Pro Tools 20 Keeps Crashing on High Sierra Mac (help!)

[kate357]

Hey Braintrust,

Kinda of at my wit's end with this one.

Sorry in advance for the long post!

Recently, my iLok Manager stopped working with my monthly subscription. My monthly license basically disappeared from the iLok Cloud feature on the iLok Manager.

After countless re-logging into my iLok Manager account, restarting my computer a bunch of times, as well as rebooting my internet router, and trying to "refresh" my license w/in iLok Manager and after endless troubleshooting (and nearing deadlines), I decided to create a new Avid/iLok account altogether. I started a free trial to see if that's where the issues laid.

As a part of that troubleshooting (since this may be pertinent information for my crashing issue that comes later), I uninstalled the older version of PT I had (think it was PT 2018), as well as my iLok manager, and *finally* upgraded my MacBook to High Sierra (which I had been avoiding out of glitch fears in PT for actual years).

I reinstalled most recent version of Pro Tools (2020) and iLok Manager.

Since I assume I'll be asked, I used a cleaner app when I uninstalled & reinstalled both apps with newest versions of PT and iLok Manager from respective Avid and iLok websites.

Eventually, with my new account, I was able to move my free trial "license" off of the iLok Cloud Manager and onto a physical iLok, thinking that faulty internet connection could've been the cause for some of my issues.

I've accepted the fact that I just need to keep my new account logged in and eventually upgrade that license in order to keep a license working for PT, but now there's ANOTHER problem. A problem I never had prior to all these issues that originated when my iLok Manager stopped recognizing/validating my license...

While now I finally am able to access a Pro Tools license (albeit a free month trial) stored on my physical iLok, now my sessions get the rainbow wheel of death and crash after about 30 mins of use.

This happens. every. single. time. I. use. pro tools.

I work off of a SSD hard drive plunged directly into my laptop. PT pulls all the session info off of that drive. I haven't had any issues w/ the drive disconnecting or any typical error messages that I've gotten in the past regarding storage space or CPU.

After working for a short while in a pretty basic session (5 tracks, no active plug-ins), the rainbow wheel appears. I force quit the session and just have to dig out a session file backup.

In terms of troubleshooting so far, I have:
- Deleted inactive Pro Tools plug-ins
- Opened up plenty of disc storage on local drive
- Stopped using Google Chrome
- Installed the app Memory Diag to monitor laptop RAM (for those who use the app, typically computer is at "low" even when I'm running Pro Tools and a Safari browser at the same time
- Restarted computer a bunch of times
- Deleted/uninstalled any high-memory usage apps (dropbox, etc.) so I don't think it's a memory problem

I'm wondering if this has to do with the iOS update that I installed when trying to trouble shoot my iLok Manager issue.

Very, very open to any and all suggestions on this one!!

Maybe the High Sierra upgrade isn't playing well with the most recent version off Pro Tools?? I have never had this issue when I was using PT 2018 on Sierra. Or maybe it's something else I haven't thought of??

If you've made it to the end of this post, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TIME! Know it was a real long one. Appreciate you guys.

-Kate

------------------
-Comp/Software Specs-
Pro Tools Ultimate | 2020.3.0
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017)
Processor: 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory: 8 GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3

[cwsand]

Hi, What interface are you using? Have you tried the interface on another computer? Do you get the spinning wheel when using the Mac's soundcard? (Or is that the one you're using?)

[Dickerson]

Hi, Misery loves company....I don't think its your macg=hine or High Sierra...its the 2020 set of releases of PT...They are nothing short of a disgrace...i have all; sorts of crashing and database 11 errors after installing 2020..in desperation rathwr than interest in Folders I installed 2020.3....and its worse...crashes every time I look at the screen./...crashed=s on boot up,,,crashes on save session...crashes on exit PT!.....Avid....you NEED to issue a stable patch release ASAP.

[arche3]

I think for Kate it's the 8gigs ram. Also i5 cpu in macbook 13 is too slow imo to run protools. The recent versions of protools are all pretty cpu sensitive imo.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

[JFreak]

Some have reported success using 8GB but generally speaking you should have 16GB and i7 as a bare minimum

[Ben Jenssen]

My thoughts:

I have 2020.3 running just fine on catalina, imac 2017 i5 w/8gb ram. Ilok cloud. I also use Adobe apps, Logic, and some system extentions.

I did a fresh install of OS and PT, ilok, plugins and everything. Wiped HD, everything from scratch. As long as I can remember, this has been the only way to be safe that you get a reliable system. Upgrading the OS (so-called in-situ upgrade) is asking for trouble IMO. And I'd never trust so-called "cleaner" applications.

I think your troubles stem from this. Installing and uninstalling, different versions of OS and PT (having two PT versions at the same time), different licences. I'm not at all surprised that you have problems.

I really think that it's your only option; Format your HD, or even better, get a new external (you can always copy everything back to your internal later), maybe a faster SSD, giving the MBP a little new spark, and install the latest MacOS, and the latest PT. It might be you need to use best part of a day, but it's not difficult. Whith a new SSD, you can always boot into your old one if you need to.

And be careful not to use apple's Transfer Assistant (not shure of the name in english), at least not for applications, it scrws things up. A little like "cleaner" apps. I have used it for settings and passwords, and it worked.

So, a fresh fast SSD, with fresh latest Mac OS, and clean install of latest iLok and PT software, and I bet your MBP will be running smoothly.

Then, of course, you'll have to spend a few days setting things up the way you had it. But I think it will be worth it.

At least I don't think there's a quick fix for the situation you're in now.

And while you're at it, get a backup application like CarbonCopyCloner to make intermittent backups, for example when you got the fresh OS/PT confirmed working, to always have the ability to roll back if something goes wrong again. With two disks, the internal and external, you'll have a very reliable setup.


Good luck and stay safe.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by Ben Jenssen

And be careful not to use apple's Transfer Assistant (not shure of the name in english)

Migration Assistant, as known as migration assassin -- do not use !!!