Windows Server 2016 core and Combo384 Amanero

[bodiebill]

Tried to solve this issue for some time, also via the JPLAY forum, but so far no success. Maybe someone here has an idea?

 

The issue:

So far I have not been able to get Combo384 Amanero drivers (ASIO and Kernel Streaming) working on WS2016 core. When I install them with the Amanero install exe file I get no error message, but Kernel Streaming is not recognized by JPLAY or foobar2000. When I install the drivers with the AO ServiceTool I get the error message "device driver installation wizard was unable to find any drivers designed for your machine". The KS device is listed in DevManView (alternative device manager) as "Amanero Technologies USB Driver 1.0.57" but does not work. I also tried to add the Amanero drivers manually and add the required registry key as copied from a GUI installation. No luck either, Kernel Streaming is just not working. By the way, I never had this issue with WS2012 R2 core.

 

I tried all sorts of running orders: install, uninstall, then install; before and after AO optimization (which should enable KS), etc.

 

I contacted Amanero and they told me to make sure the Windows Audio service (Audiosrv) is running, but this service – although working in WS2016 GUI – does not seem to exist on WS2016 core.

 

All suggestions welcome!

[scan80269]

Tried to solve this issue for some time, also via the JPLAY forum, but so far no success. Maybe someone here has an idea?

 

The issue:

So far I have not been able to get Combo384 Amanero drivers (ASIO and Kernel Streaming) working on WS2016 core. When I install them with the Amanero install exe file I get no error message, but Kernel Streaming is not recognized by JPLAY or foobar2000. When I install the drivers with the AO ServiceTool I get the error message "device driver installation wizard was unable to find any drivers designed for your machine". The KS device is listed in DevManView (alternative device manager) as "Amanero Technologies USB Driver 1.0.57" but does not work. I also tried to add the Amanero drivers manually and add the required registry key as copied from a GUI installation. No luck either, Kernel Streaming is just not working. By the way, I never had this issue with WS2012 R2 core.

 

I tried all sorts of running orders: install, uninstall, then install; before and after AO optimization (which should enable KS), etc.

 

I contacted Amanero and they told me to make sure the Windows Audio service (Audiosrv) is running, but this service – although working in WS2016 GUI – does not seem to exist on WS2016 core.

 

All suggestions welcome!

I just took a look at the Combo384 driver. It is signed by Amanero but not a Microsoft WHQL-certified driver. Also, the driver catalog file indicates supported Windows OS being 64-bit XP, Vista and Windows 7, but nothing newer such as Windows 8 or Windows 10. This driver was built about 3 years ago, well before the release of Windows 10 or Windows Server 2016. Given all these, I'm not surprised this driver does not install or function correctly with Windows Server 2016 especially in core mode. A driver written to support up to Windows 7 but not later Windows OS editions is simply too "behind the times" to be usable today.

 

Modern 64-bit Windows OS, including Windows Server editions, will reject unsigned device drivers by default, and even supplier-signed drivers can only install (without user intervention) in conjunction with a valid supplier certificate. The only type of drivers that Windows will install and run without question is drivers that are properly WHQL-certified by Microsoft for the OS in question.

 

It looks like you will need to request Amanero to write an updated device driver Combo384 driver with explicit support for Windows 10 OS (which should cover for Windows Server 2016), as a minimum. A WHQL-certified Combo384 driver supporting Windows 10 should go a long way to smooth things out for Amanero users.

 

As you may already know, dealing with device drivers is especially difficult in WS2016 core mode, and the state of the Combo384 as indicated above can easily result in complete driver installation failure, with your reported results as the symptoms.

[bodiebill]

Thanks scan80269 for your clear and thorough response! I will write to Amanero as you suggest. In the meantime I am happily using the driver with WS2016 GUI.

[bodiebill]

response from Amanero:

Hi Dennis, the driver on the site works on Win8 and Win10. I haven't recompiled or re-signed because Win10 accepts kernel driver signed before the Win10 release date.

Win2016 i think doesn't support pre-signed driver, effectively i checked that the actual signature results not accepted.

I have an EV Microsoft certificate, let me use it.

Thank you!

Domenico

[bodiebill]

update from helpful Domenico at Amanero:

I signed with the EV Certificate the driver but for Win2016 server it results always not signed, it means that i need to submit it to the Microsoft Hardware Dashboard Portal for a final signature.I'll keep you in touch!

[bodiebill]

update from Domenico at Amanero, who is working on it:

I signed the driver on the Microsoft hardware portal, but w2016 server core doesn't load it because the KS support is missing. I tried to install a streaming component from w2016 packages but I haven't yet found the package containing the audiosrv.sys and related services.

