Jump to content

System overload issues on 'fast' computer?


MitchMunro

Recommended Posts

Hey Forum Goers,

 

I recently bought a decently powerful Mac Pro (check signature) to use Logic on, as my old MacBook was becoming slow and kept running into 'system overload' messages. I thought I would upgrade to something really good where I wouldn't have to worry about those pesky messages again. Thus, the purchase of the Mac Pro.

 

The new computer is very quick, but unfortunately still runs into the overload messages. I wasn't really using many tracks, or excessive amounts of plugins (like I sometimes do), so it made me worried. The computer overloaded multiple times in session of a couple of hours. I was tracking guitar and recording MIDI data (Check attached picture for a screenshot of the session).

If I remember correctly the I/O settings were quite low at the start to record, but then I bumped them up to 128-256 and I still recall it overloading. Processor Buffer Range: Large. Processing Threads: Automatic. I also believe the problem was due to the CPU rather than the HD, after analysing the CPU/HD meters.

 

The next day I used Logic again, and it only overloaded once. Now the overloading wasn't unbearable, but this is what I bought the computer to avoid.

 

Is overloading just a part of regular Logic use due to some quirk in how these machines/programs work - no matter how powerful the machine? Or is there some thing in my computer that is holding it back, like maybe the RAM?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated! This computer has been in the works for a long time, and I hope it can serve me well :) You're all legends.

1529235925_LogicOverload.thumb.png.2335e4b41f2ae9cde45cb7248665f21f.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the responses guys! Yeah so it seems that it overloading isn't a chronic problem that you can't get rid of. I might have had chrome open and maybe another app or so, but it wasn't anything major.

 

he didn't say how he installed the new OS, it could be an image from the "bad" "old" system.

 

I recently updated to the most recent OS directly from the app store.

 

I checked the CPU/HD meter and it seemed like the HD was fine, but the CPU (on two cores specifically) was getting quite high.

 

Day Two of Testing:

 

So yesterday my friend came over who is tech savy, and we did some stress tests to see if we could recreate the problem. I tried re-recording guitar on the same session as my post above, but it was fine - no overloading. As we were recording, the two bars the furthest to the right in the CPU meter were jumping around. One would max out, and the other would get close (but not cause the system to overload and stop). some of the other cores had minimal activity and some had none.

 

To push the computer even further I loaded up my biggest session to date - a monster 147 track electronic piece (many are muted/bounced, but my old mac book pro couldn't play the session for more than 10s without overloading). It played that without any problems. The we tried recording guitar over that. Still fine.

 

Lastly we loaded up a new session and put aprox 34 sampler instruments/synthesisers in a track stack to make them all play as one massive sampler instrument. We tried recording this instrument live to see if playing 34 instruments at once would make it overload. The computer handled it fine - it quite a few of the cores were maxing out on the CPU/HD meter, but no overload.

 

Also during some of these sessions we opened chrome, and were using screen cap software at the same time - still no overload. I can maybe upload the videos if needed (I don't have a video for every test, but I do for many).

 

This same friend thought the problem could possibly be due to the fact that although my CPU has many cores, each core isn't necessarily as powerful as other machines with less cores. Since logic assigns certain instrument/audio tracks (like when recording) to a single core, this could cause Logic to overload. What do you guys think?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could do the Logic Benchmark test (find it in the Gearslutz Logic Pro sub forum) to compare your machine against other similar machines (you will have to search the thread to find other similar Mac Pros). That might give you some peace of mind.

 

Logic 10.2.1 has "fixed" the single core overload "bug". So you shouldn't see your last core peaking (and you aren't).

 

Have you turned on activity monitor ad checked your ram usage on your big sessions?

Have you checked for other background applications?

8 GB is not much to handle a 147 track piece with lots of VIs. My guess is that your ram usage will be 7+GB with Logic desperately processing ways to keep your ram from maxing out. My sessions constantly run at 14-15GB out of 16. But Logic sometimes overloads or takes time to settle.

 

Typically, with a large, ram heavy session, I find that Logic might not play back the first few times. There are often a couple of overloads when I first open a project before it settles (presumably this is Logic allocating all the ram and finding all the paths).

 

When you had the overload issues, had you just open a project, without playing through the whole thing?

 

(all in my humble experience)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry for the slow reply - life got in the way as it often does.

 

I did the test located here: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/apple-logic-pro/371545-logic-pro-multicore-benchmarktest.html

(A little old, but still good). My computer could run 180 track reliably! All the cores would max out in the CPU/HD metre, but it wouldn't overload. Again, one core was always a lot closer to peaking on the CPU/HD metre than the rest of them.

 

When running the 180 track test I turned on the activity monitor and the CPU monitor usage (during playback) was around 1400%! However the memory was only sitting at 2.37 GB whether playing or paused. I therefore doubt that the problem was the RAM - even though I thought it might be.

 

I may have had background application open, but during the most recent test I had Chrome, Mail, Notes, (Logic X), Steam, and Activity Monitor open, and it could still run the 180 track test session without any problems.

 

So you are saying it is possible that Logic could overload a few times during a session as it 'settles' or 'works out' how to divide up the cores (if it were a CPU problem) /memory efficiently?

 

It seems strange that the computer that can work really hard would overload with simple tasks. It usually overloads when I have been tracking software instruments/ or audio with effects on them, and after I have been in the session for a decent amount of time already (say, more than half an hour).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

I know this is years later - but I only just found the answer.I thought I would post it in case anyone else has the same sort of problem.

 

It seems like almost all of the overload issues were due to drivers and my audio interface. When I changed the Input/Output device in Logic to built in Input/Output the problem went away. So i figured it was something to do with the interface or interface drivers. Look into this sorta thing if you are having problems!

 

Here are the specifics of my problem:

 

I use a Tascam US-1800, which is a pretty old usb 2.0 interface. The drivers for the interface on mac are pretty old, and only marginly supported. Tascam installs its own proprietary driver (might have some terminology wrong, but you will get the idea) called 'Bit Accurate'. So if you go into Logic settings you can set the Input/Output device to "Tascam US-1800 (Bit Accurate)" or "Tascam US-1800 (Core Audio)", which I think uses apples own driver or something.

 

Basically the 'Bit Accurate' driver with the US-1800 was causing all the problems. I changed my Input/Output device to 'Core Audio' I pretty much haven't had an overload since.

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...