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FR-8X PC Editor Quit Working

John M

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Yesterday when I went to access the PC editor on my FR-8x, it would not work. The Editor screen comes up on my PC, but the Arranger IN/OUT box does not “see” the 8X. I get this the message:

USB Device Not Recognized
Last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned and Window does not recognize it.

I have Windows 10. I have the PC editor loaded on two computers and they both started getting the same message yesterday. I installed a new USB cable, but still get the same message. I went to the Roland website to download the arranger driver again for Windows 10. Roland has this message:

Your computer automatically downloads the Windows(R) 10 driver from the Internet when a product requiring the driver is connected to the computer.

I did not realize the driver is not stored on my computer. Does anyone else have this problem? Any help would be appreciated.

John M.
 
the driver is not the problem, since both computers
suddenly have the issue, the problem is clearly with the 8x

there may be a software switch in the internal 8x settings that
change the connection posture of the USB port
(such as switching between "reading a usb stick with MP3 files"
vs: connect to external device0

time to dig out the FR8x manual !

good luck
 
Yesterday when I went to access the PC editor on my FR-8x, it would not work. The Editor screen comes up on my PC, but the Arranger IN/OUT box does not “see” the 8X. I get this the message:

USB Device Not Recognized
Last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned and Window does not recognize it.

I have Windows 10. I have the PC editor loaded on two computers and they both started getting the same message yesterday. I installed a new USB cable, but still get the same message. I went to the Roland website to download the arranger driver again for Windows 10. Roland has this message:

Your computer automatically downloads the Windows(R) 10 driver from the Internet when a product requiring the driver is connected to the computer.

I did not realize the driver is not stored on my computer. Does anyone else have this problem? Any help would be appreciated.

John M.
Make sure you have the latest Java JAR installed and if that doesn’t work I would delete the editor and reinstall starting from scratch
 
I checked the 8X manual and went through all the "System" settings in menu # 14. The only thing I could find was item 14.9 USB MIDI Driver. There are two choices: "Generic" and "Original". I tried each one and neither fixed the problem.

What seemed strange to me was that the Roland site says that Windows 10 downloads the driver when a product is connected to the computer. For other Windows versions, Roland has a driver to be downloaded. Is it possible to have a driver permanently installed with Win 10? Then launch that application from the PC to communicate to the 8X.

John M.
 
I checked the 8X manual and went through all the "System" settings in menu # 14. The only thing I could find was item 14.9 USB MIDI Driver. There are two choices: "Generic" and "Original". I tried each one and neither fixed the problem.

What seemed strange to me was that the Roland site says that Windows 10 downloads the driver when a product is connected to the computer. For other Windows versions, Roland has a driver to be downloaded. Is it possible to have a driver permanently installed with Win 10? Then launch that application from the PC to communicate to the 8X.

John M.
Here is a link to download and install Java
I just tried mine on my windows10 pc which is up to date and it works no problems try installing that Java the editor needs it to run
 
I checked the 8X manual and went through all the "System" settings in menu # 14. The only thing I could find was item 14.9 USB MIDI Driver. There are two choices: "Generic" and "Original". I tried each one and neither fixed the problem.

What seemed strange to me was that the Roland site says that Windows 10 downloads the driver when a product is connected to the computer.

John M.
hi John,

windows will always store any drivers it downloads locally, and there are very few reasons it
will ever be unavailable after that, like if windows reverted to an earlier copy of itself for some reason
(prior to the driver being first incorporated)
then it would have to install it again, but would easily find it on the hard drive in the .inf area

they don't really mean it downloads every time, just every first time

>USB Device Not Recognized
Last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned and Window does not recognize it.<

this message is not because of a driver error, this message PRECEDES the usb driver loading
and it would be the same message if you plugged a Clothespin into the USB port

in other words, it detects you plugged something in, but whatever it is doesn't look or act
like a living breathing USB device, so it doesn't even know what kind of driver to use or look for
since the usb device seems dead (think of it as the connection starts with a handshake, and the question,
"what do i need so that we can communicate"

if the plugged in device cannot answer that basic handshake, the process of linking up stops

when you computer gets an answer, then it would attempt to load the drive or find one, etc.

