Dying here people.....Anyone....Anyone ???

[RHDRAMA]

So I feel like I've done every optimization, watched every tutorial, and spent countless hours scouring the net (and this forum) for help, or even some people with the same issues. I continue to be plagued by pops and clicks, error messages and CPU overloads during playback in PT SE.

One error message tells me to increase buffer size in my playback engine dialog, but I've checked all of my preferences, and every drop down menu and there is no playback engine dialog.......am I missing something here ??? There doesn't even seem to be one option or preference that even deals with the playback.

This same error message tells me to remove some plug-ins, so in yet another moment of trial and error I take a folder in my main digidesign folder called "PLUG-INS" and move it to the trash (didn't delete it.....just moved it) to see if that was the equivillent of "removing some plug-ins". Bad idea....even after restoring this folder to its original location, now my midi keyboard will not play internal instruments, my software updater will not work, factory loops turn up as empty space when dropped on tracks, and I keep getting error messages regarding my internal midi clock.

I'm at the point where I'm ready to un-install both SE and my Fast Track and attempt to re-install both of them....not sure what good that will do, but at least that would hopefully get me back to just working badly instead of not working at all......lesser of two evils at this point.

I'm even considering selling this brand new Mac Mini for something with more zoom. Ridiculous considering I bought both the Avid recording studio and the Mac Mini together as a package from my local Guitar Center........that kind of indicated to me that the computer was capable of running SE right out of the box. Heck......before I ever even plugged the damn thing in I maxed out the RAM in the Mini just as a preventative measure. Long story a little less long........I just want to make some music......instead of wasting all of my time troubleshooting this thing. I'm sick to death of this thing already.......and I've only had it a total of two months.

Listen......I'm a rookie.....I don't know much about all of this as you can probably see, but I know that this whole thing is putting a knife right through my creativity.

I'd really appreciate any help that anyone could provide. Heck even if you confirm that I need to just start over with a newer, faster Mac and a better version of PT........at least that would give me a new starting point.

Many thanks......to whoever even reads all of my bitching and complaining.