Pro Tools LE 8.0.5/ M-Box 2 periodically unresponsive

[derekc]

Hi I'm on a dual boot machine, I use one OS - detailed below - purely for Audio production with few other applications installed. I have been running a PT LE M-Box2 system since 2009 including an upgrade from PT LE 7 to 8.0.1 with no problems.

A few weeks ago Pro Tools started becoming unresponsive for roughly 40 seconds at a time. I hadn't installed any new hardware and the only software changes would have been Windows updates.

Here's what I have tried
- Vista optimisations as recommended in these forums
- Trashing databases
- Disabling plug-Ins
- Updating MBox 2 drivers
- Updating Video Drivers
- Virus Check
- Updating PACE drivers
- Updating Windows
- Windows Memory Diagnostics (RAM check)
- Updating ProTools to 8.0.5

None of these have made any difference. Pro tools is also very slow to start up - typically 5-6 minutes. Once it has started and the Quick Start window appears, if I click on the Windows desktop or select another Windows application and then click back to Pro-Tools it becomes immediately unresponsive for roughly 40 seconds. In Windows Task Manager the application reports as "not responding". During periods when Pro Tools is responsive everything works as normal. But while using Pro Tools, the interface becomes sporadically completely unresponsive again (unrelated to clicking outside of the PT window) for about 40 seconds. Interestingly if audio is playing when the program goes unresponsive it continues playing - only the interface becomes unusable. Other programs e.g. IE, Chrome, task Manager, PDF-Viewer etc. work as normal during these Pro Tools "lock ups".

I have an Oxygen 8v2 midi keyboard but it seems to make no difference to the problem whether this is connected or not.

My Sandra report is below. The other OS on my dual boot system is Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit on drive C. The disk I use as my audio 'scratch' disk is the one listed as Seagate ST380021 A (80GB, FireWire/1394, 3.5") : 75GB (E:).

Many thanks for any help with solving this. I'm ok to upgrade Pro Tools and/or Windows if necessary but I don't see why that should be necessary when everything has worked properly in the past and the hardware/software spec. is documented to support my version of Pro Tools.


SiSoftware Sandra

ID
Host Name : Strat-32
Workgroup : WORKGROUP

Computer
Model : GigaByte EP35-DS3P
Chassis : GigaByte Desktop
Mainboard : GigaByte EP35-DS3P
BIOS : Award (OEM) F3 02/27/2008
Total Memory : 3GB DIMM DDR2 DDR3

Processors
Processor : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E6850 @ 3.00GHz (2C 3GHz, 4MB L2)
Socket/Slot : FC LGA775

Chipset
Memory Controller : Gigabyte P35/G33/G31 Processor to I/O Controller 4x 333MHz (1.33GHz), 2x 4GB DIMM DDR2 DDR3 800MHz 128-bit

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : Kingston 2G-UDIMM 2GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-6400U DDR2-800 (5-5-5-18 3-23-6-3)
Memory Module : Kingston 2G-UDIMM 2GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-6400U DDR2-800 (5-5-5-18 3-23-6-3)
Memory Module : Kingston 2G-UDIMM 2GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-6400U DDR2-800 (5-5-5-18 3-23-6-3)
Memory Module : Kingston 2G-UDIMM 2GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-6400U DDR2-800 (5-5-5-18 3-23-6-3)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : Samsung SyncMaster
(1280x1024, 17.1")
Monitor/Panel : Samsung SyncMaster
(1280x1024, 17.1")
Monitor/Panel : Samsung SyncMaster
(1920x1200, 30.6")
Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (32 SM4.0 1.62GHz, 256MB DDR3 2GHz 128-bit, PCIe 1.00 x16)
Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (32 SM4.0 1.62GHz, 256MB DDR3 2GHz 128-bit, PCIe 1.00 x16)
Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT (16 SM4.0 1.4GHz, 256MB DDR2 800MHz 64-bit, PCIe 1.00 x16)

Graphics Processor
OpenCL GP Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (32SP 4C 1.62GHz, 256MB DDR3 2GHz 128-bit)
OpenCL GP Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT (16SP 2C 1.4GHz, 256MB DDR2 800MHz 64-bit)
Compute Shader Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (32SP 1.62GHz, 256MB DDR3 2GHz 128-bit)
Compute Shader Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT (16SP 1.4GHz, 256MB DDR2 800MHz 64-bit)
CUDA GP Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (32SP 4C 1.62GHz, 256MB DDR3 2GHz 128-bit)
CUDA GP Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT (16SP 2C 1.4GHz, 256MB DDR2 800MHz 128-bit)

