UAD Complete Uninstall and Firmware Roll Back Procedure for Apollo (Mac)

Here's the link, below, to the uninstall procedure. Please follow it to the letter and you will have success at uninstalling the UAD-2 software and reverting to an earlier firmware on the Apollo. There may be some files in your Library that are not present and you can't find, do not worry about it, as long as they are NOT there all will be fine.

Also, please note that there are two Libraries in OS X. One is in the User Account Startup Disk/Users/username/Library/ and the other one is under Startup Disk/System/Library/. Apple has hidden the system Library from Lion and Mountain Lion. Please follow these steps to show your Library:
How to Reveal Your Library Folder in Lion or Mountain Lion ? Tuts+ Tutorials

Note: In step 7 of the uninstall procedure, when it says to now install the latest software, proceed to install UAD v7.0.1 instead (which is proving to be the most stable for those who have issues beyond 7.3). This will force the Apollo to downgrade the firmware to an earlier version. From there one can probably install v7.2 (Pultec MkII) without any issues.

It is important to understand that UAD-2 software versions 7.3, 7.3b and 7.4 all have new Apollo firmware within them, so do not install them until UA provides a fix for this situation.

Complete Uninstall/Reinstall (Mac)

UAD v7.0.1 Mac zip

DanButsu said:

Here's the link, below, to the uninstall procedure. Please follow it to the letter and you will have success at uninstalling the UAD-2 software and reverting to an earlier firmware on the Apollo. There may be some files in your Library that are not present and you can't find, do not worry about it, as long as they are NOT there all will be fine.

Also, please note that there are two Libraries in OS X. One is in the User Account Startup Disk/Users/username/Library/ and the other one is under Startup Disk/System/Library/. Apple has hidden the system Library from Lion and Mountain Lion. Please follow these steps to show your Library:
How to Reveal Your Library Folder in Lion or Mountain Lion ? Tuts+ Tutorials

Note: In step 7 of the uninstall procedure, when it says to now install the latest software, proceed to install UAD v7.0.1 instead (which is proving to be the most stable for those who have issues beyond 7.3). This will force the Apollo to downgrade the firmware to an earlier version. From there one can probably install v7.2 (Pultec MkII) without any issues.

It is important to understand that UAD-2 software versions 7.3, 7.3b and 7.4 all have new Apollo firmware within them, so do not install them until UA provides a fix for this situation.

Complete Uninstall/Reinstall (Mac)

UAD v7.0.1 Mac zip

Click to expand...

Hey Dan,

Thanks for posting this - great to have it front and center to refer to.

-GK

My pleasure to help!

DanButsu said:

My pleasure to help!

Click to expand...

Thanks again, Dan!

There's one difference in the procedure for reverting your firmware:

The UAD installer does not automatically downgrade firmware when you revert to older versions of the UAD software. We update firmware going forward, but reverting firmware must be done manually. We don't rev the firmware for each version of software so most of the time, there isn't a problem if your software and firmware are not exactly paired, but it is best for troubleshooting if you're in sync. The easiest thing to do is manually rev the firmware to the currently installed UAD software by dragging and dropping the firmware .bin file onto the Console app.

On Macs, the .bin files are located here: /Library/Application Support/Universal Audio/Firmware/UAD-2/ and on Windows, they're located here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Universal Audio\Powered Plugins\Firmware\UAD-2\. You'll find a folder with all of the UAD-2 firmware in it. The naming of the files is a little cryptic: A16 = Apollo 16, Desc = Apollo, Nano = UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop, Sat = Satellite, (none) = PCIe cards.

All you need to do is open the UAD Control Panel and drag and drop the firmware for your device onto it. If it's already synced up, nothing will happen. And if it needs to upgrade or downgrade your firmware, just follow the onscreen directions.

Sorry I didn't catch this earlier!

