PT performance has decreased

[ergalthema]

I started with PT8 on a 2008 MacBook Pro. I could always have a simple project with a few tracks open while also browsing in Chrome or doing other simple tasks.

Now, I have a Retina MacBook and PT11 and it can't play back 2 tracks while I have Chrome open. If I click on Chrome, PT playback often crashes.

Besides that, there have been many random crashes and fatal errors lately. Especially when I'm starting a new session, I'll often have to restart the computer to get it happy. I will hit "play" and the play/stop button will flash a few times, then stop - no playback. Then it gradually becomes unresponsive until it freezes and I have to restart the MacBook. Even then, sometimes I have to do a hard reset because the MacBook won't shut down.

I swear I'm not doing anything too crazy - not trying to play 720p videos on YouTube or anything (which really shouldn't be a problem either). I mean, I have quite a few extensions in Chrome, etc., but this system should be able to handle basically the same tasks it was handling nearly a decade ago on weaker hardware.

I have a feeling it has something to do with the system audio vs the 003 Rack that ProTools is running. I think even my current system worked better until the last few months. I'm still on OSX 10.10.5.

Would be curious if any other long-time users have experienced similar issues lately.

Edit: One reason I finally decided to post about this:
I recently was inspired to make some music. I had some ideas ready to record. But when I tried to open PT and start recording, I ran into the crashing/freezing that I mentioned above. It probably took 20 minutes to get rolling - and of course that felt like forever as my frustration was growing and the inspiration of the music started to suffer. It was very disappointing.

Also, once again at this very moment, PT is crashing/freezing. I was inspired, but now I'm just discouraged.

[sw rec]

Pro Tools is a real DIVA (which is AVID backwards) and doesn't like to share resources or multitask at all.
That being said, we need a LOT more information about your system. Using a dedicated recording drive?

[ergalthema]

Originally Posted by sw rec

Using a dedicated recording drive?

The problems/crashes happen before I ever hit record. But the sessions usually start on the MacBook's SSD. I like them to be there while I'm working on them, so I can easily take the project with me, etc.

Again, these crashes weren't so bad a few months ago. If my old MacBook and PT8 could handle it, I can't understand why a new MBP and PT11 are having so much trouble. I would even understand if it were an occasional error message, but crashing/freezing and requiring hard reset is unacceptable.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by ergalthema

The problems/crashes happen before I ever hit record. But the sessions usually start on the MacBook's SSD. I like them to be there while I'm working on them, so I can easily take the project with me, etc.

Again, these crashes weren't so bad a few months ago. If my old MacBook and PT8 could handle it, I can't understand why a new MBP and PT11 are having so much trouble. I would even understand if it were an occasional error message, but crashing/freezing and requiring hard reset is unacceptable.

Any reason you're surfing the net while working in PT? Is there any possibility you can go to a wired connection for your internet access if you feel you must have Chrome open while PT'ing?

Like sw rec said PT doesn't share/play well with others and likes (no demands) to be the center of attention.

[Chief Technician]

Originally Posted by ergalthema

I have a Retina MacBook and PT11 and it can't play back 2 tracks while I have Chrome open. If I click on Chrome, PT playback often crashes.

What happens if you use Safari, Firefox, or Opera? You need to figure out which application is the problem. If it happens with every web browser, then Pro Tools may be the problem. If it happens with only one, then you have a workaround (another browser), even if Pro Tools is still the problem.

[ergalthema]

The thing is, I'm often doing a lot of work in Chrome.

For example, I'm currently in the middle of typing an email and I want to open Pro Tools to make a quick edit to a light project. I opened the project, made one change, and PT crashed. Now, I'm trying to open Pro Tools again and it's stuck at "Initializing MIDI Engine". I'll have to restart my computer now - possibly a hard reset...

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by ergalthema

The thing is, I'm often doing a lot of work in Chrome.

For example, I'm currently in the middle of typing an email and I want to open Pro Tools to make a quick edit to a light project. I opened the project, made one change, and PT crashed. Now, I'm trying to open Pro Tools again and it's stuck at "Initializing MIDI Engine". I'll have to restart my computer now - possibly a hard reset...

You can't do a 'force quit' from the Dock?
You can't do a quit in the OSX activity monitor?

This is why I have a separate computer for my internet and Photoshop work.

[ergalthema]

Originally Posted by musicman691

You can't do a 'force quit' from the Dock?
You can't do a quit in the OSX activity monitor?

I can usually do at least one force quit and PT will quit. But when I open it again, it will get stuck - it usually doesn't' even bring up the loading window or anything. It will just be running in Activity Monitor, etc. No amount of force quitting will actually make it quit at that point. I have to restart.

[JFreak]

Maybe so, but the fact is OS and software has gotten bloated over the years. I still remember when OSX was delivered in CD's and PT6 full installer was something like 50MB. Sure, at that time we had PowerBook G4's and 512MB memory, but the point here is that hardware and software must be on par. If you run modern software on modern OS but save on hardware, that is trouble right there.

[ergalthema]

[QUOTE=JIf you run modern software on modern OS but save on hardware, that is trouble right there.[/QUOTE]

Save on hardware? I have a state of the art MacBook