Buffer Error -6068 possibly fixed!!!!

[grandturismo1]

Ok, so I have been on LE 7.4
Win XP sp3 with an original mBox
I have always gotten error -6068
sometimes cant record or bounce to disk at all.
My system works great except for this, and I have seen that many others have had this same problem for years.
Well, after doing extensive study of my SANDRA report, I finnally noticed that the cache (buffer) on my drives was only 2MB. So, I put two and two together. and this is what I came up....
Today i bought two used (but tested and good) drives from a computer guy.
one is a 500GB with a cache (buffer) of 16MB and 150mbps transfer rate and another of 80GB with a 8MB cache (buffer) and a 120mbps transfer rate.
I started a session (this time WITHOUT trashing databases and preferences before starting pro tools). This session was on the 80GB drive.
I have done recording takes of 2, 3, 5, 8, 9 minutes now, bounced to disk, and not a single error!!!!!!
I will continue posting as the days pass in this thread so to let it known if it keeps working great.
If it does I will put the 500GB 16MB cache (buffer) as my Main OS drive and see if that even makes performance better than that!!
also these drives are 7200rpm and SATA style drives.
And I originally bought my computer in 2004. To let you know how old it is.
Hopefully this info will help as much as the info I have read in these forums through the years has helped me.
ALSO, give me some input on this subject guys!!!!!!!!
Let me know your experiences.
I just have to say it is a new joy to have a system that works!!!
AND i know i have an Nvidia 6200 graphics card that is supposed to be problematic, but for me I really don't think this had anything to do with the buffer errors because it would have them before i put the graphics (which was only about 2 months ago, compared to years of buffer errors.)

[grandturismo1]

Weird thing though....
Product Description of my firewire drive (the old drive i used with buffer errors) when given the specs when buying notice how it states it has a 2MB buffer size (the specs are bolded to find easily)..................................


Product Description
The Fantom Drives (PHD16072U2F) 160 GB FireWire 400 (1394a) Hard Drive is fully compatible with PC, Mac systems.The Hard Drive connect by: FireWire 400 (1394a), USB 2.0 for External utilization. Spinning up to 7200 RPM and offering capacity as large as 160 GB

Product Identifiers
Brand Fantom Drives
Model (PHD16072U2F)
MPN PHD16072U2F
UPC 749656132283

Key Features
Enclosure External
Capacity 160 GB
Buffer Size 2 MB
Hard Drive Type HDD (Hard Disk Drive)
Spindle Speed 7200 RPM
Interface FireWire 400 (1394a), IEEE 1394a, USB, USB 2.0

Technical Features
Platform Mac, PC
External Data Transfer Rate 60 Mbps
Seek Time 8.5 ms

Dimensions
Height 5.25 in.
Width 1.38 in.
Depth 8.25 in.
Weight 2.4 lbs


..................now on my SANDRA report that I just ran, it states it has an 8MB cache. check it out.....

SiSoftware Sandra

Computer
Model : Compaq Presario 061 PJ536AA-ABA SR1265CL NA440
Workgroup : WORKGROUP
Host Name : your-7008ffa13b
User : Compaq_Owner

Processor
Model : AMD Athlon(tm) XP 3200+
Speed : 2.2GHz
L1D (1st Level) Data Cache : 64kB, Synchronous, Write-Back, 2-way, 64 byte line size
L2 (2nd Level) Cache : 512kB, ECC, Synchronous, Write-Back, 16-way, 64 byte line size

Computer
Mainboard : ASUS Kelut
BIOS : Phoenix Technologies, LTD 3.11 09/02/2004
Bus(es) : ISA X-Bus AGP PCI IMB USB FireWire/1394 i2c/SMBus
Multi-Processor (MP) Support : No
Multi-Processor Advanced PIC (APIC) : Yes
Total Memory : 2GB DDR

Chipset
Model : ASUS KM400 CPU to PCI Bridge
Front Side Bus Speed : 2x 200MHz (400MHz)
Total Memory : 2GB DDR
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 200MHz (400MHz)

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : Hynix (Hyundai) HYMD512 646CP8JD43 1GB DDR PC1-3200U DDR1-400 (3-3-3-8 2-11-0-0)
Memory Module : Hynix (Hyundai) HYMD512 646CP8JD43 1GB DDR PC1-3200U DDR1-400 (3-3-3-8 2-11-0-0)

Video System
Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce 6200 (8 PS3.0, 3 VS3.0 351MHz, 512MB DDR3 530MHz 128-bit, AGP 3.00)

Graphics Processor

Storage Devices
Seagate ST380013AS (80GB, SATA150, 3.5", 8MB Cache) : 75GB (G:)
Seagate ST3160021A (160GB, ATA100, 3.5", 2MB Cache) : 149GB (C:) (D:)
Seagate ST380013AS (163.9GB, FireWire/1394/SATA150, 3.5", 8MB Cache) : 153GB (H:)
Seagate ST380013AS (160GB, USB2/SATA150, 3.5", 8MB Cache) : 149GB (L:)
HP (USB1) : N/A (O:)
IDE-DVD ROM 16x (ATA33, DVD+-R, CD-R, 256kB Cache) : N/A (E:)
IDE-CD R/RW 48xC (ATAPI, CD-RW, 2MB Cache) : N/A (F:)

