Why did ASIO driver stop working?

Yesterday Komplete Kontrol and Kontact were both working with Audio driver ASIO and Device Realtek® Audio (Windows 11). Today, they are no longer working (no sound from my Kontrol S61 MK3) and the Audio Driver had reset itself to WASAPI (Shared Mode) and wouldn't let me change it back to ASIO (even though ASIO is still in the drop-down menu for Audio Driver in Preferences/Settings).

Kontrol S61 MK3 keyboard: successfully registered.

Native Access 3.17.0: registered and/or installed all included software (using ) including Hardware Connection Service 1.8.7 successfully.

Latest Firmware update 3.24.0 installed successfully.

Nothing has changed since it worked last.

All Windows 11 updates are installed.

All Native Access product updates are installed.

Reinstalled Hardware Connection Service successfully (still doesn't work).

Screenshots attached:

ASIO driver stopped working.pdf

What could be happening here?

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Komplete Kontrol Keyboards

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Accepted answers

Vocalpoint

I would suggest you might consider purchasing a reasonable priced dedicated audio interface rather than using anything from Realtek.

Pro level software like Ni would never be tested on this stuff.

Realtek is designed to only provide the most basic playback for the Windows OS only - not for DAW based processes.

All comments

Vocalpoint

I would suggest you might consider purchasing a reasonable priced dedicated audio interface rather than using anything from Realtek.

Pro level software like Ni would never be tested on this stuff.

Realtek is designed to only provide the most basic playback for the Windows OS only - not for DAW based processes.

PK The DJ

@simplifi where did you get this ASIO driver from?

Typically the internal PC audio system (i.e. Realtek) is not ASIO compatible and would not have or require an ASIO driver.

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/216358#Comment_216358

True dat.

No such thing as ASIO for any typical run of the mill Realtek driver.

Simplifi

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/216356#Comment_216356

You might be on to something here…

But it did work previously (as of 3/13/2025) with the following driver and device options (it worked with ASIO & Realtek ASIO):

I'm assuming the ASIO driver was installed by NI's Hardware Connection Service. Is that not how it works? Otherwise, I have no idea where the ASIO driver came from.

For whatever reason, as of yesterday when it no longer worked, ASIO is still an option in the Driver drop-down menu but when I select it nothing changes (it remains on WASAPI). The only device option (with WASAPI) is Realtek Audio.

Thanks for your help!

Simplifi

I have no idea where the ASIO driver came from. I was assuming the ASIO driver was installed by NI's Hardware Connection Service.

Thanks for replying!

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/216372#Comment_216372

No ASIO from NI - that is for certain.

And it looks like you have a real hodge podge of devices installed. Might consider getting a real ASIO based interface and routing anything and everything thru it. I also disable all onboard audio in my BIOS so it cannot even be installed by Windows.

With one defacto ASIO device - you can be assured everything works every time - as it should be the sole audio interface.

Simplifi

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/216373#Comment_216373

I also have an ID Multimedia AXE I/O interface. It is designed for guitar, which I also play, but don't know why it wouldn't work with the MK3. That is probably where the ASIO driver came from. I'll look into that angle and see where it takes me.

Thanks!

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/216374#Comment_216374

Would be infinitely more flexible if you had say a Focusrite or Presonus or higher level audio interface and then ran everything including your ID etc through that.

None of these "guitar" based I/O devices could ever stand up to an actual purpose built ASIO multi in/out audio interface.

Simplifi

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/216375#Comment_216375

Seems to work fine with the AXE I/O. I'll see how it goes and see if I need more flexibility it can't give me.

Thanks for working through this with me!

mykejb

The IK interfaces/drivers are usually pretty good, I've had a few of them. Also, the Move and Push have good audio interfaces, they're basically a Maschine MK3/Plus. They're always installed with Ableton now which is annoying if you don't have one. I usually remove them to keep the ASIO list a bit cleaner. The official Realtek ASIO is also pretty solid, I've never had a problem with it when using it on a decent motherboard when I can't be bothered to reconnect another interface.

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