I've just about had it with System Overloads

[mpmusicny]

Unrealistic? not really - If you're running multiple Battery's and Kontakt's and VI's and whatnot which go through the RAM like crazy, it will more than likely help, thought as i say, 4G is the maximum one application can access under the present system, the other 2 G is just gravy so i can keep Safari and Mail and Recycle and Audiofinder and iCal and etc. etc running at the same time without swapouts. Swapouts are what kill you. Get the RAM from Crucial if you feel like giving it a try - it won't cost an arm and a leg, and it'll be good quality.

[instantpop]

You know, I'm gonna throw this out there just because I think it deserves to be said. Have any of you having the issues you are having thought that maybe Logic isn't the one to blame in these situations? I mean, I'm not here to stand and defend to the death the application, but the finger pointing seems to be rather quick on here as of late.

 

I get the System Overload message every once in a while and have been able to pinpoint it to my use of NI plug-ins and the message goes away once the song has been restarted. This is a known bug. Cool, I can deal with it and hope a fix comes soon.

 

FWIW, I've got a Rev. A, Dual 1.8 G5 with 2GB of RAM and a Macbook Pro 2.33 C2D with 2GB of RAM. When I use Logic, I've got Logic open along with iChat, Safari, Mail and anything else I feel necessary within reason. I don't get error messages at all and I really think that tossing 6GB is a bit overkill unless you're really going crazy with Battery and Kontakt, etc., in which case I'd argue trying to be more efficient.

 

I'm not trying to knock anybody here or anything like that, but you have to accept the possibility that there is user error involved, outside elements such as poor drivers from an interface, non-compatible third-party plugs, bad RAM, etc. With so many variables that are involved I really find it hard to believe that Logic is the bad guy every single time. The bottom line is that Logic has been around for a long time, and as editbrain so wonderfully pointed out, has run just fine on less machine than those of you experiencing problems are using.

 

Do your clean installs, wipe your drives and pinpoint the problem before pointing the finger because there are people here who are using Logic every day with little or no problem. Innocent until proven guilty I say.

 

[Tarekith]

Sure man, tha's a perfectly valid assumption. As a relatively new Logic user, my first thought is, "ok, what am 'I' doing wrong" that's causing this. Luckily one of my best friends is one of the technical writers at Computer Music magazine, and he's been helping me rule out user error in tracking down the issues causing these overloads and core audio errors.

 

In fact, the disk IO messages I was getting WERE my fault, as I wasn't realizing that Logic doesn't more aggressively cache short audio files, and I was just asking too much of the MBP HD.

 

BUT, I'm still getting core audio errors, and since I'm not using any 3rd party plug ins or synths, I can rule those out. I recently did a completely fresh install of everything (OSX, Logic, etc) to try and rule out issues too. Also tried using the built in audio to rule out my Ultralite causing the issue, still no go. Everyone keeps telling me the new MBP I have is more than machine enough to run 12 tracks of audio in Logic, but since even that will cause these errors, not sure where else to point the finger but Logic. I can be playing back any of my songs with only about 12 tracks running, and I randomly get a core audio error without touching anything, on a fresh install, without any other apps running.

 

Again, totally random too, some days I do't get any messages, other days I get one every minute.

 

Not sure where else that leaves me?

[BobTheDog]

Also what Audio Interface are you useing, I get this message alot on my MacPro when useing a Motu 828mkii, but I never get it when useing a RME Fireface 800.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

[maceasy]

Although they won't admit to it being a bug, they have acknowledged it is a problem and have posted this document to try and help:

 

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304970

 

 

I really hope that they get this fixed in the next version

[Meezy]

Sorry this isn;t helpfull but I have the same issue a bit. I have it WAY worse running Pro Tools. This was the origional reason that I started trying to learn Logic. I only ever use Pro Tools at uni on the G5's. I find my little G4 runs Logic better then Pro Tools any day.

The point I'm trying to make is that I believe that it is a hardware issue rather then a software issue.

 

6 years ago I used to run 10+ software instruments with 15+ audio tracks on Cubase VST 5 on my old imac with no probs. With Pro Tools on my 2 year old ibook with better specs can only handle about 3 software instruments and 5 audio tracks before it gives up.

 

As computers are getting more and more powerful, the software is designed to take advantage of that power and get more thurst for juice. It seems at the moment the sythesis between hardware and software has become a little lopsided.

