Running out of CPU power? How is this possible?

[joerusi]

I have 003, Mac Pro and and extra hard from Apple. I experienced in the past the same problems, now things are better.

Remove ALL the third-plugings in the unused folder and see what happens, because I really think that is the only way to find out the problem.
It worked for me (I had to stop using almost everything from IK-Media), I hope it'll work for you.

[BGMusic]

There has got to be some sort of a language barrier at work here, because this guy has been told 3 hundred times to separate his VI libraries from his audio drive and he still doesn't do it.

[-Dialogue]

Originally Posted by BGMusic

There has got to be some sort of a language barrier at work here, because this guy has been told 3 hundred times to separate his VI libraries from his audio drive and he still doesn't do it.

I've said already that I have it all setup on different drives and the problem still occurs. I've tried it all on the same drive, on only two drives, on 3 drives. I also said I'll do some more tests. This would mean doing anything else that you guys suggested that I already haven't tried.

I appreciate the help, but read the posts before commenting.

[-Dialogue]

Originally Posted by joerusi

I have 003, Mac Pro and and extra hard from Apple. I experienced in the past the same problems, now things are better.

Remove ALL the third-plugings in the unused folder and see what happens, because I really think that is the only way to find out the problem.
It worked for me (I had to stop using almost everything from IK-Media), I hope it'll work for you.

I've narrowed it down to being the 3rd party plugins. I'm just trying to find a work around here.

I guess I'll have to stop using the IK-Media plugins as well for now.

Anyone use BFD2? Any known problems?

[L-Dogg]

I read somewhere on this board about BFD causing problems....even a qualified version. Try taking it out. It does not take a second....

[Roulette Records]

Originally Posted by Majorek

That's alot of drives. I am a Pro Tools user since I started composing so I don't know about the other daw's, never really checked but do they also all need to have many drives?? or Pro Tools is a unique case?

I am in no way saying you NEED all them drives. No. Hell, I know people that just still do everything off the OS drive (1 drive) and they have no actual problems other than a sluggish system, etc...

What I am saying though, is the moment I got super anal about my drives and what they do, what they have on them and why, etc... then my system and sessions and pro tools just started reacting super snappy like. Like a dream. You really can notice a difference with just following this general rule of thumb... Think, "drives have needles like a turntable (just a heck of alot faster), therefore they have seek and read times, they need to FIND the information they are being triggered to find or FIND space to write/record information they are told to, THEN actually carry out the task. So using that knowledge now, it is always wise and logical to TRY to never have your drives trying to do too much simultaneous tasks (recording, while looking/seeking for playback files, WHILE running the whole computer, WHILE running the program itself, WHILE then also having to locate sound libraries for such programs, etc..).

It is best and most logical to try to get a drive to be dedicated for EACH task instead. Therefore not taking performance away due to the fact that one needle has a very hard time accessing all that info simultaneously. Hell 2 needles have a rough time doing all that !!

So really each persons approach to how they operate a studio will dictate how many drives they need. I just wrote my main suggestion for ANY DAW is all, not just PT. Do you need it ? No. Will it run better, smoother and more efficient and allow for higher track counts with more voices and less beach balls running high demanding plugs if you do ? YES !!

Hell, I actually am even more nuts, and on all my Desktop computers I rip out the stock drive, and I get a 10,000rpm drive for it and then add 4-5 other 10,000rpm drives for a spankin set up. Thats makes even the Apple computer itself more snappy too. The OS and all apps running on a 10,000rpm drive is just a great experience. On my Laptop Mobile set ups I do all 7,200rpm drives (OS included).

With that set up, it is wise to also make sure ALL your drives in your set up are the same rpm. (IMO)

Originally Posted by -Dialogue

Ok thank you very much.

I do have 4 internal drives, however those are the only drives I have, so I need to store some other stuff on them. Which drive would be the one you recommend to store stuff on? Since you recommended all 4 drives should be used by PT alone, except for the OS drive 1. The one I have my mixes and bounces on?

The drive in which your sound libraries is on is pretty much a "Storage Drive" imo, and is the wisest one to put other odd ball stuff on if need be. But, for me, them things (odd ball stuff) are usually not that demanding, and I use a Firewire 800 drive for odd ball stuff. That way I can also take it off all the time and shelf it when I don't need it. Also, these VI libraries are starting to get HUGE, I suggest a 1TB drive for that, and still even saving it all for future libraries. JUST my opinion though. It depends on how many VI's you plan on getting, but I like thinking ahead. BFD has about 8 expansion packs and they are about 80 GB each !! I am sure you want alot more than just 1 VI too. Just a small example of where we are headed.

