LE 5.3.2 Disk allocation errors etc.

[Front 424]

I recently took the OS 9 HD out of my Quicksilver 933 and put my OS X SSD in with the OS 9 SSD that had already been in there. 
OS 9 SSD was a duplicate more or less of the older IDE HD.  They existed side by side.
Taking the HD out, ProTools suddenly is having trouble finding things.  My first encounter was with the Waves 4 reset script and "HFS Extent Table" was not to be found in its usual spot.  Then when I started PT it asked me for the location of the Waves 4 folder, and then proceeded to not be able to find several files for a project, and at least in one instance, I couldn't find some specific audio files used in that session.  Most everything loaded, but a few were missing. 

I got this message

"The original disk allocation for this session cannot be used. One or more drives could not be found or are invalid for this session. As a result, disk allocation has been modified. Would you like to verify the allocation?"

Im wondering if some of these randomly missing audio files aren't on the HD, and if perhaps there was some random confusion between the two drives? Most of the audio files are where they should be in their folders and don't cause troubles, but a handful are definitely AWOL.   Makes me think that perhaps the SSD was tied to the older drive and occasionally was storing data between the two without me knowing, and it only shows up now that the original disk is no longer available. 

ProTools seems very confused about things recently.  I also had another project ask me to locate a fade file,  but only in that instance.  It can find about 90% of the project resources it seems, but a few are either not there, or it needs help finding them!

Anyone else experienced this or something like it, particularly with changing out drives?

I will get around to checking the HD, either put it in an enclosure or install it physically back into the computer, in order to see if those audio files are there.

Thanks to anyone who has some answers!! 

[Front 424]

Just to clarify, I'm thinking that perhaps because most of the audio projects were duplicates from the old drive, that maybe it was randomly accessing both at different times, and maybe launching ProTools from the older drive and having both side by side I never noticed until the older drive got taken out. 
I haven't until now encountered such a thing, but I'm guessing that maybe there were some dependencies with the original drive?

[Front 424]

Found the missing files in a stray folder with the same name as the project on the old drive.  It was in the main directory of the old drive in a duplicate folder, and the folder had an "Audio Files" folder with the files. And only those missing files.  How it got there is not known to me.
Anyone experienced something like this??

[Protools5LEGuy]

"The original disk allocation for this session cannot be used. One or more drives could not be found or are invalid for this session. As a result, disk allocation has been modified. Would you like to verify the allocation?"

This error comes when you are using the Mac OS drive as scratch disk

When you use other drive with the same projects you should delete PT preferences before starting it. And be sure where are the waves folder.

How did you do the Clonning of the original HD? It seems like it didnt copy the hidden Waves 4 (I am here and original) file from HStables

I would try to do a real clone copy using ASR, the Monte method or at least Carbon Copy Clonner or SuperDupper in OSX

[DieHard]

I would try to do a real clone copy using ASR, the Monte method

If you search the forum, both of these methods are discussed

[Front 424]

thank you both for responding.
I just dragged the the hard disk icon over to the other drive.  I had swore that I read that that works?!? I kinda wondered.  I'm not sure whether or not it makes much of a difference at this point, since I've been using the OS9 SSD since around the beginning of the year if i recall.  I've only encountered any issues now that the other disk is not available, of course except for the clunky old USB enclosure, which of certainly only functions at 1.1 speeds with os9! 

Hmm. Dunno.

[Front 424]

So does anyone recommend any remedies?
Like I said earlier, I've already been using the SSD for most of the year, and most of the additions to audio projects are where they should be. I have no clue why a small bunch of audio files got stored on the other drive exactly, because it looks like most of them are in their proper folders. 

Should I delete the preferences file now?  Reinstall the Waves bundle?  It doesn't seem to store the location of the Waves folder because it asks me everytime I launch the program, at least to this point.  My "studio" was in disarray for a few weeks and I'm only now trying to grapple with these setbacks!

[DieHard]

I found this for you, I am not sure if this helps...

1. Delete unused playlists.

2. Consolidate regions that are just small parts of files. (Like if you used only one line from a long vox recording)

3. "Select unused regions"in the region bin, including whole files. (this will also remove the "parent" file of regions, but dont worry) Select "remove", not "delete"!

4. "save a copy in..." .
Even if the "parent" files are not present in the bin, all nesesary files will be copied to the new location.

