Felsökningstips från Digidesign för XP

[chrisB]

Below are some general setup and troubleshooting tips for Windows XP and Pro Tools 6 & 7.

Compatibility:

- Verify your computer is supported and that your system meets all of the minimum requirements. You can find compatibility information (processors, chipsets, hard drives, operating systems, requirements, etc.) in the Support section of the website:

http://www.digidesign.com/support

Choose from the product list for compatibility information, and click on the links in the compatibility section for each product for additional information.

Verify that you have the Minimum/Suggested amount of RAM installed in your system. You can find this information in Control Panel > System > General.

Setup:

- Follow the instructions in your Digidesign product "Getting Started Guide" to configure Windows XP for use with Pro Tools LE. If you do not have a hard copy of the guide, you can download a copy.

- To Adjust Processor Scheduling Performance:

Choose Start > Control Panel. In Classic View, launch System. Click the Advanced tab. Under the Performance section, click the Settings button. Click the Advanced tab. Under the Processor scheduling section, select the Background Services option. Under the Memory Usage section, select System cache option. Click OK twice. You will need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Troubleshooting tips:

* Note, Norton Ghost is highly recommended, as it lets you save your system in a working state and easily revert to that state should you accidentally disable anything that your computer needs.

- Disable device drivers

Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager. In the Device Manager window, double-click Network adapters for example, then right-click the Network Adapter device driver and choose "disable" (leave any 1394 net adapters enabled). Repeat these steps for any other device drivers that are suspected of conflict with Pro Tools LE. Customize your PC to startup with only the device drivers you want enabled by setting up a Hardware Profile in System > Hardware > Hardware Profile.

* Notebook users will typically need to disable wireless network adapters for smooth performance in Pro Tools LE. Some newer model notebooks also require that the Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery device driver be disabled for smooth performance in Pro Tools LE.

- Disable System Startup Items and Services

From the Start menu, choose Run. Type “msconfig” and click OK. The System Configuration Utility opens. Click the Startup tab and uncheck all the items except the item named "MMERefresh" (this is a Digidesign Startup item). Click on the Services tab, and you'll see a 'Hide all Microsoft services' checkbox at the bottom - ensure this box is CHECKED, then select 'Disable All.' Now uncheck the 'Hide all Microsoft services' box, and you should see the list of services refresh with some default services and a green check in their box. Click 'Apply' then 'Close'. It will ask you to restart - do so.

Note : If you want to go back to your normal startup, simply run 'msconfig' again and select 'Normal Startup.' Also, this step will disable most anti-virus software (this is a good thing when running Pro Tools).

- Delete DAE and Pro Tools preference files

Start Menu > My Computer > Local Disk(C:) or correct hard drive (click "show the contents of this drive" if the files aren't displayed) > Program Files > Common Files > Digidesign > DAE > Right-click on the DAE Prefs folder and delete.

Start Menu > My Computer > Local Disk(C:) > Documents and Settings > "Your user folder" > Application Data > Right-click on the Digidesign folder and delete. (If the Application Data folder is not showing: Tools Menu > Folder Options > View Tab > Select "Show Hidden Files and Folders" > Click Apply and OK.)

- Delete the Digidesign Databases folders for all hard drives

Start Menu > My Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Digidesign Databases > Right-click on the Digidesign Databases folder and delete. Repeat for all hard drives.

Start menu > My Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Program Files > Digidesign > Pro Tools > Databases > Right-click on the Volumes folder and delete.

- Update the PACE drivers to the latest version

http://www.paceap.com/dldrvr.html

- Update to the latest CS (Customer Service) Release for your version of Pro Tools LE

- Remove any unnecessary USB/FW devices or any other extraneous hardware and then restart the CPU

Creating a new hardware profile:

Right-click on My Computer and select 'Properties.' Click on the Hardware tab and select Hardware Profiles - you should see a list with your computer's default profile. This profile will become the Pro Tools optimized profile, so you can rename it accordingly. Click Copy to create a duplicate profile before the changes we'll make - this will be your computer's access to the internet and other applications, so name it accordingly as well (i.e. Pro Tools (Current) and Default). Then make sure that 'Wait until I select a hardware profile' is checked. Close the Hardware Profiles dialog.

Note: You will now have two Hardware Profiles to choose from during boot. The 'Pro Tools' profile will now have these devices already disabled, whereas the 'Default' profile will not.

Now that you've optimized your computer for running Pro Tools, it's important to check for anything that might be causing a conflict. The next steps can be advanced, so if you are unsure, please e-mail or call Tech Support before continuing.

