These are listed roughly in order of magnitude. If you have time to experiment, try one step at a time, and you may save yourself some recovery time. If you’re desperate, go down the list and do them all!<\/p>\n
1. Make sure you’re running the latest version of everything — Mac OS (latest approved by Digidesign) ProTools, DAE, Digisystem INIT, Digidesign extensions, OMS (Open Music system), and drivers for peripherals, like USB drivers for MIDI interfaces, ATTO drivers for audio hard drives, other USB devices.
For compatibility and software updates, check www.digidesign.com frequently at the support link – especially “compatibility” and “downloads”<\/p>\n
2. Check ProTools & DAE’s memory allocation. (Go to the Finder,and get info on the actual application.) Digidesign recommends never raising the minimum size for ProTools or DAE. The preferred size can be raised for both. As a general guideline, start by setting both preferred sizes to about 50,000k. Depending on the amount of system RAM you have, it may be necesarry to raise it higher. ProTools will usually alert you that “DAE is running low on memory” or “ProTools is running low on memory. I recommend not boosting RAM allocation too high (above 60 or 70 M), until such message pops up (you will be able to Save your work before quitting and changing memory allocation.
*NEVER change the MINIMUM Size * Adjust preferred size only.<\/p>\n
3. Check DAE’s playback buffer size. While ProTools is running, choose DAE from the Finder. Go to the FILE menu and choose “Set DAE Playback Buffer”. The default is currently “2”. This can sometimes get lowered to “0” without worning. If so, set it back to “2”. <\/p>\n
4. Check SYNC MODE in ProTools’ Session Setup window (apple-2) If it’s not set correctly, you can get audio playing at weird rates, or clicks and pops in your audio. If you’re brining in digital audio via optical, spdif or aes\/ebu ports, your sync mode should match (eg: recoring optical? then sync mode=optical). If you’re not recording digital audio, Sync Mode should generally be “Internal”<\/p>\n
5. Go into ProTools Hardware window (Setups Menu) and check the H\/W buffer setting. 1024 is the default; lower than that can improve performance but is harder on your processor and can potentially cause pops and clicks in your audio. If you’re having those kinds of problems, raise the buffer some.<\/p>\n
6. Go into your Sound control panel and make sure you haven’t chosen “Digidesign” for either your input or output. ProTools and the Mac OS don’t like to “share” audio hardware.
The message you will commonly see when this is set incorrectly is, “The application ProTools cannot be launched because it is in use by another application”<\/p>\n
7. Quit ProTools, open the System Folder, locate and open the Preferences folder, then drag the following items into the Trash. Be advised you may lose a few of your settings (sorry, had to say it — idiot check). Trash any of these files that you find: DAE Preferences, Digisetup, ProTools Preferences.
Then restart your computer and launch PrTools.
* On TDM systems, ProTools will ask you to pick which hardware you have, with the hardware setup dialog. Choose an interface (888, 1622, AdatBridge, etc) for each one you have attached.<\/p>\n
8. Rebuild the Desktop. This can cure some file-related issues. (Restart your Mac, and hold down option and command until you get the dialog box that asks if you want to rebuild the Desktop. Click yes.)<\/p>\n
9. Try zapping the PRAM of the Mac. Go to the Finder, restart, and hold down command-option-P-R simultaneously. Hold it down until the Mac has sounded its startup chime three times. Then release and allow the Mac to boot normally.<\/p>\n
10. Check your hard drive with a disk utility like Disk First Aid (included free with all Macs from Apple), Norton Utilities, or Techtool Pro. It’s always safe to follow their recommendations to repair stuff that they find wrong on your hard drive.<\/p>\n
11. Defrag your hard drives, using a utility like Norton Utilities or Techtool Pro. Be aware that Techtool has a tendency to mess with some invisible authorization files, and you may need to reauthorize some of your software. A heavily fragmented hard drive can potentially cause clicks and pops in your audio.<\/p>\n
12. If you’re having problems opening or using one particular file, first try opening ProTools first and choosing Open from within ProTools (not just double-clicking the file from the desktop). If that doesn’t work, try creating a new Session, and using the “Import Tracks…” command. Bring tracks from the problem into the new file (for older versions of ProTools, use the Track Transfer utility.<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
14. Pull out some\/all of the plug-ins you’ve added to ProTools (they’re in System Folder–>DAE folder–>Plug-ins). Sometimes they can cause weird problems. AutoTune, Waves, and other third-party software may cause problems. Once they’re removed, reenter DP to see if your problems persist. You may also want to pull out Unity, Retro, Tokyo, etc. if you run them. (To disable them, go into OMS, pull up the Preferences screen, and disable their check boxes. Quit everything and reload.)<\/p>\n
13. Reinstall all related software (ProTools, DAE, OMS, 3rd party plugins, soft synth’s, etc. It is recommended that you remove all elements before reinstalling (this ensure’s a “clean” install.<\/p>\n
14. TRIM EXTENSIONS : see TSDB topic “General tips for setting up your Mac G3\/G4 with ProTools” or product keyword “ProTools<\/p>\n
SEEKING FURTHER HELP
——————–<\/p>\n
This checklist definitely won’t solve every problem; it’s just intended tohelp you step through basic things you can try.
********
Post to the Digidesign User’s list at http:\/\/www.digidesign.com\/<\/p>\n
You can email Sweetwater tech support tech_support@sweetwater.com
You can e-mail Digidesign’s tech support support@digidesign<\/p>\n
You can call Sweetwater’s Tech Support phone line at 800-222-4700 x6200
You can call Digidesign’s tech support phone line (650 849 6699) during business hours Monday through Friday. <\/p>\n
THE ULTIMATE START-OVER
———————–<\/p>\n
In the most extreme case of problems that can’t be solved, take a drive you can erase (I keep an extra partition on one of my hard drives that I don’t use regularly), and reinitialize it using Apple’s Drive Setup. Install a fresh copy of your system software from your system CD. If you’re running system 9 or above, immediately run the Software Update control panel and update all your system software. Then install all the MOTU stuff, being careful to observe all the nitpicky warnings, like keeping AppleTalk and File Sharing off.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[],"tags":[34125],"storecat":[],"itemids":[],"manufacturers":[33300],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n