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 33.530746
CPU 0 ISR count: 7102311
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 284.079301
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 249.860616
CPU 0 DPC count: 38711614
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 59.629434
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 1 ISR count: 0
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 281.844833
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 1.374262
CPU 1 DPC count: 278169
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 21.075945
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 2 ISR count: 0
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 242.904777
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 1.917533
CPU 2 DPC count: 527544
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 62.334537
CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR count: 0
CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 214.978458
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 1.815503
CPU 3 DPC count: 533704
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your system appears to be having trouble handling real-time audio and other tasks. You are likely to experience buffer underruns appearing as drop outs, clicks or pops. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 1:19:28 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SYSTEM INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Computer name: QUORA-PC
OS version: Windows 7 Service Pack 1, 6.1, build: 7601 (x64)
Hardware: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd., Z77X-UP4 TH
CPU: GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3470 CPU @ 3.20GHz
Logical processors: 4
Processor groups: 1
RAM: 16342 MB total
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU SPEED
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reported CPU speed: 3203 MHz
Measured CPU speed: 1 MHz (approx.)
Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.
WARNING: the CPU speed that was measured is only a fraction of the CPU speed reported. Your CPUs may be throttled back due to variable speed settings and thermal issues. It is suggested that you run a utility which reports your actual CPU frequency and temperature.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.
Highest measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 5031.177122
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 3.922025
Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 264.378160
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 1.571372
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED ISRs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.
Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 178.933188
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: dxgkrnl.sys - DirectX Graphics Kernel, Microsoft Corporation
Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0.128425
Driver with highest ISR total time: dxgkrnl.sys - DirectX Graphics Kernel, Microsoft Corporation
Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0.175778
ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 7102311
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED DPCs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.
Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 284.079301
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: ndis.sys - NDIS 6.20 driver, Microsoft Corporation
Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0.607186
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: iusb3xhc.sys - Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver, Intel Corporation
Total time spent in DPCs (%) 1.336617
DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 40051023
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-999 µs): 8
DPC count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.
NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.
Process with highest pagefault count: chrome.exe
Total number of hard pagefaults 43889
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 35470
Highest hard pagefault resolution time (µs): 503181.187324
Total time spent in hard pagefaults (%): 1.239655
Number of processes hit: 32
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PER CPU DATA
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 353.841575
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 178.933188
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 33.530746
CPU 0 ISR count: 7102311
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 284.079301
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 249.860616
CPU 0 DPC count: 38711614
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 59.629434
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 1 ISR count: 0
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 281.844833
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 1.374262
CPU 1 DPC count: 278169
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 21.075945
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 2 ISR count: 0
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 242.904777
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 1.917533
CPU 2 DPC count: 527544
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 62.334537
CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR count: 0
CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 214.978458
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 1.815503
CPU 3 DPC count: 533704
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I've tried a great deal of troubleshooting with this issue to no avail, here is where I will list my failed attempts and methods:
- Reinstalled drivers, including installing the latest beta drivers.
- Hooked up through an AC powered USB hub to avoid power supply issues.
- Uninstalled every non-essential peripheral and hardware.
- High-Performance Power settings currently active.
- Reformatted entire machine.
- Changed out the following hardware (with some extra components in another machine I have) including: GPU & RAM.
- I also replaced the motherboard, but with an exact replica (with fewer miles on it) so the change is minimal, though it does nix the idea that perhaps this particular motherboard is showing its age, it could still be chipset related.
- Obviously the change from a Behringer Mixer to this Focusrite interface without it fixing the issue is something right?
- Additionally my BIOS are fully up to date.
My problem is I think it's a conflict with the z77 chipset and usb audio devices in general (uneducated guess) and I can't change chipsets, because I'm trapped with my i5 3470 CPU for the foreseeable future.
I'm worried I'm going to simply have to use a standard 3.5mm headset, sacraficing quality and essentially wasting hundreds of accumulated dollars.
David_Focusrite
AFfable Poster
2 Posted on 01/08/2016 at 14:38:42
Hi Brian,
Sorry to hear that you are having an issue with DPC Latency, but it can be a fairly common issue for Windows users.
Lets first run through all of the steps found in this guide: https://global.focusrite.com/answerbase/optimising-your-pc-for-audio-on-windows-7?id=1071
Once done, lets test connecting your Solo to ALL USB ports on your PC as some may perform better than others due to motherboard design. If you find that the issue persists, I see that the Latency Mon test references CPU throttling as a possible cause. You can disable this in your BIOS and is often times found under Power Management listed as Intel Speed Step or ISS.
If you are not experienced and do not feel totally comfortable with entering your computer's BIOS, I would recommend consulting with a PC tech to help.
It will also be beneficial to see screenshots of the Drivers tab, that way we can see all offending drivers and their execution times.
If you are still having issues, it may be best to start a support case with us here : https://global.focusrite.com/answerbase/contact-0
Please let us know how you get along!
Best,
David//Focusrite Technical Support
Sorry to hear that you are having an issue with DPC Latency, but it can be a fairly common issue for Windows users.
Lets first run through all of the steps found in this guide: https://global.focusrite.com/answerbase/optimising-your-pc-for-audio-on-windows-7?id=1071
Once done, lets test connecting your Solo to ALL USB ports on your PC as some may perform better than others due to motherboard design. If you find that the issue persists, I see that the Latency Mon test references CPU throttling as a possible cause. You can disable this in your BIOS and is often times found under Power Management listed as Intel Speed Step or ISS.
If you are not experienced and do not feel totally comfortable with entering your computer's BIOS, I would recommend consulting with a PC tech to help.
It will also be beneficial to see screenshots of the Drivers tab, that way we can see all offending drivers and their execution times.
If you are still having issues, it may be best to start a support case with us here : https://global.focusrite.com/answerbase/contact-0
Please let us know how you get along!
Best,
David//Focusrite Technical Support
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