since you get the same result on both computers, it seems to me the 8x is the problem

do you have a friend with an 8x that could plug in to your computer ?
that would narrow it down

you could also look in the Windows system area of connected devices and see if you can "find"
the roland or it's usb status

as far as i know, JAVA is needed to run the software, but the computer should
be able to handle the hardware with or without the software running

do you have a sequencer installed ? perhaps load it and see if the roland USB
hardware is shown in it's output > set area as an active destination

good luck

ps: i think your first instinct to try a new USB cable was on track,
and would have caused this exact problem if one of it's internal wires
had come loose
 
Thanks Pbraido and Ventura. I did do a new install of JAVA , but just get the same result, the PC editor screen comes up but the Arranger is not in the IN/Out box. I guess I can try a new install of the PC Editor software from Roland. Maybe later. I remember I had some problems getting it into the right folder and having it find JAVA.

Somehow, I think I have lost the hardware cable connection since I use both computers daily and they both stopped working the same day. I will look into the Windows system area of connected devices to see what I can find. I don't have a sequencer. Also, I will see if I can find another USB cable. I have "DeoxIT D5" contact cleaner. Would any harm be done if I sprayed the 8X USB port?

John M.
 
Last edited:
It will not damage your Fr8, and that is probably the cause of the problem.
Other than that, try another usb cable.
 
Thanks Pbraido and Ventura. I did do a new install of JAVA , but just get the same result, the PC editor screen comes up but the Arranger is not in the IN/Out box. I guess I can try a new install of the PC Editor software from Roland. Maybe later. I remember I had some problems getting it into the right folder and having it find JAVA.

Somehow, I think I have lost the hardware cable connection since I use both computers daily and they both stopped working the same day. I will look into the Windows system area of connected devices to see what I can find. Also, I will see if I can find another USB cable. I have "DeoxIT D5" contact cleaner. Would any harm be done if I sprayed the 8X USB port?

John M.
Or if you have a keyboard can of pressurized air you could try that even a little alcohol on a q stick to try and clean the port
 
I have checked my USB cables by using them on my HP printer and they work. I used "canned" compressed air to blow out the 8X USB port. I flooded the connector on the USB cable on the end that plugs into the 8X with DeoxIT.

It appears that I am getting electrical connection via the cable, because every time I pull the cable in and out of the 8X, I get the PC message (this is before I try to start the PC Editor):

USB Device Not Recognized
Last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned and Window does not recognize it

Note that if the power is off the 8X, I can pull the plug in and out with no Windows message. As soon as I power the 8X up, Windows displays the above message. It seems to me there is some software communications "handshaking" that is happening incorrectly.

Is there a diagnostic available to test the 8X USB port?

John M.
 
Last edited:
I have checked my USB cables by using them on my HP printer and they work. I used "canned" compressed air to blow out the 8X USB port. I flooded the connector on the USB cable on the end that plugs into the 8X with DeoxIT.

It appears that I am getting electrical connection via the cable, because every time I pull the cable in and out of the 8X, I get the PC message (this is before I try to start the PC Editor):

USB Device Not Recognized
Last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned and Window does not recognize it

Note that if the power is off the 8X, I can pull the plug in and out with no Windows message. As soon as I power the 8X up, Windows displays the above message. It seems to me there is some software communications "handshaking" that is happening incorrectly.

Is there a diagnostic available to test the 8X USB port?

John M.
Hi John it sounds to me like your port and cable are working but some problem in Windows 10 that’s not recognizing the Roland as you have stated I don’t know what would be the cause
 
Hi John it sounds to me like your port and cable are working but some problem in Windows 10 that’s not recognizing the Roland as you have stated I don’t know what would be the cause
John open device manager on your computer plug your accordion into its USB port then scroll down to software devices and expand that. It should show your 8x. Uninstall them then unplug your accordion and plug it back in and they should reinstall automatically and then try your editor
 
John open device manager on your computer plug your accordion into its USB port then scroll down to software devices and expand that. It should show your 8x. Uninstall them then unplug your accordion and plug it back in and they should reinstall automatically and then try your editor
With the 8X on, I did that and when I expand software devices I get:

BDP-S6700
Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator
Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
Microsoft RRAS Root Enumerator
Roku Ultra

With this screen active, I unplug and plug my cable in, the software devices screen restores like it tries to update, but the same 5 devices reappear. And then I get the message USB Device Not Recognized.

