Pro tools did not shut down correctly!

[Darryl Ramm]

Killing a process tree may not work for you but will for others because you are experiencing a problem different to others. Especially related to device drivers where there is pending I/O operations or internal errors detected there can be situations where you just may not be able to kill process. Others may be lucky at times with problems with different root causes and they may be being to kill processes that does not mean inability to kill processes is in itself mysterious. Hopefully the information you can send Avid will point to the root cause.

Darryl

[jarrydee]

this happens to me sometimes and to fix it in PC, you have to go to "windows task manager" and you will see that the computer still thinks PT is open, you have to select it and shut it down, then you can launch PT with no errors! I do not know how this works in MAC but just go to where it shows all of you programs that are running (even the background ones) and look, you will see that PT is still running, just end it and you will be fine!

EDIT: Just in case you dont know, with PC to get into task manager you hit and hold down. CTRL>ALT> Delete

[otobot]

Originally Posted by dterry

I posted earlier a couple of times that the .exe can not be force quit, at least in my case. I was hoping others would describe whether or not this is working for them.

Force quit would be an acceptable workaround, but only when it works. Protools*32.exe is the only process with this problem on my system. That's the first aspect I suggested needed addressing - find a reason why the .exe can't be force quit, then find out why it hangs in the first place.

I just posted because this way I could kill the process. Sometimes it needs a couple of seconds, but sure enough if you kill the whole process tree, ProTools.exe will "die".

Did you just try to kill the process via the button "End Process" or did you use the option "End Process Tree" ?

Originally Posted by jarrydee

this happens to me sometimes and to fix it in PC, you have to go to "windows task manager" and you will see that the computer still thinks PT is open, you have to select it and shut it down, then you can launch PT with no errors! I do not know how this works in MAC but just go to where it shows all of you programs that are running (even the background ones) and look, you will see that PT is still running, just end it and you will be fine!

EDIT: Just in case you dont know, with PC to get into task manager you hit and hold down. CTRL>ALT> Delete

http://duc.avid.com/showpost.php?p=1739320&postcount=29

[dterry]

Originally Posted by otobot

Did you just try to kill the process via the button "End Process" or did you use the option "End Process Tree" ?

Both - neither worked - and I've been working through this for a couple of weeks - about a dozen lockups with no way to force quit either the process or tree - I even killed every other Avid-related process to see if that would free up the protools*32.exe process to be killed, but that didn't work either. I have also seen PT take a while to shut down, so I've waited it out for 10-15 minutes - no luck. The process is truly stuck beyond Win7's ability to gracefully exit until Win7 is restarted (and here it BSODs, but that's tied to a MOTU driver according to the minidump) - that's a rather serious problem, and this is a new system, fresh build.

However, I posted the link to the C++ 2008 MS fix for the right click/context bug because I thought it might be related and Digi/Avid might want to investigate to see if that bug could cascade into the process being stuck with no graceful exit. I just installed this patch, so it will take a week or two of working with PT to see if it solved the problem.

My thinking (from past experience, not just guessing), is that if there is a bug in Win7 that can prevent certain right-click context menu functions from working (there is quite a bit about this if one searches in google), it could also cause ProTools to reach an unknown state, and lock up, or perhaps PT has some less than robust code in this area that can trigger this problem in Win7.

If there is a way to contact tech support without having to pay for a ticket, I'll be happy to send all of this on directly rather than post here. But I'm not really interested in paying for support to help fix developers' bugs when I've already gone through the obvious troubleshooting techniques to rule out anything on my system (which is only 2 months old, and completely clean of other apps, so a unique system-related problem that doesn't involve ProTools is highly unlikely).

[thedark]

Also maybe reference: http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=310720

So, I have spent a considerable amount time researching this problem. Not only does it happen to Pro Tools but it also happens to Media Composer and News Cutter when those applications use DSM_Server.exe, a Digi audio service.

In essence ProTools.exe and DSM_Server.exe create a temp file in the C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Temp folder using the naming pattern of ~*.tmp when they are launched. I'm not entirely certain what this temp file is used for but it's size increases as more audio data, plug-ins, and effects are applied to a project. Normally, when you quit the application this temp file is cleared and deleted. When Pro Tools (or DSM_Server.exe) does not shut down correctly (though it looks like it did since it's not visible) this temp file is not closed or deleted. Instead the 'closed' application is still running, appears in Task Manager, and is repeatedly and unsuccessfully attempting to close and delete this temp file. Sometimes after 10 minutes or an hour it will successfully close and delete the temp file. Then you will be able to launch it normally again.

So, to why can't it close and delete the temp file?

