Crash at splash screen

[Neale]

Well, been using PT since 6.x and I've never seen something that an uninstall/reinstall won't fix.

Running 2018.4 on my classic Mac Pro, OS 10.12.6. I have an 002r, and of course this is not "supported" but it had been working flawlessly until now.

I had a session crash last week. Protools ran after that, but I figured I'd use the Peter Gates trasher to get it all cleaned up just in case. Been using that for years with no issues too.

BUT

Now Protools won't get past the plugin scan, and it seems that it won't even complete the write of the new database (it does the "slow rescan" if I try to start Protools again). Keep in mind that this was a working system, no plugin issues, I have them all up to date (far as I know), so I can't imagine that this is a plugin issue. It doesn't even let me get to choosing a playback device, so I can't test it with the aggregate I/O just in case.

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling, but no dice. Having said that (and having looked up "clean uninstall" instructions and only finding a document that references PT11 and up), I can't be sure that I've done an absolutely 100% clean uninstall, so it's possible that I've left "whatever's corrupted" in there somewhere.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance...

[DetroitT]

Launch holding "n" key

Direct to Playback Engine.

[Neale]

Nope, not possible, doesn't get to that stage. Doesn't complete the plugin scan and doesn't write the database, as mentioned, and doesn't get to the point of choosing a playback device - again as mentioned.

Out of desperation, started out wiping all plugins (never had to do this, always on top of updates and conflicts). Protools started up properly again.

Long story short - somehow the VC series of compressors from Native Instruments were the culprit. Once removed from the folder Protools ran just fine. Still weird, since they had JUST been working, and weren't updated. Reinstalled them from Native Access, everything's back to normal.

VERY weird.

[cwsand]

Those plugins must have gotten corrupted somehow - strange though...

[Pete Gates]

Hi,
Are you saying your system was working, then you used my PT Prefs Trasher and now it’s not? Could you tell me what version you’re using? I have genuinely never heard of this happening. Did you run it whilst Pro Tools was open?

Cheers,
Pete

[Neale]

Strangely enough, the problem has returned. I have removed the Native Instruments Vintage Compressors from my plugins for now (I don't use them anyway, they just came with my Komplete package), and all seems well. I had it up and running, but only by adding plugins one by one after successfully launching Protools ONLY with the base plugins installed. I ran the prefs utility to start fresh again with the reinstalled NI plugins (which DID pass the scan when added after an initial successful "base plugins" scan), thinking it would be good to write a fresh plugin database file from one single scan... crash at splash again. Remove those three NI plugins and rescan... fine.

Peter,

I have the latest version of your software. Can't imagine it is directly the culprit. There has to be some other sort of gremlin in there, and perhaps using your utility wiped out a file that had been helping it actually operate. And of course, your utility has the big red warning about "Protools is open", so no, it wasn't run while Protools was open... never mind having used PT since v6.x, I should know better, ha ha...

I've submitted my dlog and OS crash log to Avid's tech support, but in their broken English they say they see nothing in the dlog that points to a plugin conflict. Between the poor English and the fact that removing these plugins fixes it I question the validity of their assertion.

[Pete Gates]

Originally Posted by Neale

Peter,

I have the latest version of your software. Can't imagine it is directly the culprit. There has to be some other sort of gremlin in there, and perhaps using your utility wiped out a file that had been helping it actually operate.

That possibly is indirectly true. Pro Tools caches certain plugin information and my software deletes that cache so you can start afresh. That can bring to light problems that were laying undetected.

As to you heeding the big red warning - well we’ve all been there and done the opposite so I thought I’d ask

Cheers,
Pete

[Neale]

I've managed to trick PT into working. In the meantime, silence from "tech support" on a clean uninstall procedure.

I've seen the "manual uninstall" page on Avid's site, but since PT no longer comes with an uninstaller, I'd like a proper, 100% clean procedure posted and available to all users.

[simontheoracle]

Same issue for me. I used the latest version of the Peter Gates PT Prefs Trasher and now PT 2018.7 Ultimate crashes when scanning plugins.

I won't be using this app again.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by simontheoracle

Same issue for me. I used the latest version of the Peter Gates PT Prefs Trasher and now PT 2018.7 Ultimate crashes when scanning plugins.

I won't be using this app again.

Instead of blaming a useful tool why don’t you find the underlying plugin you have installed that is causing your problem?