Axe-Fx II USB Driver Installation Steps (Windows)

The following procedure will walk through the Axe-Fx II USB Driver installation on Windows.

If you have already installed the driver and are looking to re-install the driver you need to begin by removing the following items via the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs.

Fractal Audio Systems USB Audio Driver v2.23.0

Fractal Audio Systems USB Driver Package 2014.06.06

Windows Driver Package - Fractal Audio Systems (axefx2load) USB 

 

Driver installation steps:

1. Run the driver installer.

2. Click Next on the welcome page.

3. Accept the license agreement.

4. Select the destination to unpack the installer packages and click Next. The default should be C:\Program Files\Fractal Audio Systems\USB Audio Driver.

5. The ready page confirms the installation location, click Install. This will unpack the installer's contents including placing the axefx2load.spt file in C:\Windows\System32\axefx2load.  This file is downloaded by the Axe-Fx II when it is connected to the computer and powered on. It allows the Axe-Fx II to identify itself to the operating system as a valid device.  

6. Check C:\Windows\System32\axefx2load and make sure that axefx2load.spt is present.

7. Click Next to install the USB bootloader. Windows may show a warning stating that the publisher cannot be verified. This is okay, install the driver software anyway.

8. You will then be prompted to turn off the Axe-Fx II. It's okay if the unit is already off. Make sure the Axe-Fx II is connected to the computer via USB and power the unit on. This will allow the Axe-Fx II to download the axefx2load.spt file. Once this occurs the computer should be able to communicate with the Axe-Fx II for the remainder of the driver installation process.

9. Click Next to install the driver. If the steps listed above were done correctly you should not get an error.

10. Click Finish to complete the installation.

11. Go to C:\Program Files\Fractal Audio Systems\Fractal Audio Systems USB Driver Package 2014.06.06\Driver and run FASUSBAudioSpy.exe. Device 0 should be present in the leftmost pane. Expanding the Device 0 section should show MIDI Ports (IN) and MIDI Ports (OUT) as the last two entries. If all of these are present the driver was installed correctly.

 

If the above steps do not work then you can try installing the bootloader and driver manually.

1. Run the driver installer.

2. Click Next on the welcome page.

3. Accept the license agreement.

4. Select the destination to unpack the installer packages to and click Next. The default should be C:\Program Files\Fractal Audio Systems\Fractal Audio Systems USB Driver Package 2014.06.06.

5. The ready page confirms the installation location, click Install. This will unpack the installer's contents including placing the axefx2load.spt file in C:\Windows\System32\axefx2load.  This file is downloaded by the Axe-Fx II when it is connected to the computer and powered on. It allows the Axe-Fx II to identify itself to the operating system as a valid device.  

6. Check C:\Windows\System32\axefx2load and make sure that axefx2load.spt is present.

7. Run the Task Manager and kill the 'Setup - Fractal Audio Systems USB Driver Package 2014.06.06' application.

8. Open an Explorer window and navigate to C:\Program Files\Fractal Audio Systems\Fractal Audio Systems USB Driver Package 2014.06.06\Bootloader\Win7\x64

9. Run setup.exe in the x64 folder.

10. Click Next on the Welcome page.

11. Accept the license agreement and click Next.

12. The installer will begin to install the USB bootloader.  Windows may prompt you with a warning stating that it cannot verify the publisher of the driver.  This is okay.  Click "Install this driver software anyway."

13. Click Finish to complete the installation of the bootloader.

14. Connect the Axe-Fx II to the computer via USB.

15. Power on the Axe-Fx II.

16. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Fractal Audio Systems\Fractal Audio Systems USB Driver Package 2014.06.06\Driver and run setup.exe to begin the USB driver installation.

17. Click Next on the Welcome page.

18.  The installer will verify that it can communicate with the Axe-Fx II and then prompt you for the driver installation location.  The default will be C:\Program Files\Fractal Audio Systems\USB Audio Driver.  Click Install to proceed.

19. The driver installation will complete.   Click Next to continue to the completion page.

20. Click Finish to complete the installation.

21. Run Axe-Edit to make sure the computer is communicating with the Axe-Fx II.

 

If the manual method listed above still did not work then it's likely that the operating system is preventing the driver installer from running.  In that case try the following.

1. Follow the first set of instructions at the top of the page to step 7.  Then quit the installer via the Task Manager.
   1. If Fractal Audio Systems USB Driver Package 2014.06.06 and Windows Driver Package - Fractal Audio Systems (axefx2load) USB are already installed then move to step 2.
2. Open the Device Manager via Control Panel->Hardware and Sound->Device Manager.
3. Find the Axe-Fx II.
   1. It should appear under 'Other Devices' or 'Sound, video and game controllers'
4. Once you've located the Axe-Fx II entry right-click and select Properties, then go to the Details tab.
5. Verify that the operating system is attempting to use a Microsoft driver.
   1. You should see entries similar to the following.
      1. Driver Provider: Microsoft
         Driver Date: 7/9/2015
         Driver Version: 10.0.10240.16384
         Digital Signer: Microsoft Windows
   2. If no driver is selected then repeat step 1 and make sure the driver package and axefx2load packages are installed.
6. The 'Update Driver...' button should be enabled.  Click it.
7. From here you should be able to select a driver via 'Browse my computer for driver software'
8. Next you will be prompted to search a specified directory.  Ignore this and select 'Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer'
9. This will bring you to a new page where you can select the driver to install.
10. Click 'Have Disk...'
11. Click 'Browse...'
12. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Fractal Audio Systems\Fractal Audio Systems USB Driver Package 2014.06.06\Driver
13. Select fasusbaudio.inf
14. Click 'Open'
15. Back on the 'Install from Disk...' page click 'OK'
16. Axe-Fx II should now be present in the Model window back on the 'Update Driver Software' window.
17. Click 'Next'
18. You will be prompted to install 'Fractal Audio Systems XMOS USB 2.0 Audio...' Click 'Install'
19. When the install completes close the window.
20. Back in the Properties window the driver details should now show Fractal Audio Systems 2.23.0.0.
21. Close the Properties window.
22. Back in the Device Manager check that the Axe-Fx II appears under both 'Sound, video and game controllers' AND 'XMOS USB 2.0 Audio Devices'
    1. Make sure there is no warning symbol on the Axe-Fx II entry under either category.
    2. If you see a warning symbol on the Axe-Fx II entry under 'Sound, video and game controllers' proceed to step 20.
23. Go to the properties of the Axe-Fx II entry under 'Sound, video and game controllers'
24. Repeat steps 3-18 with the exception that on step 15 you should be prompted to install 'Fractal Audio Systems Sound, video, and game...' driver.
25. Run Axe-Edit to make sure the computer is communicating with the Axe-Fx II.