Jump to content

Complete iMac Crash! "Audio engine overloaded, resetting"


C4L88

Recommended Posts

Okay so this is a very troublesome issue :evil:

 

I posted a while ago about how my computer was freezing up a bit and it turned out that it was my backup drive needing a firmware update, but I started getting them again and the console tells me this:

 

"Logic Pro X: Audio Engine Overload, resetting"

 

Last night my computer froze and this was the last entry in the console beforehand

It just froze again and this is the last entry in the console as well

 

The only differences were that the ones the one that the most recent one instantly restarted the computer while earlier ones just completely froze the machine and I had to manually restart

 

This is incredibly frustrating as I am not sure where the bottleneck or cause is. In my specs you'll see my computer and my "travel computer" which was my old machine; the current iMac is the one having problems. I'm opening a project from the old one so I'm not sure why I'm having problems; the specs on the main machine are much better!

 

Now, I use a lot of sample libraries and when I first load a project there may be a few voices dropping out/stuttered playback while everything in a sense "settles in" which makes sense that this is where a system overload may occur, but it seems to be a hit and miss, and it at least doesn't seem to be the usual system overload message of "not able to process all the required data in time" because that usually just stops playback and the error message pops up

Nope, this is an entire system wide freeze

 

If it is of help my audio settings in Logic are:

-I/O buffer size = 512

-Processing Threads = Automatic

-Process Buffer Range = Medium

-ReWire Behavior = Off

-Maximum Scrub Speed = Normal

-Scrub Response = Slow

 

Everything was a fresh install, the only things that came directly from my old computer were the project files and my presets

I've verified and repaired disk permissions

Verified the disk and everything was okay

Ran Apple Diagnostics and everything was okay

Ran memtest utility multiple times without any problems

 

If any other settings or details are needed, please let me know...I just want to get back to writing :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3rd party software instruments:

-EW/QL libraries (Play Engine)

-Native Instruments Komplete 9 (inside Kontakt, outside of NI stuff is a few 8dio libraries)

I have a few other ones like u-he zebrallete or Green Oaks's "Crystal" but really it is just the EW/QL and NI stuff that gets used

 

3rd party plug-ins:

-QL Spaces

-Eventide Ultrachannel

-Native Instruments Komplete 9

-Tokyo Dawn Labs Feedback Compressor II, Proximity, and VOS Slick EQ

-u-he Zebrify and ZRev (never used, but came with zebrallette

-Parallax Audio Virtual Soundstage

-Slate Digital Virtual Buss Compressors

-Waves S1, REDD, and Vitamin

 

The most recent project I opened up and crashed was using only the EW/QL and 8dio libraries, QL Spaces, and Parallax Audio Virtual Soundstage

It was a project from my old machine and ran well on it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's of any help I just played through small portion of the piece,

 

The CPU/HD monitor in Logic, only one core reached over 50%, the rest stayed at less than about 25%

 

Now in the activity monitor some of the stats Logic got during playback

 

%CPU, got up to about 77% at its peak, but the CPU Load graph stayed incredibly low throughout

CPU Time, got it up to 4:40.32

Threads got up to 85

Idle Wakeups got up to over 8,000

PID at about 473

 

The only other things open are Automap and PLAYmemoryserver (for the EW/QL libraries) so I don't know if these numbers are absolutely absurd or not

As I said though, the CPU load and Logic's CPU/HD were low throughout

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, it's not Kontakt since it just happened again on a project that wasn't using Kontakt...

 

The "audio engine overload" message was about 20 minutes before the crash but there was a series of other Logic processes that were failing/invalid leading up to the freeze

 

Should I possibly just do a fresh reinstall of Logic?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Other possibility

 

So I'm not sure if this may be a root of the problem but I'll lay it out: my audio interface

 

I'm using a new Behringer UMC404 which sounds pretty great but when I received it, it didn't work very well with USB 3 ports and was in need for a firmware update

 

Well, they released a firmware update but still have yet to release the Mac version, so instead I booted up an old Windows machine and did the firmware update through there. It now works with the USB 3 ports on my iMac, but could this be a possible area of question? That I updated the interface through the Windows machine?

