Subject:Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Posted by: nedrob

Date:1/14/2007 6:32:28 AM

I just bought and installed Acid because I was so impressed with all the reviews of the new version. I had been a Sonar user up to now.

My system never crashed with Sonar or any of the VSTs that I use regularly: Stylus RMX, Atmosphere, GPO, CamelPhat, etc.

I have a Dell 1.8 ghz Dimension Pro with 1 gb of memory. 2 fast hard drives for over 500 gigs of storage (Acid is installed on the C drive). I am using the Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1 usb audio/MIDI interface with ASIO drivers. OS is XP Pro with all the latest updates installed.

When using Acid for more than a few minutes, I will do something like add a loop, edit some MIDI, some normal function. Then, the screen will go black for a second and then I will get a blue screen with white text (looks like an old DOS screen). That screen will appear for a couple of seconds, not long enough go read the page long message, and then the system will reboot. Like I said, this happens all the time.

This is very frustrating. I will try version 6.0b but this latest version should be working better.

Thanks for any help,

Ned

Subject:RE: Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:1/14/2007 8:12:32 AM

There is nothing that any "application" can do to directly cause a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). This can only be caused by system drivers. It sounds like ACID is causing the driver to misbehave but it is the driver that needs fixing.

On your PC, go to Start > Control Panel > System in the System properties go to the Advanced tab and under Startup and Recovery press the Settings button. In thew new window that pops up, under System Failure make sure that [ ] Automatically restart is UNCHECKED!

This will keep the text from the BSOD on the screen so you can read it long enough to copy down what is wrong. At the top will be the error in all caps. (e.g., IRQ_NOT_LESS_THAN or some other error). At the bottom it usually tells you what driver caused the problem (e.g., atapi.sys, 1394bus.sys, etc.).

Do a Google search on the driver name to find out what the driver is for. This should tell you if it's a display driver problem, memory problem, hard drive / IDE problem, or audio driver problem or whatever. Search Microsoft MSDN for the error name to find out what is going wrong with this driver. Follow any recommendation from Microsoft to fix it, or go and get the latest drivers from the hardware manufacturer and see if that clears the problem up.

These are not fun problems to debug but knowing what driver is causing the problem is the first step to fixing them. Good luck.

~jr

Subject:RE: Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Reply by: djrave808

Date:1/14/2007 8:31:31 AM

i have a dell also and this has happened to me also recently

Subject:RE: Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Reply by: nedrob

Date:1/15/2007 11:29:23 AM

The problem is with version "d". I uninstalled and reinstalled version "b" and all is fine. No crashes at all.

The difference is that version "b" uses .Net 1.1 and "d" uses .Net 2.0. I think that Sony did not do a good job testing the .Net conversions and I am sure that is the root of all of their "d" issues (of which there are a ton).

So, for now, I will continue using Acid version "b"

Subject:RE: Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Reply by: kbruff

Date:1/16/2007 3:52:58 AM

I recently reverted to 4.0f, no crashes no media manager, and it runs much faster.

Subject:RE: Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Reply by: Andreas S.

Date:1/16/2007 12:34:19 PM

I have a Dell and only use Sound Forge on it. The audio drivers and devices on it are such crap that I wouldn't dare use it for anything mission critical. I've started to use a MOTU Ultralite with it, and it seems fine. But if it's a Dell device...just run screaming.

Subject:RE: Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Reply by: thenoizzbox

Date:1/16/2007 1:18:39 PM

> I recently reverted to 4.0f, no crashes no media manager, and it runs much faster.

I'm sorry but reverting back to an older version is really not a solution. I couldn't use version 4 anymore because of all the features it lacks compared to 6.

I use Acid Pro 6.0d on a machine with similar specs than the original poster except it's not a Dell and has a slower proc (AMD Athlon 1 GHz) and 6.0d runs flawlessly for me.

As Johny already pointed out, this really looks like a video driver problem and I'd be curious to know what video card and video drivers version the OP is using but since he didn't fil out his system specs we cannot really help there.

Subject:RE: Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:1/17/2007 4:02:53 AM

> I'd be curious to know what video card and video drivers version the OP is using but since he didn't fil out his system specs we cannot really help there.

...AND since it's a Dell it is very likely that it is a non-standard video card that Dell had "hacked" especially for their use. I got burned like that from Dell once (... once!) They claim they sold me a stock GeForce2 GTS card when, in fact, it had half memory that any GeForce2 that was commercially available. It was specially made for Dell to meet their price point and I couldn't use the stock nVidia drivers because it was now a custom Dell card and, of course, Dell NEVER updates their drivers. They did the same thing with their SoundBlaster cards. They disabled the digital i/o and removed the MIDI port! Total garbage. I never bough a Dell again.

So I agree with anatavism... if it's a Dell, just run screaming. ;-)

~jr

Subject:RE: Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Reply by: DKeenum

Date:1/17/2007 7:39:27 AM

I wonder if you can buy a dell without a video and audio card? Or are they on the MB?

After I built my first 'puter I don't think I can go back. It was not very hard, but I had help the first time. The hardest part was deciding on the MB and processor.

Subject:RE: Acid v.6d Blue Screen Crashes

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:1/18/2007 3:47:21 AM

> I wonder if you can buy a dell without a video and audio card? Or are they on the MB?

I am told that if you contact the business division of Dell they will put whatever parts you want in the workstation. It's only the Home division that hacks the hardware like this. I have never dealt with the business division because I would never buy anything from Dell again but you are MUCH better off building your own PC.

~jr