H/W Buffer size error

[LGForest]

I'd appreciate any help with this problem, if someone knows the solution. I'm only able to record something briefly and then I keep getting this error message:

The operating system held off interrupts for too long. If this occurs often, try increasing
the "H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine Dialog (-9093)

When I increase the H/W Buffer Size to the next level up (1024 samples) I get this message:

Audio processing is conflicting with other CPU tasks. If this occurs often, reducing the
"H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine Dialog may prevent the problem (-9029)

This keeps happening.. the system isn't happy with either H/W Buffer size of 512 samples OR the next level up, 1024 samples... I have YET to get this thing operational for more than 30 seconds. I just bought the MBox and am new to Pro Tools. Has anyone heard of a problem like this before? I WOuld appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

LG

[Naagzh]

Dedicate more RAM to Pro Tools. Turn off "Low Latency Monitoring".

Naagzh

[arv]

This keeps happening.. the system isn't happy with either H/W Buffer size of 512 samples OR the next level up, 1024 samples... I have YET to get this thing operational for more than 30 seconds. I just bought the MBox and am new to Pro Tools. Has anyone heard of a problem like this before? I WOuld appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

Hello

Are You using PowerBook?

My PowerBook and Mbox won´t run without power adapter in OS 9 (PT LE 5.1). OS X works fine (PT LE 6.1.2) with battery or power adapter. (Notest that when i had broken wire in adapter).

arv

[dkrz]

- Make sure that Classic is NOT running in the BG.
- Set energy saver sleep pref pane to “never”.
- Turn off Automatic Software Update
- Don’t record to the internal system drive - (use a dedicated 7200rpm or better Audio Drive)

Since there is absolutely no information at all about what your system is, I’m just guessing...
List some specifics about your set-up so that we can more easily help you.

ProTools version?
OS version?
Computer model?
Amount of Ram?
Types of drives -- external / internal / firewire ?

Go here as well if your running PTLE 6

...and follow it to the letter if your trouble shooting and/or to see if your set-up is properly configured.

dk
-------
Dual 1.25GHz FW800 / 512MB ram
OS10.2.8
PTLE 6.1.2 - DIGI 001
100GB OWC Firewire (Oxford 911) Audio HD
DigTranslator 2
McDSP Analog Channel
Waves Native Power Pack - v4

[benom]

1) Verify you are using a supported Mac Computer (Supported computer
information can be found at www.digidesign.com > Support > Compatibility)

2) Make sure you are using a supported version of the OS. To check this:
Apple Menu > About this Mac. (Mac OS 10.2.3, 10.2.4, 10.2.5, & 10.2.6 are
supported, you can a download the update from www.apple.com)

3) Verify how much memory is installed. There should be 512 mb of RAM
installed. To check this: Apple Menu > About this Mac.

4) Trash Preferences:
Mac Hard Drive > Users > users file folder > Library > Preferences. Drag to
Trash: com.digidesign.protools.plist, Trash DAE prefs., Digisetup.OSX , Pro
Tools LE preferences.

5) For all Mounted Hard drives trash Volume.ddb files:
Trash the volume.ddb file. Mac Hard Drive > Digidesign Database > Trash
volume.ddb.

6) Trash Databases Folder (If present):
Mac Hard Drive > Library > Application Support > Digidesign > Databases >
Trash Volumes folder. Empty trash. Restart.

7) Configure System Preferences:
System Preferences can be found on the DOC or in your Apple menu.
a) Open Classic > Start/Stop Tab. Uncheck > Start Classic when you log in.
(To go from Classic System preference back to the System Preferences main
window hold down the Apple/Command key and the letter L )
b) Open Energy Saver. Uncheck anything that allows the computer to go to
sleep/shutdown/ power save etc... ( apple + L)
c)Open Date & Time. Verify that the date is correctly set
Go to the Network Time and check the box > Use a network time server.
d) Disable any Virus Protection Software.