Logical Storage Devices
Pro Tools 2 (G:) : 74GB (NTFS) @ Seagate ST380013AS (80GB, SATA150, 3.5", 8MB Cache)
PRESARIO RP (D:) : 5GB (FAT32) @ Seagate ST3160021A (160GB, ATA100, 3.5", 2MB Cache)
PRESARIO (C:) : 144GB (NTFS) @ Seagate ST3160021A (160GB, ATA100, 3.5", 2MB Cache)
Pro Tools 1 (H:) : 153GB (NTFS) @ Seagate ST380013AS (163.9GB, FireWire/1394/SATA150, 3.5", 8MB Cache)
Optical Drive (E:) : N/A @ IDE-DVD ROM 16x (ATA33, DVD+-R, CD-R, 256kB Cache)
Optical Drive (F:) : N/A @ IDE-CD R/RW 48xC (ATAPI, CD-RW, 2MB Cache)
Removable Drive (O:) : N/A @ HP (USB1)
G1 (L:) : 149GB (FAT32) @ Seagate ST380013AS (160GB, USB2/SATA150, 3.5", 8MB Cache)

Peripherals
LPC Hub Controller 1 : ASUS VT8237 PCI to ISA Bridge
LPC Legacy Controller 1 : Winbond W83697HF/F/HG
Audio Device : ASUS Realtek AC'97 Audio for VIA (R) Audio Controller
Audio Codec : Gammagraphx 0000h
Audio Codec : Gammagraphx 0000h
Serial Port(s) : 1
Parallel Port(s) : 1
Disk Controller : ASUS VIA SATA RAID Controller
Disk Controller : ASUS VT82xxxx EIDE Controller (All VIA Chipsets)
USB Controller 1 : VIA VIA VT6214L USB UHCI Controller
USB Controller 2 : VIA VIA VT6214L USB UHCI Controller
USB Controller 3 : VIA VT6202 USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
USB Controller 4 : ASUS VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (All VIA Chipsets)
USB Controller 5 : ASUS VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (All VIA Chipsets)
USB Controller 6 : ASUS VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (All VIA Chipsets)
USB Controller 7 : ASUS VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (All VIA Chipsets)
USB Controller 8 : ASUS VIA VT8237/A/R USB EHCI Controller
FireWire/1394 Controller 1 : ASUS VT6306 VIA Fire II IEEE-1394 OHCI Link Layer Controller
SMBus/i2c Controller 1 : VIA VT823x SMBus

Printers and Faxes
Printer : Send To Microsoft OneNote Driver (300x300, Colour)
Printer : Microsoft XPS Document Writer (600x600, Colour)
Printer : HP remote printers (Colour)
Printer : hp psc 1300 series (USB, Colour)
Fax : Microsoft Shared Fax Driver (200x200)

Scanners and Cameras
Scanner : Hewlett-Packard hp psc 1300 series (Scanner, 2400x2400, USB)

Network Services
Network Adapter : VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter - Packet Scheduler Miniport (Ethernet, 100Mbps)

Operating System
Windows System : Microsoft Windows XP Home 5.01.2600 (Service Pack 3)
Platform Compliance : x86

Performance Enhancing Tips
Warning 100 : Large memory sizes should be made of Registered/Buffered memory.
Tip 2546 : Large memory modules should be ECC/Parity.
Tip 2 : Double-click tip or press Enter while a tip is selected for more information about the tip.


................Does anybody have any insight on this??????

[albee1952]

If you are running your recording drive on firewire, I seem to remember the VIA firewire controllers are(were) NOT compatible. Try to find a firewire card with a TI chipset(Texas Instruments). If this is a desktop machine, I would skip firewire completely and go with internal hard drives(7200 rpm, 32 meg cache and no "green" drives). Internal drives will always beat firewire for performance(and you don't need to worry about the firewire controller being compatible). With your old rig, you can use your external drives for backups and transfers as needed.

[grandturismo1]

Ahhhhh, yes I see. another thing I have over looked... thanks.

Still with no more problems so far...

One thing though... What do you mean "green drives"?

[grandturismo1]

OK, many moons have passed now and still...
I have NO ISSUES with my system!!!!!
All these years and it was just the drive i was using,
and the incompatible firewire chipset thing.
I cannot tell you how much fun I am having recording and
bouncing to disk.... creating with no errors.
I have never enjoyed working on music more now that my system is working great.

To anyone who is having problems.... make sure you pay attention to the DETAILS of your SANDRA and all the fine print of EACH of the components of your machine and software on it..... It is worth it!!

[albee1952]

That's what we always say, but its amazing how many whine about it Glad you're up and working now. "Green" drives refers to any drive that uses the word "green" in its name or description. Those are drives that use power management features to "save power". They will spin down or slow down, and that's the last thing you want from a recording drive

[grandturismo1]

well, I got a first error (-9126 .... something like that) it said to DECREASE h/w buffer size.
anyways, one error per week....... I can definitely live it!!!!!