New iMac cannot detect Mbox2 Pro

[n_k_rock]

Hello all,

I just got a new quad-core iMac 2.8GHz Intel i7 replacing a very slow Power Book 1.5GHz. Before receiving the iMac I updated my powerbook's OS X TIger to Leapord 10.5.6 and Pro Tools 7.4 to 8. As you could imagine, the powerbook was lagging running PT 8. But I did this so that I could use my powerbook mobile if need be.

-Upon receiving the iMac, I transferred everything from the powerbook to the iMac via Setup Assistant. (1) is this a problem?)

-Also upon receiving the iMac, I realized the there was no Firewire 400 port on it to connect the Mbox2 Pro. I purchased a Belkin Firewire 800/400, 9 to 6 pin cable. I have 2 Glyph HD's: 1 250G with two 400 FW ports. And a 1T with two 800 ports and one 400 port.

When first launching PT8--everything went relatively well for the first 3-4 times opening and using PT8. Then, even when PT was not open, while playing iTunes for example, I would lose the Mbox and it would be undetected. I would then go into system preferences and switch the clock from internal to spdif and immediately back to internal and everything was fine again, until randomly it would lose connection.
Also, after launching pt after the 3rd or 4th time---about 15sec. after opening a session I would get an error--"Bus error" in thread "MainThread", at address 0x0---and then upon clicking "OK" PT would crash. Prior to this I received many errors of "the cache underflowing. Please change H/W setting"---although those settings were fine at default and normal(?)
After awhile (24hours) the last time it lost connection--system preferences did not detect ANY hardware at all and still doesn't. And now when opening PT, it just gives me the "unable to detect hardware" error. I can shut down the computer, switch around fire wire cables, etc. start up again and nothing.

----At this time I have the configuration set up like this. Out the 800port (with the purchased cable) on the iMac----> into the 250G HD 400 port--->a 400fw out the 250G---->into the Mbox. And another 400 to 400 to from the 1T to the Mbox.
I have tried multiple configurations with these FW ports. i.e. iMac to the 1T drive with 800 to 800. Out the 1T with a 400 to 400 to the 250G. And a 400 to 400 from the 250G to the Mbox.
(keep in mind the 1T only has one 400 port and two 800 ports)

-----I have done ALL of the troubleshooting procedures here: http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=54888

-----I have clean uninstalled Pro Tools and tried to reinstall PT 7/7.3 (with external drives disconnected as to keep sessions safe--is this necessary?)

-----I have installed the mac PACE driver

If I'm missing any details---please let me know! I've been working on this for 3 days straight and am trying to give you everything I can remember as my brain is frazzled and fried! (not to mention that I can't utilize the main purpose of this new iMac--AUDIO!!!)

Any ideas, answers, leads---PLEASE HELP!!!

Thank you so much for any thought given to this.

[n_k_rock]

System Details:
iMac Intel Quad Core i7 2.8GHz
Glyph GT050Q 1T, Glyph GT050 250G
M-Box2 Pro
Pro Tools LE 8

[JacentyS]

The problem here are Digi's Core Audio drivers. They're not Snow Leopard ready. People who upgraded from Leopard to SL are (usually) fine but installing PT on clean SL does not work yet.

You will have to wait for a new PT release.
I've heard that iMacs are protected from installing older OS than the one they shipped with.
That's just a rumor, so you may want to create a second disk partition and try installing 10.5 or 10.4.

[n_k_rock]

Thanks JacentyS! This gives me some relief, in a way, if you've nailed it with that explanation--anybody else out there concur that this is the culprit?

I've not tried 8.0.3 pre-release, maybe this would solve the situation for now--has anybody had luck with this?

http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?...8&itemid=38671

[n_k_rock]

I reinstalled PT8 and then updated to 8.0.3---so far, so good!! I pray it lasts!! Case closed... for now!

[n_k_rock]

NOT!! As everyone is saying 8.0.3 runs CHOPPY! (crashed after trying to 'command S' save the session I'm working on, says "Access violation". Rewire is acting funky. Reinstalled WAVES bundle and all plug-in menus disabled after first relaunch of PT--restarted iMac, now plugins are working ok.

But, the point being: just within an hour and a half I've run into numerous issues.

Although, I gotta say, I'm just relieved to know what the issue is... PLEASE GET THE ACTUAL RELEASE OUT SOON, DIGI!!

[Obsidian Dragon]

Relax, Snow Leopard has only be out for about three months. Besides, if you get upset at Digidesign, next time they won't bother to do a prerelease at all and you'll all be stuck in limbo for months. Do you remember how long it took to get a Leopard version?

[n_k_rock]

No one here is upset at Digidesign. And quit your cutesy faces... your post here has done nothing to help anybody.

[Obsidian Dragon]

Sorry. I was making the faces (rolling eyes) at Digidesign for taking so long to come out with something working for Snow Leopard. I read your shouting (text in all caps) as being angry at Digidesign. I was trying to help (maybe not effectively) by pointing out that Digidesign was taking longer than desired to get the Snow Leopard release out. I appologize for upsetting you.

[n_k_rock]

No problem Obsidian, I think I must've read your post the wrong way. Sometimes it's hard to read the "sarcasm" written into text. Cheers--all's good, thanks for the apology...