# SOLVED: Strange USB issue with Focusrite Audio Interface (6i6)



## premjj

Hi

Looking for some help with my audio interface, if someone here has experienced a similar issue before.

I have been using the Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 (2nd Gen) for about a year now on Windows 7.
(https://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-6i6)

As of yesterday morning when I booted my laptop it just stopped recognising the audio interface. The device no longer shows up under Sound and Audio devices under Windows nor does the Focusrite Control software detect it.

However, the LED front panel on the audio interface lights up as usual, which indicates that the device is connected to windows and is ready for use.

I have tried restarting my computer and also tried reinstalling the drivers several times. However, the driver installation fails each time at the last stage and the Windows Device Managers shows Error Code 10, which reads, " Cannot start up device".

I could not find this Error code listed on the Focusrite support site anywhere.

Has anyone dealt with this problem at their end before?

Will be really grateful if some one can help out. My work is getting held up since the sound card on the laptop keeps hanging when I switch between my DAW and any other Windows application (even my browser). So am practically, struggling to even play back any audio content from the laptop currently.

Edit: This audio not working issue has appeared earlier too but it always got resolved by restarting windows, or at worst case scenario, by reinstalling the drivers. So am puzzled what the problem could be this time.


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## gregh

try another USB cable maybe, might sound silly but I have had a couple of problems with devices caused by cables becoming broken or damaged in some way


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## premjj

gregh said:


> try another USB cable maybe



The device is being detected since the power led on the front panel of the interface lights up when I connect it via the USB cable, so am hoping that the cable is not the issue.

It's like the device is all ready to go but somehow Windows won't recognise it properly any more.


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## gregh

premjj said:


> The device is being detected since the power led on the front panel of the interface lights up when I connect it via the USB cable, so am hoping that the cable is not the issue.
> 
> It's like the device is all ready to go but somehow Windows won't recognise it properly any more.


You are probably right but I'd still try another cable - the data pins might be damaged. No harm trying anyway - surprised me first time I had a cable give out


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## premjj

gregh said:


> You are probably right but I'd still try another cable - the data pins might be damaged. No harm trying anyway - surprised me first time I had a cable give out



Thanks. Was just about to edit my post above that I'll try switching the cable too. 

Will update here how that worked.


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## premjj

gregh said:


> You are probably right but I'd still try another cable - the data pins might be damaged. No harm trying anyway - surprised me first time I had a cable give out



Sorted the issue out but it wasn't the USB cable. 

As a last resort I just went to Device Manager (Windows 7) and started uninstalling the USB Hubs/Connections one by one. They got auto detected almost immediately by Windows and were reinstalled on their own. But Voila!! .. this time round the problem with the 6i6 drivers not getting installed got rectified in the process. 

So am up and running again. 

It's a strange solution which I did not find listed on any of the dozens of forum threads that I scanned on the internet. The usual solution offered, and even by Microsoft on their own site, was to uninstall the device and try and do a fresh driver install. Needless to say, I spent a whole day trying that out but it did not work. 

Thanks for response on the thread @gregh. Have made a note of that for future


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## gregh

great! pleased you found the solution


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