M-BOX PROTOOLS: Conflicting Error Messages. Huh???

CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
edited December 2005 in Strut Central
I posted something like this before and I'm having the same problem again. Hopefully someone has teh answer.

I'm having a problem with my M-Box Protools set up. I'm running on a Mac G5 Dual 1.8 GHz with OS X Version 10.3.5 and I using the Protools version that comes with the M-Box.

I haven't had any problems recording to Protools but my problem comes with when I try to bounce it to disk.

Whenever I start usually it's gets at least halfway through the song, and then I get an error message.

The operating system held off interrupts for too long. If this occurs often, try increasing the "H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine Dialog.
I have it set at this:
H/W Buffer Size: 512 Samples
CPU Usage Limit: 65%[/b]

So then, when I make the switch to this:
H/W Buffer Size: 1024 Samples
CPU Usage Limit: 65%[/b]

increasing the buffer size, and then try to bounce it to the disk I get the following error message.


Audio processing is conflicting with other CPU tasks. If this occurs often reducing the "H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine Dialog may help prevent the problem.


I've tried again and again to figure out this problem but I'm kind of at my wits end. I used the search engine on this forum to try and find a solution but to no avail, so if anyone has any insight as to what the problem is, or a link to if this has been answwered in the past, I would be greatly appreciative.

  Comments


  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    Does this error pop up at a certain time when you're bouncing or is it random? Are you recording and bouncing to a non-system drive? What is your DAE Playback Buffer set at?

  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    Does this error pop up at a certain time when you're bouncing or is it random? Are you recording and bouncing to a non-system drive? What is your DAE Playback Buffer set at?

    It's happening at random times, but usually well into whatever it is that I'm doing.

    I'm bouncing to the system drive (meaning the computer itself.)

    My DAE Playback Buffer is set at Level 2 (Default.)

  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    are you recording to your system drive too? try increasing your cpu usage rate to 85% and try that with the buffer set at 512 and if that doesn't work, 1024. i strongly recommend bouncing to a seprate drive too, but i don't know if that really has anything to do with your problem.

  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    are you recording to your system drive too? try increasing your cpu usage rate to 85% and try that with the buffer set at 512 and if that doesn't work, 1024. i strongly recommend bouncing to a seprate drive too, but i don't know if that really has anything to do with your problem.

    Yes I am recording everything to my system drive. I have an External Hard Drive that is giving me a problem as well ever since I tried to set it up (I think you might remember that one) so I'm strictly using the HD on the system.

    I'll give it a shot by increasing my CPU usage to 85% @ 512.

    As soon as I get this EHD up and running I will definitely be running things to there.

    This is a strange problem, right?

  • meshmesh 925 Posts
    i think its the recording to the same drive as the system. a g5 should be able to bounce to disk no problem.

    get yourself an extra internal drive and run everything on that. they're real easy to put in, and it will help out. partition it when you get it and use half to back shit up on.


  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    Hey Mesh, congratz on becoming an uncle.

    So I increased my CPU Usage to 85% and it actually made it through the track a lot farther...

    ... but then it ended up crapping out on me again.

    So maybe the solution is recording this to a seperate disc. Time to start recording this to my external hard drive.


    So maybe one can answer this question for me about my external, and the error message THAT is giving me:


    ! You have inserted a disk containing no volumes that Mac OS X can read. To continue with the disk inserted, click ignore.

    I've already formatted this bitch. What the fuck?

  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    i dont know about that external drive problem. try formatting it on a pc or something?

  • GnatGnat 1,183 Posts
    fucking weird. how much ram does that bad boy have? I'm finding that a lot of folks are needing at least 512 if not higher to do their thing.

    I have mine running off a G4 powerbook, 1.33 GHz processeor, 1024 samples, and 85 % . I also have 1.2 Gigs of RAM and have never had this problem...although...I have noticed that I get weird messages if I try to bounce but don't have my iLOK in.

    hmmmm...I'll refer this page to my boy who knows it all.