 

The thing is though, that I use that interface for all audio on my iMac; Logic, Quicktime, web browsing, etc. and I have only had crashes in Logic. Now, the vast majority of time on the iMac is on Logic so perhaps it has just been coincidence that the crashes all happen during Logic sessions, but at this point, after this many crashes, I believe it has something to do with Logic :oops:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, I need to bump this

 

Just had another freeze up, but there was nothing about an audio engine overload this time

 

I'm going to get more detailed about my setup

iMac 14,2, Intel i7 3.5GHz quad core, 32GB of RAM (from OWC, not from Apple)

4 USB 3.0 ports, 2 Thunderbolt 1 ports, 1 Ethernet

 

1 USB port is for my Western Digital Backup Drive; this shouldn't be the issue because it wasn't plugged in for this last freeze

1 USB port is my Novation ZeRO SL Mk ii (bus powered)

1 USB port is my Audio Interface (Behringer UMC404, using its own power source, not USB bus power)

1 USB port is a USB 2.0 hub with my keyboard (Casio PX-130) and iLok 2 key

 

1 Thunderbolt port is my 3TB Seagate External Drive for all my sample libraries

1 Thunderbolt port is my Vizio HDTV I use as a 2nd monitor

 

Nothing is plugged into the Ethernet

 

When using Logic, the only other thing on is Automap for the Novation as well as the Wi-Fi, but this has happened with it both on or off

 

Things I have already tried!

-Made sure everything was up to date

-Ran Apple Diagnostics test and memtest in the terminal to check the hardware (especially the RAM) multiple times with no errors

-Repaired Disk Permissions and Verified Disk in Disk Utilities; everything was okay

-My audio interface had problems with USB 3 when I first got it. Behringer released a firmware update that could be run on PCs so I booted up an old one and did it through there and now it plays audio from my iMac's USB 3 just fine. It is class compatible so it doesn't need drivers, just needed the firmware update. I tried plugging it into my USB hub with the 2.0 ports, but that didn't change anything; still froze

 

NOW, when it freezes, all you hear is a click through the speakers. Here is the hard part: I can't tell which speakers!

I have some Focal CMS40 monitors, the Vizio I use also has some speakers, and then of course the iMac's own speakers. Sometimes it sounds like it came out of the Vizio, other times the Focals...I'm just not sure!

 

I have NEVER had these issues on my MacBook Pro, and that has a lot more software and junk on it because that was also my school and leisure computer. This iMac has only the essentials for Logic and my plug-ins to run

 

PLEASE HELP :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about reinstalling Automap on the new computer?

Automap is somewhat famous for creating havoc on this forum.

And I would never run the interface on a hub.

 

Did you also check Activity Monitor?

 

Well the first thing I did was uninstall Soundflower and restarted my computer (properly, via the Apple menu, not a hard manual shutdown)

When I've used it previously it gave me a whole fit of trouble and crashes if a notification appeared or time machine started backing up

 

I just had another crash so I uninstalled removed the connection Logic had with my Novation, uninstalled Automap, reinstalled it, am about to set up the connection again and we will see if that (hopefully) fixes it :cry:

 

I haven't had Activity Monitor up when a crash occurs but I've taken peaks at it while I'm working and the CPU and RAM are taking an incredibly low beating, but my next few sessions I'm going to keep it up the whole time incase anything happens

 

Will keep you updated!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 day without an issue :mrgreen: (although still perhaps a bit too soon to say solved)

 

It's a little weird that it seems to of been Automap because I had uninstalled and reinstalled it before, but what I did differently this time was wipe it out of Logic's control surfaces. It still memorized that device, so I removed it, uninstalled Automap, reinstalled, and set up the device again and everything is smooth

 

Fingers crossed for a good day 2...and 3....and 4....and eternity :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:( Another freeze

 

BUT I think it does have to do with the Automap software

 

When you install Automap and verify all the plug-ins it makes a second case of each of your 3rd party plug-ins that are "automap" enabled

For instance you will have "Waves Vitamin" and "Waves Vitamin (Automap)"

 

However, when I reinstalled Automap, it did not make these

When my computer froze again, when I reopened Logic, it suddenly created all of these. This only happened once I restarted the computer; before the freeze if I opened and closed Logic it never made the Automap versions

 

It also seems to have big problems with my Slate Virtual Buss Compressor plug-ins. When making the Automap versions it would cause auValtool to crash. When I reopened it and validated the rest of the plug-ins it would say 4 could not be verified all of which were the Slate Automap versions.

