Error calling driver to get x86 MIDI devices

Please let our ADS show!

This sites offers only FREE software and it's supported by a few advertisement boxes (no intrusive popups).
Please:

  • disable your AdBlocker by adding CoolSoft website to whitelist
  • give the proper cookie consent
  • enable JavaScript for this website

This seconds wait is to let you update your browser configuration...

Ok, I've done the required changes... now show me your content!
!!! Please enable JavaScript !!!
Posts: 3
Joined: February 20, 2018 - 20:01
Error calling driver to get x86 MIDI devices

For quite some time, whenever I start VMS v2.3.0, about 20 seconds go by, then I get an error as in the title above. It explains "Check if C:\windows\syswow64\virtualmidisynth.dll is available and not locked by your antivirus".

I examined the file with LockHunter and as a result, I've disabled my AV and several other programs that were strangely locking the file. Restarted computer. Still the same problem. If I OK the error, VMS starts apparently ok, but I'm not sure it's running as it should since I do have some midi issues. How can I fix the error? Running Windows 7 pro64.

(BTW: I tried to register on this forum, but when I submitted the form, I got a 404 not found error.)

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: Error calling driver to get x86 MIDI devices

That error is shown when VirtualMIDISynth tries to get x86 MIDI devices on an x64 OS.
There's more than one error condition that leads to the same error message.

Attached here you'll find a 2.3.0 version with extended error messages.
Please install it and report which error message now appears.

Attachments (Only registered users)
CoolSoft_VirtualMIDISynth_2.3.0-eem1.zip
Posts: 3
Joined: February 20, 2018 - 20:01
Re: Error calling driver to get x86 MIDI devices

Thanks for the quick response and the update! When I ran it, when it got to the "List of processes locking VMS driver" page, I got an errorbox "Windows cannot find 'rundll32.exe'...". But when I OKed the message, it proceeded. Interestingly, it showed the VMS setup program as an application locking the driver! I wouldn't want to kill that process! So I did a "continue" and restarted the computer. I had checked the box to start VMS upon computer startup, and so it appeared in the task manager as running.

But when I then tried to start the VMS configuration app, I got a message saying that RUNDLL32.EXE was not found in the syswow32 folder. And it was not there! So I copied the file from the system32 folder and tried running VMS again. This time I got the old familiar error about the dll being locked. LockHunter revealed that it was NOT locked by any app and after closing the error, the VMS app appeared and worked fine. Still have that error message though! Here's my vms conf file if it helps:

; ================================================================
; CoolSoft VirtualMIDISynth
; http://coolsoft.altervista.org/virtualmidisynth
; ================================================================
; VirtualMIDISynth configuration file
; !!! do not edit this file, unless you know what you're doing !!!
; ================================================================
[General]
Version=2.3.0.0

[SoundFonts]
sf1=D:\save\soundfonts\FluidR3_GM.sf2
sf2=D:\save\soundfonts\Timbres Of Heaven GM_GS_XG_SFX V 3.2 Final.sf2
sf3=D:\save\soundfonts\Arachno SoundFont - Version 1.0.sf2
sf3.enabled=1

[Mixer]
ChannelMute=0000000000000000
ChannelVolume=100;100;100;100;100;100;100;100;100;100;100;100;100;100;100;100
MasterVolume=100

[Shortcuts]
ShowMixer=1869

[Update]
LastVersionFound=2.3.0.0
LastVersionURL=http://coolsoft.altervista.org/virtualmidisynth
LastCheck=2018-02-22
CheckFrequency=14

[Windows]
Configurator=1300,670,594,452
Configurator.ActiveTab=0
Mixer=607,500,705,200

[Advanced]
LangID=1033
AdditionalBuffer=5

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: Error calling driver to get x86 MIDI devices
wysocki wrote:
I got a message saying that RUNDLL32.EXE was not found in the syswow32 folder. And it was not there!
So I copied the file from the system32 folder and tried running VMS again.

No, you CAN'T do it! Revert your changes and get back to previous version (delete the copied file).

SysWOW64 means "Windows On Windows64" and must contain only x86 (32bit) .exe and .dll.
So there must be two distinct versions of RUNDLL32.EXE (despite its name):

  • 64bit version in C:\Windows\System32
  • 32bit version in C:\Windows\SysWOW64

PS: yes, you're right, this is a names hell!

Actually you're missing the 32bit (x86) version of RUNDLL32.EXE, but I can't say why.
Maybe your antivirus removed it, or moved into virus chest.

Best thing you can do is open a command prompt (with admin privileges) and run sfc /scannow to repair your system files.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929833/use-the-system-file-chec...
It should restore the missing ones.

Posts: 3
Joined: February 20, 2018 - 20:01
Re: Error calling driver to get x86 MIDI devices

As usual, your advice worked perfectly. Thanks a million (and thanks for your great software)!!!

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: Error calling driver to get x86 MIDI devices
wysocki wrote:
As usual, your advice worked perfectly.

Still wonder why it disappeared, but I'll leave it up to you to find the cause ;)
Feel free to update this thread if you discover the culprit.