-GK

Thanks Gannon. Just a personal note; I have not needed to do this manually. Once I uninstall, and search and destroy all UAD-2, uaudio... from both Libraries, when I do a fresh install (always 7.0.1 which includes firmware) I get a pop up (see pic) warning me that firmware I am about to install is older than the current one on my system. I have seen it the 4 times I have rolled back, but that might just be my system or the way I go about it. Or if you install a software version that doesn't include firmware update (like 7.2). So it's good that you posted how to manually do it Thanks

DanButsu said:

It is important to understand that UAD-2 software versions 7.3, 7.3b and 7.4 all have new Apollo firmware within them, so do not install them until UA provides a fix for this situation.

Click to expand...

I'm confused... I seem to remember numerous comments from users here, on Gearslutz, etc., that were running 7.4 with no problems?

I'm on the verge of updating my system so getting this right is important. Any advice you have to clear away my confusion would be appreciated.

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Current system configuration:

2011 MBP i7 2.8GHz, 8GB RAM, 10.7.5 Lion OS

Logic Pro 9, 9.1.7

Apollo Quad w/Thunderbolt card, UA Core Audio 6.1.1

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I want to move up to Logic Pro X, which means I will at least need to step up to Mountain Lion. I'd rather jump all the way to Mavericks but it sounds like there are unresolved issues. I also want to make the move to Core Audio 7.4 so I can use the new Fairchild I bought myself for Christmas and that brings me around to the confusion over if I can go ahead and update or not? Is the firmware update required for 7.4 only a problem for Pro Tools users?

And one more thing... After I update to Mountain Lion and Logic Pro X and Core Audio 7.4, do I need to install the Apollo with Firewire, then reinstall the Thunderbolt adapter? I've been rock solid stable with the current configuration since my initial install and want to get this right the first time. Thanks for any advice.

Syncamorea said:

Any advice you have to clear away my confusion would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

...And the silence was deafening. Thanks, mucho appreciado!

I went ahead and installed Mavericks, Logic Pro X and 7.4.0/1 and took the firmware update UA said I needed. Voila, everything is working so far. I'm recording, mixing, effecting, etc., waiting to see if the system is stable, etc. Thanks again, awesome.

Could someone from UA please put together an email to the affected UAD-2 PCIe QUAD customers explaining what the situation is with stability and what the plans are for getting this back to reliably functioning?

Thank you.

Hey GK posts here regularly and very recently stated the the FW fix beta testing is going well and nearing completion.

Reading between the lines, UA appears to be trying to advance on all fronts but on its schedule and resources appear stretched: all bx plug release, os update but major items missing. ( win aax, fw fix, true tbolt), new ua plugs, console strips, amx neve verb, ect.

There are trade shows coming up so UA often holds back to have pr splash so i guess a little more patience ?

Didn't mean to presume : think GK is traveling ?

sashavon said:

Could someone from UA please put together an email to the affected UAD-2 PCIe QUAD customers explaining what the situation is with stability and what the plans are for getting this back to reliably functioning?

Thank you.

Click to expand...

are the PCIe cards not stable either ?

was thinking of taking a hit and getting rid of my satellite and getting a PCIe card so I could at least run UAD plugins on one of my computers but I won't be doing that now !

my octo card in a chassis is rock solid !

fefs said:

are the PCIe cards not stable either ?

was thinking of taking a hit and getting rid of my satellite and getting a PCIe card so I could at least run UAD plugins on one of my computers but I won't be doing that now !

Click to expand...

What platform and OS version has a lot to do with it. I'm running MAC OS 10.8.5 on a thunderbolt Macbook pro with a thunderbolt Apollo Quad and an OCTO Card in a thunderbolt expansion chassis running UAD 7.6 and it's very stable.
I tried to upgrade to 10.9.2 and it was unusable. Pro Tools 11 threw a complete fit and the Mac's system was choppy and really annoying. I backed back down to 10.8.5 and everything is great.

I upgraded to Mavericks on my Mac Pro Pcie Octo card and have nothing but stress.
I run Logic 9 and have had so many new glitches its currently unusable. Luckily i have a tech coming on monday to revert me back to Mountain Lion and hoping this will resolve my problems.

The hard part about all this is knowing what is causing what to go wrong. Pushing ahead and updating all drivers etc can cause a bit of a domino effect.
The more complicated the system the more potential meltdowns and the harder to pinpoint the problem.