Entering the BIOS:

The BIOS is the core of your computer. It tells the system how to communicate to all of it's hardware; so it's important to not change something if you're unsure of what it does. That being said, there are several ways to enter the system BIOS, and you can only do so for a short period of time before Windows launches and you have to restart and try again. Some manufacturers like to set the BIOS entrance key to 'delete' on the keyboard, others use different function keys (i.e. F9, F4, and F2 are common). Most often, the motherboard will have a "splash-screen" upon boot that will tell you which key to press to enter the BIOS (often only referred to as 'Setup') - others, you either have to read the motherboard manual, or guess. In any case, BIOS manufacturers have their own way of doing things, as should be noted in the general descriptions that will be given for navigating the BIOS itself - without a manual of your specific motherboard handy, I'm limited to a very general framework. It might be necessary to contact your computer/motherboard manufacterer to complete the steps below.

With that said, let's enter the BIOS now.

Disabling RAID:

RAID is a type of array configuration for your hard drives that can save files between discs or mirror the file to a backup. Unfortunately, this causes erratic and often catastrophic errors with Pro Tools. To disable this feature, find the RAID controller option - it's usually found under the 'Advanced' menu. Even if RAID is not being utilized, it's important to disable this option.

Disabling Speed-stepping:

This option is referred to as AMD Cool n' Quiet in AMD processor motherboards, and can show up as various things in Intel-based boards. Sometimes it simply shows up as 'speed-stepping.' If your motherboard has this option, disable it, as it can cause major conflicts with the processor scheduling of Pro Tools and the USB bus. It's usually found under the 'Advanced' tab.

Disabling on-board audio:

This option simply activates or disables the audio card that's built-in on some motherboards. Disabling the on-board audio can free up resources and prevent IRQ or resource allocation conflicts. It's usually found near the 'PCI' or 'On-Board' options. Many users will want to use their built-in soundcard for playback of Windows sounds or programs other than Pro Tools; these users should bypass this step.

Other optimizations:

Aside from the steps above, here are some optional settings to get maximum performance from Pro Tools.

Display Performance:

Another way to free up resources is to minimize the amount of processing Windows needs for display. This can be done in a few ways. First, right-click on My Computer and select 'Properties.' Go to the Advanced tab and select 'Settings' under the Performance section. In the Visual Effects tab, select 'Adjust for best performance' - this will change the way that Windows looks somewhat (to that nice 'classic' feel). Then click on the Advanced tab and set Processor Scheduling to 'background services' and Memory Usage to 'system cache'. Close the Performance Options and System Properties windows by clicking 'OK.'

Now, right click on a blank space on the desktop and select 'Properties.' In the Display Properties dialog box, select the Appearance tab. Click Effects to bring up the Effects dialog box and disable the check-boxes next to the font-smoothing and shadows options. Click 'OK' and go to the Settings tab of Display Properties. Set the 'Color-Quality' to 16-bit, then open the 'Advanced' dialog. Under the Troubleshoot tab, set the 'Hardware Acceleration' to None.

While it won't be the prettiest OS, it should be running much more quickly. More importantly, you have just maximized the performance of Pro Tools - now it's time to create!

Even more troubleshooting:

If you have any questions or are still running into errors, there might be deeper conflicts with the system. Check your RAM - Pro Tools needs at least 512Mb to operate - 1GB or more is recommended!

Some chipsets can also cause Pro Tools to stop in its tracks - to determine your chipset, download PC Wizard from http://www.cpuid.com . Check them against the incompatible chipsets listed in the compatibility section for your Pro Tools LE hardware under Windows Desktops or Windows Laptops - namely, make sure you're not running an Intel 915G, 915P, or 925X, especially when using a Digidesign USB based interface (Mbox, Mbox 2), as these are known to be incompatble with those interfaces. While there are no known issues when using these chipsets with Firewire interfaces (002, 002R) there is no guarantee that they will work properly and should be avoided if at all possible. ATI Radeon XPRESS 200 chipsets have also been known to cause conflicts and are not supported.

- Uninstall and reinstall Pro Tools

Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and remove Pro Tools LE. Then reinstall the software from CD-ROM or web download.

If you are using a dual core processor computer, you may be able to correct errors when using Pro Tools by disabling multi-core support from the BIOS. Typically this is in the BIOS under either Post Behavior>Multi-Core Support (disable this) or Performance>Multi-Core Support.

If you're running an AMD Athlon dual-core processor, make sure to install the Windows XP Dual Core Hotfix:

http://www.amdzone.com/modules.php?op=modl...rticle&sid=3964

If you're experiencing noise from the Mbox II, there are several things to try:

- Make sure you're using balanced cables on all balanced inputs and outputs. Remember that the Mbox 2 outputs are unbalanced, and should use unbalanced connections.

- Try using a power conditioner for all your electronic gear (Furman, Monster).

- Run your outputs directly to shielded monitors and not through a mixer to see if the noise goes away.

- Some noise complaints arise from noisey power supply units inside computers - try installing and running on another computer (or if you're using a laptop, unplug the power supply and run off of batteries to see if noise goes away). Moving the Mbox II in relation to your monitor, computer or speakers may also lessen the noise.

