Crash when re-opening session that worked perfect

[mdb]

I have seen several topics about this problem but none seem identical.

So:
I work a complete day on a project. The next day I am asked to make some changes, no problem. I start Pro Tools, open the project and BOOM! Pro Tools manages to freeze the complete system (no other software I know does that).

Any other project will open fine. This happened now with 3 projects in the past month, it's something new. I haven't made any changes to the system. It just began to happen. The only cause I can think of is that OMF files delivered from the latest Adobe Premiere (on a Mac) have something in them that makes it happen.

- Opening older versions does not help (those also crash while previously they have been re-opened without problems)
- Importing the session data does not help (also crashes at import, from any of the versions or backups)
- Deleting Pro tools volume etc. folder does not help
- deleting wavecache file does not help
- I gave up on trying other things as I have to WORK and DELIVER.

The only thing that TEMPORARILY solves the problem is using the 'Rapair' function of the uninstaller (thank god for that). After that I can open the project again without problems. But it's a matter of time before it happens again.

It is extremely stressful. With everything I do I hold my breath, hoping that Pro Tools won't crash again.

Pro Tools 10 latest (also happened with previous pt10 version so at first I thought the update solved it), Windows 7, M-audio Delta 1010.

I have plans to upgrade to Mac Pro and PT12 but want to wait for the new Mac since the current is 2+ years old. And if I do I also am forced to buy new hardware and ALL plugins new since everything is now AAX. Oh thank you Avid, you've been so supportive to your clients (that is sarcasm). But I wouldn't be surprised if even THAT does not solve the problem.


EDIT:
It just happened with yet another session so now I'm quite confident that it's triggered by Pro Tools and nothing in the session could change that.
Now I need to find out what the cause is. But that's a needle in a haystack.
I have one other theory and that is that one of the Windows updates did something that Avid does not like.

[cwsand]

Hi, Some things to try:

Run a System Restore to a point when everything was working properly.

Trash preferences/databases.

Open the sessions with all plugins disabled - it could be a particular plugin causing the crash. Enabling them one at a time might help identify it.

You could also uninstall any Windows Updates to see if that is causing the problem, though that could take some time depending on how many were installed.

Assuming you have a working backup image, re-imaging the system drive should fix the problem IF it's something in Windows that has become corrupted or is conflicting with Pro Tools.

Of course, make sure you've performed all the Windows 7 Optimizations and Troubleshooting.

[mdb]

Thank you for the tips Cwsand,

I was also thinking of using backup disk-image but the last one I made was quite a while ago so that held me from doing that (not knowing what else I have to re-install).

It could be one of the plugins, but I've been using them for at least 3 years so that would be odd.

If I ever find the cause before I do the hardware upgrade I'll let it know..

[mdb]

I have not found the solution yet.

But what I feared has now finally come true: The "repair" function no longer solves the problem.

I had to do a quick change. Should have taken me a few minutes. Now it will take me a night, or longer. And a few years of my life.

edit: Thank god a complete re-install did solve the problem again. (Temporarily, see first post)

[mdb]

...And it has finally happened.
Even a compete re-install does not help anymore.

So.. There's no option left.
Back to the system disk-image.
I'll keep you posted.
I am 95% certain that this also will not solve the problem.
So I'll be out of a job soon, I guess.

Support from Avid has also been amazing (haha)

[albee1952]

2 things would be tops on my list.
#1-trash prefs and database files
#2-hold the SHIFT key while opening a session.
Holding SHIFT will make all plugins inactive, and if this allows the session to open, then its likely you have a plugin that is outdated or corrupted. In either case, its a process of elimination to find which plugin is the culprit(probably NOT a stock plugin). Re-activate all the stock plugins, save>close>re-open. If this is still good, re-activate some more(stick to brand, like all Waves plugins, or all UAD plugins) until you figure out which is the show stopper. You might also be able to open the session like this, and make ALL active and the session will run, allowing you to make the changes for the client and re-bounce(IOW, maybe the bad plugin only causes the issue while opening the session, but will run as long as the session is open). Fingers crossed for ya

[mdb]

Thank you Albee, that's very useful information

So what I did:
- Re-insert old graphics card that was used at backup point (a system disk image)
- Restore system from a disk image from june 2015.
- Copy licenses from ilok2 back to ilok1 (that was used at backup point).

What happened:
I could work for two days without problems until now.
The exact same issue happened again. CRASH... at open session.
So unfortunately my prediction came true and all has been for nothing...

A year ago I worked with the exact same template, the exact same plugins, same routing, same video codec (avid) etc. and it never happened. It makes no sense at all..

So I tried Albee's tip, holding the shift key down, and the session indeed opened without crashing. I saved as new file, opened it again (withoud shift) and all plugins where active again and working. (I could't enable the plugins after shift-opening).

Two things could be going on:
1. The crash is totally random
2. After shift-opening something resets itself somehow.

I'll be shift-opening and re-opening from now on, to see if that "fixes" the issue until I have a new system in half a year or so... Or have found a new DAW I'm willing to learn...

I'll keep you posted..

[mdb]

I hope I don't bother people by keeping updates here but maybe it's helpful for others out there.

I reverted Windows 7 system back to it's current state (backup I made at january 10)

First I thought it was Nugen VisLM because I could open about 7 sessions problem-free after removing that insert.
But then it happened again. This time, I (also) removed the Waves LinEQ's (3 of them). After that I could open the session again with plugins enabled, and re-import the LinEQ's with it's settings.
Next time I'll see if only removing one instance of the 'EQ3 7-band' also solves the problem.
If so, it would prove it is plugin related, but in general and not a specific plugin. And with that, it would be Pro Tools related and not one of the plugins...

I could update to a new Pro Tools, but I can't because it doesn't support it's own TDM plugins anymore. And it also doesn't support Complete Production Toolkit. So as written before I have to update EVERYTHING for many thousands of euro's but that new Mac is not coming out...

To be continued...

[JuanPC]

Native? Try increasing Buffer Size...

could be, or CPU overload...

for example:
i had 1x, yes, One dual mono Eleven Mk2 v12.3 @ 96KHz.

at 1024 works ok, at 512 works ok, at 256 works ok, at 128 works ok...
but when i select 64 buffer size, ProToolsHD12.3.1 goes crazy...

Created a Clean New Session, changed Buffer Size.
and...
old session opens again.

[Larold]

Are you running video in the session?