AvidAudioServer causing Panics

[Qwertypo]

Mac M1 Mini 13.6.1 (yes I know... but asking before I attempt to downgrade to 13.5.2 because my intel on 13.6.1 runs fine)


Native Thunderbolt, connected to 192 io


Avid Audio Server doesnt really work, no audio comes out, but I do see it as an output option in the OS. ProTools is running fine, so I am able to get work done. But when I leave my computer idle for a while, it has a panic and reboots itself. "LLC Bus error from cpu2"


Any suggestions before I attempt a downgrade to fix?



Is there a good way to downgrade you recommend?


Thanks!

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Qwertypo

Mac M1 Mini 13.6.1 (yes I know... but asking before I attempt to downgrade to 13.5.2 because my intel on 13.6.1 runs fine)

What version of Pro tools are you running? What version of the HD Driver?

Is your Mac sleeping/powering off "when I leave my computer idle for a while"? All the optimizations are done including disabling sleep etc.? Is the Thunderbolt Native on a dedicated Thunderbolt port with nothing else? Especially not monitors. I'm not sure if the M1 Mac Mini suffers from Thunderbolt power management related issues that the Studios can... especially say triggered by Thunderbolt Monitors sleeping.

Can you just restart the Avid Audio Server and that work? It's at least better than rebooting.

The last thing on my mind would be downgrading macOS. Deal with everything else you can first. There might be reasons for wanting to try a clean macOS install if the system has a history of in-situ major upgrades updates etc.). If you do a clean macOS install do it to a new boot volume created on the boot drive or a new external drive (and look up Apple silicon systems specific instructions for working with external boot volumes if you do that). Don't just blow away your current boot volume.

[Qwertypo]

ProTools is 2023.9

HD Driver is 2023.9




M1 sleep settings are almost non-existent, but I have disabled putting the hard drive to sleep. I do let the monitors go off.


I assume there is a bigger issue with the driver since I can not get any audio to pass through the hardware from the OS, which is what Avid Audio Server is for correct?



I do have the Native on its own thunderbolt, and the displays on a 1x3 from OWC.

[luy]

Hi,

Chiming in because I had these issues since I moved from Intel to M1 pro, so it seems that it's related to how the HD Driver manages Thunderbolt on Apple Silicon...

I opened a case with Avid (at least a year ago) and after a few troubleshooting sessions, clean OS install, cleaning prefs, etc, etc... when I asked if they could replicate the issue at their end, their reply was (paraphrasing) "oh yes, we know about this and can reproduce... just don't hot unplug the HD Native thunderbolt or you will get a kernel panic"

Also this was happening all across different macOS 13 minor versions, even "supported" ones, so I wouldn't waste time with that unless Avid has fixed this without telling anyone.

So, basically:

• If you don't install the HD driver, the crash does not happen when hot unplugging
• Once the HD driver is installed, my trick to unplug without shutting the laptop off, is to kill the "Avid Audio Server" proccess and before it respawns unplug the thunderbolt cable... THIS IS A MAJOR PAIN for laptop users
• Regarding no sound coming from the HD driver, I have this issue from time to time, especially when the memory pressure is high. Again, just randomly kill the "Avid Audio Server" and it might eventually show up on the audio devices list, some times I also have to replug, and on rare occasions only a reboot will help
• I also get horrible noises from the HD Driver when the memory pressure is high, looks like a buffer underrun or something, and emits noise for a few seconds until it catches up, sometimes you also have to kill the "Avid Audio Server" (see a pattern here??). Similar to those full scale noise blasts we had at some point in PT a few years ago that were pretty dangerous if you were on headphones or with the monitors at a high volume setting, some people here might remember.

This is my great experience with the HD Driver since I moved to M1... Other than that, when running PT it works great.

Sorry I'm a bit pissed about this topic, but paying the annual upgrade/support extortion fee for a few years and the only major issue I had, the support was awful and did nothing about it, even after a year. I'm so happy now that I don't have to keep paying unless I need an update.

Hope this helps!

---EDIT---
I know you are not in a laptop, but the problem is the same, when your M1 Mini goes to sleep the system crashes as it takes this as unplugging the thunderbolt cable... this also happens on my laptop and hence you need to make sure you disable sleep

[fsavell]

Originally Posted by luy

Hi,

Chiming in because I had these issues since I moved from Intel to M1 pro, so it seems that it's related to how the HD Driver manages Thunderbolt on Apple Silicon...

I opened a case with Avid (at least a year ago) and after a few troubleshooting sessions, clean OS install, cleaning prefs, etc, etc... when I asked if they could replicate the issue at their end, their reply was (paraphrasing) "oh yes, we know about this and can reproduce... just don't hot unplug the HD Native thunderbolt or you will get a kernel panic"

Also this was happening all across different macOS 13 minor versions, even "supported" ones, so I wouldn't waste time with that unless Avid has fixed this without telling anyone.

So, basically:

• If you don't install the HD driver, the crash does not happen when hot unplugging
• Once the HD driver is installed, my trick to unplug without shutting the laptop off, is to kill the "Avid Audio Server" proccess and before it respawns unplug the thunderbolt cable... THIS IS A MAJOR PAIN for laptop users
• Regarding no sound coming from the HD driver, I have this issue from time to time, especially when the memory pressure is high. Again, just randomly kill the "Avid Audio Server" and it might eventually show up on the audio devices list, some times I also have to replug, and on rare occasions only a reboot will help
• I also get horrible noises from the HD Driver when the memory pressure is high, looks like a buffer underrun or something, and emits noise for a few seconds until it catches up, sometimes you also have to kill the "Avid Audio Server" (see a pattern here??). Similar to those full scale noise blasts we had at some point in PT a few years ago that were pretty dangerous if you were on headphones or with the monitors at a high volume setting, some people here might remember.

This is my great experience with the HD Driver since I moved to M1... Other than that, when running PT it works great.

Sorry I'm a bit pissed about this topic, but paying the annual upgrade/support extortion fee for a few years and the only major issue I had, the support was awful and did nothing about it, even after a year. I'm so happy now that I don't have to keep paying unless I need an update.

Hope this helps!

---EDIT---
I know you are not in a laptop, but the problem is the same, when your M1 Mini goes to sleep the system crashes as it takes this as unplugging the thunderbolt cable... this also happens on my laptop and hence you need to make sure you disable sleep

I'm also adding I've been experiencing this too with new Mac Studio and HDX via Sonnet Echo III-D HDX edition.

I've installs for both Ventura & Sonoma and it's happening on both.

There's no Sleep settings active so not sure what is causing it, but nothing is "hot-unplugging" the HDX card, especially because I have a M.2 4x4 RAID drive in the chassis too.

If I leave the system alone for a period of time - not exactly sure how long, it'll crash and restart the computer. Super tedious if you're downloading etc.

I tested screensaver and screen sleep (turning on after 1 minute) and neither of these activating caused the panic.

Forrester