"Reference 4 Systemwide is currently running" alert

If you have Reference 4 installed on your computer, you may encounter a "Reference 4 Systemwide is currently running" alert when running the SoundID Reference app. This guide offers tips on how to resolve this alert.

 

In this article:

 

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"Reference 4 Systemwide is currently running" message

If you see this dialog in the SoundID Reference standalone app, this means that the Reference 4 Systemwide app is also running in the background. 

Since both Reference 4 and SoundID Reference have their own standalone apps, and both are attempting to apply calibration on all outgoing system audio by creating a virtual audio driver, they can potentially cause conflict if running at the same time.

NOTE! Reference 4 and SoundID Reference are two separate products. Installing SoundID Refernece on your computer will not uninstall or replace Refernece 4 automatically.

 

How to avoid the conflict with the legacy version app

If you are intending to use the SoundID Reference standalone app, the equivalent Reference 4 Systemwide app should be fully closed to avoid conflict between the two virtual drivers. There are several ways to resolve this conflict:

  • Disable the 'Launch on Startup' feature in Reference 4 Systemwide to avoid the issue when turning on your computer, or restarting it. This is especially useful if you are a Refernece 4 user running a trial for SoundID Reference.
    Note that both apps are configured to launch on computer startup by their default settings. 
  • Fully quit the Reference 4 Systemwide app to solve the issue instantly. Keep in mind that the issue might return later on if both apps are launched at the same time for any reason.
  • Uninstall Reference 4 completely to resolve the problem permanently.

 

Disable the 'Launch on Startup' feature

  1. Open Reference 4 Systemwide app (click on the Sonarworks logo in the menu bar (Mac)/taskbar (Windows) and click on 'Open Reference Systemwide' from the menu)
  2. Open the drop-down menu from the top-right corner of the app and click on Settings
  3. Go to the General tab, and uncheck the 'Launch on startup' option

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Fully quit the Reference 4 Systemwide app

Quit the Systemwide app so that it doesn't interfere with the SoundID Reference app:

  1. Click on the Sonarworks logo in the menu bar (Mac)/taskbar (Windows)
  2. Click on 'Quit' from the dropdown menu

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How to uninstall Reference 4

If you do not plan to use the Reference 4 Systemwide app anymore, the issue can be resolved by uninstalling Reference 4 completely. Follow the instructions in these articles:

 

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