 

Imagin how many tracks you could run in Cubase VST 5 or Logic 5 on a new intel Macbook Pro! (if that where possible)

[instantpop]

Sure man, tha's a perfectly valid assumption. As a relatively new Logic user, my first thought is, "ok, what am 'I' doing wrong" that's causing this. Luckily one of my best friends is one of the technical writers at Computer Music magazine, and he's been helping me rule out user error in tracking down the issues causing these overloads and core audio errors.

 

In fact, the disk IO messages I was getting WERE my fault, as I wasn't realizing that Logic doesn't more aggressively cache short audio files, and I was just asking too much of the MBP HD.

 

BUT, I'm still getting core audio errors, and since I'm not using any 3rd party plug ins or synths, I can rule those out. I recently did a completely fresh install of everything (OSX, Logic, etc) to try and rule out issues too. Also tried using the built in audio to rule out my Ultralite causing the issue, still no go. Everyone keeps telling me the new MBP I have is more than machine enough to run 12 tracks of audio in Logic, but since even that will cause these errors, not sure where else to point the finger but Logic. I can be playing back any of my songs with only about 12 tracks running, and I randomly get a core audio error without touching anything, on a fresh install, without any other apps running.

 

Again, totally random too, some days I do't get any messages, other days I get one every minute.

 

Not sure where else that leaves me?

 

 

I'm not really sure where else that leaves you, either. To be perfectly honest, I'm befuddled at all the issues as of late. I'm running a MBP 2.33 with the MOTU Ultralite and have had great success. Same success on my 'old' G5. I've gone well over the 12 tracks of audio you're experiencing problems with. There's not a single vocal session I do that doesn't hit at least 50 takes, so I'm having a hard time figuring out why you're having issues.

 

What version of OSX are you running? Latest MOTU drivers? We've ruled out third-party plugs, though I run fine with several (though I do get the overload error with the NI stuff, but as stated previously, known bug).

[David Nahmani]

Although they won't admit to it being a bug, they have acknowledged it is a problem and have posted this document to try and help:

 

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304970

 

 

I really hope that they get this fixed in the next version

 

In the first paragraph of the article you linked, it says:

 

This dialog is not generally an indication that anything is wrong with Logic or your computer, but is rather an indication that there not enough CPU power, RAM, or hard disk bandwidth to do what the song is asking at the time.

 

I wouldn't say they acknowledge it is a problem! In my experience, it is usually only a "bug" when it keeps happening the first time you play a song, and then every other time you play the song it works fine. That's a bug, and that's annoying.

 

Every other time I see that message, there's usually a good reason. I still used the word "usually", because once in a while, it seems to come out of nowhere. Maybe there's still a reason - either way as long as it doesn't happen too often I don't mind.

 

If you get that alert to the point where it hinders your workflow, then something is probably wrong with your system. I work with all sorts of machines, in all sorts of studios, and usually people call me when they have that alert more often than they believe they should, and my job is to find the culprit and fix it. I have always found the culprit, and a solution to fix it.

 

Sometimes it can be very hard to find the culprit though. I remember this studio where everything seemed fine, and I had done all the necessary checks, and still we would get core audio alerts every 5mn, with only 1 or 2 tracks and no plug-ins. Turned out that particular G5's firewire ports did not work properly. I had the client buy a $40 firewire card, and problem solved. Typical situation where it would have been really, really easy for the client to say it was a Logic bug (he never did), when in fact it was a hardware problem. Still Apple, but nothing to do with Logic!

 

I know working with a computer can be frustrating, but keep at it and keep a positive attitude, keep researching, experimenting, troubleshooting, and asking questions in this forum, and you should be able to run Logic without any problems. After all, thousands of us do just that every day. There's no reason you shouldn't be one of us.

[adrian.roberts]

I think Instantpop is correct. I'd been a Hardcore Battery user for some time until they promised a free Universal Binary update for Battery 2 then decided to make it a paid upgrade. So I get the upgrade and it seems that multiple instances of Battery 3 cause the system to overload. There are a few known bugs that need to be fixed with that program. They are listed on the Native Instruments forum.

Now I pretty much use Ultrabeat exclusively as a multi instrument and run my outputs to Aux tracks. I've loaded several instances of UB and the system runs fine. I'm not telling you to not use Battery 3 in your compositions, but you should look into some of those Known bugs that are posted on their forum. I'm sure Native Instruments will take care of these issues in the future.

