Screen Freezes/System but Session Keeps Playing

[wdjudd]

ProTools 10.3.x Causing Screen/System Freezes

After searching it seems that most posts are in Windows group but I am posting here - please reply if similar problems on Mac.

I have two systems: OS10.6.8 and OS 10.7.5 on a MacPro 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon, etc. (see signature below). I see the same issues on both OS systems.

I have tried OS10.7.5 reinstall, Clean Install PT and Driver for 002 reinstall, updating about three plugins that were not the latest version, Disk Repair (which was not necessary), delete all of the potential problematic files, repair permissions . . . the time spent and work flow loss . . .

After anywhere from 1-3 hours of recording, the Screen Freezes but the session keeps playing in the background. No control of mouse or keyboard. No way to Force-Quit, must power down by holding in the power button.

I have been working with a new client for about a week. Yesterday afternoon we finally got through a demo of one song that took about 14-hours of Recording/Mixing. During that period PT10 hard crashed 6-times (screen freeze, etc. as already explained).

About 90 seconds of an acoustic guitar track (one clip) sounded like there was an old projector (after crash) that had been recorded in the background (consistent clicking). Starting up from a session backup did not solve the problem. Starting a new session and importing did not help. That specific clip had been trashed. So "Client, please bring your acoustic guitar BACK so we can re-record this part". What has happened to PTs?

I am certain that this client thought several times that I did know what I was doing. Sorry . . . just thought I should document here to AVID what this crippled version of PT is now causing.

A poll taken on AIR Users Group a few months ago showed that over 64% of all PT9/10 users were not going to upgrade to PT 11 anytime in the near future, so I ask AVID to please spend a little more time and help us get back on track with our typical work day. If you can't resolve this problem please tell us so . . .we can just go back to PT9 and try to forget PT10 ever happened. Once I start loosing clients because PTs10 has become so unreliable, I do not feel like being very nice about it any longer. SO PLEASE FIX THIS D_ _ _ THING AVID!

Just for the record:
This problem has caused me to loose other business. One 70s United Artist staff writer who had many old recordings on tape . . . I baked some of the 456/411 tapes, transferred them successfully to PT, started remastering with this client present and the problems above started to happen. He left but gave be the benefit of the doubt and returned about a week later. We got through a short session but then the problem appeared again. When you have to cancel sessions, you loose money right?

The longest standing client I have came in for session work a few weeks ago. We got started but soon had to abandon the session because of this problem. When you have to cancel sessions, you loose money right?

Enough said . . .