I have been having frequent Kernel Panic crashes on my Mac Pro ever since installing my Fantom as a USB device. It particularly happens if I try to shut down my computer (or restart) while the Fantom is powered on. For the longest time I couldn't figure out what the cause was....and didn't figure it to be the Fantom....but now after carefully looking at the Kernel Panic report....its the driver jp.co.roland which is the cause. The Fantom is the only Roland device I have attached to the computer.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? I am on OSX 10.6.2 Snow. I know this is not a computer forum....but just wondering if anyone has experienced similar problems....or has any ideas.

Thank you!

Ron

My idea would be not to knock the computer off when the Fantom is still on ;)

My second idea would be to buy a "real" computer and not some crappy mac like Arty keeps suggesting. (let the games begin ) lmao.

Really tho mate, I'm not that familiar with the real mac hardware. Have you tried moving to a different USB slot? Have you tried a different shorter usb cable? Have you tried un-installing the driver, running the driver cleaner and then re-installing?

No comment on the Mac vs PC thing.... : )

I am trying all of your ideas....

Just wondering if I am alone with this experience, or if others may have had it......

Thanks!

Ron

Are you sure you have the latest driver? Did you try reinstalling it?

Yes. latest driver from Roland US site...and it says 10.6 compatible!

My first thought was to reinstall the driver. Did a clean un-install...then a fresh install with a fresh downloaded driver. Same result. Then I though I needed a fresh install of OSX. So on a separate drive, I did a clean low level format, and a fresh install of OSX 10.2....went through all the Apple software updates....began to install all my hardware and software. Everything is perfect...until I install the Fantom G driver. Then BAM....crashes on shut down (and intermittent occasional random crashes too). So its happening on two separate instances of OSX.

So I put the G on a different USB port. Making sure it is connected directly to the Mac (no HUB)...same result.

Only two things i have not tried....will try today.....

1. Purchased a USB 2.0 PCI express card I will install today. It gives my Mac an entirely NEW USB buss and additional USB ports. Lets see if the Fantom G directly into it will still cause the issue.

2. Going to the computer store today to buy a new high quality USB cable for the Fantom G. Doubt its the source of the problem, but who knows.

It really is an issue that is not resolved by simply "not shutting the computer down with the G turned on". There are many times that it crashes at random....and lots of times you want to reboot your computer when you don't want to power cycle the Fantom G (which takes like 90 seconds to reboot!).

You have basically done everything that you should to troubleshoot this..

I haven't read of a similar problem to yours and I can't see the mac being to blame with so many other users using the same.. You also did a fresh re-install which would remove most of the possibilities of the mac.

That leaves the G and the USB cable.. You are buying a new USB cable to try now ( make sure that it's a small one to test. No more than 2 meters ) and also make sure you have the latest OS for the G (1.31) and do a factory reset.

Come back with results and hopefully we can get this sorted for you.

I never had a single problem with my Mac and any Roland synth, and I constantly plug/un-plug, change USB mode and power on/off while the Mac is turned on. Never a single problem.

Thanks Guys.....

I too never had any problem with my Fantom X plugged into my computer via USB. But clearly there is some issue with the FG USB connection. I just purchased a new USB cable....went for a high quality Monster cable (2 meters). And the new PCIe USB 2.0 card just arrived from Amazon, so tonight I can try to install the new card...connect the G to the new card (on its own separate USB buss) with the Monster cable. I'm going to do a fresh uninstall and reinstall of the G driver too. If that doesn't work....them I'm stumped!

I asked about this on the Apple support forums yesterday too, and the advice I got there was similar to here.........but also that it might be a conflict with some other USB device on my system. I have several: Access Virus, NI Maschine controller, NI Kore controller, KAOSS Pad, Korg M50, Yammy XS Rack, maudio midi interfaces, etc.. But I'm thinking that isolating the G on its own USB buss through the PCIe expansion should solve any such conflicts..........hopefully!

Ah computers are so much fun sometimes!

: )

The first thing you have to do in order to find out which one of your USB devices causes the problem is connect them one-by-one and see when the problem occures.

Have you tried to connect the Fantom-G on the default USB bus by itself, without any other devices connected? Maybe this is where you should start from. ;-)

Agreed..... That is part of my hope about isolating the G on its own USB buss.

Its hard to do what you said......only because I have so many devices, and the Kernal Panic crash doesn't happen "every" time. So its just time consuming and hit and miss, if you understand....turning on and off the computer time after time with various devices.

So, if my plan for tonight doesn't work......then YOUR plan is my next (and possibly only) remaining option.......

: )

Well sorry to report that adding in the USB card did NOT resolve the problem. No matter what I do....if the G is turned on and connected via USB....the MacPro will crash with a Kernal Panic when attempting to restart. If the G is off, or disconnected.....then the computer is fine!

BTW....this is true even if the G is the only USB peripheral connected tot he Mac Pro (other than apple mouse and keyboard).

So I am totally stumped. Remember....I have already tried a fresh install of OSX, and got the exact same result! I have also done a clean uninstall of the FG driver.....to no avail..... And of course when I installed the FG driver on the fresh installation of OSX...that was a clean new install....and it still crashes.

So SOMETHING in my Mac Pro does not like the FG driver! Just for a control experiment, I installed the FG USB driver on my MacBOOKpro laptop, and there are no problems when connecting the FG there. So whatever it is, its in my MacPro only.

I am OUT of ideas.....

Contemplating buying a USB midi interface and connect the FG to my MacPro via external midi cables only....but that sucks!

I think Mac Pro just thinks it's just too cool for your Fantom :-)

Well, the only thing that's left to do is try put the Fantom-G in "Motif-XS simulation mode". Create a new phrase and name it "Yamaha Motif XS rules". Write it in phrase slot #001. Save everything and connect your Fantom-G to your Mac again. You'll see a new window pop-up on your Mac's screen saying "Yamaha's Motif XS superior workstation detected. Press OK to delete all your Fantom-G previously saved work and start a new life with a real synth". :-D