John M.
 
With the 8X on, I did that and when I expand software devices I get:

BDP-S6700
Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator
Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
Microsoft RRAS Root Enumerator
Roku Ultra

With this screen active, I unplug and plug my cable in, the software devices screen restores like it tries to update, but the same 5 devices reappear. And then I get the message USB Device Not Recognized.

John M.
 
Well it’s beyond my computer expertise then the only other suggestion I would make is to power down the computer and then unplug it from power for a few minutes then try again - maybe someone with some I.T. Background could help you or if you have a computer repair store to ask them to see what they say
 
Well it’s beyond my computer expertise then the only other suggestion I would make is to power down the computer and then unplug it from power for a few minutes then try again - maybe someone with some I.T. Background could help you or if you have a computer repair store to ask them to see what they say
O.K. I appreciate all your time and effort in trying to solve my problem.
John M.
 
Note that if the power is off the 8X, I can pull the plug in and out with no Windows message. As soon as I power the 8X up, Windows displays the above message.
what your 2 computers are detecting is the 2 usb wires in the cable that carry voltage

some devices like usb sticks and external hard drives and Midi solutions inline filters
use the 5 volts to power themselves up

with 2 devices that each have their own 5 volts, the computer and the 8x, the voltage merely
triggers an "awareness" they have plugged in to each other

but not sentience

therefore, next comes troubleshooting the 8x to find the problem,
and this means opening it up

unless there was a recent incident (physical) we would assume
the circuit board and socket are probably OK, but it still is the first thing to inspect
with a powerful light, magnifying glass, and a voltmeter

you would take an extra USB cable also, cut one end off and strip the wires so
you can use a voltmeter to check the integrity of the traces from the circuit board,
through the USB socket, and out the wires

Closely inspect the circuitboard area around the USB, you are looking for a
hairline crack, or a dark spot (if a component blew out and charred)

if the usb traces have integrity and nothing looks out of sorts, then
possibly the software that controls all aspects of the 8x has glitched
for some reason... Roland Repair center would likely do a full reset on the device to see
if that clears up the cobwebs
BUT
that means you would lose everything you have customized
AND
if it doesn't fix the problem you might not be able to re-load your most recent backup
SO
you could decide to just keep using it as is for another 5 years or so and
fuggedabout the editor
OR
send it back to Roland and pray they still have somone there who
actually has a clue and experience on the V accordion line

i realise this is not a rosy picture, but this is the approach i would recommend

good luck

ciao

Ventura
 
. . . if the usb traces have integrity and nothing looks out of sorts, then
possibly the software that controls all aspects of the 8x has glitched
for some reason... Roland Repair center would likely do a full reset on the device to see
if that clears up the cobwebs
BUT
that means you would lose everything you have customized
AND
if it doesn't fix the problem you might not be able to re-load your most recent backup. . .
Thank You Ventura for your detailed checkout/test list. It will take me some time, but I will get through it.

I do have a question about your above comment that if a full reset is done I might not be able to reload a backup. There are two USB ports on my 8X, one for a cable to connect to my PC (the one I can't get to work) and the other port for a USB stick.

I just exported all my Sets and User Programs to a USB stick. That worked as I saw (on the 8X screen) all the 100 User programs being exported. Also, at the end, I got the message: "Operation Complete". I checked the files with my PC and FR-8X_SET_ALL.FR8 and UPG_ALL.UPA are on the USB stick.

So, even though my USB PC Editor port isn't fixed, and a full reset is done, wouldn't I be able to reload my backup, (provided my "stick" port still works) and get the 8X back to the exact configuration it was in? Let me know.

Thanks,
John
 
hey that's a big relief to have a second way to load your settings

you should be fine then if you have to resort to a full reset

7x only has 1 usb port

this also means that the portion of software in the 8x that
has to do with the database is functioning, which implies that
the problem is limited to control specific to the non-functioning usb port
 
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