Protools Crashes when Importing Audio??

[brinaddison]

This doesn't happen every time but it's been happening too much. When I try to import Audio into session, PT will crach instantly. After restarting and relaunching, it might or might not do it again?? Any clues?

[DigiTechSupt]

Please start with the 'General Troubleshooting' steps in the sticky at the top of this forum, specifically those areas on trashing prefs and databases.

[AdamF]

I'd like to jump into this one..

FYI, i'm running:
G4 dual 1.0 QS / PT 6.4cs9 / digi 001 / OS X.3.9

The importing audio is the last bug that i've never shaken. I've done every troubleshooting tip there is from trashing everything that needs to be trashed to re-installing everything.

I have it down to a science on how my system will respond. Basically if i'm over about 50%-60% CPU usage, if I try to import audio, it will unexpectedly quit. Importing through the browser usually works somewhat better and I can import at a higher CPU usage, maybe up to 70%-80%.

I don't know if this is a function of 6.4cs9 as I can't update past it, but i've come to live with it. It would be nice digitech if you could say you are aware of this and me upgrading to 6.7 or 6.9 (i'm currently looking at an M-audio option) would solve the problem.

[brinaddison]

Thanks Digi, but I've done that and it never helps. AdamF is correct in his science, thanks for butting in and confirming this problem. I'm on a 001 so I don't think this will be addressed..ever!

The other bug is every other time I launch PT it freezes! This is the most annoying bug I run into all the time.........And I've done all the troubleshooting stuff again and again to no avail.

All my plugins are legit and I meticulously maintain my system and an HD3 setup too, so it's a bug for me in LE

I'll just have to live with it

[AdamF]

brinaddison,

Could you detail your import audio crashing more thoroughly? Do you know where your CPU levels are?? I've got my system to a point where I can almost predict if its going to unexpectedly quit.

I don't have any problems on launch though. Otherwise PT is really solid for me.

OHH...one other bug. Basically if I try to do any real time audiosuite demo'ing, bam its gone. I can process audio with audiosuite plugins, but if i try and use test by demo'ing it almost always crashing, regardless of cpu usage.

I've learned to live with these two bugs hoping when I upgrade they might go away.

[brinaddison]

Well yeah I guess it does crash when the CPU is maxing out. Good observation AdamF! I haven't really been paying attention to that but now that you mention it....that's what it does.

The Audiosuite preview also does what you say to me occationally but sometimes it doesn't so like you I just process and then listen and do over if I have to. Sometimes I have the courage to try and it works, othertimes it crashes??? I'm in the habbit of saving befor I do any audiosuit stuff. Sometimes T-Rax just processes a big fat fart for me??? don't know what that's all about?

All in all PTLE 6.4cs9 is stable with just the occational Kernel Panic, and if it does that then it will 2 or 3 times in a row and then it'll be fine again for a month or so.

I have to say though, I felt that PTLE was way more solid feeling in OS9, I coud leave it open for days/weeks without ever quiting the program, but in OSX, I quit and relaunch as soon as I feel things are not responding correctly........skating on thin ice!! It feels like PT is running in a virtual world not the real world.

Things sound great but I hold my breath before performing any moves. I know changing playlists to fast when comping is a definite NO NO....asking for kernal panic (ONLY PT though never had a KP in FCP or any other application)

Importing Audio (High CPU load) = CRASH
Launching PT = random Freeze but after 3rd try I'm in.
Previewing Audiosuite = 80% Crash
Amplitube will start to squeal if left dormant on a track for a while....I've downloaded the new upgrade from IK so I haven't seen this again...yet?

Let me see??? anything else to report..........

Sometimes too many instances of Autotune4 (like 3 or 4) will make the whole thing freak out and FAAAAART! that requires a relaunch.

Mostly what concerns me is the Freeze on launch. I always have my System Usage window open so when PT starts the window comes up BLANK, with no DISC/CPU/PCI stripes and the spinning wheel of death, I know it needs to be force quit.

All these issues can be lived with, but I feel uneasy in front of clients and really only PT behaves like this. No other programs are as fickle IMO.

It's unfortunate that this VIRTUAL PTLE is the one I'm stuck with 'cause of the 001 and 6.4 I really was hoping Digidesign would bail on me after setting me up with a SOLID system that I could rely on and live with like it was in OS9.2.2

All the talk about Dual Processor performance in 6.0 and up was hogwash, and I bought into it like many others. Instead I got a 1ghz processor sitting around watching the tube while the other one works overtime. BAD DIGIDESIGN! NO DONUT!!

