Havin Problems with Buffer or WD Audio Drive? Here's my fix!

[Table Syrup Records]

Are you having Buffer issues? Like "INCREASE BUFFER", then you do and PT is like, "DECREASE BUFFER"?

Here's my posts from the past couple days that will help walk you through some simple stuff to try- All but a couple of these things are Digi Recommended and were done per instruction from their web site. GOOD LUCK!

I'll explaine in a second, first here's my Sandra:
(Keep in mind, my Wireless Internet Adapter is set up right now just to get online -ussually off)
If you're not familliar with this Sandra stuff, skip it- My trouble shooting process starts below it- seperated by *******

SiSoftware Sandra

System
Host Name : STUDIO
User : Shorty
Workgroup : MSHOME

Processor
Model : AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+
Speed : 2.20GHz
Model Number : 4200 (estimated)
Cores per Processor : 2 Unit(s)
Threads per Core : 1 Unit(s)
Type : Low Power, Dual-Core
Internal Data Cache : 64kB, Synchronous, Write-Back, 2-way set, 64 byte line size
L2 On-board Cache : 512kB, ECC, Synchronous, Write-Back, 16-way set, 64 byte line size

System
System : MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD MS-7253
Platform Compliance : AMD LIVE!
Mainboard : MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD MS-7253
Bus(es) : ISA AGP PCI PCIe USB FireWire/1394
Multi-Processor (MP) Support : 1 Processor(s)
Multi-Processor Advanced PIC (APIC) : No
System BIOS : Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG
Total Memory : 2GB DDR2-SDRAM

Chipset 1
Model : VIA Technologies Inc K8M890CE Host Bridge
Front Side Bus Speed : 2x 1000MHz (2000MHz data rate)

Chipset 2
Model : Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Athlon 64 / Opteron HyperTransport Technology Configuration
Front Side Bus Speed : 2x 1000MHz (2000MHz data rate)
Total Memory : 2GB DDR2-SDRAM
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 366MHz (732MHz data rate)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : Plug and Play Monitor
Adapter : RADEON X700 Series
Adapter : RADEON X700 Series Secondary

Physical Storage Devices
Addonics CF (ATA) : 64MB
WDC WD2500AAKS-00VYA0 (SCSI) : 233GB (C:)
WDC WD4000AAKS-00TMA0 (SCSI) : 373GB (D:)
IN-CDRW DX-CDRW (ATAPI) : N/A (E:)
TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-S182M (ATAPI) : N/A (F:)

Logical Storage Devices
Win XP (C:) : 233GB (228GB, 98% Free Space) (NTFS) @ WDC WD2500AAKS-00VYA0 (SCSI)
Audio Dive (D:) : 373GB (370GB, 99% Free Space) (NTFS) @ WDC WD4000AAKS-00TMA0 (SCSI)
CD-ROM/DVD (E:) : N/A @ IN-CDRW DX-CDRW (ATAPI)
CD-ROM/DVD (F:) : N/A @ TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-S182M (ATAPI)

Peripherals
Serial/Parallel Port(s) : 2 COM / 1 LPT
USB Controller/Hub : VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : VIA USB Enhanced Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
FireWire/1394 Controller/Hub : Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
Keyboard : Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse : PS/2 Compatible Mouse
Mouse : HID-compliant mouse
Human Interface : USB Human Interface Device

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

Operating System(s)
Windows System : Microsoft Windows XP (2002) Home 5.01.2600 (Service Pack 2)
Platform Compliance : Win32 x86

Network Services
Adapter : VIA Compatable Fast Ethernet Adapter

Performance Tips
Warning 100 : Large memory sizes should be made of Registered/Buffered memory.
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.

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Are you having Buffer issues? Like "INCREASE BUFFER", then you do and PT is like, "DECREASE BUFFER"?

Here's my posts from the past couple days that will help walk you through some simple stuff to try- All but a couple of these things are Digi Recommended and were done per instruction from their web site. GOOD LUCK!

Ok..... I installed new Hard Drives, both System Drive and Audio, and freshly installed XP Home.
Now I'm getting all those buffer errors again- increase buffer, decrease buffer, conflicting with CPU tasks..... yadda yadda yadda...... dang..........

The only stuff installed on my computer right now is PT LE 7.1, CD Architect 5.2(b), PT Factory Plugs, Free Bomb Fact Plugs, Nomad Plugs (3 Free), MME Helper, and a couple drivers (Wireless Internet USB Antenna, etc).

I went through all the recommended stuff, like:

Disabling a CF Card Reader I have in the computer (Soon to be replaced with a USB one)
(Pro Tools was seeing this as a HD and jackin stuff up I think)

Processor Scheduling: Background
Memory Usage: System Cache

Disabled unnecessary hardware (That I knew was safe, in Hardware Manager)

Deleted DAE stuff, Preferences, Databases....

My Onboard Sound is DISABLED
My onboard Shared VIDEO Memory is DISABLED

I installed the Microsoft Dual Core Hotfix
I installed the AMD Dual Core Optimizer
(Of course these two things are hardware specific)

In MSCONFIG, turned off all services that weren't Microsoft
in MSCONFIG, turned off all startup except digi's MMErefresh & AMPdualcoreoptimizer

I set the System Paging File for both drives to the System Specified option....

Cool n' Quiet: Disabled (Speed Stepping)
Spread Spectrum is ENABLED in my BIOS (Not sure if that's related)

My motherboard uses the SATA option to use RAID or IDE mode. I''m set to IDE.

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YAY!!!!!

I GOT 'ER DUN!!!!!

I'll explaine my fix here, and make a new thread related to Windows based LE buffer issues, and WD Audio Drive issues!

Here's what fixed my issue.

1) I have an old IDE 'Addonics CF Card Reader' that showed up in 'Device Manager' under 'Removable Storage'.... I disabled it, but after a reboot at some unknown point, Windows removed the 'Removable Storage' catagory and placed it under "Disk Drives' and re-enabled it! I simply disabled it there, and as of yet it remains that way. I intend to remove it from my computer this weekend.

2) A good friend and IT tech (As well as a recreational artist/engineer) told me to disable 'Disk Indexing' on my Audio Drive (A brand new Western Digital 400GB SATAII 300Mbs 16 MB Cache). This was done by going to 'My Computer' and right clicking the Audio Drive choosing 'Properties', then deselecting the checkbox for 'Allow Indexing on this Drive for fast File Searching'.

Done deal. I'm screamin.

I now have my buffer setting at 64 and my DAE Pref at Default 2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

During Playback my Usage Meter is around 1/8 capacity on the CPU, and my disk meter occasionally flutters a tiny incling of a sumthin....... SHE's SCREAMIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE!