Newbie help with system lock ups

[frodebass]

Hi,

i just installed Protools 10 on my windows system.
I also installed the Native instruments Komplete 8 package.

I have downloaded all updates for both, I bought protools with the Mbox interface and I have downloaded and installed the latest driver for this.

Today I tried to start a new project.
I recorded some bass guitar, then opened Kontakt and loaded session drummer and put some midi files from that into the edit window.
Recorded another track of bass, and while looking around in the mixer window my system crashed hard.
It made a constant stutter sound, like a few millisecond sound in a constant loop, and all mouse and key movement froze completely.

All I could do was a hard reset of the whole system.

This has now happened many times, I cannot find out what triggers it other than at random times my system freezes like this. I get no error message, and the CPU and disk meters seam reasonable.

My system is a Dell system with Intel core quad CPU processor at 2.4 ghz
3Gb RAM
Win 7 32 bit home premium with serv pack 1
Nvida Gforce 8800 GTX display adapter
System is using RAID mode on two disks.
I have a WD connected via USB where I have stored the samples from Kontakt
I have been creating project on my main system drive as Protools will not let me use the USB drive.

Anyone know where I should start?

Thanks,

Frode Berg
Norway

[albee1952]

You really need to provide a Sandra report as described in this thread(link is in the dark grey box at the top of this and every DUC page):
Help us Help You - READ THIS Before Posting!

[frodebass]

Hi, thanks, and sorry...

Here's the sandra report:

SiSoftware Sandra

ID
Host Name : Frodebass-PC
Workgroup : WORKGROUP

Computer
Model : Dell XPS720
Serial Number : 13J****
Chassis : Dell Tower
Mainboard : Dell 0P611C
Serial Number : ..CN1374*********
BIOS : Dell A04 12/04/2007
Total Memory : 3GB DIMM DDR

Processors
Processor : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (4C 2.4GHz, 2x 4MB L2)
Socket/Slot : FC LGA (Socket T)

Chipset
Memory Controller : nVidia C55 Host Bridge 4x 267MHz (1GHz)
Memory Controller : Dell MCP55 Memory Controller 2x 1.34GHz (2.67GHz), 3GB DIMM DDR 666MHz

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : Samsung M3 78T2863DZS-CE6 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-5300U DDR2-666 (5-5-5-15 3-20-5-3)
Memory Module : Samsung M3 78T2863DZS-CE6 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-5300U DDR2-666 (5-5-5-15 3-20-5-3)
Memory Module : Hynix (Hyundai) HYMP164U64CP6-Y5 512MB DIMM DDR2 PC2-5300U DDR2-666 (5-5-5-15 3-20-5-3)
Memory Module : Hynix (Hyundai) HYMP164U64CP6-Y5 512MB DIMM DDR2 PC2-5300U DDR2-666 (5-5-5-15 3-20-5-3)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : Dell Computer DELL 2208WFP
(1680x1050, 22.0")
Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX (128 SM4.0 1.35GHz, 768MB DDR3 1.8GHz 384-bit, PCIe 1.00 x16)

Graphics Processor
OpenCL GP Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX (128SP 16C 1.35GHz, 768MB DDR3 1.8GHz 384-bit)
Compute Shader Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX (128SP 1.35GHz, 768MB DDR3 1.8GHz 384-bit)
CUDA GP Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX (128SP 16C 1.35GHz, 768MB DDR3 1.8GHz 384-bit)

Storage Devices
NVIDIA STRIPE 596.18G (640.1GB, RAID) : 596GB (C:) (D:)
WDC WD3200JB-00KFA0 (320.1GB, USB2/ATA100, 3.5", 7200rpm, 8MB Cache) : 298GB (L:)
TEAC USB HS-CF Card (USB2) : N/A (G:)
TEAC USB HS-xD/SM (USB2) : N/A (H:)
TEAC USB HS-MS Card (USB2) : N/A (I:)
TEAC USB HS-SD Card (USB2) : N/A (J:)
TSSTcorpDVD+-RW TS-H653B (RAID, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache) : N/A (E:)

Logical Storage Devices
OS (C:) : 586GB (NTFS) @ NVIDIA STRIPE 596.18G (640.1GB, RAID)
My Book (L:) : 298GB (FAT32) @ WDC WD3200JB-00KFA0 (320.1GB, USB2/ATA100, 3.5", 7200rpm, 8MB Cache)
RECOVERY (D:) : 10GB (NTFS) @ NVIDIA STRIPE 596.18G (640.1GB, RAID)
Removable Drive (G:) : N/A @ TEAC USB HS-CF Card (USB2)
Removable Drive (H:) : N/A @ TEAC USB HS-xD/SM (USB2)
Removable Drive (I:) : N/A @ TEAC USB HS-MS Card (USB2)
Removable Drive (J:) : N/A @ TEAC USB HS-SD Card (USB2)
Optical Drive (E:) : N/A @ TSSTcorpDVD+-RW TS-H653B (RAID, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache)

Peripherals
LPC Hub Controller 1 : Dell MCP55 LPC Bridge
LPC Legacy Controller 1 : SMSC SCH5514D-NS
Audio Device : Dell MCP55 High Definition Audio
Audio Codec : Sigmatel High Definition Audio Codec
Audio Device : Creative Labs Creative X-Fi Audio Processor
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
Disk Controller : nVidia C55 Memory Controller
USB Controller 1 : Dell MCP55 USB Controller
USB Controller 2 : Dell MCP55 USB Controller
FireWire/1394 Controller 1 : Dell TSB43AB22 1394a-2000 OHCI PHY/Link-Layer Controller
SMBus/i2c Controller 1 : nVidia MCP5 SMBus 1
SMBus/i2c Controller 2 : nVidia MCP5 SMBus 2

Printers and Faxes
Printer : Microsoft XPS Document Writer (600x600, Colour)
Fax : Microsoft Shared Fax Driver (200x200)
Printer : Dell MFP Laser 3115cn PCL6 (600x600, USB, Colour)

Peripherals

Network Services
Network Adapter : Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Controller (Ethernet)
Wireless Adapter : D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G122 Wireless USB Adapter(rev.C) #2 (802.11g (ERP), WEP n-bit, 54Mbps)

Operating System
Windows System : Microsoft Windows 7 Home 6.01.7601 (Service Pack 1)
Platform Compliance : x86

[albee1952]

I'm not the last word on this stuff, but here's what I see:

RAID, maybe not a good idea. While its SUPPOSED to be okay with 10HD or CPTK(which both allow RAM caching of audio), it was never supported before(and I am not sure that it may be the issue now)

Mis-matched RAM can be a performance killer.

Wifi needs to be disabled when running Pro Tools(at least until you get things working well, at which point you can turn it back on and see what happens).

3GB or RAM is not enough for Windows 7, never mind running Pro Tools on top of it.

Your USB drive is FAT32 and Windows 7 really should be using NTFS drives for most everything. You also need to have your sessions on their own drive(not the C: drive and NOT the samples drive). I would install another internal SATA 7200 rpm drive and cross your fingers(WD Caviar Black are a great choice. no "green" drives allowed).

Not sure what interface you have but Dell firewire is USUALLY not compatible.