CPU overload msg at 17% usage

[MBseva]

Update: glitch persists. Sigh. I have:

- gone back over all optimizations. Check.
- heard that recording to external SSD via USB2 is not recommended; so that may be the issue. If so, I can either...

... go back to recording to standard spinning HD, which worked fine for my last project, a few years back, or...

...get an iMac Pro to go with my wee SSD... all problems solved, peace on Earth and so on

A gal can dream.

[Southsidemusic]

Why not get a USB3 case for 25 dollars and put that SSD inside and ditch the USB2 case if thats what you use now?

[MBseva]

Originally Posted by Southsidemusic

Why not get a USB3 case for 25 dollars and put that SSD inside and ditch the USB2 case if thats what you use now?

Because it’s the iMac that’s USB2. The SSD is USB3, backwards compatible. Thus my joke about upgrading the computer to match the drive...

[kuldeepnc]

MBseva, I'm curious, are you using Auto Tune in your sessions?

[MBseva]

Originally Posted by kuldeepnc

MBseva, I'm curious, are you using Auto Tune in your sessions?

No I am not. Guitars, vocals, a few plugins. I have fiddled with Waves Tune Live, but mostly not.

[Rich Breen]

Originally Posted by MBseva

Because it’s the iMac that’s USB2. The SSD is USB3, backwards compatible. Thus my joke about upgrading the computer to match the drive...

?? Late 2013 iMac is USB3, no?

While I *think* you've ruled out hub-related issues, I'd still strip this down to the minimum external hardware possible: Interface on one TB port, and maybe just a record drive on the second one and see how things run. Or maybe try it with just the interface on a TB port and drive on one of the (USB3!) ports. My main rig is a cheesegrater, but I sometimes take out a Macbook Air with interface and drives on a TB hub for small remotes and it's quite stable.

How often does this glitch happen?

Still seems like some external process - have you looked at Activity Monitor and/or Console to see what might be going on when the glitch happens?


best,
rich

[MBseva]

Rich, thanks for your comment/questions! DUC apparently does not like my iPad, has tossed 2 replies. So here goes again:

USB3 it is [blush]! So there goes that theory.

I do have other drives attached, so it stands to reason that I should unplug those, have only record SSD attached. I also have Backblaze going, but got the impression elsewhere here that it's not an issue. ...?

I have not had the activity monitor going, just CPU monitor. Will do.

The glitch generally happens on playback. I am just getting going on this project, have just a few, say 5-10 tracks recorded, with a few basic plugins on each. It'll hang a couple minutes in, though CPU is barely registering load.

I do PT projects every few years, so there is always a learning curve as I update to the latest. Last music project ended in 2016, a solo CD with layered acoustic inst's and vocals. No glitches over the year I recorded, with basically the same setup - tho of course earlier OS, PT.

[Darryl Ramm]

I would be careful of assuming this is disk related. It’s *much* more likely to be a plugin or corrupted session, or...

But the best way to quickly exclude disk is... make sure disk cache is set to a few GB, drag and drop some sessions on the (presumably fast—we never got clear specs for any of the drives) internal iMac SSD. Test run them from there. You should not have backblaze or similar invasive software running while using any DAW, so turn that off as well.

Then get to likely more useful stuff. Like removing all .aaxplugin files, testing with different sessions, testing from a new admin user account, etc. trashing prefs frequently as you try stuff.

[MBseva]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

I would be careful of assuming this is disk related. It’s *much* more likely to be a plugin or corrupted session, or...

But the best way to quickly exclude disk is... make sure disk cache is set to a few GB, drag and drop some sessions on the (presumably fast—we never got clear specs for any of the drives) internal iMac SSD. Test run them from there. You should not have backblaze or similar invasive software running while using any DAW, so turn that off as well.

Then get to likely more useful stuff. Like removing all .aaxplugin files, testing with different sessions, testing from a new admin user account, etc. trashing prefs frequently as you try stuff.

Thank you, Darryl! Lots of great suggestions. I will go through them soon!
-Mary

[Rich Breen]

Darryl suggestions are all good - I'm immediately suspicious of Backblaze; copy operations in the background will often throw errors in Pro Tools - even with cache on.

I really think this is something external to Pro Tools causing the problem (but of course, no guarantees). Run Activity Monitor, be sure "All Processes" is selected in the view menu, and try sorting by CPU and/or Disk - keep this running and visible while you're working and see what pops up.