Garageband problems

Am using Garage band with OSX 10.3.9. and Firewire 410 to record primarily acoustic guitar with voice. Having opened Firewire software and upon opening Garage band, the following prompt keeps reappearing:
"Timeout or Timer inactive! Check other applications using Timer or MIDI (code 0)"
until, most times, the Firewire just gets disconnected. And, even when not, I am unable to proceed to actual work on the Garage band as the prompt just keeps reappearing. Sometime also a notice "Warning
Mac OS X MIDI Services not available" also appears.
I have checked the appropriate Firewire alternatives in Garageband preferences and in the systems preferences as well as re-downloaded both the Firewire as well as Garage band drivers, but to no avail. The problem persists.
Any and all advise would be much appreciated. J