Consistently getting "increase buffer size" error message.

[bigfootjim]

I am using a 2012 MacBook Pro OSX 8.5 with a LaCie 3tb Thunderbolt External hard Drive. ProTools 10.9. I can't even play 1 track without the error " increase Buffer Size" message popping up. I am an experienced ProTools user and have done all the suggested optimizing and settings. Other problems I encounter are slow response on adjusting plugins ( really noticeable on EQ). This happens no matter what interface I use ( even the built in sound card) . Has anyone else experienced this? Took the Laptop to Mac and they say there are no issues with it. I only have the plugins installed that came with ProTools. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[musicman691]

What's your computer setup (cpu/ram)? You don't say and if you're short on ram that could be the problem. Any modern MacBook Pro running OSX 10.8.5 should be able to run PT 10.3.9 without the issues you're citing. Also what do you have the cpu usage and number of cpu's used set to in PT? When I was heavily using PT10 I tried different combinations of those settings and got the lowest cpu usage on the system in my sig file with 4 or 5 cpus (of 8) and 95% cpu usage settings and no increase buffer size messages.

[bigfootjim]

My computer should be able to run ProTools without breaking a sweat. I've got plenty or RAM. I can't even run 1 track without getting this error message, but then it starts working fine after about an hour. The Mac people suggested that I wipe my hard Drive and start over, even though they didn't find ant issues. That's pretty much my last resort. I'm just waiting to hear back from iLok to see what I can expect after doing this. Thanks for the reply!

[dr_daw]

That's not the answer to what was asked of you...If you could supply specific details about your system, you're going to have a better chance than the 'Mac' people's suggestion. I would suggest reading the 'Read this before posting' on the top of the forum.

Regardless, specific details are required. Not trying to be rude, but the choice is up to you. Ask the local 'computer guy' or get help from the hundreds of people on here with experience troubleshooting specific DAW issues; but for that to work you have to provide details.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by bigfootjim

My computer should be able to run ProTools without breaking a sweat. I've got plenty or RAM. I can't even run 1 track without getting this error message, but then it starts working fine after about an hour. The Mac people suggested that I wipe my hard Drive and start over, even though they didn't find ant issues. That's pretty much my last resort. I'm just waiting to hear back from iLok to see what I can expect after doing this. Thanks for the reply!

Why do you completely ignore requests for complete info on your system? Without that we can't possibly believe your assertion that you're computer 'should be able to run PT without breaking a sweat'. What do you consider plenty of ram? 4 gig? Nowhere near enough. 8 gig minimum and more if you run sample heavy vi's like Kontakt 5.

Separate non-green drive for PT to record to?

All this and more. And iLok has NOTHING to do with your issues.

[dr_daw]

+1 to iLok not having ANYTHING to do with your issue. If this was an 'upgrade' from a previous working version of PT's 10.3.x, consider this a frustrating lesson to learn. Always 'clone' your working system drive, test it, clone it again to a separate drive test that, and store one of the clones in a safe place. Never under any circumstances should you perform an upgrade without a backup, unless you enjoy the punishment of unknown errors, lost data, etc...

As Buster the 'back-up' bear says...."Only you can prevent unstable systems, always have a backup!"

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by dr_daw

+1 to iLok not having ANYTHING to do with your issue. If this was an 'upgrade' from a previous working version of PT's 10.3.x, consider this a frustrating lesson to learn. Always 'clone' your working system drive, test it, clone it again to a separate drive test that, and store one of the clones in a safe place. Never under any circumstances should you perform an upgrade without a backup, unless you enjoy the punishment of unknown errors, lost data, etc...

As Buster the 'back-up' bear says...."Only you can prevent unstable systems, always have a backup!"

Good advice but seemingly we see a bunch of people here that don't want to get their hands dirty digging into things like this. With a program as deep as PT and as resource intensive as it is you DO need to become something of a systems geek for things to work smoothly.

There are a lot of materials out there to help people with PT but unfortunately they all assume the user knows something of how computers work and how to properly set up a system.

[bigfootjim]

I'm not refusing to give the spec's on my laptop. I've just been fighting this for so long and posted in several forums I just got lazy.
MacBook Pro 2012
OSX 10.8.5
2.6GHz Core i7
8GB Ram
LaCie Thunderbold External HD
ProTools 10.9 (Did Clean uninstall and reinstall)
Interface Presonus 24.4.2 StudioLive
MBox 2 (Latest drivers)

Settings in ProTools: Have tried using 4 and 6 processors, 85% to 99% CPU.
Optimized computer to the letter according to Avid's specs. Turned off WiFi, BlueTooth and spotlight. No plugins other than what came with ProTools.

Have tried using each interface (including internal sound card)
Problem varies. When I first start it will not even play a 1 track session. If I keep going to Playback setup and switch HW Buffer Size back and forth it will work for a while. Sometimes it will start working fine after I've been fighting with it (usually after about 30 minutes). I've trashed the perfs. (Using the PT Perfs software AND Manually).
I've tried recording a 1 track session on the Internal Hard Drive to Eliminate the External as the problem.
The Mac Tech suggested the Reformat and reinstall of the operating system as my Mountain Lion OSX 8.5 was an upgrade from the Operating system that was in the computer when I got it and insalling one OSX on top of another might be causing an unseen issue.
ProTools seems to be the ONLY program effected. I've got 2 other MultiTrack Programs that work flawlessly (Studio One 2 Producer and Apple Logic) Final Cut Pro X...no problems. As I said earlier I am just waiting to hear back from iLok to make sure I won't have any issues with my computer recognizing the iLok Key after the reformat. I will post the results after the surgery!

[dr_daw]

Are you using the PreSonus as your Audio engine? or the Mbox? Latest drivers for the PreSonus? Did it work before on the older instal of PT? Do you have a backup drive with the working system? Did you do a complete uninstall of your interface drivers before the instal of PT 10.3.9?

As long as you have the current iLok manager synched to your iLok, formatting your drive should not cause any problems. My suggestion would be to go out and get a USB 3 drive (1tb or more) make two partitions, get carbon copy cloner, clone your current non working system. Format your drive, re-install ML, install carbon copy cloner, clone your bare OS onto the other blank partition. Test it. Install PT's only test it, install drivers for one interface at a time, test it. Do clones after every test. If you have a bigger back up drive, or more than one, I would suggest keeping a copy of your bare OS cloned just in the event of a catastrophic failure.

Regardless, having USB 3 drives (such as Seagate backup slims) work great for me on the same MBP (late 2012) am able to run OSX off the drives. It's a great, cheap way to have a backup plan. Like I said, have a backup of a blank OS, Back up with working PT's and a drive to use as a test drive before doing any permanent updates.

[albee1952]

My guess would be the OS