8) Repair Permissions:
Mac HD > Applications > Utilities > Launch Disk Utility. In the left Column
all your mounted Drives/Volumes will be listed. For each drive there will
be 2 listings one that will be indented and one that is not. You want to
select the Indented one for each drive (it will say something like MAC HD
or what ever you named each Volume)
Then Click on the Information Tab. Verify that the drive has been formatted
HFS or HFS +
Next, click on the First Aid Tab. Select Repair Permissions. Do this for
ALLvolumes (Indented listings)
Restart you computer

9) If you have not already updated to Pro Tools Version 6.1
Do so now by going to www.digidesign.com > Support > Downloads > PT 6.1 (or
directly at http://www.digidesign.com/download/61)

10) Unplug any other USB devices from the computer, then restart the
computer before launching Pro Tools (this will ensure that the driver for
the other USB device is not loaded upon startup.).

11) Multiple copies or installations of OSX on the same computer can cause
conflicts. If you have other copies (created by copying the System and
associated files to another drive) or installations of OSX, removing them
may alleviate some 'Unexpectedly Quit' errors.

12) Open Login items in your System Preferences Panel and disable all Login
items. Restart your computer before launching Pro Tools.

[vlad]

Well, so far you and I are the only ones having this problem. I've been posting about it since about when PT6 first came out. I called Digi and was told "hmmmm...we usually only see that error on PC's..." and left it at that. I was told to "keep calling in" and that they were closing my case.

Please post your hardware/software info with as much detail as possible. I wonder if we both are using something that is causing this.

My solution, after receiving only the basic PT6/OSX troubleshooting (which I already tried) was to get a new machine, shich I am still working at getting configured so I can use it.

Mine would error like crazy at 128 or 256, when I had no problem with those setting prior to PT6. Now, I see the error maybe once or twice in a night while set to 512 or 1024. Problem is, the latency starts to bug the musicians I'm recording at that high of a buffer size. I would get -9092 -9093 and -9094 errors.

Good luck,
Martin

[LGForest]

Hi. I appreciate the responses so far. I just upgraded my ram to 512.

DKRZ, Here's that info. you needed to try and help: I have a Dell PC, using Windows XP and have the Pro Tools 6.1 LE for my MBox. The person that sold me the MBox gave me an envelope with the 6.1 upgrade in it and told me to just use THAT CD and not the one that came in the box. I just bought the MBox about a week ago and have yet to get things running smoothly. I was taught how to record on Pro Tools with the MBox at Guitar Center and everything worked fine there, but I can't replicate it at home without getting the above error messages.. (H/W buffer size errors) I haven't been able to record for more than about 30 seconds, period. I tried calling Digidesign today, but called too late and they were no longer accepting calls (I called during their regular operating hours, but apparently they were swamped with calls)

My Dell has a 2 gig processor, 80 mb hard-drive, and I just upgraded ram from 256 to 512 today. I was really hoping that would have fixed the problem. I just got back to this forum today and will try some of the above suggestions too. It starts to record properly and I can playback what I've recorded until I get those error messages, so I assume I have everything hooked up right...

Again, I appreciate the responses so far and I'll re-read through some of them and try those suggestions. I was hoping it might be a simple fix and that maybe this was a common error message, but that might not be the case.. Any ideas on how to fix this are appreciated. Thanks.

LG

[Michael Cottrell]

"I have a Dell PC, using Windows XP"... Doh!

[LGForest]

Yeah, I'm using a PC, not a Mac. I still can't record.
Wish I could get this problem to go away. If anyone knows how to fix this problem on a PC, I'd appreciate the help. I posted my system information in the above post. Thanks alot.

LG

[Bendrissa]

I don't post here very often, so I'll point it out...

This is the Mac forum - post the question in the PC one and people will have more to say.

For what it's worth, the error messages that you've reported are virtually a third window for Pro Tools LE. Do a search - many, many users have the same problems.