Error 108 Headset not detected - desperately seeking for help

[Synthesis]

 

The "rogue issue" isn't a insubstantial ghost. There is something going on that's causing the issue you've essentially ruled out the Vive hardware. It's also not fair to compare simple USB devices with Vive. There's so much more going on than that. The GPU, the ports, the drivers, the firmware and the software all have to be working in concert and the Vive itself is acting as a USB Hub for all it's components as well.

You should always be installing software you want as an administrator. If you don't do that, Windows UAC may block key files from running. If you have anti-virus programs or firewalls set up, they might block features as well. Third party software for policy management or custom drivers could cause problems.

The point I'm getting at is that it would be impossible to test for all conditions and all possible software configurations. Error 108 headset not detected broadly breaks down into two possible culprits:

1) There is an issue with the headset: E.G. the headset is broken, the cable is broken, etc.
If you can connect it to another computer and it works, then that isn't the problem. It's relatively easy to rule out Vive itself as the problem.

2) The other possibility is that something with the OS or PC is broken. Bad drivers. Bad ports. Conflicting software. User Access Control permissions. There could be hundreds of possibilties. Thousands, really.
At that point, if the culprit is #2 then we've already ruled out Vive and the problem exists locally on the PC. If you can test the ports to work then it's probably OS/Software related and we'd need to reinstall SteamVR, or maybe the drivers. The quickest most certain solution though, is a fresh OS install. That covers all your bases.

To summarize this, it's either something with the Vive kit or something related to the PC. If the Vive consistently fails across all PCs, it's probably the Vive. If the Vive works, but a PC consistently fails to run any Vive, it's the PC. There isn't really a middle ground.

Thank you,
-John C

[stavi83]

John, I understand where you are coming from by saying that it isn't fair to compare. I am aware of how much is involved with making the vive or even the oculus work compared to a USB mouse. However on the same coin, these VR devices need to be treated (in the future) on the same level. Ultimately they need to be plug in play, with minimal problems and smart solutions to rectify. What we have today is not that solution. 

 

I'll give the OS a refresher, but based on what I've seen that isn't a "fix" either. But hopefully it gets these units up...even for a day. 

 

Thanks for chat. 

[HackPerception]

, I highly recommend commercial operations to image their OS disks using a tool like Ghost to allow for a quick way to rapidly restore to a "known last good" state. I typically advise arcades to purchase uniform hardware configurations and to maintain a master image that they keep relatively updated with the drivers, the compositor, and all clients and content. To add a layer of rapid response, you can partition the main OS drive into a working partition and a backup partition which you can periodically maintain. 

 

The Vive is definitely early adopter consumer tech. The hardware itself is pretty stable; it's the cloud of relentless OS, client, compositor, and driver updates that introduces the greatest variability. You can currently lock yourself to the v1527117754 branch of SteamVR to achieve temporary version lock on the compositor. 

 

We're obviously trying to move towards what you've described above. Some of the instabilities that are introduced are part of this trajectory as some of the issues potentially related to compositor updates by Valve which improve the overall long term usability/stability . You'll end up finding that standalone VR devices are far more reliable because they're dedicated systems without the rest of the baggage that comes along with running a modern Windows PC.  

 

I also just want to toss in at the bottom here is that my number 1 tip for troubleshooting Vive is to preform a "linkbox bypass" as the first step of troubleshooting by connecting the 3-in-1's USB and HDMI leads directly into the PC (while keeping power flowing through the linkbox). I always start with that as a first step because GPUs and OEM hardware aren't fantastic at doing HDCP enumeration of the displays on headsets as they're non-standard displays. Also, avoiding OEM software like the plague is also really helpful because things that introduce features like "game modes" or "turbo modes" are fuel for troubleshooting fires.

[stavi83]

Thanks, I'll give that a shot in the morning. None of the aforementioned methods have worked yet. 

[stavi83]

All Right! 

I did the link box bypass as suggested, and it did not work...BUT wait theres more! It turns out that the link box itself is probably the problem. I have yet to test it on another working unit to verify. Luckily I had a spare from another vive that doesn't work. everything is working now. 

 

I did the same bypass on the other unit as well. 

Unplugged only the HDMI and USB from the headset and the same from the PC leaving the power through the linkbox.  Closed and reopened SteamVR and tah dah!...working. I then replugged in the HDMI and USB back into the PC and From the Headset plugged the "tester" HDMI and USB to the link box....also worked. Finally I went back to my original cables and plugged in as normal...and also working again. 

 

SO I feel the actual situation we are all dealing with comes directly from the linkbox. What is going on in there that can't comminucate? IF the computer was the husband and the vive the wife, the linkbox is the thirdwheel that wants one or the other to seperate from eachother. 

[Synthesis]

 

It sounds like you've isolated the issue to the linkbox. This is why it's so important to test each part so you can locate the issue. Linkboxes are rarely the problem, but bypassing them is a good way to rule out the cables as well.

If you're able to make it work with a known good linkbox on any given PC, we should just do an RMA on the linkbox. Where are you located in the world?

Thank you,

-John C

[stavi83]

We are in Missouri. You can email us at escape@avatar-vr.com and we can nail down any logistical details that way.

 

Thanks so much for your help and tips. hopefully I won't have to come back here... but something tells me I will.

 

Steve

[stavi83]

for those keeping track at home... turned on my machines today "Not Ready" once again. Did the linkbox bypass to no avail. IF I had a sledge hammer at my ready, it would have been used! Back to square one!

[stavi83]

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 wrote:

We are in Missouri. You can email us at escape@avatar-vr.com and we can nail down any logistical details that way.

 

Thanks so much for your help and tips. hopefully I won't have to come back here... but something tells me I will.

 

Steve

---

---

 wrote:

We are in Missouri. You can email us at escape@avatar-vr.com and we can nail down any logistical details that way.

 

Thanks so much for your help and tips. hopefully I won't have to come back here... but something tells me I will.

 

Steve

---

 

 

for those keeping track at home... turned on my machines today "Not Ready" once again. Did the linkbox bypass to no avail. IF I had a sledge hammer at my ready, it would have been used! Back to square one!

[WCSLoschy]

Hey Dude, 

Not sure if you are OP and didn't read through the extensive list of troubleshooting, but to no avail I had this error as well.. could NOT figure it out. 

 

I ended up going to Nvidea's site and downloaded the OLDEST reverted driver i could find for my video card. 

It worked. 

 

If you are using GTX series or anything Nvidea I suggest trying the same here:

https://www.nvidia.com/download/find.aspx

 

Might not be the solution but thought id reach out