Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

Hi folks, I'm hoping to get some advice on upgrading.


I've been running Pro Tools 11.3.1 on a Win 7 64 bit PC for years, it's reliable and I've had no need to upgrade... until now that is, many plugin manufacturers are dropping support for Win 7.


I'm planning to upgrade to Win 10, and I've just purchased a Pro Tools Reinstatement license.


I didn't do my homework correctly, and based on what I've read, Avid are currently recommending a minimum 16 GB of RAM for Pro Tools. My PC has 8 GB.


I had the PC built about 10 years ago, here's the specs:


Intel i5 quad core, 2.8 GHz
8 GB RAM
ASUS Radeon HD6450 1GB graphics card
3 HDDs


I cant see much point putting any further money into this PC given it's age, so buying another 8GB of RAM seems like dead money.


Are there any versions of Pro Tools that will run on Win 10 and perform well with 8GB of RAM?


I'd be happy to go back to v12 if necessary.


Thanks in advance.

Re: Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

My 2c. Get a new machine.

The performance gains you’ll get with a modern computer compared to a 10 yo machine will be immense.

Getting 10 years out of a machine is a great ROI but I think you should be looking to update. Newer software typically takes advantage of modern CPU power so you’ll end up struggling at some point on the old machine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

Agree with Sardi. 8gb ram is half the recommended MINIMUM, plus the software tends to be designed for the “latest greatest” hardware.
You can only “milk” a machine to a certain point, and I’d guess you’re to that point.

Re: Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

Agree with all above - time for a new computer. You had a good long run. I just upgraded my 10/11 year old rig; let's see if I can get 10 years out of my new rig!

Re: Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

Thanks for the advice. I'm not in a position to shell out for a new PC at present, so I'm going to have to wring every last minute out of this PC.


I'd like to be able to upgrade to Win 10 however.



I'm thinking I might just run a Win 10 upgrade on the PC (leaving Pro Tools installed) then see if Pro Tools 11.3.1 (and the 002R driver) still work.



Anyone see any problems with this?



Thanks.

Re: Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

The migration to Windows 10 should work fine for you - but please bare in mind what others have already said about Pro Tools struggling with your set-up.

I recommend, whenever possible, printing your Track/bouncing to Audio - then making any Instrument Track inactive/removing any Instruments or FX used.

This method would definitely let your computer "cope" better.



Windows 7 to 10 migration (with all files intact – including my Axiom Pro 49, whose Driver is not supported in Windows 10) worked flawlessly for me - but I respect the traditional advice:
Backup – or better still, clone your drive before upgrading.


You can still upgrade Win 7 Pro to Win 10 Pro for free, without losing your files, instead of having to wipe out your device clean, with Microsoft’s MediaCreationTool21H1 – it’s the 2nd blue button (Download tool now) on this page:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/soft...load/windows10

Please read:
Is Apple Quicktime A Security Risk For Windows Pro Tools Users?
https://www.pro-tools-pc.com/apple-q...security-risk/
See: “Installing the bare minimum Quicktime Components Required for Pro Tools - disable all options except the "Quicktime Essentials"

Windows Data Collecting And Phone Home Features
https://www.pro-tools-pc.com/windows...ng-phone-home/

Windows Data Collecting And Phone Home Features Part 2
https://www.pro-tools-pc.com/data-co...-phone-home-2/

How to Upgrade for Free to Windows 10 Home or Pro
https://youtu.be/QdNL-pvvXH4

Re: Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

I'd go on the used market(eBay or craigslist)and try to find an exact match for your current 8GB of RAM(to give you a fighting chance at running Win10 without falling on your face). And, when I say "exact match". I mean exactly the same part number and size(so if you now have 2x4GB, get another set of 2x4GB that is the same brand and model). I'm guessing your system is either DDR3 or DDR2, which should be really affordable these days.

also, depending on the motherboard, a used i7 6-core might also be a bargain(but the RAM would be my first "improvement" expenditure):o

More suggestions(based on your lack of info), get a fresh SSD of 500GB and clone your current C: drive. Then pull your current C: drive, install the SSD and update that drive to Windows 10(or reload everything from scratch) so your current C: drive does not get altered at all. Doing this will allow you to revert back to what you have now in case the Windows 10 install/update has any issues(IOW, don't ruin a working system while trying to make it better).

Re: Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

Thanks for the advice everyone, much appreciated.


Just on this point:



Pro Tools 11.3.1 doesn't struggle on my current Win 7 64 PC, it runs great, and my sessions are 24/96. I'm not planning on upgrading Pro Tools (I don't have enough RAM for that), just Windows.


But yeah, good points about taking safety backups, I'm already feeling twitchy about attempting the Win 10 upgrade, not knowing whether Pro Tools 11.3.1 and the 002Rack driver will function.


I guess the other question is: is Win 10 Home more resource hungry than Win 7 Home 64 bit SP1? If so, then Pro Tools won't be performing as well as it does currently.

Re: Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

Lots of people are happy to "lockdown" an earlier version of Pro Tools with an earlier OS - I was told our ABC still uses Pro Tools 8 - haven't checked if this is still the case ...

My initial reaction was to suggest: just be happy with Windows 7, if it wasn't for Microsoft's announcing Windows 11 - I don't know how long the free 7-to-10 upgrade will last, once Windows 11 is flying ...

Windows 10 "feels" faster than Windows 7 - it's a great upgrade!


For cloning, I'm happy with Acronis True Image version 23.5.17750 - but it seems Macrium Reflect is the most popular, as it offers more …

Re: Looking to upgrade from Pro Tools 11.3.1, need advice
 

Thanks mate, that's all good advice.


I'm not particularly tech savvy, so I bring a tech in to work on my PCs. There's a guy here in Brisbane, he built my current PC, he's a good operator.


The other option is, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but... I might think about a M1 Mac Mini. I've been using PCs since the late 80s, but I've never used a Mac. M1 Mac Mini with 16 GB RAM is $1400 AUD.



My only concern about the Mac Mini is the power supply - I wonder if it's gutsy enough to handle two external hard drives, wireless mouse and keyboard etc.


I reckon I'll go onto Umart and check out some components, it'll be interesting to see if PCs are still way cheaper than Macs with similar specs and performance.