Error -6101 when recording

[David Khositashvili]

Hi, need your assistance.

When I record I have Error -6101. Recording stops.
I made a clean install of OS, Protools and, hardware driver, but no luck.

Here is what I use:

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)
Processor 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Total Number of Cores: 4
El capitan 10.11.6

Audio Interface:
Merging Hapi
With AES67 and RAVENNA connectivity.
No other software or drivers installed besides Merging.
I use additional 8 channel preamp Focusrite Oktopre MKII

I use Protools 12.7
I've made all necessary optimisations for my mac. I have latest driver and firmware version.

I record on G-drive external hard drive with 7200 rpm.

Please help me to solve this problem.

Thank you very much!

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk57/datiko/6101_zpsk3cmcnyx.jpg (http://s277.photobucket.com/user/datiko/media/6101_zpsk3cmcnyx.jpg.html)

[cwsand]

Hi, A couple of questions:
How many tracks are you recording at once and at what buffer setting?
How do your external drive and audio interface connect - USB 2/3, Firewire 400/800, Thunderbolt?

[tomorrowstk]

CWSAND above has solid questions. I would like to chime in and let you guys know about my findings with the -6101 error. This error seems to occur when the drives that are getting the audio written to them are not quite able to handle the amount of data from the audio interface driver to the actual hard drive itself. I see you are recording to a 7200rpm drive which is great but another factor in the drive is the cache. Spinning drives at 7200 RPM should have a cache of 64MB or above as this plays a huge role in data transfer. PT seems to want the best performance or its error central. If you can find out if the drive that is in the external drive case has 64MB or above cache then we can move on to drivers/interface. If your system (OS, PT, etc...) is a solid state drive then you are moving in the right direction. I only say this as I have had issues in the past with my recording drives. Sometimes the drive specs can be fine but if the drive health is going downhill it can cause issues.

[JFreak]

Why do you tease yourself with ElCrap? Sierra is the way to go...

[David Khositashvili]

Hi, A couple of questions:
How many tracks are you recording at once and at what buffer setting?
How do your external drive and audio interface connect - USB 2/3, Firewire 400/800, Thunderbolt?

I record maximum 24 channels 24/48
Buffer size is set to maximum 1024
And I don't use any plugins when get those errors.

It's USB3 connected directly to USB

[David Khositashvili]

CWSAND above has solid questions. I would like to chime in and let you guys know about my findings with the -6101 error. This error seems to occur when the drives that are getting the audio written to them are not quite able to handle the amount of data from the audio interface driver to the actual hard drive itself. I see you are recording to a 7200rpm drive which is great but another factor in the drive is the cache. Spinning drives at 7200 RPM should have a cache of 64MB or above as this plays a huge role in data transfer. PT seems to want the best performance or its error central. If you can find out if the drive that is in the external drive case has 64MB or above cache then we can move on to drivers/interface. If your system (OS, PT, etc...) is a solid state drive then you are moving in the right direction. I only say this as I have had issues in the past with my recording drives. Sometimes the drive specs can be fine but if the drive health is going downhill it can cause issues.
I use exactly this drive
http://www.g-technology.com/products/g-drive-ev-atc
I think it's more than 64 mb
I have SSD in my mac and use it just for system and software

[David Khositashvili]

Why do you tease yourself with ElCrap? Sierra is the way to go...
Merging hapi driver works with elcapitan
They didn't release it for sierra yet.

[David Khositashvili]

One more thing: I've been testing system for few days and several times I have recorded up to 3 hours (24 channels) without interrupting.
So, it doesn't repeat often, just sometimes.

[Wizzoboy]

6xxx errors are usually driver related.

[David Khositashvili]

6xxx errors are usually driver related.

So, there is a chance that merging drivers are not compatible with protools 12.7?

[Wizzoboy]

Or there may be a conflict. Are your Merging drivers the latest version?