- Unplug and turn off all unnecessary gear and run only the computer, the Mbox II, and monitors.

- Listen through headphones to determine if the noise is isolated to a particular output.

- Make sure you're not running through a USB hub or other device - the Mbox II always needs to be plugged directly into the computer.

- Try all USB ports on the computer to see if the noise lessens.

- Trace your cable path for long cable runs, and isolate your cables from possible interference (other gear, flourescent lighting, CRT monitors, etc).

Lastly, if you feel a repair is necessary, please contact Digidesign Tech Support to set up an RA.

How to Remove Expired (Demo) Plug-Ins & Software:

- See Answerbase 19348

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Note: To enable other users to help you, please include all of your system details when posting an issue to the DUC; Pro Tools hardware, Pro Tools software version, CPU, OS version, Motherboard make/model, chipset, amount of RAM, type of hard drives used, etc.

- SiSoftware's Sandra Lite application can be used to post your full system profile:

www.sisoftware.net

Under SiSoftware Sandra, click on "Download & Buy" to download the free Sandra Lite version or purchase other versions.

- Additional resources for Pro Tools LE on the the Windows XP platform can be found in the "Windows Utilities & Web Resources" section at the bottom of this page:

Links to Miscellaneous Websites & Information

[bassmasta]

Hej,

har hört att det finns folk som har haft problem att köra Pro Tools på datorer med AMD-processorer . Jag har ”dammsugit” Digi Designs sajt efter info om vilken hård- och mjukvara som är kompatibel men blir inte riktigt klok på vad som gäller.

Min PC ser ut såhär:

Mainboard: Asus M2N-E

Chipset : nVidia nForce 570 SLI

Processor :AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+

Physical Memory : 1024 MB (2 x 512 DDR2-SDRAM )

Video Card: Nvidia Corp GeForce 7600 GT

Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 5.01.2600 Service Pack 2

Fråga: Funkar det att köra Mbox 2 Mini med senaste versionen av Pro Tools LE (misstänker att det är v. 7.3.1) på mitt system?

Tackar ödmjukast

Bassmasta 😳

[svante]

Hej,

har hört att det finns folk som har haft problem att köra Pro Tools på datorer med AMD-processorer . Jag har ”dammsugit” Digi Designs sajt efter info om vilken hård- och mjukvara som är kompatibel men blir inte riktigt klok på vad som gäller.

Min PC ser ut såhär:

Mainboard: Asus M2N-E

Chipset : nVidia nForce 570 SLI

Processor :AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+

Physical Memory : 1024 MB (2 x 512 DDR2-SDRAM )

Video Card: Nvidia Corp GeForce 7600 GT

Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 5.01.2600 Service Pack 2

Fråga: Funkar det att köra Mbox 2 Mini med senaste versionen av Pro Tools LE (misstänker att det är v. 7.3.1) på mitt system?

Tackar ödmjukast

Bassmasta 😕

Jag har kört mbox mini med PT 7.3, det gick fint

mvh

svante

[alekks]

Ett litet tips som kanske hjälper, har du problem med t.ex. blue screen när du försöker starta ditt Pro Tools LE 6.4, på Win XP med SP2 (service pack 2), eller tidigare versioner. Innan du sliter av dig håret och febrilt börjar leta på alla forum du känner till efter någon som haft liknande problem men inte hittar något vettigt svar:

Uppdatera PACE-drivrutinerna: http://www.paceap.com/dldrvr.html

Jag själv satt och var nära på att hälla vatten i datorn och satsa på en karriär som kassör på ICA när jag tillslut testade att uppdatera de drivarna... och vips så fungerade det utmärkt!

Tack för guiden chrisB!

[shiniez]

Tjena!

I LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Jag hade stora problem att få igång mitt M-Powered Pro tools...den bara startade om hela datorn så fort jag skulle starta pro tools programmet.

Sökte & sökte....sen när jag uppdaterade ILOK drivrutinerna (PACE) så funkade det!!

Thank god!

Tack Chris B & Tack Alleks!!!

Youre my new gods!! 😮

Daniel

Ett litet tips som kanske hjälper, har du problem med t.ex. blue screen när du försöker starta ditt Pro Tools LE 6.4, på Win XP med SP2 (service pack 2), eller tidigare versioner. Innan du sliter av dig håret och febrilt börjar leta på alla forum du känner till efter någon som haft liknande problem men inte hittar något vettigt svar:

Uppdatera PACE-drivrutinerna: http://www.paceap.com/dldrvr.html

Jag själv satt och var nära på att hälla vatten i datorn och satsa på en karriär som kassör på ICA när jag tillslut testade att uppdatera de drivarna... och vips så fungerade det utmärkt!

Tack för guiden chrisB!