The 002 does not appeal to me at all......No pads on the Mic pre's....Whaaaa? Flimsy power harness design and not much of an upgrade IMHO more like a sidegrade that costs $1000 bones. My 001 has worked for years with no problems.

Anyway it's the "floating" software that "buggs" me and it's the same for the 002, so where is the upgrade? I have some real hardware plugged into the 001, I don't really use the 001 except for launching PT and that doesn't work all the time either in 6.4.

Still no Dual support

[AdamF]

Nice information!

I have to say that yes PT 5 for OS 9 was a rock, I left mine running for days, weeks, millennium, ok, well you get the point...

I think you might have something else going on or another question is what G4 do you have? I found the mirror doors had stability problems when I had mine before I got my quicksilver. In Digi's defense, the dual processor made a world of difference for me. I'm not an expert, but its my understanding protools runs on one cpu with everything else and the plugins run on the 2nd. I really did notice a major improvement when I went from my single 933 to dual 1.0. Besides all the unexpected quits, I can run my CPU's right up to 100% and there's no video lag. You couldn't even remotely touch that with a single.

I think your kernel panic is coming from something else. I saw that when I had a mirror door dual 1.25. Don't know if you have or not but you might want to try a clean OS X install with everything new.

My audiosuite plugins do about the same as yours though on preview. It's random. Everything does, for the most part tend to crash more on higher cpu usage. Honestly I could never go back to PT 5 with the rewire implementation, ability to make tracks active/inactive and a lot of the new features.

As I stated before, i'm probably going to wait for the PT MP to play out a little more and go that route with a M-Audio interface and then get a G5.

Any other PT users here that can confirm or deny these "unexpected quit" problems?

[brinaddison]

I wouldn't go back either, too many cool new toys (rewire etc...) However the promised land is not quite as promised.

[yeahyeah]

i also have something that "bugs" me alot...

when i toggle alot between voices in a track, for example between git.01 git.02 .... for comping the perfect take protools will crash.
what could cause this?
its nearly always so. togling like 10 times between voices .... CRASH!
any ideas?
save more often?
i dunnoo

greetz,

arjan

[brinaddison]

yep, as expected, the Preview in Audiosuite will work the first time, but once processed and then re-applied at high CPU load levels, it will crash PT. The really annoying thing is the relaunch process I have to go thru to get going again. 3 or 4 attempts with a full restart of the computer if necessary, just to get PT to launch correctly. Aaarg!

I've done clean installs of OSX and PT and all the troubleshooting stuff for years now from the first release of PTLE6.0 up untill now 6.4cs9 and quite honnestly, nothing has worked to fix these last bugs.

I've been on PTLE since 1999 and nothing worked as stable and solid as 9.2.2 with PT5.x

I know it's Digidesigns code, it has to be. The "Feel" of this virtual floating software gives me the jitters and I feel paranoid when performing basic tasks on a daily basis. I've lived with it hoping things would work themselves out or the next update would be the magic cure for all ailments, but now that I've reached the end of the road with 6.4cs9 it doesn't instill much confidence in future releases of PTLE with a 002 if I were to go that rout.

I'm on a Mirror Drive Door and I know all the pitfalls of this machine. I was instrumental in diagnosing the "Bad Logic Board" of the first generation of MDD G4's. The first machine wouldn't even turn on with the PT PCI card installed, the second machine (replacement) started up, but no PT and then thru liasing with Ken LeGault and Mark Fassler from Digidesing we came to the conclusion that the MDD has a bad logic board and Apple then has a program for owners to have their Boards changed out. It was a quality control issue.

Now 5 years later, everything works as expected except the unexpected quits of Protools.

I'm addicted to recording and that's how I make my living. HD3 on a G5 Dual 2ghz machine at the "Big" studio and PTLE 001 on a G4 MDD Dual 1ghz machine at the home studio. I have to work in Protools because of this. Needless to say I love the user interface of Protools and I can get around the software really well so I'm not about to change platform or program. I'm a Protools user and I love it when it works, however I feel that more could be done in the "quality Control" department regarding stability, efficiency and coding.

Digi seem to spend so much time and money developing "Glorified Mice" for $30,000 to $100,000 and reading the feedback on those white elephants makes me wonder whether their resources are being used up in the right way. More needs to be done making the software reliable and predictable and supporting the hardware that's on the market and in the studios to date.

If you're going to make something, make it good. The 001 although older (and used as a dongle) is just what it is, an interface into the computer, what's so hard about spending a little time getting it to work with future upgrades? The PT/Mix guys must be fuming at the idea of their hardware being obsolete.

I sincerely hope that there is a better alternative than the 002 in the wings. And instead of adding little nothings to the software, make what you already have work LIKE A ROCK!

Peace