    Nat


  • meshmesh 925 Posts
    thanks man.

    thats a weird message. how did you format it? i think there are a couple of different ways to format the drive. someone more computer saavy could probably tell you more.


    speaking on that, i just looked at my external drive i use for serato and noticed it was formated as ms-dos. is that straight to use with a mac?

  • AserAser 2,351 Posts




    1) go into your utilities folder and launch disk utility

    2) select your external drive

    3) select "erase"

    4) volume format: Mac OS extended (Journaled

    5) security options: zero out data (this step is optional)



    viola



    ps: didn't we speak on this already? a while ago...........



    pps: install tiger already, or at least run software update and get up to 10.3.9. You lazy tapekingz sized dj.


  • the exact same thing was happening to me when i tried using protools and now i'm put off of it. i'd get an error message after recording for like 4 min saying to increase the buffer size, and if i did that i'd get a message to decrease it. seemed to work better if you run it directly off the computer and not an external drive.

    other thing was that seemed to fix it is to make sure that no other programs are running. exit out of any internet programs, disconnect the internet connection, turn off any virus/spyware programs etc.

    i was trying the older mbox with the focusrite preamps and using it on a pc but hopefully it's the same deal for macs.

    thinking of getting rid of it and getting the focusrite saffire. anyone used one?


    I posted something like this before and I'm having the same problem again. Hopefully someone has teh answer.

    I'm having a problem with my M-Box Protools set up. I'm running on a Mac G5 Dual 1.8 GHz with OS X Version 10.3.5 and I using the Protools version that comes with the M-Box.

    I haven't had any problems recording to Protools but my problem comes with when I try to bounce it to disk.

    Whenever I start usually it's gets at least halfway through the song, and then I get an error message.


    The operating system held off interrupts for too long. If this occurs often, try increasing the "H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine Dialog.

    I have it set at this:
    H/W Buffer Size: 512 Samples
    CPU Usage Limit: 65%[/b]

    So then, when I make the switch to this:
    H/W Buffer Size: 1024 Samples
    CPU Usage Limit: 65%[/b]

    increasing the buffer size, and then try to bounce it to the disk I get the following error message.


    Audio processing is conflicting with other CPU tasks. If this occurs often reducing the "H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine Dialog may help prevent the problem.

    I've tried again and again to figure out this problem but I'm kind of at my wits end. I used the search engine on this forum to try and find a solution but to no avail, so if anyone has any insight as to what the problem is, or a link to if this has been answwered in the past, I would be greatly appreciative.

  • i'm running mbox/protools on a powerbook g4 867mhz. sometimes i get that message when i forget to change playback engine to 1024 cpu at 85% my always defaults back and i have to change it everytime i launch protools but i never get that message after i change it. try to save to an external hd just to be safe. peace, stein. . .












    p.s. tookie is an inspirator.

  • MESH knows his shit and has helped me out a number of times but I must say that my own experiences have proven to be the opposite. I have had terrible results recording to an external. I used to get that message all the time until I switched to my internal drive. I only use the external for storage now and drag the ones I'm working on to a folder on my desktop. Yes that is a pain in the ass but so was that stupid error. Also make sure you have "convert after bounce" selected. And Digidesign requires that any external drive must have a 911 (or 922 I think) bridge chip for use with Pro-Tools.

  • Sounds like bridgeset problems or incompatability with the os and software version. Check the digi forums. PT7 on 10.4 is supposedly the least fatal combination, thats said, I sold my Protool, got Logic... no looking back now.

  • I was running an identical setup. G4 powerbook 1ghz. Only difference is that I record to the 002 rack. I began to use a 300 gig external and this issue has all but dissappeared. At the same time I did purchase 1 gig ram from Ebay. Ram or external drive should fix this problem. It still once in a blue occurs but only when I load up on tracks .

  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,471 Posts
    Hey, AI--

    I was having the same exact problem not too long ago and posted about it on here when I was on the verge of giving my computer some face time with sweet lady brick. The biggest culprit in my case was I didn't have much memory. I upgraded to the maximum of 2GB of memory at a cost of maybe $150 total, and I've been problem-free ever since. So you may want to look into that.

    Also, it's a good idea to keep the actual Pro Tools program on your internal drive, but record everything onto your external drive.
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