Dont save the original document.

5. Put the original document in the trash, and open the new one. If the are no prompts for audio files, then everything is OK. (In case there IS a problem, you still have the original in the trash)

6. Empty trash.

This is also a good way of ensuring that everything is on the same drive.

[Protools5LEGuy]

Disk allocation errors are present when you use the system drive as your sessions drive.

It only warns you that That will only be used as a Playback drive and therefore it cannot record new tracks.

If you open the dialog it will show you all the drives you have and offer the chance to change the drive. Another partition on the same drive normally fools protools into thinking it is other drive.

Also be careful to choose the right format for the drives. Protools is really picky about if the drive is HFS or HFS+ or journaled. Can't remember the format preferred by protools, but in a Mac OS 9+Mac OS X dual setup you have to be careful IIRC.

[Protools5LEGuy]

Found the missing files in a stray folder with the same name as the project on the old drive.  It was in the main directory of the old drive in a duplicate folder, and the folder had an "Audio Files" folder with the files. And only those missing files.  How it got there is not known to me.
Anyone experienced something like this??

There is an option since always on protools to spread   the tracks on all the drives that are "disk allocation" approved, I mean, that are Record capable.

This comes from the days that you need SCSI for a group of tracks, and another SCSI chain for another group of tracks, etc.

When ATA came to Mac (G3 B&W age?) Digidesign started to "allow" to have all the tracks in one folder, the session folder.

But you could still spread the tracks among drives for a superior I/O.

[Protools5LEGuy]

Round robin is the option that appears on "disk allocation" dialog to spread the tracks on all "recording-able" drives. Protools takes cares of the spread automatically.

Save Copy In (including all audio files) instead of Save Session or Save as is the method to "recall" all spread tracks on 1 folder. It should be considered the prefered method to exchange sessions among setups.

[Front 424]

might take me a day or two to digest all this!
never experienced any little hiccups like this before.  I've always had all session data in its own folder, or at least on the same drive, without any issues or random stashing of audio files in other drives, so i never paid much attention to whether it was "hiding" files on other drives!

So what happens if, as suggested in an earlier post by Protools5LEGuy, I deleted the PT Preferences file?  I certainly don't know! Is there a potential to screw things up even more?!? 

4. "save a copy in..." .
Even if the "parent" files are not present in the bin, all nesesary files will be copied to the new location.

Dont save the original document.

Round robin is the option that appears on "disk allocation" dialog to spread the tracks on all "recording-able" drives. Protools takes cares of the spread automatically.

Save Copy In (including all audio files) instead of Save Session or Save as is the method to "recall" all spread tracks on 1 folder. It should be considered the prefered method to exchange sessions among setups.

I'll have to look into that some more for sure.  Since you both suggested it, I will look at the manual to find out more. 
I'm just wondering how much confusion there is between the two drives now.  I think it's minimal.  I'm not even quite sure how much of the new additions (audio files in several projects) since adding the SSD have been saved on which drive.  I noted two out of place folders for two different projects so far.

Thank you DieHard and PTLEGuy for your input!  I know we have a few other PT people here, so if anyone else has had similar issues, feel free to speak!

 

[mrhappy]

I found this for you, I am not sure if this helps...

1. Delete unused playlists.

2. Consolidate regions that are just small parts of files. (Like if you used only one line from a long vox recording)

3. "Select unused regions"in the region bin, including whole files. (this will also remove the "parent" file of regions, but dont worry) Select "remove", not "delete"!

4. "save a copy in..." .
Even if the "parent" files are not present in the bin, all nesesary files will be copied to the new location.

Dont save the original document.

5. Put the original document in the trash, and open the new one. If the are no prompts for audio files, then everything is OK. (In case there IS a problem, you still have the original in the trash)

6. Empty trash.

This is also a good way of ensuring that everything is on the same drive.

Just a random addition here... In recent years I've been having an issues with 'Save Copy In' ... I'll back up to a different drive using 'Save Copy In' and then find that the session won't play... however, using a 'drag and drop' seems to work fine. I seem to recall that someone found an issue with 'Save Copy In' and large modern drive sizes?? might have been a dream??

Anyway... I normally don't go through the complete routine that DieHard posted however, 'Save Copy In' USED to work for me but I no longer trust it!! Haha! At some point I might experiment to see if I can uncover my problem... not holding my breath though!!