[AudioPhil]

Hi

 

if this driver requires the Windows Audio (& AudioEndpointBuilder) service to be running its using WASAPI. WASAPI is not (yet) possible in Core Mode. That's why this driver does not work.

 

To get KS in Core on Server 2016, AO 2.10 Beta 5 will do the trick. But remember, this enables Kernel-Streaming, not wasapi. So only a pure KS driver will work.

Best,Phil

[bodiebill]

Thanks Phil.

 

Is this specific to WS2016? I mean: the same driver does work for me in WS2012 core. So WASAPI works in WS2012 core + AO, but not in WS2016 core + AO, is that correct?

 

Will future versions of AO make this possible?

[AudioPhil]

Hi

 

WASAPI does not work in Core Mode, no matter what version of Windows Server. "Only" KS does on 2012, 2012 R2 & 2016, with the help of AO.

 

 

Is it possible you where actually using minimal-server mode? It looks like Core but offers WASAPI & WLAN support out of the box. Sadly minimal-server mode is no longer available in Windows Server 2016 (thank you, microsoft!)

 

 

It might be that a future version of AO will re-enable WASAPI in Core Mode, but we probably won't see that any time soon.

[bodiebill]

So if WASAPI does not work and the Amanero KS driver works well in WS2012 core mode with AO, then it must be a pure KS driver which does not require WASAPI. And hence it should not require Windows Audio if that implies WASAPI. So there must be some other difference between 2016 and 2012, I think?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[AudioPhil]

The tech guy told you it does need WASAPI?

[bodiebill]

No, the Amanero tech guy never said exactly that. He did mention missing KS support and also missing Windows Audio. And he mentioned he needed to sign the driver with Microsoft – which I think he did by now.

 

I recently mentioned AO to him as the means to add KS support, but the problem is that – even though WS2012 core + AO + Amanero KS works well – the combination WS2016 core + AO + Amanero KS is not working.

 

So for now I am using WS2016 standard (with GUI) until this gets solved...

[AudioPhil]

Very well then. You might use a shell replacement for your mediaplayer. It's not like core, but still a very nice improvement since this hinders the desktop environment from running.

[bodiebill]

Indeed, I now have Fidelizer Pro as the shell, and I use this to auto-start a little batch file with some key processes (command prompt, Tiny PXE Server, audio player), very handy! And it almost feels like core mode. Although for the audio PC, genuine WS2016 core is still my ultimate goal...

[AudioPhil]

Hi

 

I've ordered an Amanero S/P-DIF Adapter to further analyze the issue with the Amanero Drivers.

 

Best,

AudioPhil

[bodiebill]

Thanks Phil, that is indeed good news!

[AudioPhil]

I am sure this will work out well! :-)

[bodiebill]

Can't wait :-)

For the gist of my correspondence with Amanero see above in this thread – just in case.

[AudioPhil]

Hi @bodiebill

 

what happens when you press F8 during boot and the select "disable driver signature enforcement"?

 

please try this and let me know what happens.

 

best,

AudioPhil

[bodiebill]

what happens when you press F8 during boot and the select "disable driver signature enforcement"?

Hi Phil,

I disabled driver signature enforcement in the boot menu before I installed the Amanero drivers, and also when I rebooted after installing AO. Amanero is visible in DevManView (an alternative device manager that works in core mode) and shown as connected.

However, like before, JPLAY cannot find the kernel streaming version of the driver. Only the ASIO driver is shown, but does not work.

[AudioPhil]

Hi

 

Thanks a lot for clarification. And what happens when you don't disable driver signature enforcement during boot? Same or even worse?

[bodiebill]

And what happens when you don't disable driver signature enforcement during boot? Same or even worse?

 

Exactly the same: driver comes up as connected in the alternative device manager, but KS is not found by JPLAY or other players.

[AudioPhil]

Ok, that is good news. Once i get my Amanero Interface this will continue! :-)

[AudioPhil]

Hello

 

got the amanero interface now. The first message you have seen (there is no device...) is because this part tries to install the WASAPI Driver. Since there is no WASAPI possible in Core Mode this is to be expected.

 

The second part of the installer runs fine but it does not install a KS driver, it installs an ASIO driver. I have the same behavior on my daily work windows 10 machine (no AO). On the Windows 10 machine I get ASIO and WASAPI working, but no KS. In Server 2016 Core nothing at all so far... :-(

 

Either way it looks to me as this installer does not install Kernel-Streaming at all, neither on a vanilla build Windows 10 nor Server 2016 Core.

 

to be continued....

[bodiebill]

Hi Phil, interesting stuff. Strange it works well on Server 2016 GUI.

 

Actually, I do not remember any "there is no device..." message while installing the Amanero drivers. The installation seems to go well until I notice that KS is not working.

 

Curious to hear how your research will continue :-)