System locks while using Audio Suite plug-ins

[newmagic]

Ever since I upgraded to a G5 (dual 2GHz) with OS-X I've been experiencing consistent lock-ups while processing audio with Audio Suite plug-ins. Digi's Compressor and X-Noise are the ones that freeze most often. I'll get anywhere from 2-10 uses before the system will lock hard, no force quite possible. The mouse pointer stops moving, after a few moments changes to the pinwheel, then a fan in the computer fires up to high speed. It's pretty much the same every time. I'm at the point where I save after every action I take, and for some reason the most recent save I do is rarely there after a freeze. Incidentally, I also get lock-ups on a regular basis when I'm importing audio. It doesn't matter what drive the files come from.

I've talked to Digi's tech support on this several times and they've come up with nothing helpful. I've reformatted and re-installed (which actually reduced the frequency of the crashes significantly for a few weeks, though perhaps I simply wasn't doing much Audio Suite processing during that time) but gradually it's gotten worse and worse, and now it's worse than it ever was before. Trashing preferences makes no difference (unless, of course, there's something critical I'm forgetting to trash...)

I've tried removing individual pairs of memory modules, but the system locks up regardless of how much memory or which pair is installed. I've tried pulling my Accel process card and running on the core only, but it didn't help. I've run DigiTest and everything checked out fine. I've verified that all my plug-ins are valid and up to date. I've experienced this on 6.4 with OS-X v10.3.4 and now on 10.3.5 with 6.7. I've tried turning off Quartz Extreme as some have suggested, and it made no difference.

I'm losing about 10 minutes per hour rebooting my system. I can't afford this. I need help! I can't believe I'm the only one experiencing this!

If anyone has a suggestion, please let me know.

Thanks,
Dan

[Chief Technician]

If you have Norton Utilties installed, remove it.

Boot off of the Apple Hardware Test disc that shipped with your G5. When Hardware Test is done loading, press either Apple+L or Control+L and you will see the words "Loop Mode=On" in the lower right hand side of the window. Start an extended test and let it continue overnight. When you come back in the morning, either the test will still be looping (and it will tell you what iteration of the loop it is on) or it will have found a failure and it will stop. Note that if it is still looping the only way to restart the G5 is to hold in the power key until it turns off. This process will either uncover a hardware problem or tell you that your problems are software based.