# Getting UAD Apollo Twin Mk2 to work with Asus X99-Deluxe II & EX3



## dman007 (Dec 7, 2018)

Hi,

I am trying to get the UAD Apollo Twin Mk2 to work with my PC.

I'm using Windows 10 Pro 64-bit.

Motherboard is Asus X99-Deluxe ii with Asus Thunderbolt EX 3 card

CPU is Intel i7-6800K

I'm using the StarTech Thunderbolt adapter.

I've got the latest drivers installed for the EX3 card. Also go the latest Thunderbolt software.

There are no devices showing up, and no indication that the Thunderbolt drivers are loading/being mounted in Windows.

I installed the UAD software.

The device is supposed to work with this setup according to UAD.

But from what I can tell, I can't even get the EX3 card to function properly.

I removed the card from the 16_2 slot it was first tried in and tried it in 16_5. I then tried 16_4.

The BIOS seem to detect the card, as the Thunderbolt vanishes from the bios menu when the card is removed.

Also, when I put the card in 16_4, the graphics card changed from being x16 native to x8 native.

I've been at this for days now and it is breaking me.

Any advice or help welcome. I really want it to work!

Thanks in advance.


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## Gavin Luke (Dec 10, 2018)

dman007 - I am having similar issues with my Apollo x8p. I went into my computer's BIOS and the thunderbolt card was disabled. I enabled it but it still is not working. Have you found a solution?

- Gavin


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## onebitboy (Dec 11, 2018)

dman007 said:


> Any advice or help welcome. I really want it to work!


Is the header cable connected to the motherboard correctly? You could also try updating the firmware with the tool available on the Asus website.


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## dman007 (Dec 11, 2018)

Gavin Luke said:


> dman007 - I am having similar issues with my Apollo x8p. I went into my computer's BIOS and the thunderbolt card was disabled. I enabled it but it still is not working. Have you found a solution?
> 
> - Gavin



Not yet. Can I ask what motherboard & CPU you are using?


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## dman007 (Dec 11, 2018)

onebitboy said:


> Is the header cable connected to the motherboard correctly? You could also try updating the firmware with the tool available on the Asus website.



Yes on header cable. Can't update the firmware for the card because it's done from Windows and Windows just cannot "see" the card at all. The Asus updater fails.


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## Jerry Growl (Dec 11, 2018)

I remember installing my Apollo interface was troublesome too. Im on firewire still, but installation required (and this was VERY important) *not to update* drivers for the firewire interface. Just let it load with the default drivers. It's a wild guess, but it could be the same scenario for your EX 3 card.

Could be worth to try uninstalling the 'latest drivers' for your Ex 3 card and go for the default windows ones.


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## dman007 (Dec 11, 2018)

Jerry Growl said:


> I remember installing my Apollo interface was troublesome too. Im on firewire still, but installation required (and this was VERY important) *not to update* drivers for the firewire interface. Just let it load with the default drivers. It's a wild guess, but it could be the same scenario for your EX 3 card.
> 
> Could be worth to try uninstalling the 'latest drivers' for your Ex 3 card and go for the default windows ones.



Already tried it, been at it solidly for a week every day. Tried every slot and combination. 

Think it's either a faulty EX3 card maybe, or not enough CPU lanes (CPU in it is 28 lane but most I've come across on-line have it working with a 40 lane CPU on this mobo) 

This is driving me mad.


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## Jerry Growl (Dec 11, 2018)

I guess you also checked these instructions then:

Make sure that the cable you purchase is not a Mini-Display cable. Your cable should have the Thunderbolt logo on it (that looks like a combination of a lightning bolt and an arrow pointing down).







Likewise, make sure that your host computer actually has a Thunderbolt port, and not the identically shaped Mini-display port. The port should have the Apple Thunderbolt logo on it (that looks like a combination of a lightning bolt and an arrow pointing down).





When using Thunderbolt it's also important to make sure that the cable is not plugged in backwards / upside down / reversed, which is relatively easy to do. The Thunderbolt logo must be face up on the Thunderbolt cable when plugged into both the UAD-2 device and the computer - if the Thunderbolt logo is not face up then the cable is inserted incorrectly.

_Note: On iMac computers, the Thunderbolt logo on the Thunderbolt cable should face left (when looking at the back of the iMac)._

Another troubleshooting tip that may help you get a reliable connection are to blow out your Thunderbolts with dust off or compressed air just in case any particles are blocking the connection.

We have also seen PRAM / NVRAM resets and SMC resets help resolve issues with Thunderbolt UAD-2 devices not being recognized by Mac computers:


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## onebitboy (Dec 11, 2018)

It might also be worth trying it with/without the passthrough cable from the graphics card to the EX3 (if you haven't tried both options yet).


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## dman007 (Dec 11, 2018)

Yep, it's the right cable and tried it with the pass through cable. (a week ago :-(


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## Gavin Luke (Dec 11, 2018)

dman007 said:


> Not yet. Can I ask what motherboard & CPU you are using?


I'm using an ASUS X299-Deluxe and a ThunderboltEX 3 card. Thunderbolt software recognizes the Apollo now but every once and a while the audio will completely stop in the middle of a Cubase session. I have to turn the Apollo off and then on to get it to work again. I've got a support ticket out to UA. If I get any info that might help your situation I'll pass it along. I feel your pain dman007. Nothing more maddening then forking out some money only to have your investment sit there. Good luck to your sir!!!


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## dman007 (Dec 12, 2018)

Gavin Luke said:


> I'm using an ASUS X299-Deluxe and a ThunderboltEX 3 card. Thunderbolt software recognizes the Apollo now but every once and a while the audio will completely stop in the middle of a Cubase session. I have to turn the Apollo off and then on to get it to work again. I've got a support ticket out to UA. If I get any info that might help your situation I'll pass it along. I feel your pain dman007. Nothing more maddening then forking out some money only to have your investment sit there. Good luck to your sir!!!



Thank you! Those words are appreciated. 

re: Cubase, that's not good. 

Starting to think I should have gone RME. 

What CPU are you using?


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## Gavin Luke (Dec 12, 2018)

dman007 said:


> Thank you! Those words are appreciated.
> 
> re: Cubase, that's not good.
> 
> ...


I'm using an Intel Core i7-7820X 8-Core 3.6 GHz. I think I've got it fixed now. Had to update the BIOS and now it seems to be working well. Did you go into the BIOS of your motherboard and update it? Also, make sure the Thunderbolt is enabled in the BIOS.


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