Mbox 2 Driver for Mac
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Driver software for the Mbox 2 USB device that comes with analog and digital I/O capabilities and can be the hardware part of a DAW
Mbox 2 is an audio peripheral designed to be the hardware part of a digital audio workstation. The device can be connected to your Mac via USB, and you get to use a software component to process the audio content captured by the instrument.
Note that you must connect both input and output devices to your Mbox 2 because you can also use the device to send the processed audio to a medium of your choice (headphones, speakers, amplifier, or more).
Driver software that makes sure your Mbox 2 works with your Mac
The Mbox 2 Driver software ensures that your system has all the software components required by the Mbox 2 device to connect to the software component of your digital audio workstation (DAW).
For your convenience, Mbox 2 Driver comes with a built-in installer that automatically integrates the required support files within your system. However, the user must confirm the installation location.
In addition, for the installer to complete the deployment process, all other applications must be closed, and you must restart your computer. Note that the Mbox 2 Driver installer can also deal with these tasks on its own.
Manually uninstall the Mbox 2 software components if necessary
After the installation process is complete, you will be able to see in your Applications folder a Digidesign directory that includes the license agreement. However, the driver does not come with an uninstaller.
If you need to remove the Mbox 2 Driver software from your system, you need to navigate to various directories in your system or user’s library and manually delete specific files. You can find details about the items you need to remove on the developer’s website.
To conclude, Mbox 2 Driver offers you the possibility to connect the Mbox 2 device to your Mac and have it work with a third party audio processing software to record audio content and produce various effects.
Question: Q: Why isn’t my digidesign Mbox 2 not working with Sierra os update?
I have a 2011 series iMac. I had protools 10 on the computer and my digidesign mbox 2 plugged up as well. Everything was working fine until I updated my Operating System to the latest Os, Sierra. After the upgrade, my protools will not open and my mbox 2 driver will not connect. How can I fix this problem? I was told to downgrade my software to a later os but I’m not sure on how to do it or which Os to get. Is this something I could bring to apples attention and have them do for me? Or can I do it myself?
Posted on Jan 25, 2017 12:26 AM
Thanks a lot. Can you possibly send me a link of a YouTube video or website that would show me how to downgrade back to Mountian Lion? I was told that I had to go gr
Posted on Feb 1, 2017 6:31 AM
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Thanks for posting on the Apple Support Communities. I see that your Mbox 2 and the Pro Tools software will not work after updating to macOS Sierra. I know it is important to be able to use Pro Tools and the Mbox 2 with your Mac. I will be happy to provide some direction.
You mention that you were told to downgrade your software. This might be what you need. According to the developer website of Pro Tools, version 10 supports OS X up to OS X 10.7.4. This sounds like what you had before you updated. I found this information here: Pro Tools 10 System Requirements
If you want to revert back to OS X 10.7.4, you can follow the steps on the following article. Though a Time Machine back up from before you upgraded to macOS Sierra is required.
Jan 25, 2017 3:24 PM
As per my previous reply here Re: Mac Oparating system, Protools and other program compatibility which answered a very similar question, ProTools 10 is only compatible with older versions of OS X. See this official Avid webpage for a list of what version of ProTools is compatible with what version os OS X — http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Compatibility/Pro-Tools-Operating-Syste m-Compatibility-Chart
As per that Avid webpage you would need to be running ProTools 12.6 or higher in order to be compatible with Sierra. Whilst this webpage only mentions Sierra 10.12.1 I think you can safely assume that Sierra 10.12.2 and 10.12.3 should also work with ProTools 12.6 or higher.
Even if hypothetically you managed to get drivers for the Mbox2 working ProTools 12 does not support it as support for the Mbox2 ended with ProTools 11.
Note: This is not Apple’s fault, IT products are always being replaced and made obsolete you should also note that the MBox2 is not compatible with Windows 10 either.
Therefore whilst you could upgrade to ProTools 12.6 or newer to resolve your software problem you are also going to need to buy a new replacement audio interface. Or as indicated by darren.s you would have to revert to an older version of OS X. You could setup two Mac boot drives so that you could switch between the old version and Sierra.
Note: New Macs typically cannot run older versions of OS X so if you replace your Mac this will no longer be an option.
Jan 26, 2017 3:27 AM
Thanks John! So to clarify, my 2011 iMac is considered a «newer Mac» which means I would not be able to downgrade to a different Os system? Is that what you’re saying?
Jan 26, 2017 6:17 PM
Thanks John! So to clarify, my 2011 iMac is considered a «newer Mac» which means I would not be able to downgrade to a different Os system? Is that what you’re saying?
Actually a 2011 iMac is now six years old and therefore not considered a new Mac. I don’t have your Macs full specs but I believe it is capable of running Snow Leopard 10.6.6 and as you have currently versions all the way up to Sierra 10.12.3.
So you can obviously downgrade back to the version you were on prior to Sierra and in theory if you have the installers all the way back to Snow Leopard.
A new Mac as an example would be the 2016 MacBook Pro which can only run Sierra and cannot be downgraded to older versions because it never existed prior to Sierra being released.
Jan 27, 2017 1:54 AM
Thanks a lot. Can you possibly send me a link of a YouTube video or website that would show me how to downgrade back to Mountian Lion? I was told that I had to go gr
Go from Sierra to Yosemite to El Capitan to Maverick? To mountain lion.
There are two main approaches for downgrading your version of OS X but one of them definitely depends on your having a Time Machine backup made prior to upgrading.
