Appendix C: Troubleshooting

Backing Up Your Work

It is highly recommended that you back up your work on a regular basis, and especially before making changes to your system configuration.

Back Up Your Session Data

Back up your session and audio data frequently.

There are a variety of media that are suited to back up projects of various sizes, from automated tape backup systems to high-capacity optical drives, to desktop CD-R burners.

The best way to back up an entire session is to use the Save Session Copy In command. This command lets you save the session file and all of its associated files to a new location. For more

information, see “Saving a Copy of the Session” on page 48.

You can also use the Auto Save Backup feature (in the Operation Preferences page) to have Pro Tools automatically save backups of your session file while you work. For more

information, see “Operation Preferences” on page 57

Back Up Your System Setup

Windows Create a system recovery disk after you have finished configuring your system and installing Pro Tools software. This is more useful than a recovery disk for an unconfigured system.

Macintosh Back up your System Folder after you install Pro Tools software.

Common Issues

Pro Tools Won’t Launch

Problem

When you double-click the Pro Tools application or a Pro Tools session file, Pro Tools doesn’t launch, or displays an error message.

Possible Solutions

All Systems

◆ Check to be sure your computer has the required amount of RAM to launch Pro Tools. See the compatibility page of the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com/compato).

◆ Try a complete restart. Turn off your audio interfaces, computer peripherals and your computer, and then turn them on again in the proper sequence.

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◆ If you tried to launch Pro Tools by doubleclicking a Pro Tools session file, do the following:

• Close any error message.

• Double-click the Pro Tools application.

• In Pro Tools, use File > Open Session to open the session.

◆ Reinstall the Pro Tools application, using the

Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM. See your Getting

Started Guide or Updating to Pro Tools Guide for installation instructions.

TDM Systems

For the following TDM system solutions, refer to your Getting Started Guide, or Expanded Systems Guide (if you are using an

Expanded Chassis).

◆ Verify that Pro Tools cards are installed in the correct slot order in your computer or Expansion Chassis.

◆ Turn off your computer and check to be sure your cables are properly and securely connected to the correct Pro Tools cards and to your audio interfaces.

◆ Turn off your computer and check all

Pro Tools cards installed in your computer to be sure they are properly seated in their PCI slots, and that any TDM FlexCables are connected properly.

◆ Use the DigiTest application (installed in the

Pro Tools Utilities folder) as a diagnostic tool to verify that your Digidesign cards are operational.

Audio Interface Is Not Recognized

(TDM Systems Only)

Problem

When you launch Pro Tools it does not recognize an audio interface, or a connected audio interface is not available.

Possible Solutions

For the following possible solutions, refer to your Getting Started Guide, or Expanded

Systems Guide (if you are using an Expanded Chassis).

◆ Turn off your computer and check to be sure your cables are properly and securely connected to the correct Pro Tools cards and to your audio interfaces.

◆ Verify that your Hardware Setup is correct; check to see that you have selected the correct

Interfaces for each I/O card.

◆ If you only have one interface, make sure it is connected to the HD Core card.

◆ Make sure Loop Sync, SuperClock or other synchronization connections to your audio interface are correct. Disconnect the clock source from the interface and see if the problem persists.

Using DigiTest as a Diagnostic

Tool

(TDM Systems Only)

The DigiTest utility performs diagnostic tests on the Pro Tools cards in your system. If DigiTest reports that any of your cards have failed, click the Info button next to that card. Write down

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the information that appears and report it to your local Digidesign dealer or to Digidesign

Technical Support. Refer to your Getting Started

Guide for specific DigiTest instructions.

Before You Call Digidesign

Technical Support

Performance Factors

There are several conditions that may adversely affect the performance of Pro Tools. These include:

Network Connections Close any network connections unless you are using them for network interchange of audio data.

Background Applications Any software utilities that run in the background or generate disk activity, such as virus protection, disk optimization, or file savers, should be turned off or removed.

Screen Savers Screen saver software should be completely removed from your computer before running Pro Tools.

Power Saver Features Some automatic power saver features, such as those that spin down the system hard drive, can affect Pro Tools performance. These features should be turned off.

CD-ROM Extensions/Control Panels Some CD-

ROM and removable media Extensions and

Control Panels have been linked to audio quality problems. Deactivate any performance-enhancing Extension or Control Panels for such media, and restart your computer.

Register Your System

As a registered owner of a new Digidesign product under warranty, you are eligible to receive

Digidesign Technical Support. Fill out and sign your Registration Form and mail or fax it to the address supplied with the registration materials.

Refer to the registration materials that came with your system for details on warranty coverage and the range of services available.

Use Digidesign Resources

In addition to the printed and PDF versions of

Pro Tools guides, your system includes the following sources of information:

Read Me Files These contain late-breaking information and known issues pertaining to

Pro Tools software and hardware configurations. Read Me files are installed in Documentation folder when you install Pro Tools.

Answerbase This is a database of common problems and DAE errors, and their solutions based on the latest information from Digidesign Technical Support. This database is installed in the

Digidesign folder when you install Pro Tools.

Answerbase is also available on the Digidesign

Web site (www.digidesign.com).

Web Site (www.digidesign.com) This is your your best online source for information to help you get the most out of your Pro Tools system.

See “About www.digidesign.com” on page 4.

Appendix C: Troubleshooting 667

Gather Important Information

Digidesign wants to help you resolve problems as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you have the following information handy when you contact Technical Support, it will make the diagnosis of your problem easier. Take a few minutes to collect the following basic information:

System Information

Computer

• Make, model, processor speed

• Amount of system RAM

• Operating system (version of Windows or

Macintosh)

• Any Drivers, Extensions, Control Panels,

Disk Utilities, or other system-related applications you may have installed

Digidesign Hardware

• Type of cards, interfaces, or peripherals

• Where the cards are installed

• PCI card order in computer or chassis

• Interfaces connected to each card

Hard Drives

• Make, Model

• Drive size (GB)

• Drive speed (RPM)

• Drive type (SCSI, FireWire, IDE/ATA)

• Utility used to format the drive

• Number and size of partitions on the drive

Digidesign Software

• Pro Tools software version

• Plug-in versions

• Other Digidesign software

• Additional plug-ins from Digidesign Development Partners

Other Hardware

Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for operational details.

The most common hardware additions include:

• SCSI host bus adapter (HBA) cards (manufacturer, model, settings)

• 1394 (FireWire) cards for Windows systems

(manufacturer, model)

• Expansion Chassis (manufacturer, model, bridge chip type)

• Video Capture cards (manufacturer, model)

To verify that your hardware is qualified for use with your Pro Tools system, refer to the compatibility page of the Digidesign Web site

(www.digidesign.com/compato), or contact your Digidesign dealer.

Other Software

If you are using other audio or video applications, refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for operational details.

Make note of any other software that was running when a problem occurred.

Diagnostic Information

DigiTest

If you run DigiTest, be sure to make a note of any error codes or messages it generates.

Other Information

Note any DAE errors or other error codes you encounter. Additonally, note the ability to reproduce the problem under different conditions, for example, with another session, or after changing settings (such as the Hardware Buffer

Size).

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