What's the reason for irregular backups??

[thierryhenry]

Hi,

I hope someone can help with this..

I'm running Pro Tools 12.4.0.294

Not for the first time in my ProTools history, i've gone to look for the latest auto-backup due to an old plugin crashing my whole session. The latest one I could find was over an hour ago. I just made some great moves in the last 15 minutes and even though my auto-backup is set to 'every 10 minutes', this clearly wasn't working.

This has actually happened many times over the years but instead of me posting on the DUC, i'm usually rushing back to remember what I just did. On this occasion I roughly remember, so I thought i'd check to see if anybody can help with this ridiculous situation before I go back and try to replicate the moves.

Ok, i'm a donut for not cmd+saving every minute but sometimes you just get in the zone. Does anyone else have this problem, and does anyone have a workaround so that Pro Tools reliably backs up every 10minutes.

Many thanks in advance.

PS. Why doesn't Pro Tools automatically save the session during a crash the was Logic does?

[ronwasserman]

I've noticed this as well which is why I set preferences to 99 backups every minute. The longest 'spread' I've had is on a auto backup was 3 minutes. I'd suggest trying that if possible.

I also use a Mac App called SyncTime (app store) to back up any changes to my Pro Tools sessions folder every 10 minutes to an external SSD drive. JUST in case my primary drive should crash, I have a backup. This app will only modify files that have been changed. Works very well.

[thierryhenry]

Originally Posted by ronwasserman

I've noticed this as well which is why I set preferences to 99 backups every minute. The longest 'spread' I've had is on a auto backup was 3 minutes. I'd suggest trying that if possible.

I also use a Mac App called SyncTime (app store) to back up any changes to my Pro Tools sessions folder every 10 minutes to an external SSD drive. JUST in case my primary drive should crash, I have a backup. This app will only modify files that have been changed. Works very well.

Thanks for this, good to know. I've changed my backups to every 3minutes now- 10minutes was definitely too long.

I use time machine but that's only every hour so I should probably look to start using SyncTime or similar, as you just mentioned.

Thanks for the help, I hope Avid are taking note of this problem! I think it's something more people would make a note of if they didn't have to rush back to open the session and try to remember what they just did!

[ronwasserman]

Glad I could help. I'm SO anal about having backups. Losing even 5 minutes of work really makes me crazy...guess it's the work load.

I also agree that, like Logic and Live, Pro Tools should save a file (even with a modified name) the moment it crashes. I LOVE that feature with Live.

[musicman691]

It's for reasons like this that (no joke) my left hand is permanently bent into the cmd-s position. Right hand types and/or mouses and the left hand saves. Sometimes being a drummer and ambidextrous helps.

[DJ Hellfire]

Originally Posted by musicman691

It's for reasons like this that (no joke) my left hand is permanently bent into the cmd-s position. Right hand types and/or mouses and the left hand saves. Sometimes being a drummer and ambidextrous helps.

HELL YEAH!!!

I even have mine set to back up every minute and some times when I get a crash, my last back is sometimes up to 10 minutes ago. WTF?! When it does work it does backup properly every minute, but it just seems like when there is a crash, the backup from 1 minute before the crash is nowhere to be found! Losing even two minutes of eq'ing, leveling, or automation can be devastating!

[midnightrambler]

This may or may not be relevant, but no backups occur when ProTools is playing.

[mykhal c]

FWIW and as i understand it...PT will only back up when playback has been stopped and IF there have been changes made. so it will not backup IF one has not made any changes during the set timed interval. one has to use the shortcuts to grab backups when playback has not been stopped. i could have sworn this was different back in PT7/8 days but i was told it wasn't. regardless set the interval low and rely on stopped playback and/or use the shortcut to capture when constantly rolling. hope that helps…

[mykhal c]

for some reason i cant post my full reply...get server access errors

EDIT: resolved