How does an external drive work with Pro Tools LE?

[Jim Digby]

This will probably sound like a very daft question, but I am a true novice, sorry!

I have Pro Tools LE MBox Pro 2, version 7.1.3, and have recently been getting an error message: "Audio device buffer underflowed. If this occurs frequently, try decreasing the H/W Buffer Size in the Playback Engine or remove other Firewire devices (-6085 or -6086)" .

Other specs:
iMac Intel 2.16 GHz
OS x 10.4.11
Space: 447.33 GB available
I save my Pro Tools sessions to the internal drive

I have tried decreasing the buffer, increasing it, and I got a new Firewire cable (because a Digidesign engineer told me that "The DAE errors 6086,-6085,-6097 all relate to communication error as a result of a interruption or conflict with the data throughput to the unit."), but none of this has worked, and each time it occurs the session will not allow me to continue either recording or playing back for very long.

To cut a long story short, something I read elsewhere online has led me to believe that I might possibly solve the problem by getting an external drive to record onto instead of my internal drive. Someone said on an old thread "Recording to the internal HD is not supported (or recommended). The read/write heads have difficulty accessing the audio files and OS at the same time." So I have been considering buying this external drive: 50GB Glyph GT 050 FireWire 400


But I am very fuzzy about the logistics of all this, and am hoping someone here my be able to make things a little clearer. Basically, I am not sure of how I fit the ex-drive to my computer, or of how the ex-drive actually works in the chain between my computer and the MBox. I understand that I would have to put the 6-pin Firewire from my MBox into the external hard drive instead of the port on the back of my computer, and then do I link a Firewire or USB from the ex drive to an output on my computer? What files would be saved onto the ex-drive? Would I have to install Pro Tools on the ex-drive? very confused -- sorry!

Also, any other recommendations for external drives would be most welcome..

Thanks in advance,
Jim.

[MessianicDreams]

Yes, it is fairly standard practice to have seperate HDs for system and for audio. So you install PT, OSx etc on one hard drive, but have all your PT sessions and audio on another. However, I'm slightly confused. Could you clear up a few details for me:

1) You're running both audio and system off the same hard drive?
2) What external hardware do you have plugged in to your computer, and how do they interface with your computer (USB, firewire, etc)

The error message your getting seems to be a funny one - it's telling you it's having problems communicating with your audio device. Normally, if it were an issue with PT not being able to get audio faster enough from the hard drive, it says something like "Pro Tools cannot get audio from the drive fast enough, bla bla bla".

[Jim Digby]

Thanks for your reply.

Sorry, I'm not sure if I know what you mean by both audio and system, so I might witter here:

I have an MBox Pro 2 which has a 6-pin Firewire cable going from it into the FW400 port on the back of my iMac 24". So I record into my internal drive.

All my sessions are currently being saved in my documents file, although to be honest I tend to delete them after a short time, when I have had the chance to put the final mix onto a CD or Dat tape.

As for external hardware - other than the MBox in the FW400 port, just a printer via USB and my BT router via its thing.

"The error message your getting seems to be a funny one - it's telling you it's having problems communicating with your audio device." That's what I figured, so I got a replacement FW cable from Apple, but this hasn't worked to rid me of said error message. The external drive idea was just me clutching at straws, although I too can't see that the error message is alluding to a space issue.

Not sure what to do next - my warranty expired two months ago, and this error message has only just started. The only application I have installed in the last few months is the Shades screen dimmer, free software for Mac users who want to make their screens less bright.

Do you think reinstalling Pro Tools LE might work?

Thanks...

[suprstar]

Maybe your firewire devices are competing, does it work if you save your wav's on one of your PC's internal drives?

[MessianicDreams]

Originally Posted by Jim Digby

Sorry, I'm not sure if I know what you mean by both audio and system

System is where all your programs are installed, so OSx, Pro Tools and all your software. An audio-only drive is where you save all your Pro Tools session files and audio - this means that the computer doesn't have to try and run OSx and Pro Tools and all that on the same hard drive it's also trying to read/write lots of audio to.

Originally Posted by Jim Digby

That's what I figured, so I got a replacement FW cable from Apple, but this hasn't worked to rid me of said error message. The external drive idea was just me clutching at straws, although I too can't see that the error message is alluding to a space issue.

Not sure what to do next - my warranty expired two months ago, and this error message has only just started. The only application I have installed in the last few months is the Shades screen dimmer, free software for Mac users who want to make their screens less bright.

So how long have you been running this system without a problem? It might be an idea to re-install Pro Tools, it can be quite a difficult program to get to run smoothly. Also, I don't think getting a FW hard drive is that good an idea, as you've only got one FW buss on your iMac, and if it's trying to stream audio from the hard drive as well as having audio coming in and out of you Mbox, it might not like that. I know that I had a problem using another piece of gear of FW (LiquidMix) as well as my hard drive, altho i suspect the LiquidMix would be slightly more intensive on the FW buss than your Mbox.

My only other suggestion would be to post at the Digidesign User Conference and seeing if they can't spot the problem.

[bradch00]

I have an early 2007 intel core duo 2 iMac 24" and although I'm using a ProjectMix I/O interface I still managed to utilize both FW ports on the iMac. The projectMix I/O is plugged in via 9 to 6 pin FW cable to the FW800 port and the external drive is plugged into the FW400. This type of configuration may be an option.

[Jim Digby]

Thank you MessianicDreams and Bradch00. I have just read your comments, and am going to now reinstall my Pro Tools, plus I have been told that I could try deleting some preferences (apparantly a very common first troubleshooting step, although I had not heard of it!).

I have been using Pro Tools since May '07, but this message only recently reared it head.

Someone from from Digidesign has forwarded me this, culled from their website (it refers to 7.3, but I suppose it might work with my 7.1.3):
-----------------------
"DAE Error -6085 upon starting playback with Pro Tools LE 7.3.x with Mbox 2 Pro on Mac OS X.
This has been reported with various Mac computers.

Workarounds:
Connecting Mbox 2 Pro after the Mac has booted will prevent this behaviour.
Quit Pro Tools, disconnect then reconnect the Firewire cable, then re-launch Pro Tools
After this procedure, the system will work fine until the Mac is restarted; Restarting the system will require the procedure above to ensure proper operation.
---------------------

If the reinstalling etc doesn't work, then I will try that forum you suggested, MessianicDreams.

Thanks again for taking the trouble to reply.

[RD423]

Sometimes you have to delete the digidesign database folder. Not sure why but I just recently had to do that on my windows machine. haven't had a problem on my mac as of yet.