 

Cheers,

 

-Adrian Roberts

 

OGC

 

www.myspace.com/organicgroovecontinuum

[Tarekith]

What version of OSX are you running? Latest MOTU drivers? We've ruled out third-party plugs, though I run fine with several (though I do get the overload error with the NI stuff, but as stated previously, known bug).

 

I've been running 10.4.9, 10.4.10 as of yesterday, latest MOTU Drivers as well. Like I said, it's the sporadic natire of this that befuddles me. Last night i got 3 messages in about 15 minutes, today I've been using Logic for 3 hours and haven't gotten any.

 

I'm the "computer guy" at my job, so pretty used to troubleshooting computers and going through a rational troubleshooting stage, process of elimination and all that. But this just has me stumped. It's certainly not a workflow killer, but it's puzzling, and curiousity has me wanting to get to the bottom of it.

[musick]

I'm the "computer guy" at my job, so pretty used to troubleshooting computers and going through a rational troubleshooting stage, process of elimination and all that. But this just has me stumped. It's certainly not a workflow killer, but it's puzzling, and curiousity has me wanting to get to the bottom of it.

About the same goes for me

 

As far as my idea of the issue (as posted earlier): it looks like parts of the virtual instruments are loaded when used for the first time. To load code this way is quite common in *nix like OSes. The not loaded code triggers a page fault which triggers the load of the corresponding code and maps it into the process memory space. For (soft) realtime applications this is not good of course, there the programmer should make sure all code is loaded before running the program.

My 2cts

[cycloptic]

... it is usually only a "bug" when it keeps happening the first time you play a song, and then every other time you play the song it works fine. That's a bug, and that's annoying.

.

 

Thanks for stating this, here and elsewhere on the forum. I get this first play issue all the time and was thinking it was something wrong with my Macbook. I was about to go on a campaign of audio card and external drive purchases to try to get rid of it. You saved me a ton of frustration. I guess I will just have to cope with it until Apple decides to fix it, if ever.

 

cycloptic

[Meezy]

Make of this what you will:

 

I got the same errors yesterday on my g4 ibook but I was only using 5 or 6 audio tracks. They where loops that I made in reason and it was only a 16 bar riff, no effects, no soft synths.

playback would stop after 1 second EVERY time I hit play. I tried restarting my mac and changing the buffer size etc. . .didn't help.

 

I "saved project as", opend the new project and had no more problems

[rikki rivett]

Every other time I see that message, there's usually a good reason. I still used the word "usually", because once in a while, it seems to come out of nowhere. Maybe there's still a reason - either way as long as it doesn't happen too often I don't mind.

 

If you get that alert to the point where it hinders your workflow, then something is probably wrong with your system. I work with all sorts of machines, in all sorts of studios, and usually people call me when they have that alert more often than they believe they should, and my job is to find the culprit and fix it. I have always found the culprit, and a solution to fix it.

 

Sometimes it can be very hard to find the culprit though. I remember this studio where everything seemed fine, and I had done all the necessary checks, and still we would get core audio alerts every 5mn, with only 1 or 2 tracks and no plug-ins. Turned out that particular G5's firewire ports did not work properly. I had the client buy a $40 firewire card, and problem solved. Typical situation where it would have been really, really easy for the client to say it was a Logic bug (he never did), when in fact it was a hardware problem. Still Apple, but nothing to do with Logic!

 

I know working with a computer can be frustrating, but keep at it and keep a positive attitude, keep researching, experimenting, troubleshooting, and asking questions in this forum, and you should be able to run Logic without any problems. After all, thousands of us do just that every day. There's no reason you shouldn't be one of us.

 

A good message, and a good philosophy, thanks David!!

 

RR

[disposabledjs]

I know this topic has been dead for a while, but, has anyone who is suffering this issue upgraded to Logic 8? And if so, does the problem persist?

 

We use Logic for a lot of elements in our live sets and have to pretty much play the whole set through before going "live" in order to avoid an embarrassing Core Audio overload...

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[inmazevo]

I know this topic has been dead for a while, but, has anyone who is suffering this issue upgraded to Logic 8? And if so, does the problem persist?

 

We use Logic for a lot of elements in our live sets and have to pretty much play the whole set through before going "live" in order to avoid an embarrassing Core Audio overload...

 

Cheers

Craig

It still happens to me LP8, just like LP7. In fact, with one project, it happens on the second run through as well, but later in the arrangement. So for that particular project, it's actually worse. BUT: it's a slightly different machine, and the hard drive is slower.

