Crash while recording. DAE errors 6039, 9162, 9161

[Lilousound]

Hello,
i have troubles with my protools system!

Here are the technical specifications:
Macpro G5, 2 x 2.8Ghz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Mac OS X 10.5.8
Ram: 12Gb 800Mhz DDR2 FB-DIMM

PROTOOLS HD 8.0.1
HD 3 ACCEL (1 HD Core card , 3 HD Accel Card)
CHASSIS EPANSION HD
192 i/o
DA-16x Reference converter Apogee
Master digital clock BIG BEN Apogee


Here's the problem:
Everything was working fine, recording, editing, mixing, etc... for years. It's an old equipment but it was doing fine.
Suddently one day, recording, i got DAE errors. Since then i just can't record! I can mix, edit, and do everything i want (with or without plugins, videos etc..) but if i try to bounce or record (from any inputs i put) i got errors messages and protools quit. Sometimes it record a few second before failing, but the last day i tried, just putting record on a track made it fail.

Here's a list of the errors i had:

-A communicacion error has occurred between Pro tools and ExpansionHD. Timeout error. After Protools shut down, please check that all cables are properly connected.

-DAE was unable to communicate with the audio hardware. Please save your session and resart your computer (-6039)

-Plug-In Failure. Plug-in "HD Engine" is experiencing an incompatibility with Pro tools. While there is no visual indication, affected tracks will no longer pass audio. To restore audio playback, inactivate and reactivate the failed plug-in(s). Alternatively, close and reopen the session. Review the Pro Tolls read me for more info.

-Digital Clock Sync was temporarily disrupted (-9162)

-DAE error -9162 was encountered

-DAE error -9161 was encountered

-DAE error -20989 was encountered


When it crashes, sometimes the first bar of HD Engine in HD Core in the system usage, indicates <offline> instead of HD Engine.


I have tried to delete prefs.
I have tried to start having removed all the plugins.
I have tried to record on a different disk.
I have tried differents types of record (punch, destructive, etc...)
I have checked all cables and connections.
I have tried another digilink cable.
I have change the slot of the pci card in the computer, and the slots of the HD cards in the chassis.

I've runned digitest, it failed with the HD core card:
Peripheral Digital Loopback Test. Channel 1: failed.
Pattern 1 not started (0)
And the same for the 16 channels.

But when i run the digitest desconecting the DA-16x, the digitest pass! But protools stills unable to record.

I came to the conclusion that the HD Core card died (as it is from 2002), but how can i be sure? Replacing that card would be the solution?
Any advice or anything i can try?

Thanks in advance!

[Lilousound]

Today i've discovered a realy strange thing: I CAN record on even number Track!!!! But NOT on odd number track.
Independently of the inputs/outputs of the tracks!

I create 6 mono tracks (same i/o on each). If i try to record on the 1srt, 3rd or 5th, protools crash, with messages i've indicated in the previous post.
If i record on the 2nd, 4th or 6th it goes well!!!

I've tried changing names on the track and it still the same. If i take the track #2 (wich is working) and put it before (upper) the fisrt track, then it crash when i try to record on it!

I can't record on stereo tracks (cause it always use an odd track i suppose: 1-2, 2-3, etc..).

The good news is that i can record using even tracks (I can hide the odd tracks and then having only my "fonctionals" tracks in the edit window). But i wonder how could that be, and how protools manage the even/odd tracks or list of tracks.
Could it be a hardware problem (like a part of the core card that fail?) or cable?

[Taramalin Sound]

Good day to you Avid folks,
Yesterday at Neon Studio Brisbane we had the exact same issue and were at a loss to find a solution. After trying every thing that has been mentioned so far we had to get serious and unplug the G5 from the system and noticed that the core card was not seated correctly so we removed all the cards and re seated the ram just for good measure. Next..... installed the core card only into slot 4, removed the PRAM battery as it was flat and re patched the system.
Reset the G5 clock on start up, opened a session and started recording 16 tracks flawless. Re installed the other 2 cards (1x process and 1 x Accell) and we were still functioning normally. Why did this happen? we have no idea but are happy that the system is back working again. Hope this is enough information to help anyone with the same problem.

PS Also zapped the PRAM !!

Kind Regards

Allan Lahey Eng
Taramalin Sound