Subject:Crash on load...

Posted by: JustOneOldMan

Date:2/12/2010 7:52:16 PM

Been using Acid Pro for years and this is my first crash problem. Used it yesterday and everything was fine, today it crashes at the load screen.

When it crashes, it's (apparently) trying to load "Sony ReWire Mixer".

I've completely uninstalled twice using Revo Uninstaller to clear all registry entries and leftover files. Finally downloaded a fresh copy and reinstalled. Same problem. Load screen runs through the VST list and crashes when it gets to the ReWire Mixer.

Acid Pro 7.0d
Dell Quad Core
4GB RAM
Windows Vista Home Premium

As I said, nothing new between yesterday and today. Anybody have any idea what might have caused this to start and how I can fix it?

Thanks...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: MSK

Date:2/17/2010 11:41:33 AM

I'd start by downloading the latest update which fixed some rewire issues:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/updates/acidpro

If that doesn't help, this article might...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: JustOneOldMan

Date:2/17/2010 9:47:52 PM

Thanks MSK. I downloaded the 7.0e and installed that one. Then did a complete uninstall and cleanup and reinstalled it. Still get the same thing.

Also did a few of the other suggested fixes from the support section.

This is just strange. I did a little mixing the night before, then came back to it the next day and got this. I've done everything but format and start from scratch. I know I could install it on one of the other computers and it would work, but I'd really like it on this one. I know it's something on this system, but can't figure out what. I've had it on this particular system for just under two years with no problems.

Cubase, Reaper, and a couple other cheapies are still working fine on the same machine with the same VSTs and ReWire, it's just Acid.

Much as I'd miss it, might be time to retire Acid...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: JustOneOldMan

Date:3/1/2010 6:50:24 PM

This thing is driving me nuts, at this point I'd drop Acid in a New York minute if I didn't have so many projects still in it from over the years.

There isn't anything I can think of I haven't tried, including going back to 7.0c which was the oldest download I had.

I'm now sitting here with 7.0e Build 713 on a completely clean install and still can't get past the splash screen because it's crashing while "Initializing Sony Rewire Mixer".

I had opened a ticket with Sony, and they answered, but neither of the two reponses helped. And before I could respond to the second one I was unavailable for two days and came back to find my ticket closed with a thank you. (Ya, I know, 48 hours).

My question now is, does anyone know of any way to remove or eliminate the ReWire mixer manually? Possibly load Acid in any kind of 'safe mode' to work with it or fix it? Bypass the plugins? Anything?

Thanks...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:3/1/2010 7:17:13 PM

What suggestions where make by our tech support?

Do you have any ReWire devices installed on your system?

Try the following:

Locate:

<x>:\Program Files\Sony\ACID Pro 7.0\MIDI Drivers

Locate the file:

sfrewiresynth.dll

Move this file to a temporary location.

Start ACID.

Does the problem go away?

Peter

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: JustOneOldMan

Date:3/2/2010 7:44:09 AM

Thanks Peter. Yup, I'd already searched for anything with 'rewire' in the file name and temporarily moved them as a test. There was the one you mentioned and another under Audio Hardware Drivers. Neither made any difference.

I've also moved everything temporarily out of the VST folders, and just about anything else I could think of.

I do know it has to be something on this system that Acid suddenly doesn't like anymore, just can't figure out what it would be...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:3/2/2010 12:14:36 PM

Since you moved the two ACID provided DLLs out, the problem does not have anything to do with ACID's Rewire Hosting or Client functionality.

Locate the following folder: (Assuming Vista or Win7)

C:\Users\Haller\AppData\Local\Sony\ACID Pro\7.0

In this folder is a file

vst_grovel.log

Have a look in this and see if you see any errors.

If the file is really large, delete it, and then start ACID up.

Peter

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: JustOneOldMan

Date:3/2/2010 2:25:42 PM

Thanks again, Peter.

"Since you moved the two ACID provided DLLs out, the problem does not have anything to do with ACID's Rewire Hosting or Client functionality."

Then I assume Acid doesn't need these two DDLs to function, otherwise Acid would crash just trying to load them if it couldn't find them? I thought maybe they were being referenced while Acid loads and might cause errors rather than just being bypassed.

"If the file is really large, delete it, and then start ACID up."

This file is actually only 62K, and the last two lines are:

**** Writing mappings to cache ****
**** Grovel completed with no critical errors ****

I deleted that file with no change, then I moved all files and folders out of this folder and restarted Acid. It recreated the files in the folder, then crashed in the same place.

