Logic 7 : disk is too slow or system overload

[petreestow]

I'm running Logic 7 on a new 2.33 / 2gb Macbook Pro, and I seem to be getting a disk is too slow or system overload : core audio (-10010) message when I try to record for more then like 15 seconds. Originally, I just had the notebook hooked up to the firepod via firewire, and have since linked an extrenal hard drive to my rig to prevent any "computer overload" (computer, goes to firepod, firepod goes to external HD)

I basically have top a top of the like notebook, so I'm wondering what might be causing the disk to run slow. Can anyone help?

[palinilap]

I'd try troubleshooting all the external devices. Try it with just the external HD and no firepod (choosing Built-In Audio for Audio Hardware), and also try it streaming a session from the internal system drive. If that renders flawless performance maybe re-format the external HD. Daisy chaining can have an adverse effect on bandwidth, so I'd try swapping the order as well, i.e. MacBook>external HD>Firepod and vice versa. Sometimes just raising the buffer setting in Logic can fix error messages.

[high five]

Most external hard drives go to sleep after a short period of inactivity. That might be your problem, but I've found that only seems to cause a problem on playback. Try to pay attention to the sounds your drive is making, you'll hear when it goes to sleep ("click, ssshhhh") and when it spins back up ("whirrrrrr, click"). You can probably wake it up by saving/opening a file on the drive, then try recording again once it's awake.

There's also a setting somewhere in Logic having to do with large disk buffer/cache. Try turning that on, though I'm not sure if that does anything for recording (might be for playback).

[hogfish]

Why do you have your external hooked up thru your audio interface? Connect it directly to the computer,you have 2 firewire ports. Your 400 Mbps devices work on the 800 bus,so connect one to the 400 and one to the 800.Make sure you are actually recording to your external drive, because the internal 5400 rpm drive is no good for recording audio. To determine the recording path of your project, hit A on the keyboard, and set the appropriate path with the fileselector popup window......

[screamingvikingstudio]

i use logic 7 and got this error for a while. i usually got it when i had my interface running with all 8 inputs for recording a full band. i also had an external hard-drive attached to it. i realized that there were some issues:

1. if you go into the audio drivers window, you'll see the options for your interface and others....make sure at the bottom you have the correct setting (playback and live are the two i have). this will greatly help your computer reference everything.

2. my hard drive was causing my computer to work harder and "look" for files to save. what i do now is just record onto my computers main hard-drive, then back it up to the external.

3. be very careful where you are saving all of your files and how your computer is recognizing your interface and your external hard drive. those are all crucial. for example, we would record a song, try to use the hard drive to save the files in real time, and the computer was defaulting to some strange folder in the logic folder. So, i would then open up the songs without any music on them! all the tracks were there, labeled and looked ok, but the computer was sourcing the logic folder for saving, not the external hard drive. so, make sure you are sourcing everything correctly when you are creating new projects.

*i think there is a wonderful example with mr jason lytle about this exact thing.

good luck!

MJ

[Gebo]

Im having problems like this too. Here is what I just posted on Gearslutz

Every time I have had this problem it was towards the begining of a session (maybe 30-45 minutes). I will try to record and it will stop and say "Core Audio Error: Disk Too Slow" its error number -10010 I think. Once it happens once, I cant record and I cant play for more than 5 seconds without it stopping. Even if I close the session and open a different one it still does it. If I open the same session from my internal it plays fine. Im recording to an external. My audio meter in Logic is barley moving, but my Disk I/O is pegging every couple of seconds. Everything im doing is 24/96, and some of the stuff is 30+ tracks, but if I can play it off my internal, there should be no problem playing it off my firewire external (fw800). The drive is a 250 gig western digital mybook, 7200 rpm. The drive is formatted for Mac. It seems very random, because I have had no problem when recording some stuff, than nothing but problems when doing an identical session. Once it starts happening, it happens with everything, than the next day seems to be fine. Any clue?

[MrToad]

If you haven't read this, it should help.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304970

There's a balancing act between I/O buffer settings, process buffer range, large disk buffer etc. Also, if you're using lots of audio tracks, it's almost essential to be using an external hard disk for Logic projects (a 7200 rpm drive).

Finally, if you think you're using lots of memory (check Activity Monitor 'page outs') and many software instruments you might have to adjust your VI settings. And finally, freeze tracks if they have a lot of CPU intensive plugs.