 

I've started a log - software tester style - to try and figure out when/why/how it happens. I'll then go through and methodically tweak this or that to see if I can make it stop.

 

VERY disappointed that this OLD defect is still there. Lame, lame, lame, lame... and lame.

 

I won't use Logic live because of it, which is sad because I was hoping that the lack of a dongle would allow me to finally take it out. I'll export and use Ableton Live instead.

They really, really, really need to fix this. I don't have a single other DAW that just stops.

 

However, I very much like Logic Studio, and don't regret getting it in any way.

 

For me, it doesn't have too many defects so far, and it runs pretty much like Logic Pro 7.2.3 did (for me at least).

And not having the dongle is good for people on the road.

 

Take care,

- zevo

[disposabledjs]

I know this topic has been dead for a while, but, has anyone who is suffering this issue upgraded to Logic 8? And if so, does the problem persist?

 

We use Logic for a lot of elements in our live sets and have to pretty much play the whole set through before going "live" in order to avoid an embarrassing Core Audio overload...

 

Cheers

Craig

It still happens to me LP8, just like LP7. In fact, with one project, it happens on the second run through as well, but later in the arrangement. So for that particular project, it's actually worse. BUT: it's a slightly different machine, and the hard drive is slower.

 

I've started a log - software tester style - to try and figure out when/why/how it happens. I'll then go through and methodically tweak this or that to see if I can make it stop.

 

VERY disappointed that this OLD defect is still there. Lame, lame, lame, lame... and lame.

 

I won't use Logic live because of it, which is sad because I was hoping that the lack of a dongle would allow me to finally take it out. I'll export and use Ableton Live instead.

They really, really, really need to fix this. I don't have a single other DAW that just stops.

 

However, I very much like Logic Studio, and don't regret getting it in any way.

 

For me, it doesn't have too many defects so far, and it runs pretty much like Logic Pro 7.2.3 did (for me at least).

And not having the dongle is good for people on the road.

 

Take care,

- zevo

 

Thanks Zevo... That answers that!!

 

I'll have to look at other ways of building our live sets... We use Guitar Rig 2 and lots of Logic plugs as we use elements of the tracks we've built in Logic for our live backbone - so it would've been nice to stay within the Logic environment, especially as we have a nice Macbook Pro to go on the road with!

 

So can you install LP8 on multiple machines, as I thought the dongle was great for just switching your license from machine to machine?

 

Take it easy

 

Craig

[inmazevo]

I haven't installed it on more than one machine yet, but it seems likely to be trivial.

 

The upgrade install just looks for the dongle, and if it doesn't find it asks for the old version serial number. Past that, it just asks for a serial number. No activation or anything, so I can't imagine installing to multiple machines would be a problem... they have to be Macs, after all, so essentially the box is the dongle and Apple is guaranteed to get more money anyway.

 

It's a MUCH nicer way to do things.

 

As for the Core Audio Overloads:

It seems like there SHOULD be some way to get rid of this. On my systems, it happens the most when at the start of a region, and again more often when it's a midi region triggering a plugin instrument.

 

It's as if the act of initializing the instrument is requiring more than the system can handle, though it's a 2.16GHz Core 2. If that's the case, then a "read ahead" buffer of some sort would likely help.

 

We'll see,

- zevo

[disposabledjs]

That's cool then re: registration... No doubt it'll be file shared to the hilt though!!

 

I'd read somewhere about having a region routed to no output throughout the track with Space Designer on the channel strip may help... For now I'm going to get to the gigs early and play through all the sections which usually cause issues!!

 

Have fun

 

Craig

[jonkuzma]

Hi. Yeah I get the message sporadically. LP8 and running the demo songs that came with LP8. No third party anything other than an Ozonic. After I click continue and rewind all is well. Hopefully it is just a very annoying bug that will be remedied soon. Also the large Ram needed for mainstage is per project. Some require less due to the architecture. It can be a real show stopper if one doesn't program with headroom (in regards to RAM) left available for actual functionality. JON

[Fred B]

Hopefully it is just a very annoying bug that will be remedied soon.

Yes, hopefully...

 

But I suspect it's a general problem due to the memory management of OS X which is not designed for realtime applications (as 'musick' has explained earlier). Unfortunately, in this case the only effective solution would be a basic redesign of Logic, ie. bypassing the standard OS X memory management like it's done in other audio applications. For example when using Kontakt2 standalone, the activity monitor shows that most memory is allocated in the "wired" (red) area which is normally not accessible from applications.