Troubleshooting Focusrite USB ASIO Driver Issues on Vista: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you experiencing distorted or dropped-out audio when using your Focusrite USB interface under Windows Vista? You're not alone. In recent months, numerous users have reported similar problems with their 2nd generation Scarlett series interfaces after updating to the latest versions of Microsoft's operating system.

Fortunately, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve these issues and get back to recording high-quality audio. In this article, we'll walk through each step in detail so that even those new to PC audio engineering feel comfortable resolving their problems themselves without resorting to costly professional help.

The first thing to try is simply restarting your computer after disconnecting all external devices from both the USB ports and rear panel of your Focusrite interface. This simple reboot often resolves connectivity issues caused by driver conflicts or corrupted system files.

If this doesn't work, proceed with caution: we'll now dive into more advanced troubleshooting techniques that may void your warranty if performed incorrectly!

Step 1: Uninstalling & Reinstalling the ASIO Driver

1. Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features (or Add/Remove Programs in older versions of Vista).

2. Look for 'Focusrite USB 2.0 Audio' under Manufacturer, then click on it once.

3. Click 'Uninstall'.

4. Follow any prompts that appear until the uninstallation process is complete.

Once uninstalled:

1. Download and install the latest version of FocusControl from .

2. Launch Control Panel > Sound Devices & Headphones (or Device Manager).

3. Right-click on your USB audio device under 'Sound, video & game controllers', then select Properties.

4. Under Driver tab, click Update Driver...

5. Choose 'Browse my computer for driver software' and navigate to the folder where you extracted FocusControl during Step 1 above.

If prompted:

* Click Next until the wizard completes its search

* If a newer version of the ASIO driver is found, choose it & follow any prompts to install

Step 2: Re-enabling MIDI Thru in Sound Preferences (Optional)

Some users have reported that enabling/disabling MIDI Thru under their sound preferences can resolve issues with combined audio and MIDI streaming at low buffer sizes. To try this:

1. Go to Control Panel > Sound & Game Controllers.

2. Double-click on your primary playback device (usually the one labeled 'Focusrite USB Audio').

Under Advanced tab, make sure there is a checkmark next to 'Use high fidelity devices when available'. If not, place it and click OK.

Step 3: Disabling ASIO Buffering & Sample Rate Conversion

If none of the above steps have resolved your issues:

1. Open Control Panel > Sound & Game Controllers.

2. Double-click on your primary playback device (usually labeled 'Focusrite USB Audio').

3. Under Advanced tab, uncheck both boxes under 'Advanced' section:

* Use ASIO buffer size and sample rate

4. Click OK to apply changes.

Finally:

1. Restart your computer once again after making these changes.

2. Launch any audio software that uses your Focusrite interface (such as Cubase or Logic Pro) and check whether the problems persist.

If all else fails, it may be worth reaching out directly to Focusrite support for further assistance with troubleshooting your specific issue. In most cases however following these steps should resolve any compatibility issues you're experiencing between your USB ASIO driver software on Windows Vista & your Scarlett interface's audio performance.

Focusrite usb asio driver for vista