[David Khositashvili]

Or there may be a conflict. Are your Merging drivers the latest version?

Yes they are

[25ghosts]

I record maximum 24 channels 24/48
Buffer size is set to maximum 1024
And I don't use any plugins when get those errors.

It's USB3 connected directly to USB

1) That is a lot of Channels to one Spinner Drive connected to USB. Especially for constant throughput. USB is not good with that. At least I have only bad experiences.

A Spinner Drive is only fast on its outer rim with the fist 16 GB. Depending on how full the drive is - your speed will vary.

2) You could try to connect it to Thunderbolt which is a lot more consistent than USB. Latter is nice for copying etc but for Real-Time-Critical-Applications you should not rely on it. It might work and it might NOT. In my case latter has proven to be something that always occurs ;-)

USB as I understand it 'Passes Thru' the CPU where Thunderbolt does - but I might not be correct. Please research that.

A couple of things to try

1) Lower your Buffer to at least 256 or better 128. Only up it when using A LOT of plugs.

2) Try to record to the system drive of your Mac. That SSD is faster than anything you could hook up as peripheral. It is insanely fast. At least twice as fast as an SSD hooked up via Thunderbolt and orders of magnitude faster than anything USB. And see if the error occurs there.

if it does - Your issue is definitely NOT drive related. If it does NOT - your 7200 Spinner is the cause or the USB3 connection feeding it. Swap to TBOLT and ONLY use USB3 for non-critical work like Sample Storage etc.

While I get a lot of these error with VIs - I never get them with just audio. Protools in that regard in my studio is rock solid.
Unless - it cannot get files fast enough off or to the drive

[David Khositashvili]

1) That is a lot of Channels to one Spinner Drive connected to USB. Especially for constant throughput. USB is not good with that. At least I have only bad experiences.

A Spinner Drive is only fast on its outer rim with the fist 16 GB. Depending on how full the drive is - your speed will vary.

2) You could try to connect it to Thunderbolt which is a lot more consistent than USB. Latter is nice for copying etc but for Real-Time-Critical-Applications you should not rely on it. It might work and it might NOT. In my case latter has proven to be something that always occurs ;-)

USB as I understand it 'Passes Thru' the CPU where Thunderbolt does - but I might not be correct. Please research that.

A couple of things to try

1) Lower your Buffer to at least 256 or better 128. Only up it when using A LOT of plugs.

2) Try to record to the system drive of your Mac. That SSD is faster than anything you could hook up as peripheral. It is insanely fast. At least twice as fast as an SSD hooked up via Thunderbolt and orders of magnitude faster than anything USB. And see if the error occurs there.

if it does - Your issue is definitely NOT drive related. If it does NOT - your 7200 Spinner is the cause or the USB3 connection feeding it. Swap to TBOLT and ONLY use USB3 for non-critical work like Sample Storage etc.

While I get a lot of these error with VIs - I never get them with just audio. Protools in that regard in my studio is rock solid.
Unless - it cannot get files fast enough off or to the drive

Thanks a lot!
I'll make tests. I'll record on integral SSD. Also I'll record less channels on my external drive and watch how it works.

[David Khositashvili]

Well, I did some tests coming out from advices I received here.

Problem still exists!
I have recorded on my integral SSD. Recorded less channels, but recording stops anyway.

I just want to find out reason, why it happens. Do I have to change my computer or may be DAW? As it doesn't work with my 6k Merging audio interface. :((

Please!

Thank you!


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[David Khositashvili]

There is one more thing:

I never had problem when I was working with older versions of Protools. Like 12.6

I just couldn't find an old installation file.
I would be appreciate if someone helps me to find 12.6 version of Protools.

Thanks

[JFreak]

There is one more thing:

I never had problem when I was working with older versions of Protools. Like 12.6

I just couldn't find an old installation file.
I would be appreciate if someone helps me to find 12.6 version of Protools.

Thanks

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