 

For now I've just decided to disable all Automap versions of my 3rd party plug-ins

 

I also browsed the Novation support forums and picked up some tips there, like making sure Logic turns on Automap itself rather than having Automap already running when you open Logic. Also an Automap 4.8.3 beta that I might try out...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well....S**t

 

2 freezes within 1 hour...the worst yet

 

I had activity monitor open this time, looking at Logic

 

First one:

CPU: 117.4%

CPU Time: 14:08.23

Threads: 205

Idle Wakeups: 7,950

PID: 327

 

Second Crash

CPU: 112.2%

CPU Time: 10:59.33

Threads: 201

Idle Wakeups: 6,780

PID: 337

 

on the CPU load

System: 3.22%

User: 13.89%

Idle: 82.89%

 

So while Logic's numbers seem high there is plenty of Idle CPU....

 

I am absolutely boggled as to what it could be

For now I can only think of a few options which I'm setting up now:

 

-Verifying and running diagnostic tests on all my disks (system disk, my backup drive, and my sample library drives)

-Trying out the Automap 4.8.3 beta. If it still crashes I will try uninstalling Automap again and work without it. If it works then...well damn, looks like I have to go out and buy a new MIDI control unit...

-Resetting NVRAM

 

I fail to think it is a hardware issue because this only happens while working in Logic, but if I still have problems I'm going to have to go up to the nearest Apple store...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another theory...

 

My Macbook Pro ("Travel Computer") in my signature, 2011 model, never had these issues

 

Now, one of the things about that machine is that I was using it back with Logic 9, then when it came out about a year and a half later, upgraded to Logic X

 

Now, some of Logic 9's settings transferred over when I made the switch, such as my key commands

 

Could it of been that something transferred from 9 to X on my old machine that caused it to not have this problem, but the clean Logic X install on my iMac didn't get?

 

I've checked in preferences that all the Logic Pro X settings are the same between the 2 computers...maybe there is something I'm missing? Hhhmmm :?

 

Also going to research my ~/Library folders for discrepancies that look important...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Further update on the status:

 

Installed the Automap 4.8.3 beta...within a minute the whole computer crashed which furthers my suspicions of Automap

 

I've completely uninstalled Automap and will keep this thread updated

 

If by the end of tomorrow or Monday morning I haven't experienced any crashes I am going to make the assumption that it was Automap was the culprit, which is a shame because I really like the Novation ZeRO SL MkII, and then it's off to the store to buy a new controller

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well ****

 

Automap has been completely uninstalled and another crash just occured :cry:

 

One odd thing about each crash I've had is that sometimes there is a noise...sometimes there isn't...

 

Sometimes it's a click, sometimes its a static-like "kkssshhh" sound for a split second, and other times there is nothing

 

Ugghhh I've been on Apple since '99 and I've had anything like this :cry:

 

EDIT

Found a leftover Novation Automap USB MIDI Driver hiding in the ~/library...got rid of it and running a restart and we'll see how that goes

Also going to reset NVRAM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's usually 3rd party software that creates all kinds of problems.

 

 

Yeah I'm opening up Logic and I'm going to see if there is some 3rd party software that aren't regular plug-ins and such that are causing problems

 

I was planning on starting some screen casting and Soundflower was giving me TONS of problems so I had tried out some others. Going to make sure there aren't any lingering remnants

Luckily I don't have a ton of stuff on this computer so the ~/library folders aren't as much of a hunt

 

I'm also planning on taking the iMac into the Apple store on Wednesday just because having them run a diagnostics test won't hurt

 

Also going to reset the SMC

 

I'm going to get to the root of this damn it! Keeping notes of what I've done as well in case I haven't figured it out by the time I get to the Apple Store

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well there are now only two 3rd party softwares that were not on my old working computer and this problematic one

 

-u-he Zebralette (with the Zebra 2, Zebrify, and ZeRev Demos)

-Slate Virtual Buss Compressors

 

I really hope it isn't the Slate compressors...those things are INCREDIBLE

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Further updates:

 

It hasn't been very long but for the rest of today everything has been fine (except we had a storm and the power went out 3 times :roll:)

 

The plan now is to spend about half of tomorrow working and if we are problem free then I am going to reintroduce Automap.

