Ableton Forum

Hi everybody! Josh here.

I am continuing to have crashes/sound dropouts/freezes less than five minutes into any project i make in Ableton Live7.

I am using a Q6600 Intel Quad core computer with a Focusrite Saffire Pro 26/IO mixer running through a 'OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller' PCI Firewire card.

When the sound cuts out, Ableton slows to a turtles pace, and i need to turn off audio by clicking the CPU load meter, turn off my saffire pro, and turn it back on again.

Time and time again I have seen people with similar problems on this very forum, but there is yet to be a resolution! I have tried everything from reformatting, reboots, reinstalls, removing VST'S, removing all midi controllers, etc, but nothing appears to work. The crashes occur regardless of whether i am using the saffire pro ASIO driver, ASIO4ALL, or the MME drivers. The crashes seem to occur less often if i move the ASIO buffer size higher, but they still occur. The crash does NOT occur on my partners (much older than my computer) Toshiba Laptop.

It has gotten to the stage where all signs point to either a firewire card problem or an IRQ problem.

Tell me, is it possible that the VIA PCI card i have is the source of these constant freezes? It appears that, according to 'system information', the 1394 firewire host controller is on a separate IRQ '20'. Has anyone else had an experience or issue similar to this, and if so, what was the resolution? LeeJones and I are (from THIS thread: http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?t=106747) out of ideas = )

Thanks again for your great support and feedback.

Josh

Hi Josh.

Are you running a desktop? If so, what video card are you using?

Greg.

Hi again.

I run a Q6600. Just checked my FW PCI Card



Mine runs like a charm using my Alesis iO/14 FW audio interface.

I had significant issues with audio and Live in the beginning. It was the Video card, NOT the non Texas Instrument FW card.

Check to see if you are running an Nvidia 8000 or 9000 series graphics card.

The people with the 8000 series cards can usually solve their audio problems by adjusting the Hardware acceleration slider in the Display Properties settings.

I have yet to find anyone successfully using a 9000 series card. I had to dump my 9400 GeForce in favour of an Asus (Nvidia in disguise) EN7200GS.

I am indeed running a GEFORCE 8800GT graphics card. will track down the Hardware acceleration slider and see if it helps. Thanks very much for your feedback gjm!

Right click desktop>properties>settings>advanced>troubleshoot.

Knock it back a click or two.

GJM, if i wasnt such a HETERO i would be violently making out with you right now. I know it's early days, but i've been throwing TONNES of shit at live for the past hour without a SINGLE CRASH/GLITCH or ANYTHING!!! How the Hell can it be, after all this months, something as simple as my graphics card! hahahahaha, dude, you are an absolute legend and i owe you one BIG TIME. you have restored my faith in persistence and determination = )

Thank you. VERY MUCH!

^^^ lol. pass it on.

24 hours later and still no crashes- bloody legend!

touch wood

gjm wrote:Hi again.

I run a Q6600. Just checked my FW PCI Card



Mine runs like a charm using my Alesis iO/14 FW audio interface.

I had significant issues with audio and Live in the beginning. It was the Video card, NOT the non Texas Instrument FW card.

Check to see if you are running an Nvidia 8000 or 9000 series graphics card.

The people with the 8000 series cards can usually solve their audio problems by adjusting the Hardware acceleration slider in the Display Properties settings.

I have yet to find anyone successfully using a 9000 series card. I had to dump my 9400 GeForce in favour of an Asus (Nvidia in disguise) EN7200GS.

Ok now my live keep crashing.I'm running a DUO2.53ghz,3G ram,NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT,This is a laptop. So are you saying this laptop will not work with ableton? It seems to run fine when I yous The DirectX audio driver. But crashes after about 20minutes when I yous ASIO driver to my Firebox.I don't know if I can even change a video card on a laptop

meddlesec wrote:

gjm wrote:I have yet to find anyone successfully using a 9000 series card. I had to dump my 9400 GeForce in favour of an Asus (Nvidia in disguise) EN7200GS.

So are you saying this laptop will not work with ableton? It seems to run fine when I yous The DirectX audio driver. But crashes after about 20minutes when I yous ASIO driver to my Firebox.I don't know if I can even change a video card on a laptop

I am not going as far as to say that you can't use your current laptop. I have just noticed that the 8K and 9K Nvidia cards cause problems, and that the 9K series is particularly problematic. I am by no means an expert. There are others here who are far more knowledgeable than I am. Hopefully they will chime in with some good news for you.

Are you running XP? Have you tried adjusting the Hardware Acceleration slider?

Cheers G.

gjm wrote:

meddlesec wrote:

gjm wrote:I have yet to find anyone successfully using a 9000 series card. I had to dump my 9400 GeForce in favour of an Asus (Nvidia in disguise) EN7200GS.

So are you saying this laptop will not work with ableton? It seems to run fine when I yous The DirectX audio driver. But crashes after about 20minutes when I yous ASIO driver to my Firebox.I don't know if I can even change a video card on a laptop

I am not going as far as to say that you can't use your current laptop. I have just noticed that the 8K and 9K Nvidia cards cause problems, and that the 9K series is particularly problematic. I am by no means an expert. There are others here who are far more knowledgeable than I am. Hopefully they will chime in with some good news for you.

Are you running XP? Have you tried adjusting the Hardware Acceleration slider?

Cheers G.

I'm running vista 32-bit, Does it have a Hard ware asseleration slider?

meddlesec wrote:

gjm wrote: Are you running XP? Have you tried adjusting the Hardware Acceleration slider?

Cheers G.

I'm running vista 32-bit, Does it have a Hard ware asseleration slider?

Sorry, I am unfamiliar with Vista. However, is there a control panel where you can view the Display properties? Look for something like 'Settings' and or 'Troubleshoot'.

All the Best. G.