Storage Devices
WDC WD7500AAKS-00RBA0 (750.2GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 16MB Cache) : 699GB (C:) (D:)
Maxtor 6 Y120L0 (123GB, FireWire/1394) : 114GB (F:)
Seagate ST380021 A (80GB, FireWire/1394, 3.5") : 75GB (E:)
Generic STORAGE DEVICE (USB) : N/A (H:)
Generic STORAGE DEVICE (USB) : N/A (I:)
Generic STORAGE DEVICE (USB) : N/A (J:)
Generic STORAGE DEVICE (USB) : N/A (K:)
HL-DT-STDVD-RAM GSA-H55L (ATA66, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache) : N/A (G:)

Logical Storage Devices
Win x32 (D:) : 349GB (NTFS) @ WDC WD7500AAKS-00RBA0 (750.2GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 16MB Cache)
Hard Disk (C:) : 349GB (NTFS) @ WDC WD7500AAKS-00RBA0 (750.2GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 16MB Cache)
Optical Drive (G:) : N/A @ HL-DT-STDVD-RAM GSA-H55L (ATA66, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache)
FW120 (F:) : 114GB (NTFS) @ Maxtor 6 Y120L0 (123GB, FireWire/1394)
FW80_TLad (E:) : 75GB (NTFS) @ Seagate ST380021 A (80GB, FireWire/1394, 3.5")
Removable Drive (H:) : N/A @ Generic STORAGE DEVICE (USB)
Removable Drive (I:) : N/A @ Generic STORAGE DEVICE (USB)
Removable Drive (J:) : N/A @ Generic STORAGE DEVICE (USB)
Removable Drive (K:) : N/A @ Generic STORAGE DEVICE (USB)

Peripherals
LPC Hub Controller 1 : Gigabyte (ICH9) LPC Interface Controller
LPC Legacy Controller 1 : ITE IT8718F
Audio Device : Gigabyte (ICH9) HD Audio Controller
Serial Port(s) : 1
Parallel Port(s) : 1
Disk Controller : Gigabyte (ICH9) 4 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 1
Disk Controller : Gigabyte (ICH9) 2 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 2
Disk Controller : Gigabyte JMB36X PCIE-to-SATAII/IDE RAID Controller
USB Controller 1 : Gigabyte (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 2 : Gigabyte (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 3 : Gigabyte (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 4 : Gigabyte (ICH9) USB2 Enhanced Host Controller
USB Controller 5 : Gigabyte (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 6 : Gigabyte (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 7 : Gigabyte (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 8 : Gigabyte (ICH9) USB2 Enhanced Host Controller
FireWire/1394 Controller 1 : Gigabyte TSB43AB23 1394a-2000 OHCI PHY/link-layer Controller
SMBus/i2c Controller 1 : Intel ICH SMBus

Printers and Faxes
Printer : Microsoft XPS Document Writer (600x600, Colour)
Fax : Microsoft Shared Fax Driver (200x200)
Printer : EPSON Stylus Photo 1400 Series (360x360, USB, Colour)

Peripherals

Network Services
Network Adapter : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (Ethernet, 1Gbps)

Power Management
Battery No 1 : American Power Conversion Back-UPS RS 1500 FW:8.g9a.I USB FW:g9a

Operating System
Windows System : Microsoft Windows Vista Business 6.00.6002 (Service Pack 2)
Platform Compliance : x86

Windows Experience Index
Current System : 5.6

[albee1952]

VISTA The only thing to comes to mind here is, did you set all USB ports to NOT use power management?

[derekc]

Thanks for the suggestion will check that. Yes Vista, I know. Will upgrade to 7 and see if that helps. I just feel like starting from scratch - new machine, new software but that would be expensive in many ways.

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by derekc

Thanks for the suggestion will check that. Yes Vista, I know. Will upgrade to 7 and see if that helps. I just feel like starting from scratch - new machine, new software but that would be expensive in many ways.

You got that one right Remember, with Windows 7, you will need 8.0.5. You will also need to run the installer as Admin, and do NOT conect the Mbox when asked(just click OK, let it finish and reboot). Then run the updater(8.0.5) and DO connect the Mbox when asked. Then right-click on the PT icon and select Properties. There, you will find checkboxes to check(for Always Run as Admin, Disable Dekstop Themes, and Disable Desktop Composition).

[derekc]

Thanks for your help on this forum. Checked USB Power management etc. Just spent the day upgrading to win 7 and reinstalling PT - same problem. Demoralised. If it's a hardware issue all my other software seems to have no problem with it. I just want software that works and doesn't need a PHD in voodoo just to install it.

[albee1952]

I just noticed you have FW drives. You might not be aware that they are not supported for audio with Windows 7(but USB2 drives ARE supported on Windows 7 only). Is RAID turned OFF in BIOS(it should be)?

[derekc]

Will check this out - when you say they are not supported for audio with Windows 7 do you mean with Pro Tools or in general?

Thanks