Using External Monitor Causes CPU overload

[tomdiek]

Here's my setup:

Macbook Pro Intel i7 2.2gHz 4MB RAM
Pro Tools 9.0.5
Duet I


Problem:
Whenever I plug in my external monitor (powered by AC, adapted from DVI to mini DVI and plugged into thunderbolt port) I get an immediate CPU overload and Pro Tools freezes. It's a large session, lot's of plugs, but works flawlessly without the monitor plugged in.

And here's the weird part. This only started happening recently. For almost a year I used this identical setup with no issues at all. Then my computer started running really badly as described so I figured out that it was the external monitor.

Anyone have any idea why this might be happening?


Here's what and how I have it connected:

Connected to Macbook Pro:
External HD in firewire port
Ilok in USB port 1
External keyboard (typing) in USB port 2
Duet daisy chained to Ext HD (I know it's not supported but has worked flawlessly for me)
(DVI mini in thunderbolt port)

Connected to Typing Keyboard:
Trackball mouse USB port 1
MIDI controller keyboard USB port 2

[jasonthurley]

The first thing I would try is to go into Display settings and make sure the resolution (size) and all that jazz is correct... Do you have another monitor to do a test with? Or can you get another monitor and lug it in and see if it still has issues?

I would then try a different Mini display to DVI adapter and see if that is the issue.

Obviously if another monitor works then you have monitor issues... if the settings in display are changed and that fixes it you know it is user settings, if neither fix it then let us know and well continue.

[reichman]

tomdiek:

I have nearly the exact same problem with my home edit rig. How did you fix it?

[trakbytes]

I'm thinking you both need more RAM. Seems I remember reading that Macbook Pro's don't have a dedicated graphics card and share system RAM for graphics tasks. Could be talking out my butt here, but your system will definitely run better with more RAM anyway.

[reichman]

I just replaced my Seagate Go Flex Desk Thunderbolt drive, with an OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual, and the problem went away. I think it was a bad Go Flex drive or dock. Since it's working now, I'm not that interested in going back to test further.

By the way, I put a new Seagate 3TB inside the OWC, so this is not a problem with Seagate in general, but possibly a bad Go Flex system.

I maxed out the RAM on my late 2011 MBP to 16GB when I bought it, and replaced all the RAM with Crucial trying to troubleshoot this problem.