New MacPro, UAD-1e Express, 002Rack & Firewire...Redlining??

[fenderguy]

For the last year or so, I was running PTLE 7.0, 7.1 002Rack on a 1.5ghz G4 PB, 1.5gb ram. My audio drive was a Firewire Lacie D2 160GB HD. This was fine for smaller sessions.

Well in the last week I purchased a new Macpro 2.66, 1GB ram, stock drive with OSX 10.4.8. My 002rack with 7.3.1cs2. I also purchased a UAD-1e Express Pack card. All software is up to date on the PTLE, Mac, UAD sides.

It all seems to run smooth with my Lacie firewire for audio. I've got the Lacie plugged into the FW800 port of the MacPro, and then the 002 rack into the FW400 on the Macpro also. Both on the back FW ports.

Now the thing that is bothering me is when I start PTLE it starts up quick, maybe too quick as the system usage cpu bar hits the red without even opening a session. I clear the meter. Then open a songwriting template that consists of a click, dverb aux, and a couple of audio tracks(I add more as needed), then the cpu bar redlines again. I clear it again. It runs smooth as I continue working.

So thats it. A system this quick with up-to-date software, firewire drive, and dsp card should not redline while starting the PTLE, should it? Is it adviseable to daisy-chain, because I recall a long time ago, someone writing about the FW400 and FW800 not playing nice together. I'd expect this on a Powerbookbut not on a desktop.

I'm not using any out of date plugins, just T-racks, which is updated with the universal binary. Mostly use the digi plugins and the UAD plugins. I just got the card a day or so ago. So before I had the card I used the same setup up in the last week, and it would just do the redlining thing again. I get a gut feeling its the firewire drive. PTLE loads fine, very quick, and i hear the Lacie sounds and all should be good, but the Red is not something you want to be greeted with. Would another internal audio drive be in my best interests or should I stick with the external FW?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And if you have the same or similar setup, any tips would be awesome. Thank you Digifolks...

[CoryCooper]

It acts the same way on my Intel Mac mini. It has to do with PT synching with CoreAudio (maybe worse/noticeable on Intel Macs). It's a temporary instant pop/click when opening PT and opening a session...never does it after that for me.

It's harmless and just a nuisance, and doesn't affect anything. I simply mute my monitors/headphones until the session is open and ready.

C

[sunburst79]

A lot of Core2Duo users have noticed this with Windows, It doesn't seem to have any effect on the systems performance. It's just annoying to have reset it.

[fenderguy]

Well thats good to know that i'm not the only one. Guess it has to do with Core Audio. One thing I forgot to point out was a few days ago I had 7.1.1 installed. Funny thing was, the redline never happened once, I was quite happy. I spent the whole day trying different versions, now it appears paying for upgrades only cause headaches. I have a backup of my boot drive, its easy to clone back to the clean OSX without any PTLE or coreaudio.

Now the only thing is with 7.1.1 I noticed was something to do with core audio. I started the standalone version of Amplitube 2 to jam and the input and output were maxed. In PT it would work. Then I installed 7.3 it worked fine, but redlined, then 7.3.1cs2 and still redline. I'm seriously considering starting Carbon Copy and installing 7.1.1.

My question is...Can I go to Digi after I have 7.1.1 and install the most current core audio without moving up to 7.3? Thanks folks and Happy Easter...

[Park Seward]

So thats it. A system this quick with up-to-date software, firewire drive, and dsp card should not redline while starting the PTLE, should it?

It is a glitch. Nothing to worry about. Happens on my G4 too.

Is it adviseable to daisy-chain, because I recall a long time ago, someone writing about the FW400 and FW800 not playing nice together. I'd expect this on a Powerbookbut not on a desktop.

Don't use FW 400 and 800 DRIVES together. You can use an 800 with the 002 just don't daisy-chain.

... and it would just do the redlining thing again. .. but the Red is not something you want to be greeted with. Would another internal audio drive be in my best interests or should I stick with the external FW?

Ignore it.

[fenderguy]

Okay, I'll try not to worry about it, and ignore it. But I'm close to going back to 7.1.1
I just started pt and ignored and reset the red. Then opened my songwriting template, with no more then a dverb and click tracks and couple audio, as I stated before, and it redlines. It doesnt freeze, but opening the same file on my powerbook never did the same. Although i dont have 7.3 on my PB.

That bald fella with the accent sure make 7.3 look good, but he also did the same with the older versions...

[fenderguy]

So I went ahead an Carbon Copied my drive back to the prePTLE setup. And then installed 7.1.1cs2. And boom, it works, no more redlines when opening PT or opening my songwriting session. I'm even able to open Amplitube 2 standalone and it works. Apparently the older core audio that came with 7.1 didnt like amplitube 2, but after 7.1.1cs2, all is good.

One thing I'll mention, might not mean much, but I've used Carbon Copy Cloner to keep a clean and pristine install of OSX 10.4.8 and my most used programs. I used that to go back to when something doesnt run right. I thought when i restore from that backup, that i would lose everything on my bootdrive(Music, movies, misc files) but I didnt. It just installed the backup and left my other files intact. All this time and I never knew I could do that, I was dreading copying my mp3 and movie folders over from my firewire drive back to the boot drive, but I didnt have to...Thats all, thanks folks...

PS. I'll be holding off on the 7.3 update for awhile, perhaps at least til 10.4.9 is supported.

[Park Seward]

Excellent. Those who load a new operating system without a backup are living dangerously.

[The Dougfather]

I have this with every session, it really isn't a big deal. I even when back to 7.1.1 and it made no difference, still red line lines when sessions open.

iMac C2D 2GHz, 1GB Ram, OSX 10.4.8, Pro Tools LE 7.3.1

Cheers

[fenderguy]

There was a post similar to this in the last few days. There was talk about any plugins that resources are allocated to during startup. These plugins may be causing the system to hiccup, that was what I thought was going on with my PT startups, but I didnt have any plugins installed yet only the digi plugins.

I installed in steps and ran ptle in each setup. Of course 7.0 with that core audio didnt work. So then I tried 7.1. It installed, no redlines but core audio wouldnt play nice with Amplitube 2 Standalone. So then I tried 7.1.1, and same thing as 7.1, no red, no Amplitube. Then I installed 7.1.1cs2 and that seemed to work. Still no redlines, and it came with a fixed core audio that played nice with Amplitube2. Then as soon as I install 7.3, the redlining begins...Perhaps it's only cosmetics, but I for one, don't like to be greeted with a red cpu meter, by just starting PT, clearing it, then opening a very small session and be greeted with another red cpu meter.

I'll stick with 7.1.1cs2 for awhile for my own sanity...

Hope any of that helps...