Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

I've been working with a 4 piece rock band for several weeks on a project. Most sessions are less than 16 tracks. I do have plug-ins on most tracks but I don't think it's excessive. After no problems for the first few weeks, I'm now having a chronic problem with CPU usage spiking in the middle of a session, and ultimately the system will freeze up if I don't save and close out immediately. This happens in playback as well as record mode and occurs after running 2 or 3 minutes in either mode. I've tried increasing and decreasing the buffer size and CPU limit, but that hasn't helped. I replaced my os drive after finding some viruses and bad sectors there but that hasn't made any difference either. Could my record drive or processors be going bad or is there something that else that can be adjusted?

Thanks for helping!

Using PT 7.3 with an 003 Rack

Sandra Report:

< Computer >
Model: System manufacturer P5K SE/EPU
Workgroup: MSHOME
Host Name: sweetwater
User: Admin

< Processor >
Model: Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU E2180 @
2.00GHz
Speed: 2GHz
Cores per Processor: 2 Unit(s)
Threads per Core: 1 Unit(s)
Type: Dual-Core
Integrated Data Cache: 2x 32kB, Synchronous, Write-Thru, 8-way, 64
byte line size
L2 On-board Cache: 1MB, ECC, Synchronous, ATC, 4-way, 64 byte
line size, 2 threads sharing

< Computer >
Mainboard: Asus P5K SE/EPU
BIOS: AMI 0201 02/01/2008
Bus(es): ISA X-Bus PCI PCIe IMB USB FireWire/1394 i2c/
SMBus
Multi-Processor (MP) Support: No
Multi-Processor Advanced PIC (:Yes
Total Memory: 2GB DIMM DDR2 DDR3

< Chipset >
Model: ASUS P35/G33/G31 Processor to I/O Controller
Front Side Bus Speed: 4x 200MHz (800MHz)
Total Memory: 2GB DIMM DDR2 DDR3
Memory Bus Speed: 2x 400MHz (800MHz)

< Memory Module(s) >
Memory Module: Samsung M3 78T2863QZS-CF7 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-
6400U DDR2-800 (5-6-6-18 3-24-6-3)
Memory Module: Samsung M3 78T2863QZS-CF7 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-
6400U DDR2-800 (5-6-6-18 3-24-6-3)

< Video System >
Video Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS (16 SP 1.7GHz, 256MB
DDR2 2x400MHz, PCIe 1.00 x16)

< Graphics Processor >
Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS (16SP 2C 918MHz,
255.7MB 2x400MHz)
Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS (16SP 2C 918MHz,
255.7MB 2x400MHz)

< Storage Devices >
WDC WD3200AAKS-00L9A0 (320GB, :298GB (C:) (D:)
ST3250310AS (250GB, SATA150, 3:233GB (I:)
ST3160815AS (160GB, SATA150, 3:149GB (E:)
Generic USB SD Reader (USB): N/A (V:)
Generic USB CF Reader (USB): N/A (W:)
Generic USB SM Reader (USB): N/A (X:)
Generic USB MS Reader (USB): N/A (Y:)
ATAPI DVD A DH20A4H (SCSI, DV:N/A (Z:)

< Logical Storage Devices >
Hard Disk (C:): 146GB (NTFS) @ WDC WD3200AAKS-00L9A0 (320GB,
SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, NCQ, 16MB Cache)
Data (D:): 152GB (NTFS) @ WDC WD3200AAKS-00L9A0 (320GB,
SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, NCQ, 16MB Cache)
Rec Drive (I:): 233GB (NTFS) @ ST3250310AS (250GB, SATA150,
3.5", NCQ, 8MB Cache)
Old HDD (E:): 146GB (NTFS) @ ST3160815AS (160GB, SATA150,
3.5", NCQ, 8MB Cache)
Removable Drive (V:): N/A @ Generic USB SD Reader (USB)
Removable Drive (W:): N/A @ Generic USB CF Reader (USB)
Removable Drive (X:): N/A @ Generic USB SM Reader (USB)
Removable Drive (Y:): N/A @ Generic USB MS Reader (USB)
Optical Drive (Z:): N/A @ ATAPI DVD A DH20A4H (SCSI, DVD+-RW, CD-
RW)

