CPU usage around 25% doing nothing??

[JesperBerg]

I'm a new PT on Mac user (PC user for the last 10 years).
Just by opening PT the CPU meter shows 25% usage - it doesn't matter if a session is open or not.
Being new to Mac I don't know if I can tweak any options/disable anything to improve my Mac's PT performance.
Any help would be appreciated.

Specs:
Macbook G4 17", 1,25Mhz, 1 GB ram
Lacie 300 GB Firewire external disk
Digirack 002
PT 7.1

[statikcat]

Is anything else open on your Mac that would be using the processor?

[mopppish]

Um, I don't mean this in a rude way whatsoever, but you have a few contradictions in your specs.
There was never a 17" Macbook (only Macbook Pro or Powerbook), and there was never a Macbook G4 (ibook G4 or Powerbook G4)
This is actually rather important to get sorted out.
If you're running a G4 processor, than it is an older, slower CPU, but that still wouldn't account for THAT much of a drain.
If you're using a Macbook or Macbook Pro with an Intel processor, than I would imagine that opening a Power PC version of Pro Tools (which is for G4's, G5's) on an Intel mac (which both the Macbook and Macbook Pro are), then that may account for the problem.
Click on the Apple in the upper left of the screen and choose "About this Mac".
The window that pops up will tell you whether you have a G4 or an Intel chip.
Now click on the "more info" button in that window.
A new window should pop up. Choose "Applications" in the left column of that window. When your list of applications appears, scroll through it until you find Pro Tools.
There is a column that says "kind" on the far right. Everything under that column should be "Intel", "Universal", or "PowerPC".
See what it says by Pro Tools.
If you have a G4, you want it to say "PowerPC". If you have an Intel chip, it should say "Intel".
Sorry if that's stuff you already know.

[JesperBerg]

You're right mopppish - it is a PowerBook G4 17" (2 years old). The rewst of the specs are true though.
Imust correct myself once more - the CPU usage of 25% is only when a session is open. Doesn't matter if it is totally new (and empty) or if I'm opening an old one.
Is Protools using that much CPU just to keep a project open?

[blaugruen7]

one of the first questions always is:
check your audio buffer size.

[JesperBerg]

512 or 1024 - same thing.
I use ProTools for recording not mixing.

[JonCraig]

i've seen this before on a friend's imac g5.

ditch DAE prefs, & digi databases.

if that doesn't fix it, reinstall protools.

if that doesnt' fix it, reinstall system software, then reinstall protools.

sucks, i know. and i dont' know what caused it. but i know what fixed it!

--jon

[blaugruen7]

512 or 1024 should not cause this.

is anything running in background?

any application?

any system activity?
for example is the system journaling your disk?
you see this when there is the blinking point inside the spotlight icon.

maybe try trashing protools preferences?

i have had very good experiences with onyx as an maintenance programe, its for free.

[JesperBerg]

No other apps running and nothing in the background (as far as I know). As stated I'm new on a Mac, so I don't know where to look for any background activities (like the taskmanager on a PC)
How do I reset/trach the ProTools prefs?
Onyx as maintance for what?
Thanx

[travisgarrison]

Originally Posted by JesperBerg

No other apps running and nothing in the background (as far as I know). As stated I'm new on a Mac, so I don't know where to look for any background activities (like the taskmanager on a PC)

Applications --> Utilities --> Activity Monitor

[blaugruen7]

Originally Posted by JesperBerg

Onyx as maintance for what?
Thanx

for the system
cleaning up system from time to time helps when things are getting strange.
get it hear:
http://www.titanium.free.fr/pgs2/english/download.html

and again when your mac is supernew the system hd is journaling once the whole disk.
so if there is a blinking point in the spotlight icon, the harddisk could be a bit slowed down.

we sort it out.