CRASHES

[vanwinkle52]

MIXBUS 32C crashes all the time for no apparent reason. I need to figure out how to generate a hardware profile to help me to get to the bottom of this mess.

I guess I need a general plan to troubleshoot this problem. Any advice?

[johnthechippy@yahoo.co.uk]

Welcome to my world my friend, I've had little or no help in this forum. For me I think it's a combination of things- old interface, dodgie pcie new firewire card. I have been through about 4 firewire cards on my new build. 3rd party vst's seem to be a contributory factor also. Do you have a totally new build ? Or is it tried and tested, or a mac?

[Dingo]

Email support: mixbus@harrisonconsoles.com
Include as much detail about when you are getting crashes, list the O/S version and Hardware profile of your gear, also what version of MB S/W you are running.

@johnthechippy@yahoo.co.uk Firewire is a notoriously finicky connection. More often than not I have traced my FW issues to the cable I am using. Try and get the shortest highest quality cable you can get.
Ultimately FW is well on the way out... I would advise looking for a USB2 or 3 interface.

[PBuryk]

@johnthechippy -

I would agree with Dingo... Presuming that you are using Windows (since this is a Windows thread and PCIe cards are generally
used in a PC type chassis, not MAC) ... What is your reason for choosing to use Firewire? I've had some (brief) experiences trying
to use Firewire with some non-MB/MB32C audio programs; none ran totally satisfactorily so I abandoned them for the more predictable,
and reliable, USB/USB2 interfaces available. But, having said this, I'm not suggesting that Firewire is contributing to your MB32C
crashing issues.

One thing that might help is to address your various symptoms (I've read your other posts) into separate categories:
1) MB32C crashing (ie., Using MB32C core program only)
2) VST2/3 plugin non-functionality (ie., not being detected or not loading properly)
3) VST2/3 plugins causing MB32C to crash or causing other unreliability.

I recommend focusing on a solution for #1 first as the inclusion of anything else "3rd. party" will only make trouble shooting harder.

Please be reminded that the ability to bring VST3 plugins into the MB/MB32C operating environment has only been released
for general usage for a couple weeks thus far. So I'm not surprised to read that there are issues with certain plugin manufacturers
or only some of their plugins - to be totally free from these issues would require that Harrison developers have copies of
virtually every VST3 plugin on the market to test before putting out MB/MB32C releases.

Like you, I have a collection of VST3 plugins that, indeed cost $$, which I purchased to run in other DAWs. I, too, would love to
run them in MB/MB32C. However, my main concern is that my installations of MB/MB32C run reliably.
I've chosen to use MB/MB32C because of what it does well, not for what 3rd party plugins do within it.

Cheers!
Patrick

[madmaxmiller]

I've chosen to use MB/MB32C because of what it does well, not for what 3rd party plugins do within it.

Can I print and frame this and hang it onto my studio wall?

====================================
Regarding PC/Windows problems: As very often mentioned, and I know you will hate to hear that, in nearly all cases it's a Windows+hardware+driver problem and can often be solved with a clean Windows installation.
Another popular reason is hardware tuning/overclocking. Memory timing is not trivial and the CPU is deeply involved in memory management, which makes it even harder. Not to mention PCIe timing... Keep standard settings, these days CPU speed is no bottleneck for audio.
Number three are all these brik-a-brak gadgets PC manufacturers love to install, all these "boosters" and "health monitors" - when I get a new PC/Laptop, the first action is to wipe the hard drive and do a clean installation without rubbish. In case of Windows 10 I will also count 3rd party antivirus software into "rubbish", it's not necessary anymore.
That pays in the long run, maybe already with the very next Windows update - which doesn't get stuck because of this.

For a short system description simply go to:
- settings --> system --> about

For a full Windows system listing:
- press "windows-key" and r
- type msinfo32 <enter>

HTH
MMM

[johnthechippy@yahoo.co.uk]

Thanks for the response, the reason for using FireWire is I have an Allen and Heath Zed R-16 desk for my interface. It used to work fine with logic and my old Mac. But after my g5 died and a small heiatus due to a house build I decided to completely abandon anything apple as I'm sick of being tied into their products and loved the idea of p.c flexibility etc. However I did like the desk for summing and tracking drums through it, (and it wasn't cheap).
Ive now acquired a new cheap m audio usb interface and tried to it last night and Mixbus32c starts fine, super quick and seems to be running smoothly. So yes it's either the card, the lead or the desk on that side. I'd rather not replace the desk but will if I have to.
I still have issues with it freezing on quitting though which seems to be vst related- after I started introducing some vst soft syths and T-rax plug ins. I know a lot of people just use this for mixing so this wouldn't bother them, but I was enjoying tracking on this and the editing features are excellent, but not using vst3 instruments would be a restriction.

[madmaxmiller]

I decided to completely abandon anything apple as I'm sick of being tied into their products and loved the idea of p.c flexibility etc. However I did like the desk for summing and tracking drums through it, (and it wasn't cheap).

I don't know how much you have invested into Windows already... but it seems you could give Linux a shot, especially when you hate to be tied to a manufacturer.
I have run Firewire devices successfully for a long time on Linux (Presonus Firestudio) - despite the Firestudios were finicky with the FW chipset, with the correct card they worked perfectly as interfaces, I had three running concurrently.
For a beginner, there's the brand new AVLinux MXE, but there is also Ubuntu Studio, both have all optimisations and good software collections for audio work ready to go preinstalled. Both will run as live image directly from USB stick, so you can try them out without altering your PC installation.
This way you might be able to save your desk.
Anyway, just a suggestion...

http://www.bandshed.net/avlinux/
https://ubuntustudio.org/

MMM

[Sojuzstudio]

A bit off topic but

Avlinux MXE is a really good thing. I installed it on a studio backup machine. It used to have Windows 10. The recording pc is still Windows. The Linux machine works really smoothly, even though it is i5 based. Recording PC is i9 based.

The only thing that keeps me on the Windows side is the RME 802 driver base. It does not currently have linux drivers, nor Totalmix FX. Somehow so sad, everything would be at hand but not. Mixbus 32 C works great on both platforms, but somehow that Linux is smoother.

[johnthechippy@yahoo.co.uk]

Thanks for all of the above advice, much appreciated. Ill let you know how I get on.

[vanwinkle52]

THANK YOU for your input. I love this DAW because I'm an old analog live mixer. I really hope to use it without crashes someday.