Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

Digi 001
pt5.3.1
WIN XP
P4 2.4ghrtz
512m RAM
(2) 80 gig HDs 7200rpm
G-force video card (I think - It's new and good whatever it is)


Okay, a familar problem but I've rounded up the usual suspects and the problem is still there.

"System could not hold off interupts"

It happens mostly during playback but sometimes during record especially if the session is open for longer than 30 minutes. If I close the session and open another one, the problem disappears...for a while. It has NOTHING to do with the buffersize or any variable in the hardware settings window. I've tried them all. Sometimes I've moved the settings in the counterintuitive direction (so that I will be inviting interrupts) and the system then lets me record...for awhile.

Here are some of the details:
- RAID controlled IDE/ATA harddrives. After I had the rig built, THEN I find out that RAID is a no-no. I saw nothing in the DUC or PT's compatibility guidlines about staying away from RAID. At any rate, my last rig used RAID controllers and I had no problem, but that was Win98, this one is XP...is that a clue?

- I discovered that the 001 shared an IRQ with a USB 2.0 Enhanced host (I'm forgetting a word). I disabled that thing so now the Digi stands alone on its IRQ-island and still the interrupts occur. The IRQ number is #23. Is this what they call a fictious or Virtual IRQ? Are their 23 IRQs? Where exactly is the 001? I found this info in the devise manager. Do I need to go to the BIOS to find and change the "real" IRQ?

- I tried to change the settings for the 001's IRQ in Device Manager. But the Resource Tab (where the settings show up) will not let me in. I looked all through the BIOS page with no luck. How do I get to the IRQ settings? I read about users in the DUC doing it all the time. And maybe more importantly, should I be doing it. Is there something else at play here?

See, I think something is "fooling" the system. Why would I be able to close the session, then open it, and then have it work? Or do a "save as" and then open that one in a different location and then have it run? Or do everything, and never get it to run again? And I repeat: the two different settings that are adjustable within the Digi hardware settings tab do not effect it at all.

My strategy is this:
1. Find out how to move the digi to a new IRQ (even though it is all alone on #23).
2. Move the PCI card to the port next to the Monitor (the DigiTechDude told me do that). Why would that matter?
3. Re install the HD (which means bring it down to ground zero, right? Something I've never done in my life) as IDE standard - not RAID. I really, really do not not reformat the HDs!! Could that really be the reason I'm getting this pesky interrupts message? What I mean is, if RAID controlled HDs where so bad, wouldn't I be having lots of other concerns, or worse, not even getting off the floor with PT?

What I would like is a better strategy, a kernel of wisdom, the obvious simple change to be made that I am missing.

I apologize for this very long soliliquey. But I'm so close to having a smoking rig. I can tell it will be what I wanted: invisible...if I can just get to the bottom of this problem.

Stoneknife, paul, badperson, allan, rail...all the rest of you brains, help me out here.

Brian

Re: Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

Brian,
Quick question...do you have a record limit set for your sessions? If not, it can cause this. Also if not, to do so, got to Setups/Preferences/Operations and set your session limit somewhere from 10-15 minutes.

You can force your IRQ to change positions in your BIOS. Just reboot, and keep tapping 'Delete', and BIOS will appear. It won't hurt to expore the pages there, whether you change IRQ or not, as long as you Exit without Saving.
One other thing I've read, is that if you're going to force your IRQ to change, it's best for the Digi Card to be in Slot#3.

Someone correct me if any of this is wrong. -Roy

Re: Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

Thanks Roy.
#1 I can get to the BIOS, and I have looked through every blessed option there. I can not find the digi 001 IRQ setting there, nor any IRQ setting. Once I hit "delete" and the BIOS page appears, what heading do I go to?

I think I should be able to change the IRQs in the Resource heading of the Device Manager. That is where I can see the Digi's IRQ setting, BUT Bill Gates has greyed-out the change settings tab. How do I get that option back?

#2 If I set the session time to 10-15 minutes, is that all the longer I have to work, or is this just a sneaky trick you and I are playing on the gremlin in the box?

#3 If I force the Digi to change it's IRQ, and the best place for it to go is #3, and something is on #3 (which there is), then should the digi go there? Right now it's on #23, all alone. But since I'm still getting this damn "can't hold off interrupts" message, maybe he should move? That's my question. Or maybe I should physically move the card?

I'll go try your limiting session time idea, right now.

Re: Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

Roy, As it turns out I already had the time allocation set low. I thought you were talking about a different allocation I hadn't seen before - wishful thinking. Anybody have away I can do this w/o updating my hard disk controller?

Re: Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

Hi Brian.
I would seriously consider loosing the RAID array and see how things go.
This feels like a throughput problem and could be directly related to your RAID setup.
Good luck.

Re: Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

It looks like I'm heading that way, JMS. You're the first persn to mention "throughput". Why is that an issue with RAID array? And why is RAID verboten anyway? I thought it was this fast-as- lightning, new, great hero?

Re: Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

1. Raid's been around a long time.

2. If your raid hardware prefers to perfom mirroring functions, as most are and is the reason for the initial development of raid, it might suffer from lesser "throughput" than a standard controller. However, most raid controllers have the ability to handle things just fine as an ordinary controller. The performance boost comes from striping, but it seems Digi isn't exactly a big fan of this. Besides, you'd see about the same improvement with striping as you would by simply setting up disc allocation to use 2 or more drives.

Re: Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

Chris, Thanks for the reply.
Okay, so I understand now about throughput and striping. And since I use disk allocation, I don't need RAID array, is that right? But since it is there, do you think it is causing the "interrupts message"? I checked in the system usage window and the system is not being taxed at all. And why did the RAID array on my old slower Pentium three rig not cause any problems when I recorded?


Thanks again

Re: Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

Hi Brian-
Just trying to point you down the shortest road to getting your system up.
So many of us here have had great success with ATA66 and above controllers and drives... without RAID.
It just seems to work best with Pro Tools LE.
(I know, I have a supergeek brother-inlaw who can't believe an array wouldn't improve performance.)
Jonmark

Re: Could Not Hold Off Interrupts
 

Brian,
Sorry I couldn't answer earlier. First, JMS40 and Chris know more about most of this than I do. JMS40 has built many, many pc's, so I always listen to his advice (try to anyway).

I can't advise you on RAID, but there's one thing on the IRQ thing I should mention. From what you said in this quote from above, it sounds like you have a PCI Slot# and the actual IRQ# confused...(I did the same thing too)...
You said...
"... If I force the Digi to change it's IRQ, and the best place for it to go is #3, and something is on #3 (which there is), then should the digi go there? Right now it's on #23, all alone... maybe he should move? That's my question. Or maybe I should physically move the card?"

When I said 'I've read that it's best for the Digi Card to be in Slot#3...', I was referring to your PCI slot#3 as being the best for the Digi Card (I've read). I've read that the best IRQ# for Digi is IRQ#9.

Now, once your Digi card is seated in PCI slot#3, then in BIOS, you look to see what IRQ #'s are assigned to IT (PCI slot#3). And that's where you can change your IRQ within BIOS.

In my BIOS, say I'm looking at PCI slot#3, usually there are two or three numbers that I can change using the up and down arrows. If you do this and want to keep it (or try it), then choose Exit and Save once you're done.

NOW...let me say 2 other things about this. One is that it has been said here, that in XP, changing the IRQ doesn't really help PT performance anyway... just so you'll know that's been discussed.
And two is, if I'm wrong on any of this, someone feel free to correct me.
Keep us posted on how it goes... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ~Roy