Originally Posted by freaken

I don't want to take over this thread but is it OK to have 3 drives instead of the recommended 4 drives being
Drive 1. OS, Pro Tools and Plugins
Drive 2. recorded session including audio files
Drive 3. sample libraries
Drive 4 (partitioned from 3). mixes and bounced tracks

cheers,

Good thoughts Freaken, but as the other poster said, no that does not really help. As my above paragraph said, really, (even if partitioned) one drive = one needle. So partitioning ONLY helps in the sense that you now are making your needle only have to search and span over a smaller area to find stuff, etc.. So your suggestion is a little bit of yes and no.

Really my suggestion keeps the performance at the highest possible. And how cheap drives are getting now a days, it's a no brainer for me. Why not ?

Originally Posted by flommer

Partitions do not allow for better performance, they are just convenient.

When bouncing with this configuration, you will still be loading up the SATA bus for drive 3 with the combination of streaming samples (reads) plus the files you are writing. In real life situations you will probably never have a problem..

Completely right, about both things. But like I said above, partitioning DOES help a bit by making the needle only have to seek over a smaller span, so it would improve performance a touch. But becareful not to stab yourself in the foot by over partitioning and painting yourself in a corner with not enough GB for something.

Originally Posted by -Dialogue

I've narrowed it down to being the 3rd party plugins. I'm just trying to find a work around here.

I guess I'll have to stop using the IK-Media plugins as well for now.

Anyone use BFD2? Any known problems?

Good news brother, glad to hear !

I use BFD on my HD set up. No problems, but I haven't upgraded yet. On my HD Accel 7 rig, I am on PT 6 still (cause I like it), I am using a Dual 2.7 G5 PPC. With about 6 SCSI drives in a Magma Expansion Chassis.. One hell of a set up for 6 years ago and still runnin strong. Aint seen a beach ball in ages and I do extremely large sessions that have taxing PI on them. I use BFD the first one alot with all the expansion packs I can use with BFD1, and have never had a issue.

I plan to upgrade to BFD2 and then get all the rest of the expansion packs. But I have to upgrade my computer and PT then, so it will be a while before I take the plunge. I hope it runs fine. It better.

Originally Posted by L-Dogg

I read somewhere on this board about BFD causing problems....even a qualified version. Try taking it out. It does not take a second....

I don't think he has BFD2 yet, he was just asking about it. And damn, that is bad news if there are issues. I sure hope not. I plan on upgrading eventually. LOL

[idleave]

THANK YOU for saying something about IK stuff not working well!! i their stuff sounds good but there is something up with them and protools.

and i dont think digi/avid is to worried about it either. i KNOW IK isint.

[joerusi]

There has got to be some sort of a language barrier at work here, because this guy has been told 3 hundred times to separate his VI libraries from his audio drive and he still doesn't do it.

This is actually nonsense. You don't need more than two drives to have PT working perfect.

[Roulette Records]

Originally Posted by joerusi

This is actually nonsense. You don't need more than two drives to have PT working perfect.

No one said "perfect", and no one said PT. We said "better performance" WITH YOUR 3rd PARTY VI's, and its true. Remember the word "perfect" is subject to opinion. Your "perfect" may be different than my "perfect" and so on. I personally like my rig(s) running BETTER than "perfect". Perfect isn't good enough.

Actually, pending on what kind of 3rd party VI's you are running, some mandate a DEDICATED drive for their vast sound libraries. (Stylus RMX is one, and BFD is another, and the most demanding is Vienna Instruments, there are a few more too). If you do the math, that means a 3rd drive. Cause your OS is 1, and Digi themselves tell you to have a dedicated drive for your sessions (and to NOT have them on your OS), so that 2. If your 3rd party VI asks for a DEDICATED drive too, then what does that equal ? 3 drives my friend.

I've been on both sides man, for years. Tried every set up possible. Set up every set up possible. And everytime I set up a PT rig with multiple drives, it runs the 3rd Party VI's smoother. As a matter of fact, the more drives I use and the faster their rpm's are the smoother it runs the 3rd Party VI's.

That means that when you launch the plug in's interface, there is no beach ball at all not even for a millisecond. Then when you change sounds there is no millisecond pause... it just SNAPS to it instantly like it should. To me, that means running better. And I love it.

Right now, pending on what you own, launch the Digi stock plug in "Mini Grand"... see how it has that little freeze up for a second while it loads the plug in ? Well, that is a tiny library compared to ones from BFD, Stylus RMX, Vienna Instruments, etc.. So imagine if you kept the same set up with them VI's that dwarf that MiniGrand and Expand2.... It would be a huge pause, and everytime you change sounds, a huge pause.

Now, use a drive set up like I suggest, and all them VI's will launch as quick as "Text Edit". And be as responsive as text edit too !! Thats a big improvement.

Now that improvement then lifts a huge weight off of the drive running your session too, so then you see a more responsive PT too. So there ya go.

[midi sordino]

Originally Posted by joerusi

This is actually nonsense. You don't need more than two drives to have PT working perfect.

That depends on what you use it for. If you use a lot of VI's with sample libraries things run a lot smoother by having them on a third, preferably internal, drive.