i know this is a very simple and silly question but your not filtering any of the midi data in the preferences by any chance ?
im running xp and all is fine here ,the only think i could think of is if the midi filter is active in someway in the previously saved project to filter out volume control ?
im sure if it was a bug then when everyone on the windows platform upgraded from 5.1 to 5.2 would of had the same issue but there are no threads about it , i understand your pain but i would of thought it would be a majorly recorded bug in the past if so 
good luck anyway !
sorry i can’t be much more help
john
Did you switch on readautomation? It only works with automation on since sx1 i think.
Or you have to insert a midi-cc-event-.
That’s why Steinberg are deprecating it in favor of embedded commands to maintain compatibility with future (and existing) standards.
The days of the program handling pure functions is over.
Hi no i didn’t switch on readautomation, as there is no automation. Either way, switching it on doesn’t help becaus unless you put an automation point in, there is nothing to read.
Why is everyone saying you have to automate volumes since sx1. My version of 5.1 remembers volumes perfectly.
Are you using 5.5.2 in windows xp? Can I just check filterfreak that if you are, your version is saving midi volumes WITHOUT automation having been written to the part? Maybe there is something wrong with my installation if you are.
PS brains what do you mean by embedded commands? And what do you mean by pure functions? Make sense damn you!!! (lol or whatever the kids are saying these days…)
Pure functions are performed by the program as opposed to merely passing them.
Embedded in the sense of being in the flow of general program code including any user generated function.
(completely from the left field…)
Just to make sure that you don’t have more than one MIDI track routed to the same channel of the same instrument, do you? 
As long as automation is set to ‘Read’ Cubase “should” send the track volume on project startup. You don’t have to write automation for that matter.
^^
Yes, simply set automation to read. No automation-events are needed. The inspector-settings are only sent with automation on.
Nope this doesn’t work. I’ve set the automation to read and no dice. Volume is only sent of there is a point in the volume automation. This is deffo a bug in 5.5.2. Works fine in 5.1. If it wasn’t a bug, pans wouldn’t set properly as well… but the pans are sent properly, so is deffo a bug.
Hope it’s fixed in 5.5.3.
I think the problem is only on pc though?
Simple observation based on what some freak wrote.
If you are the only one experiencing the problem then tradition says it is not a bug.
Care to try a little test?
Download the attached (very small) .cpr, created in Cubase 5.2.2. It is just one MIDI track, playing one note in the Steinberg Prologue instrument, with the MIDI fader at “24”.
Play the .cpr, then move the MIDI fader all the way up to 127, and play it again. (louder? please say yes! 
).
Now, go to the File menu, and click on “Revert”. Here, the fader jumps back down to 24, and the sound is indeed quieter again.
Test_MIDI_Volume.cpr (120 KB)
Works fine in 5.5.2 with autom. on. (MAC)
The OP doesn’t want to resort to automation or any form of MIDI control other than via the MIDI fader.
Prefs/Midi/Chase events? Sysex not ticked? Does that change anything on import of material?
Unfortunately I’ve now gone back to 5.1 as I need to get stuff done so I can’t try out your file. The issue seems not to happen on mac. Maybe it’s an issue only on files that have been created in 5.1. Either way, I have opened up a 5.1 project in 5.5.2 and 5.5.2 is definitely not sending the first midi note. The reason I don’t want to use automation, is I have many projects created in 5.1 which open fine in 5.1. To add automation to every track would be a massive PITA.
I have chase events clicked and the only filer on is sysex. Both are set to the default values. The tracks don’t have read automation on but this doesn’t make a difference unless there are automation points…
Is anyone using 32 bit 5.5.2 in windows? Can you see if you can do the test which vic-france suggests?
What do you mean “1st note”.
The inspector does not send notes but rather it sends commands.
ive told you im using windows and it is working fine here ,the problem must be with your install otherwise every windows user would have the same problem ,its not a bug its a setup issue !
Sorry I meant first volume not note.
Re pc sorry i must have missed that. I went back to 5.1 today. Just out of interest, were you getting weird track folding issues in 5.5.2?
Maybe the volumes this is a setup problem, but I’ve trashed all my preferences and this doesn’t seem to help. The funny thing is that all the audio levels are fine, it’s just a few MIDI tracks which have the problem. I did wonder if it was something to do with it being a 5.1 project being loaded in 5.5.2… Maybe 5.5.2 handles midi differently and so doesn’t load the information. It certainly sets the inspector to the correct value, it’s just the volume message isn’t sent. Don’t suppose there are individual MIDI filters for each track are there? I’ve set the main one to only filter sysex.