In my situation (may not be the case for everyone) I found Symantec Endpoint Protection v11 (anti-virus) was locking the temp file, preventing ProTools.exe from closing and deleting it. This behavior was not readily discernible as SEP does not show up in a Process Monitor scan because of the way it interacts with Windows. It was by constant testing that I found it. As a verification test I added a folder exception to SEP's Auto Protect feature for the C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Temp folder during an instance when ProTools.exe was trying to close. Immediately after the exception was added ProTools.exe was able to close. Also, while the exception is in place ProTools.exe closes properly every single time. But, if I remove the exception Pro Tools won't close again.

Now, when I look in the Knowledge base for Pro Tools and Media Composer, Symantec Endpoint Protection is listed as a supported anti-virus program. But, clearly there is a problem with the interactions between SEP and Avid software. If it were only my system and I had a home studio I would be fine removing SEP. But, I am actually running multiple labs of Pro Tools, Media Composer, and News Cutter at a University and not having anti-virus software in an environment of students is unthinkable.

I would be happy to help Avid work on solving this if interested.

[Jeanpaul]

Originally Posted by thedark

Also maybe reference: http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=310720

In essence ProTools.exe and DSM_Server.exe create a temp file in the C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Temp folder using the naming pattern of ~*.tmp when they are launched. I'm not entirely certain what this temp file is used for but it's size increases as more audio data, plug-ins, and effects are applied to a project. Normally, when you quit the application this temp file is cleared and deleted. When Pro Tools (or DSM_Server.exe) does not shut down correctly (though it looks like it did since it's not visible) this temp file is not closed or deleted. Instead the 'closed' application is still running, appears in Task Manager, and is repeatedly and unsuccessfully attempting to close and delete this temp file. Sometimes after 10 minutes or an hour it will successfully close and delete the temp file. Then you will be able to launch it normally again.

I think you are right. I am having the same problem. When PT crashes, it still appears as if it running in the Task Manager, and even if you force quit (by ending the process tree) it will take anywhere between 10 min to 30 min to disappear from the Task manager. Only then you can re-start PT. This happenes regardless of what plugins caused the crash. The only certain thing is that it happens as your session grows bigger with more plugins. You reach a point when one more plug-in will crash the system. I am talking about a normal session of 100 midi tracks, with 20 aux and 10-20 plugins, nothing too unusual for normal DAW. But PT becomes highly unstable at this level.

The other way round this, is reboot the PC and start fresh with PT, but that is a total waste of time.

[Milko71]

I have the same problem with PT9 not closing correctly. But only when I use a instance of my Focusrite Liquid Mix in my session.

When I close PT9 it looks OK, but restart is gives a error message of rebooting my PC.

I contacted Focusrite and they say it's a familiar problem which they don't gonna solve.

If anyone here has a solution or a workaround it's very welcome!!

[Jeanpaul]

The only workaround I found is to host all my samples and plugins in VE PRO and keep Pro Tools session size less than 500 MB -1 GB. If your session grows bigger, and uses more plugins, PT 32 bit wont be able to cope and will crash.

Until PT goes 64 bit the only solution is to host your plugins in a rewire solution like Reaper or VE PRO.

[Terry Wetzel]

Pardon the interruption. This is not a response to the question or the problem. I am simply piling on with a similar, if not the same problem. First, I am not computer knowledgeable. My PC was purchased with Windows 7 and Pro Tools 9 already loaded and ready to run. Before long I began to experience problems when starting the PC and shutting down. (I've posted these problems here on the forum with no responses). At times, both on start up or shut down, I get either a blue or black screen saying that either Windows has failed to start or Windows did not shut down properly. Here is my start and stop routine and, as far as I can tell is by the book. First, all my recording equipment,(I.E.) effects, head phone amp, mixing desk, etc., are rack mounted. I purchased a Furman power regulator and it's mounted in the top position in the rack. All the other stuff, including the computer and monitors,(2), are fed from the power regulator. When I power up the equipment I turn on the power regulator first. this turns on every thing but the PC and monitors. Then I turn on the PC. When shutting down I close the ProTools session and click on Shutdown to turn off the PC. Is this not the correct and safe proceedure? Is there a bug in Windows 7 ? Is there a published fix for said bug ? One would think that, as long as Windows software has been around they could release new versions that would be bug free! If I've violated any forum rules here I apologize. If I'm in the right church but the wrong pew, please assist me in moving this to a category where I might get an answer to the problem. Many thanks.

[MichaelKhan]

woah! so ending the process tree actually works!?! All these years I've been afraid to even try because it said my system would become unstable and the thought always freaked me out. But I tried it and it disappeared from the task manager! This whole time I used to wait 5 minutes until it ended itself.

So what does ending the process tree even consist of? Does it close anything important and will it make Pro Tools unstable that I don't know of?

Thanks