Creativity killer

[GORILLA]

Hi all, been away from Pro Tools awhile... and now thinking about getting back with this really good PT9 version. Anyways, my Bud while he's touring is letting me use his PT 9HD native on my
07' Mac Pro 2 x 2.66Ghz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
8 GB ram
OSX 10.6.4
Four internal 1TB W.D. Cavair black 64mb cache drives

Here's the problem, everytime this thing freezes up and gives me CPU overload raise the buffer error messages. The kicker is, this happens even when 1 audio with no plugins are running. My plug-ins are either iLok or updated to the latest ((I don't have many hahaha)). I've searched and read and seen people using similar setups. I'm using a Presonus Firebox. Planning to switch to a Duet TODAY!! Is this FireBox the culprit? Also, when I run my Axe Fx software things get crackly and PT9 freezes too. Only reason I've not gotten the Duet yet is because my Ultra needs midi i/o to function it's software. Is the problem having his iLok and my iLok both on the same computer causing this?

Any help much appreciated. I've done all the optimizations turning off indexing/ trashing prefs/ all of them. My Mac is 3 years old, but it's pretty dang strong. I can run Logic Pro all day long on it and it will not hiccup. I gotta get Pro Tools running decent on this though as getting these buffer and CPU errors every 2 minutes just kills the creativity.

[formfunction]

Originally Posted by GORILLA

I gotta get Pro Tools running decent on this though as getting these buffer and CPU errors every 2 minutes just kills the creativity.

What do you do when these errors come up? Do you change your buffer settings?
Also sounds like plugs maybe not up to date, possibly? ff

[GORILLA]

Originally Posted by formfunction

What do you do when these errors come up? Do you change your buffer settings?

Uh... yes. Errors still pop up.

Originally Posted by formfunction

Also sounds like plugs maybe not up to date, possibly? ff

I posted I updated my plugins... Audio Ease / DUY / Izotope / PsP / Spectrasonics / East West .... confirmed to work with or updated for OSX Snow Leopard.

Think I'll just grab a Duet, as we've tried everything we can think of and PT is limping along. The Presonus is older and maybe just can't work proper with PT9 HD.
Thanks

[JC925602]

Other Trouble shooting to isolate the problem:

Try to switch to built-in audio.
Run only ProTools 9 basic plug-ins set.
Re-install OS X combo update.
Run DiskWarrior.

Do not use software RAID volumes for audio drives.

JC

[Shifted Music]

Originally Posted by GORILLA

My plug-ins are either iLok or updated to the latest

even the ilok ones need to be updated to the latest/ compatible version.

and also its not just the latest from the manufacturers web site. its the version that is compatible. Check the plug in compatibility chart.


http://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/self...p?DocId=343311

[GORILLA]

Thanks for those tips Guys! I will try them today. I didn't know I could re-install an OSX over an already installed one. I'll definitely try all of these!

Thanks

[JC925602]

Originally Posted by GORILLA

...I didn't know I could re-install an OSX over an already installed one. ...

Many people have problem when using the software update control panel. Using the combo update can cure problems introduce by the incremental software update. It basicaly include all dot realease and security update since the version 10.6.0. Incremental update is custom built for each system based on some checksum list of what was updated earlier. For some unknown reason it can miss a component; the cure is the combo update.

JC

[GORILLA]

Originally Posted by JC925602

Many people have problem when using the software update control panel. Using the combo update can cure problems introduce by the incremental software update. It basicaly include all dot realease and security update since the version 10.6.0. Incremental update is custom built for each system based on some checksum list of what was updated earlier. For some unknown reason it can miss a component; the cure is the combo update.

JC

Thanks for all those tips!! I tried everything! Safe mode start up and restart / Checked startup items /re-checked my spotlight indexing. Plug-in requirements for PT 9HD all updated including my iLok ones. Re-installed the combo 10.6.4 / trashed Digi prefs / booted and re-booted several times /Pretty much everything. PT 9 HD just didn't want to play well with my Mac Pro. Couldn't record without buffer error message interrupts / Wouldn't bounce at all / Sucks because we really want Pro Tools back! My Bro grabbed His iLok back so, looks like I'm back in another DAW as it runs insanely better for us than PT 9 did on my Mac Pro. I'll give it a try again when Avid allows 64-bit in Native Pro Tools version.
When looking at my activity monitor in PT 9.... 3.9 gigs of memory was just sitting un-used. Almost like not even having 8Gb of ram but just 4.

Thanks again for all the help, definitely will be back again!! Maybe my Mac is just a hardcore die hard Apple Freak hahahaha....


Hey all of ya' have a Safe Holidaze!!!

[SpinningDisk]

I know this is probably a stupid question but I'll ask it anyways. How many cores are you using?
Merry Christmas everyone.

[GORILLA]

Originally Posted by SpinningDisk

I know this is probably a stupid question but I'll ask it anyways. How many cores are you using?
Merry Christmas everyone.

Hello Merry Xmas! I tried it with 4, then 3, then 2. Did everything even called a Bud who's a Mac Support guy. We Zapped the PRam, reset the whole Mac... Cleaned out the Library/ Caches. Everything for hours. Something just didn't work. It's crazy because we can run 80+ tracks on this Mac in another DAW with 5-6 plugins each track and this Mac Pro just runs strong. I know RTAS and AU are different platforms and my Macs always ran slower with RTAS and Pro Tools. Figured things may have changed for the better with this 9 version. It's all good. Still want PT 9