So, to date, I have updated from d to e, went back to c, then back to e, done complete uninstalls with registry scrubs and complete file folder removal, done full reinstalls, removed all VSTs from VST folder, completely cleared the AppData folder, tried loading Acid after multiple fresh starts, everything else I could think of, and still I get the crash on:

"Initializing Sony ReWire Mixer"

I've also tried a number of the things in the Knowledgebase that even come close to this.

This has been on the same machine for almost 2 years, and other than the periodic updates (c-d-e) I don't mess with it.

And no matter what I do, I get the crash in exactly the same place every time with the message above, so I just can't help but think it's somehow related.

Just don't know...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:3/2/2010 5:37:04 PM

"Initializing Sony ReWire Mixer"

This most likely means that was the last system that ACID has intialized. What occurs after this stage is probably where the problem is.

If you havn't done this, please try it:

Hold down the Shift+Control key when you start ACID.

You will be prompted to reset all of your prefs.

This will completely reset all of your preferences to the known defaults.

What you might want to do before this is to rename your

Program Files\vstplugins

folder to something else or temporarily move all of the contents into a folder. This will prevent ACID from scanning you VSTs.

If ACID starts, then either, exit so that the state is preserved.

You can then copy back the plug-ins to their correct location - all at once or a few at a time.

Peter

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: JustOneOldMan

Date:3/2/2010 8:16:46 PM

I appreciate you sticking with this, Peter, thanks. The Shift+Control was the kind of info I was looking for, but still nothing.

I renamed the 'vstplugins' folder under Program Files, as well as the two other VST folders I have. I'd done this before. Also did a drive search just to make sure there wasn't anything I'd forgotten about.

Launched Acid with the Shift+Control keys, told it to delete all cached application data. Same thing.

I then went back to the AppData folder for 7 and deleted all files and folders there again, then tried loading Acid again with the Shift+Control keys, and again told it to delete all cached application data. Same thing again.

I even uninstalled other audio based systems I have on this machine and did all the above again. Same thing. But again, nothing really changed between the day it did work and the next day when it didn't. Never had a problem with it before.

Reason, Reaper, FL Studio, and even Mixcraft are all still working perfectly fine. They were all working perfectly fine till the other day when it crashed with this message.

I imagine if I toasted the system and reinstalled Windows I could get it to work again, but that's just not an option at this point.

Anyway, thanks again, Peter...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:3/2/2010 10:37:22 PM

One more thing:

locate:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Sony\ACID Pro\7.0

and delete the file:

acidpro.plugincache.xml

Start ACID.

Peter

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: JustOneOldMan

Date:3/3/2010 8:31:24 AM

Yup, I had deleted everything in that folder in the above tests. Did that a couple times. Same results.

Again, I appreciate the help, but it looks like a lost cause at this point. Just can't think of anything else to try...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:3/3/2010 8:01:09 PM

Try starting Windows in Safe Mode and launching ACID.

Something on your system ACID just doesn't like. I don't know what it is, but something.

Do you by chance haved a restore point on your system saved prior to when this started happening?

Peter

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: JustOneOldMan

Date:3/4/2010 9:12:49 PM

Hi Peter, sorry I didn't get back sooner.

Yes, Acid loads fine in Safe Mode. With all VST folders in place, and everything else as it normally is, Acid loads with no problem.

Restart in normal mode, and same crash.

Going back in restore points doesn't do anything.

While in Safe Mode I went through preferences and didn't see anything I could change that would seem to make any difference. Odd that it loads fine in SM...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:3/5/2010 7:38:19 PM

If it runs in safe mode, this means something - software or hardware - is causing ACID a problem.

In safe mode you should be able to determine what software is or is not runnning and what hardware is active. That should help you narrow it down.

Peter

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: JustOneOldMan

Date:3/5/2010 10:18:01 PM

Yup, I'm going to spend some time tomorrow trying to narrow it down or figure it out. I know it's something on this system, just can't figure out what would have happened. I didn't change or install anything on the system from the day it worked to the next day when it didn't, but obviously something happened.

When (if) I figure it out I'll post it back here. Appreciate all the help, Peter...

Subject:RE: Crash on load...

Reply by: nutrapuppy

Date:4/26/2010 1:48:50 PM

I find that I have to do this a few times per album project. It simply will not load a project, hanging at 29 percent or so. Bizarre, but resetting acid seems to fix it.