< Peripherals >
LPC Hub Controller 1: ASUS (ICH9) LPC Interface Controller
LPC Legacy Controller 1: Winbond W83627DHG
Audio Device: ASUS (ICH9) HD Audio Controller
Audio Codec: Realtek Semiconductor 883 High Definition
Audio
Disk Controller: ASUS (ICH9) 2 port Serial ATA Storage
Controller 1
Disk Controller: ASUS (ICH9) 2 port Serial ATA Storage
Controller 2
Disk Controller: ASUS 6121 SATA2 Controller
USB Controller 1: ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 2: ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 3: ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 4: ASUS (ICH9) USB2 Enhanced Host Controller
USB Controller 5: ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 6: ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 7: ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 8: ASUS (ICH9) USB2 Enhanced Host Controller
FireWire/1394 Controller 1: Avlab Technology TSB43AB23 1394a-2000 OHCI
PHY/link-layer Controller
SMBus/i2c Controller 1: Intel 801xx/63xx SMBus

< Printers and Faxes >
Printer: Microsoft Office Document Image Writer Driver
(300x300, Colour)
Printer: Lexmark 1200 Series (4800x1200, USB, Colour)

< Network Services >
Network Adapter: Atheros L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T
Controller - Packet Scheduler Miniport
(Ethernet, 100Mbps)

< Power Management >
Mains (AC) Line Status: On-Line

< Operating System >
Windows System: Microsoft Windows XP Home 5.01.2600 (Service
Pack 3)
Platform Compliance: x86

< Performance Tips >
Tip 2546: Large memory modules should be ECC/Parity.
Tip 2: Double-click tip or press Enter while a tip
is selected for more information about the
tip.

Re: Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

Couple of things come to mind: your video card and your firewire card. Do a search for DPC Latency Checker, download, install and run that to see if any components are causing issues. There were problems with some nVidia video cards. Also, if your firewire card does not have a TI chipset, that too could be a problem.

Cheers,

Re: Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

Thanks The Weed.

I ran the latency checker and no problems came up. I did a search on my firewire card but couldn't determine if it has the TI chipset or not. I also ran MemTest on my processors and nothing came up. Is there a rule of thumb as to how many plug-ins can be inserted in a given session? Let's say I have 18 tracks and each one has an eq plug-in and I'm running dverb on about half of them and compression on 4 or 5 tracks is that too much for my system?

Re: Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

Have a similar PC running with an Mbox mini. works!

Two things come to my mind, unplug the USB card reader and check your firewire chipset.

I got about 55 Dverbs out of this type of machine!

Re: Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

Re: Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

Not sure this has anything to do with it - but are you running 9 instances of DVerb? And, are you running it directly on the tracks?

Perhaps try 1 DVerb on a Stereo Aux, and bussing the various tracks to it. It'll certainly take a load off the system.

Cheers,

Scott

Re: Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

Thanks to all.

Tom, it is a TI card.

Aus Scott, you're right. I am running multiple instances of different plug-ins. I hadn't thought of running them through stereo aux channels. I'm gonna try that and get back to you.

Re: Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

Download and run CPUz from CPUID and make sure that the processor is running at its rated speed. You should have EIST, and C1E disabled along with CPU Smartfan. Also D-Verb has been known to DeNormalise. Inserting a dither plug after each instance may help.

Given the potential corruption issue it might not hurt to import the tracks one at a time into a new session and see if the issue is related to one or more specific tracks.

Re: Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

Thanks Sunburst79. I'll give all that a shot. This issue is occurring on more than one session file, but they originated as copies of each other, so your suggestion is a good one. I'll follow up on that as well. Thanks again.

Re: Processor spike & system freeze-up is sessions
 

Hey Psalmeister

I've just solved a similar problem by deactivating Sansamp in the session. If your using that it might be worth checking