If it works and one of the other applications or the SMC or PRAM reset was the remedy, then I won't have to go out and buy a new MIDI controller (woo! :) )

 

More updates to come! Fingers crossed...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whoa, okay so another crash (damn, damn, damn!)

 

A little different from the rest

 

I use a Vizio HDTV has a 2nd monitor and when it froze this time the speakers of the Vizio start buzzing with wavy feel (fading in and out slightly)

After about 30 seconds it stopped

 

Now the weird thing is the console logs...

 

For 16 minutes leading up to the crash there has been only 1 message:

"Logic Pro X: CGContextClosePath: No current point."

 

huh???

 

Looking at the console inspector it says the facility is com.apple.coregraphics...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope, not yet

 

Going to the Apple store Wednesday though

 

Once again though, I've only had crashes when working with Logic, BUT I've had a problem with the Vizio once before a few weeks ago; it's a crash unlike the others

 

So now I'm thinking there is also an error somewhere in Logic's connection with the graphics...

Considering uninstalling and reinstalling Logic, see if that helps :?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well...had another crash

 

Same CGContextClosePatch errors, but this time my 2nd monitor didn't make any noise...no noises at all, just a freeze

 

So it's now the last thing I can think of...

 

I have uninstalled Logic and am now reinstalling it...oh how I hope this is the cure! :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, as I expected, but went to the Apple Store and checked anyways, my hardware is perfectly fine

 

So far after uninstalling and reinstalling Logic everything is running fine and tomorrow, should everything be going smoothly, I will probably try introducing Automap again and update the status

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...I really should stop updating this thread...it seems every time I say "working fine so far!" I end up getting another one :cry:

 

Have no ****ing idea at this point...might just have to wipe the computer all clean and start completely fresh again

 

I'm 90% sure this has to do with Logic because I've only had them while using Logic but now I see the uninstall/reinstall didn't take....going through and thinking of some more things that could be causing it, making sure everything possible is up to date, look for any discrepancies between my working MacBook and my not working iMac...

 

I have basically 2 more tests

So the trip to the Apple Store indicated that my iMac's hardware was fine, just a notification I was using 3rd party RAM (which has been thoroughly tested multiple times with passing results). So at this point I'm curious about external hardware; basically two pieces

 

1) My Vizio external display. Console has shown some activity with WindowServer (doesn't specify if it's a crash or not) so I will try working without the external monitor and see how it behaves

 

2) If that doesn't work I'm going to try working without using my audio interface. My interface is a new model...

 

...unless superstition gets the best of me :wink: , will keep you all updated (would hate for someone else to have this problem and not know what to do)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh how I really hope I'm not jinxing it by posting :| ...

 

So I had tried a few more things

 

I had removed my 2nd monitor to see if it was an issue there, but to no avail (and when you are use to working with 2 monitors, going back to one just...kind of sucks ;))

 

Next up I completely reinstalled Mavericks

I didn't wipe the computer, just reinstalled the OS...but once again no luck

 

So at that point I could only think of 3 options:

-Change the computers power source

-Stop using my audio interface and see if that was the issue

-Completely wipe the computer and install every little thing one by one

 

Well I have a big Furman power strip with all my stuff plugged into it; monitors, TV (for 2nd display), Audio interface, external drives, and keyboard.

My iMac was plugged into it as well

I've now plugged my computer in directly to the wall instead of one this power strip and so far it has been about 3 days since any issue (although my current projects have been a lighter so I need to start a big one to really push the computer)

The Furman also used to trip every now and then, although living in Florida and having it been very stormy recently I always figured it had something to do with that, but maybe the iMac was just drawing to much from it? However it hasn't tripped at all since taking the iMac off of it. Not sure...

 

Knock on wood, this may be it

While it makes me slightly uneasy plugging my computer into the wall instead of on the Furman (surge protection and such), a bunch of freezes and hard shutdowns wouldn't be much better (for the computer and my work :P)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...