G5 Dual-core Randomly Crashes When Audio Is Played Options

[deliz]

Hi,
I recently bought the new powermac G5 dual-core and it's been crashing at random points when i play back audio, either in Ableton 5.0.3 or Pro Tools 7.0, or even playing audio clips in websites like Beatport. The weird part is that i'm not using any processing power when it happens.
I've talked with apple technical support and i ran 'disk permissions' on my hard drives, ran a hardware test with the Mac install disks, but nothing turned up. i have the latest drivers for my software and digirack 002 but i'm wondering if its a hardware problem, perhaps with the hard disks. If anyone has had similar problems or could suggest a method to solve this problem, i would much appreciate the help.
i've also reinstalled OS X 10.4.2 and that's my current version of the operating system. Thanks.
Deliz

[gpax]

You are not alone. I've had a dual core 2.3 since they came out in October, and randomly, I will get a digital hang up or stutter, followed by a kernal panic (either a freeze or gray screen in multiple languages). I haven't contacted support as this is random, but it seems to happen at the oddest times) browsing and listening to an mp3, etc.

It seems to always involve audio of some kind, causing me to follow the same logic as you.

It's only happened a few times, and I'm hoping the lates OS update may have resolved this, though I can't rule out an M-Audio issue either. Let me know what you find out. As it's not that frequent, I'm not yet worried. How many times has this happened to you?

gpax

[deliz]

This happens quite frequently especially with Ableton 5.0.3. then again, i can work with the program for a an hour or two and things are fine. i upgraded to OS X 10.4.3 and nothing seemed to change, although this was a couple months ago and now i've decided to stick with the 10.4.2 version. i'll definetely keep you updated on the subject if i can figure what the problem is.
jay

[rickenbacker]

Kernel panics are not good. If your Mac keeps doing it and is under AppleCare, get Apple to fix it. Or at least take a good long look at it. No point just hoping it will go away because it won't.

[zrobert]

Hi Deliz,
Do what rickenbacker says. Contact Apple Care. They will walk you through a test or two to find out if your problem is software or hardware. The hardware test that Apple has on their computers is not reliable at all. I have a Power Mac G4 dual processor Panther. It went belly up when it got a power surge from lightening. The computer wound up being with the local Authorized Apple Care Support Technician for twelve weeks! He kept insisting it was a software problem. He ran the hardware test and the computer passed. I also ran the hardware test and the computer passed. He finally did what he was supposed to do in the beginning, that is take each component and test it to see if it’s all right. He wound up putting in a new Logic Board, a Dual Processor Module, an 80GB Internal ATA Hard Drive, 4X SuperDrive w/Tray, 32x Internal ATA CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo, and 512MB SDRAM DIMM, all paid for by Apple.
Your problem is different than what I had, but don’t put any faith in Apple’s hardware test. It isn’t worth spit! Do like rickenbacker says. If you’re under warranty, let Apple fix it.

zrobert

[DANO10]

Hello Jay,

I'm running a dual 25MHz G5. A different machine than yours. but I had the same problem. I was Safari!
Make sure you clean out the cache regularly and you might try a little app caled Safari Enhanser. Repair permissions using your OSX progran disc regularly.(Not a utility.) And run Tech Tools and Diskwarrior regularly. When you switch over to your music apps make sure Safari is not active. I hope this helps. There is no worse feeling than when you just finished the chorus that's been fighting you and the machine shuts down. All is lost.

DANO10

[deliz]

Thanks for the advice, guys!
I did run the hardware test and nothing came up. I also ran 'disk permissions' on each drive and have emptied the cache for my web browsers, safari and firefox, although now i only use firefox. i've heard that tech tool pro 4 is the best software to use in determining a hardware problem, if there is one. i'll try that before shipping it away for a couple months.
thanks,
deliz

[ar10003]

Well I've had my dual core 2.3 for 1.5 months and today I came home after leaving it on all day (normal) and the fans were SCREAMING when I got in. THere was no excessive heat tho and no precesses going.

