CPU usage issues LE 7.4.2 imac 2.8ghz Help!

[tj7]

Hi,
I'm running a new imac 2.8ghz core duo intel / 4G RAM.
OS 10.5.6 (so firewire networking is automatically switched off)
PT LE 7.4.2 / MBox 2
Battery 3
Guitar Rig 3
LaCie 1TB 7200 RPM Firewire 800 external drive
Nothing else is connected by firewire or USB


audio sessions, battery samples etc are all running to and from a 7200 rpm firewire 800 external drive.

I started a session today/ Just one midi track, one instrument track running Battery 3 ( a stereo drum kit ) and one mono audio track.

I hit 'play' and 5 seconds later everything stops and I get a CPU usage warning! (-9128)

In short: what the hell?! I managed to get more juice out of my 1.42 ghz ibook. This doesn't make any sense at all. Everything I am running is UB (universal binary). I'm running no other applications in the background. My machine should be, well, a MACHINE, and PT is telling me it's choking after running just one battery kit next to an audio track.

I've got my cpu usage limit set to 95%, i've tried three different latency settings.

Surely I must be doing something wrong that I've missed - because this makes no sense at all.

Any one got any help for this incredibly dismaying problem...?

Postscript

According to the digidesign plugin compatibility grid, NEITHER Guitar Rig OR Battery - ANY version - is compatible with PT 7.42 / 8.0 under leopard.
Are other users able to use this software under a similar configuration to mine? Or am I actually disadvantaged by having bought a new imac pre-installed with the latest OS because it's not freaking supported by digidesign / NI for a PT config? (Apple clearly states that downgrading yr os from one preinstalled is a very bad idea). Pretty crummy if it turns out I can't even run battery. I've been using it for years.

Help!

[soundgear]

Try reducing your RTAS CPUs. For example, if you are using 4, reduce them to 2.Or using 2, reduce to 1.
Basically half the RTAS CPUS and run them at 99%

I had similar problems with leopard, and this helped in some cases.

[tj7]

thanks. i'm not what you mean by 'reducing your rtas cpus' - there is only one cpu usage option in protools, i can't find an RTAS specific one. nor does there appear to be an RTAS cpu option in individual plugins....?

[soundgear]

Yes ,where you adjust buffer size etc. there will be an option to chose how many cpus you use, and the percentage they run at.
You were saying you had yours running at 95%? the adjustments you need to make are in that same area.In the playback engine- cpu usage. depending on how many cpus your machine has, you will be able to increase or reduce them.

I used to do this while running Guitar rig or EZ drummer.

Could also be the fact that the plugs you are using are incompatible.and freaking your machine out.

But try the cpu adjustment, might be enough.

I eventually went back to OS 10.4.11 and PT 7.4, it works like a charm. ...leopard and PT8 was nightmare, and deemed half of my plug-ins, incompatible

[tj7]

thanks. unfortunately my machine came preinstalled with 10.5.2. going back to an earlier os would render my machine unstable and would mean i get no support from apple. it's a bad idea. as posted in my 'postscript' i fear what you've suggested - terminal incompatibility. I need battery, i hope this issue is resolved soon. whole thing is quite rubbish, and poor form from digidesign IMO.

[soundgear]

Also, if the core duo doesn't show up as 2 cpus in the usage option, only 1.
Decrease your usage limit to 85% of less, and run the buffer at the highest it will go, if you are not tracking audio.

[soundgear]

just try the cpus adjustments, should work fine.

[tj7]

Originally Posted by soundgear

just try the cpus adjustments, should work fine.

hm, that seems to be working ok so far! interesting and weird that reducing to 1 processor from 2 makes things run more smoothly?

many many thanks for your help. i'll see how i go from here! :)

[soundgear]

Yeah, I think some programs that also work as stand alone, need more system cpu resources, so you cant hog all the cpus in pro tools.