Pro tools 9093 Hardware buffer size to low problem

[gulagurk]

Hi

I am using a mbox 2 mini (the usb 1.1 version), and a i5 daw. But can't get bellow 128ms or i get the dreaded 9093 error (Hardware buffer size to low). My os is 32bit Vista

I have 2 hdds, one for audio, and they are set in ahci mode (there is IDE,Raid or Ahci)

Sisoft system info:


SiSoftware Sandra

Computer
Model : OEM System Product Name
Workgroup : WORKGROUP
Host Name : Borealis-PC
User : Borealis

Processor
Model : Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2300 CPU @ 2.80GHz
Speed : 3GHz
Cores per Processor : 4 Unit(s)
Type : Quad-Core
Integrated Data Cache : 2x 32kB, Synchronous, Write-Thru, 8-way, 64 byte line size, 2 threads sharing
L2 Cache : 2x 256kB, ECC, Synchronous, ATC, 8-way, 64 byte line size, 2 threads sharing
L3 Cache : 6MB, ECC, Synchronous, ATC, 12-way, Exclusive, 64 byte line size, 16 threads sharing

Computer
Mainboard : ASUS P8H67-M LE
BIOS : AMI (OEM) 0603 02/11/2011
Bus(es) : X-Bus PCI PCIe IMB USB i2c/SMBus
Multi-Processor (MP) Support : No
Multi-Processor Advanced PIC (APIC) : Yes
Total Memory : 2.86GB DIMM DDR3

Chipset
Model : ASUS Core (Sandy Bridge) DRAM Controller
Front Side Bus Speed : 100MHz
Total Memory : 4GB DIMM DDR3
Shared Memory : 130MB
Channels : 1
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 667MHz (1.33GHz)

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905471-006A01LF 4GB DIMM DDR3 PC3-10700U DDR3-1334 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)

Video System
Video Adapter : Intel(R) HD Graphics Family (6 SM4.1 850MHz, 128MB DDR3 1.33GHz 64-bit, Integrated Graphics)

Graphics Processor
Compute Shader Processor : Intel(R) HD Graphics Family (6SP 850MHz, 128MB DDR3 1.33GHz 64-bit, Integrated Graphics)

Storage Devices
SAMSUNG HD322GJ (320GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 16MB Cache) : 298GB (C:)
SAMSUNG HD103SJ (1TB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 32MB Cache) : 932GB (D:)
Seagate Desktop 500.1GB (USB) : 466GB (E:) (F:)

Logical Storage Devices
System Disk (C:) : 298GB (NTFS) @ SAMSUNG HD322GJ (320GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 16MB Cache)
Audio Disk (D:) : 932GB (NTFS) @ SAMSUNG HD103SJ (1TB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 32MB Cache)
EXT_FAT32 (E:) : 126GB (FAT32) @ Seagate Desktop 500.1GB (USB)
EXT_NTFS (F:) : 340GB (NTFS) @ Seagate Desktop 500.1GB (USB)

Peripherals
LPC Hub Controller 1 : ASUS Cougar Point LPC Controller
LPC Legacy Controller 1 : T2 87-71
Audio Device : ASUS Cougar Point High Definition Audio Controller
Disk Controller : ASUS Cougar Point 6 port SATA AHCI Controller
USB Controller 1 : ASUS Cougar Point USB Enhanced Host Controller #2
USB Controller 2 : ASUS Cougar Point USB Enhanced Host Controller #1
USB Controller 3 : ASUS uPD720200 USB 3.0 Controller
SMBus/i2c Controller 1 : Intel ICH SMBus

Printers and Faxes
Printer : Microsoft XPS Document Writer (600x600, Colour)

Network Services
Network Adapter : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (Ethernet, 100Mbps)

Power Management
Mains (AC) Line Status : On-Line

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

Windows Experience Index
Current System : 1.0

[albee1952]

What version of Pro Tools? This may be a problem:
EXT_FAT32 (E:) : 126GB (FAT32) @ Seagate Desktop 500.1GB (USB)
I'm also not sure about integrated graphics(which traditionally has been a show stopper). The new i5 and socket 1156 motherboards may be different now.

[gulagurk]

Originally Posted by albee1952

What version of Pro Tools? This may be a problem:
EXT_FAT32 (E:) : 126GB (FAT32) @ Seagate Desktop 500.1GB (USB)
I'm also not sure about integrated graphics(which traditionally has been a show stopper). The new i5 and socket 1156 motherboards may be different now.

Pro tools 8.03 (sorry for posting in the 9 forum, but this is where the action is). I tried disconnecting the external usb drive (EXT_FAT32). no difference. It might be the intergrated grapghics, I have a 9800 card lying around, but it's so huge, will need some serious engineering skills to get it in there. And I'm not sure my 450w psu will handle that card

btw. the graphics is that wich is intergrated into the i5 cpu. but it shares memory with my system memory

[gulagurk]

btw! worth mentioning, when i first started up pro tools I had the mbox connected to a usb 2.0 port, and pro tools where very unstable and i couldnt get bellow 256ms. So i changed it to the usb 3.0 port. but now it's 128ms

[gulagurk]

I have an 10 years old PCI graphic card, anyone know if it would be possible to insert that just to see if its the internal graphic card causing the problem? will such an old card even run vista? it propably dont got more than 8mb

[albee1952]

I run a $37 MSI GeForce 7300LE 256 card(PCIe) on my rig and its fine(get the latest drive from nVidia.com).

[The Weed]

Sandra only shows 1 4gb stick of triple channel RAM. Not sure how that can be running at triple channel speed with only one stick. Probably not the reason your buffer is only getting down to 128, but something you may want to address.

Then again, looking at the specs for the Mbox Mini, 3rd gen, you can only get down as far as 128 samples on Windows.

Cheers,

[gulagurk]

Originally Posted by The Weed

Sandra only shows 1 4gb stick of triple channel RAM. Not sure how that can be running at triple channel speed with only one stick. Probably not the reason your buffer is only getting down to 128, but something you may want to address.

Then again, looking at the specs for the Mbox Mini, 3rd gen, you can only get down as far as 128 samples on Windows.

Cheers,

propapbly, guess that's why they put the mix button on it.Do you know if the usb 2.0 or firewire versions is any better? shame the avid gear is rather expensive. anyone know of a cheap solution?

[Edit] just checked out the newest mbox mini, and they still use usb 1.1 on that... that's weird when usb 2.0 is old tech. and now usb 3.0 wich is 10x faster than 2.0 is starting to become the standard

[sw rec]

Pro Tools does not work with FAT-32-formatted drives. They ALL need to be NTFS.