I've been working with ableton 5.0.3 too and no problems but today non stop crashes with any audio stuff. I've just purchased some powered speakers and use MAudio Ozonic keyboard to play sound though so I'm wandering if its an maudio thing too. Could i be overloading plug sockets? Are there any tests I can do at home before I take it in? It's only 6 weeks old
A

This post has been edited by ar10003: Thu 19 Jan 2006, 08:27

[deliz]

I'm not 100% sure but i think i've narrrowed the problem down to Ableton 5.0.3. I also use ProTools 7.0 and although it did crash once, it's been a lot more stable than Ableton. If you go on the ableton website you'll notice that a lot of people have issues with the program due to certain configurations or whatever. i'm not ruling out that i have a 'general audio' problem with the dual-core G5 because at one point, safari was crashing when i downloaded tracks from beatport (or even listened to audio) and firefox did as well, and Mac OS X crashed when i closed the 'finder' program, go figure. in the next few days i'll be using only ProTools 7.0 and i'll determine, then, if i have an audio/hardware problem, or an Ableton 5.0.3 problem.
deliz

ps ar10003: call apple technical support and they can guide you through some tests to perform or insert your OS X install disks and run an apple hardware test on the whole system.

[ar10003]

Deliz thanks, tried tech support but I can't seem to reinstall the OSX What steps did they adivse you to do?
A

[lepetitmartien]

Kernel panics are large system wide major problem which kill the system at a very low (kernel) level.

Causes are:

- hardware failure (a chip…) or overheating

=> Apple helps!
=> techtools may find it, and Temperatur Monitor can see what's happening if it's temperature.

- System problem, bug…

=> Open the Console app (in ~/apps/utilities), you'll see the last things done by your mac before the kernel panic when you restart after a KP. Tell us what you read (not everything, only the last lines).
=> updates (not necessarily the first option though)
=> restart the mac from the install CD, run the drive utility, repair drives and permissions.
Then start on the mac, run a utility like OnyX, go to the cleaning area, and check all the lower 2/3 of the window (save the trash stuff maybe), note you'll loose file to apps links already made, and prefs on some specific arrangements of windows. Restart once done. Shut the mac down. Unplug everything to it, including mains. Wait 20 seconds at least. Replug, restart. Now the problems cannot come from a temporary or dumpable file.
=> create a second user on your computer if there's only one, sometimes it's as stupid as that… and use it.

- App related problem

=> trash preferences of the software, evnetually the related system wide service it uses like the Audiomidi files (exact name later, i've got to restart myself and not everything is around
=> uninstall the app completely

I may have forgotten things, but there's already much to look over.

[edit]
in the Console, check the console log, and look into the history too. Beware it's rather boring stuff, so check around the hours you had the error.

This post has been edited by lepetitmartien: Fri 20 Jan 2006, 06:41

[deliz]

thanks little martian! i'll give it all a try.
i've had a couple a kernal panicks since i bought the machine in early november, but my biggest problem is Ableton Live 5.0.3. this program freezes everytime i use it and i have to manually restart the computer. i've contacted the forums on the ableton website and someone is looking into the problem. thanks again.
deliz

[osu_bucks]

Hi,

I have Dual Core G5 also and have experienced stutter / High CPU usage and lock up. Have you tried using just one CPU instead of two?

thanks,

[gpax]

I forgot I had subscribed to this thread.

Shortly after I posted here in mid January, I had to send my "new" dual core back for a complete replacement of the logic board. They also found that four major screws were missing that held the board in place - basically a manufacturing defect. Apple Care helped through the process (where I found I couldn't even boot from a start up CD without a panic), but I paid for the Pro Care service rather than wait weeks.

In my case, the Kernel panics and revving fans were hardware related. Now things have run smoothly for the past three months.

I also recenlty changed my audio interface to a MOTU ultralite which seems to have none of the conflicts that I was experiencing with M-Audio gear. It may just be a perception, but it's far more stable.

cheers

gpax

[lepetitmartien]

Hey, seems it's a hard time for G5 hardware, mine is under repair too… (CPU dead)

I hope everything is fine now! When they work, these are beautiful computers.