Persistent Blue Screen Windows Events

[DaveLeeNC]

I have just migrated a seldom used HD500x POD device to a new Windows 10 desktop computer. I am having persistent 'Blue Screen of Death' events (Windows ends, collects data, and then restarts). I have probably encountered 6-8 of these in the last 24 hours. They happen when I remove the USB cable, or maybe turn the device off, or possibly change a setting in the POD Editor, etc. They are not predictable other than I have not yet 'messed around' with the settings/etc for  more than a couple minutes without encountering a fatal Windows error. 

 

I do get a code from Windows that comes up on the blue screen that I have not yet been able to capture before it goes away. And Line6 Monkey does not recognize that this device is attached, if that matters. I have seen this happen when the Editor was running and also when not running (in the latter case Windows aborted when I turned off the HD500x). 

 

Is this scenario common? From my earlier days I recall that you had to be REALLY careful with the order of shutdown/disconnect of the HD500X if the editor was running, but this is far worse than that. 

 

Have others experienced this and any clues as to what might be going on here (other than yet another proof that the Windows Audio system is not so great). 

 

Thanks. 

 

dave

[hurghanico]

If the device is set as the general audio interface of the operating system or if the device is set as the audio interface of a program that is still running, disconnecting the device or turning it off is equivalent to creating a flaw in the system (resulting in BSOD).

 

Rule # 1

avoid setting the device as the operating system's audio interface, and instead use the audio settings of individual audio programs

(to check which audio interface is actually the preferred/chosen one for the operating system, the POD must be connected to the computer, otherwise only the only one currently available is shown (for example the one integrated into the computer hardware).

 

Rule # 2

never disconnect or turn off the device while a program (or operating system) that uses it as the audio interface is still running

 

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It should also be noted that sometimes it can also happen that as a consequence of too low buffer settings in the driver control panel the correct communication between the operating system and the device is lost/corrupted (as if it was a forced physical disconnection) and this can also lead to the BSOD.

 

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All about POD HD500/X

help and useful tips

[DaveLeeNC]

@hurghanico Thanks for the very logical and helpful input. It gives me some structure around which to build some experiments. Very much appreciated.

 

dave

[DaveLeeNC]

I believe that @hurghanico has explained the bulk of my problems here. I had never considered this, but my basic system setup has NO INPUTS. So once the HD500X was connected it was instantly selected as the system INPUT (re: Sound Settings). For now I have permanently connected an IRIG UA to one on my USB ports and my HD500X is no longer the selected INPUT. 

 

I kind of messed around for 15 minutes this morning without any issues. Thanks again!

 

dave

 

ps. I know that prior to this change I encountered at least one Blue Screen where I was doing nothing but changing the volume of an Amp. But my HD500X has gone from unless to useful with this one change. 

[hurghanico]

Actually I believe it is the driver installer that sets the POD as the operating system's primary/favorite audio interface, this happens also with several audio interfaces from other brands when their driver is installed in the computer.

 

As long as there are no external interfaces connected, the operating system is forced to use the only audio interface available at the moment (and in that moment that AI appears as the main/favorite one if you check it in the audio settings), but as soon as the real "favorite" one is connected the audio control is passed to it.

 

So the only way to effectively see/change which interface is the "favorite" for the OS is to change the setting while all installed interfaces are connected and powered on.

 

In the particular case object of this thread, to avoid that all the next times the POD becomes the audio interface of the OS as soon as it is connected, you simply need to open the audio control panel of the OS while the POD is connected, change the settings and choose the integrated audio interface as main interface.

 

Once this is done you should no longer need to revise the OS audio settings, at least until you install an audio driver again, and next times you connect the POD to the computer it no longer becomes the audio interface for the OS, but is used only by the programs set to use it.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All about POD HD500/X

help and useful tips

[DaveLeeNC]

@hurghanico FWIW, on my Dell XPS desktop computer, if I disconnect the POD and my USB mic and go to sound settings, I have NO CHOICES regarding settings (no input devices found). So I will have to take extra steps here (like create a default input). 

 

Thanks again for the help. 

 

dave

[hurghanico]

Strange..

usually all computers I have seen have a built-in audio interface with at least one input and output..

sometimes a single jack socket can be multifunctional and function as output and/or input (eg headphones / mic) depending on the setting..

 

but here we are delving into specific topics of your computer that I do not know, so I stop here

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All about POD HD500/X

help and useful tips