Method 1 — The Time Machine method
- Boot from the Recovery partition as per About macOS Recovery — Apple Support
- Select the first option i.e. Restore from Time Machine Backup
- Tell Time Machine to restore your Mac from a date/time that predates installing Sierra as per OS X Yosemite: Recover your entire system this is likely to take a very long time, another article describing this approach is here http://www.imore.com/how-downgrade-macos-sierra-back-os-x-el-capitan
Warning! When you restore your Mac in the above way it is almost certainly going to delete all the changes and new stuff you have done since that backup, you therefore might want to separately backup important stuff first. (Not via Time Machine.)
Question: Q: Digidesign Mbox 2 Mini and El Capitan
Ever since I upgraded to El Capitan on my 13 inch, late 2011 MacBook Pro, my Digidesign Mbox 2 Mini will not show in Logic or in the System Preferences as an available input or output device. I’ve tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Mbox driver. Still doesn’t work and I’m not sure where to go from here.
MacBook Pro (13-inch Late 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11)
Posted on Oct 5, 2015 1:53 PM
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There are lots of compatibility issues with El
You may want to roll back to your previous OS
If you use an Avid MBOX 2 USB Audio Interface, DO NOT UPGRADE TO EL CAPITAN.
The device drivers will no longer load:
10/5/15 9:40:44.399 PM com.apple.kextd[53]: Untrusted kexts are not allowed
10/5/15 9:40:44.399 PM com.apple.kextd[53]: ERROR: invalid signature for com.digidesign.mbox2.driver, will not load
The MBOX 2 worked perfectly in Yosemite.. I’ll be downgrading ASAP.
I received the following link from Avid customer support.
Basically MBOX 2 drivers do not work in El Capitan. See below:
Only option is to cross your fingers and wait for a fix from either Avid or Apple.. or go back to Yosemite..
Since I’m in the middle of a project and stupidly updated, I’ll be installing Yosemite on an external disk in order to get my project completed.
Thank you for your courage
Oct 6, 2015 12:33 PM
I had the exact same problem, since upgraded to El Capitan, my M Box 2 Interface is no longer supported or recognized. As far a I seek for information, can’t find any serious answer about when either apple or avid will fix it.
How does it feel to be part of the Beta Test team for OSX El Capitan.
These days Apple uses it’s customers for testing newly released operating systems.
It sounds absurd, but true!
Apple should at least have previous assistant review to let you know which components or programs you have already installed will or will not work when upgrading. Used to know Apple as a top customer focused company.. bad bad..
Oct 9, 2015 12:14 PM
If you search the Logic and Garage Band discussions you will see this affects several MIDI interface devices, not just MBOX which points to the problem being a bug in El Capitan.. hopefully Apple will fix it in a point release soon. Very disappointing!!
Oct 11, 2015 5:42 PM
I recommend filing a bug report to Apple regarding this problem. Hopefully the more reports they receive, the more likely this issue will get a higher priority for a fix.
Oct 13, 2015 7:05 AM
How long did it take for your backup to be fully restored from Time Machine? I have about 400 GB of data on my machine and stupidly upgraded to El Capitan without realizing my MBox wouldn’t work.
Also, does anyone know how long it typically takes Avid/Apple to repair these kinds of issues? Seems pretty major if all Avid devices are unusable right now. Hoping for a fix soon.
Oct 14, 2015 2:39 AM
How do I revert to my former OS? I need to use my Mbox2 for a job tomorrow!
Oct 15, 2015 8:13 PM
Hopefully you made a backup before you updated and can restore it, that is probably the most straight-forward approach.
Otherwise you need to download Yosemite again and re-install it by either erasing your El Capitan install or installing on an external disk..
Please try and file a bug report with Apple.
Yes I realize the MBOX 2 is technically no longer supported by Avid.. but I still hope there will be a fix at some point. It is my personal belief the issue is mostly on Apple’s side of the fence since there are complaints of MIDI devices being broken all over the place, not specific to MBOX2.
Thank you for your courage.
Oct 16, 2015 5:44 AM
I sent a support ticket in for this issue as well but sadly I’m not sure that this hardware will be supported for much longer by either Apple or Adobe. They didn’t support it with Yosemite although there are work arounds. I have a feeling it will be harder to keep up with it. I’m looking to get a used Mac Mini to have solely for recording with the MBox2.
Oct 17, 2015 6:30 AM
I was able to get my Avid MBOX 2 up and running again by installing yosemite on an external disk and then re-downloading garage band and the MBOX 2 drivers.
First I installed the 10.3.9 MBOX 2 driver but the device was not recognized.
I had to manually delete the 10.3.9 drivers using the terminal and then install 10.3.3 MBOX 2 driver.
From there the MBOX lit up and is once again recognized by the system and is visible in the DigiDesign System Preference and Garage Band.
Thank you for your courage.
Oct 19, 2015 6:49 PM
OK — I reverted to Yosemite, Mbox2 still not working. How do i manually delete the 10.3.9 driver? A copy/paste command for Terminal would be helpful!
Oct 20, 2015 9:54 PM
I was actually thinking of doing this same thing. What kind of hard drive is it running off of? Are there specs I should look for so it can run smoothly?
Thanks for the update!
Oct 21, 2015 11:47 AM
Delete the MBOX 2 driver:
Note I am command line savvy so I used the terminal. You’ll need to use SUDO to run some of the commands.
I am crossing my fingers that 10.11.1 fixes this stuff. It is out today and supposedly has fixes for Audio Plug Ins not functioning.. but I have not tried it yet.
As for a disk, I just used an off the shelf Seagate USB 3.0 external to install Yosemite. Nothing special about it. I record my tracks onto a separate firewire disk. After I created the installer on the disk, I rebooted onto that disk and just installed Yosemite. The only gotcha I had was that it was not initially recognized when holding down the option key. I had to unplug it and plug it back in to get it to be recognized. No issues since then.