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System Overload


edurbrow

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I keep getting system overload messages and things stop. I can't understand it. I recently switched my audio to a 2TB SSD. I thought it would be faster, but it seems I get more of these messages than ever before. The SSD is connected to the computer via a USB3 dock. The old drive was internal. Could there possibly be that much difference between internal and external? Is there something else I should look at?

Thank you in advance.

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10 minutes ago, edurbrow said:

I formatted it to whatever the default is called. Does this screenshot give any info about that?

That's macOS Extended, it's fine.

4 minutes ago, edurbrow said:

I downloaded everything and it is all text files.

I don't know what you mean. It looks like you are trying to download the press release for some reason...

Blackmagic Speed Test is an app: 
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/blackmagic-disk-speed-test/id425264550?mt=12

Edited by des99
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17 hours ago, fisherking said:

you could try plugging the drive directly into the mac (bypassing the hub). 

I would also recommend doing this as a troubleshooting test. See how this behaves with the hub out of the equation. 

17 hours ago, edurbrow said:

I recently switched my audio to a 2TB SSD.

How exactly did you switch your audio to the SSD? Do you mean you're saving your Logic projects on that SSD? 

Note that system overload issues are generally not tied to the disk you're using, so we may be looking in the wrong place anyway. Here's another test: when you get an issue like that, choose File > Save As and make a copy of the entire project (along with all audio files) onto the internal drive. See if you get the same system overload issues? That would confirm that the disk used is not the issue. 

Maybe you're just reaching the limits of your CPU capabilities with that project? 

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7 hours ago, des99 said:

That's macOS Extended, it's fine.

I don't know what you mean. It looks like you are trying to download the press release for some reason...

Blackmagic Speed Test is an app: 
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/blackmagic-disk-speed-test/id425264550?mt=12

Ah, thanks. I get: Disk Speed Test can’t be installed on “New 1TB SSD” because OS X version 10.13 or later is required.
Anyway, there used to be online testers. I'll look for one.

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On 10/10/2023 at 10:20 PM, des99 said:

Also, run a Blackmagic Speedtest on the drive. You should be getting around 450MB/sec. If you're getting 40-50MB/sec, something is wrong with your hub/connections/cabling...

I found an alternative to Blackmagic Speedtest and ran it and got these results. I don't know how to interpret them though.

Screen Shot 2023-10-11 at 10.51.52 PM.png

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There could be something funny with this project (though I get the system overload in most projects and it doesn't seem related to how many tracks there are). Every time I open this project I get the message: Some additional content is needed for this project. Do you want to download it now?
I always say yes, and install it when it asks. So why do I keep getting this message?

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9 minutes ago, edurbrow said:

I don't know how to interpret them though.

That looks like USB2 speeds, or thereabouts, not USB3 speeds - ie it's running *really* slow, and is likely the cause of your issues. Check your cabling, hub, and whatever else you have connected on that hub.

Edited by des99
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3 minutes ago, edurbrow said:

Every time I open this project I get the message: Some additional content is needed for this project. Do you want to download it now?

I remember a bug in an earlier version where you would get that message when using ultrabeat in your project, are you still on LPX 10.2.2 and MacOS Mavericks ? This bug shouldn't give you overloads though, so probably unrelated... 

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6 hours ago, analogika said:

Does it explicitly say “disk too slow” or is it a CPU overload? 
 

The drive is not going to make a difference to a CPU overload issue. 
 

Are all third-party plugins, all audio drivers etc. definitely certified for the macOS version you’re using? 

 

It says specifically:

System Overload

The audio engine was unable to process all required data in time.

You can try increasing the I/O buffer size, change the Multithreading option at Logic Pro X > Preferences > Audio > Devices.

 

I was looking right at the CPU meter when it happened. It was about half way.

I checked out the Multithreading option but it was set to Playback Tracks, which, if I understand correctly is the less demanding. My IO buffer is 1020.
I would chalk this up to this computer being old (early 2008), but as I mentioned, this behavior seems to have become more prevalent. I did freeze all the guitar tracks last session too.

 

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8 minutes ago, des99 said:

Check your cabling, hub, and whatever else you have connected on that hub.

Right. Thank you very much for clearing that up. Hmm. I thought this was a USB3 hub. I'll try moving the HD dock to the other side of the wall, where my computer is, and try to hook it up without the hub. I actually have a free bay in the computer, but I don't have the adaptor to put an SSD in it. I don't want it to be in there just hangin on the connector.
Ok. Shutting down and will try it direct.

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27 minutes ago, des99 said:

Check your cabling, hub, and whatever else you have connected on that hub.

Well, that was disappointing. I connected the dock directly into the USB3 card at the back of my computer. Logic Pro ran for about 20 seconds and then I got the overload message. I thought it could be related to the downloaded content wanting to download, but after I checked install I still get the message. I kept my eye also on the HD meter this time and it was really on the right side.

ScreenShot2023-10-12at1_13_34AM.png.d1b0a74c82fe09aa29cf5bbf2d5dd85d.png

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Ok, but your CPU bar is high too, so you are both overloading your CPU, as well as having a high HD usage.

This goes back to my very first response above - what does the CPU meter tell you - are you overloading a core? Or just trying to do too much processing in realtime that your machine can't handle? (Double-click on the CPU bar in the above screenshot to open the performance window).

If you're overloading a core, you need to manage your resources to use less CPU, in all the usual ways this is done in Logic. (Post back if you're not sure about this and need further explanation).

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Thank you.
You know, I think it might be that particular project. I didn't think it was particularly heavy, but it has 100 tracks with many vocal tracks with a couple of compressors, eq and reverb on each track. I've just opened three other projects and none of them come near that . I'm looking now at one that had been saved with solo on. When I released solo and all the tracks played it strained a little bit, reaching maybe 3/4 of the way over on CPU but no overload. This one had 58 tracks.
Still, I made this project maybe 4 years ago and I never got overloads until recently.

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I hooked the dock directly to the USB3 card in my desktop. I haven't had occasion to try it with Logic Pro because I've been video editing, but I will say my video editor is acting wonderfully (the video and audio SSDs share this double dock). I usually have crashes and it just crawls, but I haven't had a crash in two days. I will let you know how it goes with Logic soon. 
Thank you very much, all of you, for your troubleshooting suggestions.

I have a feeling replacing my 15 year old computer might solve a lot of issues.

On 10/12/2023 at 12:42 AM, des99 said:

Check your cabling, hub, and whatever else you have connected on that hub.

Right. Thank you very much for clearing that up. Hmm. I thought this was a USB3 hub. I'll try moving the HD dock to the other side of the wall, where my computer is, and try to hook it up without the hub. I actually have a free bay in the computer, but I don't have the adaptor to put an SSD in it. I don't want it to be in there just hangin on the connector.
Ok. Shutting down and will try it direct.

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