Logic Pro 7.2 panics on AMD - better on Intel? Tips?

[Y-my-R]

I'm running Logic 7.2.1 (with XS Key) on an AMD Athlon 64 and it seems to run very stable if I'm doing only "light" work on the system. However, when I put a lot of load on the system (CPU Meter constantly at around 3/4), it eventually Kernel Panics. Sometimes sooner (3 minutes), sometimes later (30-40 minutes).

 

It seems to depend on the loaded plugins as it doesn't crash at all if I only run audio track without effects. It gets worse if I run CPU intesive Plugins like a couple instances of Sculpture, UltraBeat or SpaceDesigner.

 

The interesting thing is, I can run the AMD system as a Node, slaving to my PowerBook and the AMD will also eventually crash in this configuration. The PowerBook just keeps running.

 

I've been troubleshooting the system for about a week now and think I tried all the usual stuff. I even started playing with the Memory timing after running out of other options but to no avail. The CPU temperature seems to be OK - at least it looks OK when checking in the BIOS right after the panic.

 

I don't know how the AMD CPU is implemented into JaS 10.4.6. If any translation of the processor instructions from Intel to AMD and back takes place, then I'd guess that there could be rounding/FPU errors that eventually lead to a bigger problem and a crash. That's where I thought an Intel based system may run more stable. It would be a shame though, because as long as it runs, the performance is stunning! I tried over 130 Stereo Delays plus a whole bunch of plugins I already had on the tracks before testing (incl. SpaceDesigner, Bass Amp, Enveloper, etc.) and it ran close to max for a couple of mintues before a panic occurred - can't beat that. It just often crashes much sooner with only 3/4 load, which is the performance I really need.

 

Did anyone compare Logic on AMD vs. Intel? More stable? Comparable performance?

Other tips to fix this problem?

 

Thanks very much in advance!

[Y-my-R]

Quick update:

I downloaded the TechTool 4.5 Beta and ran a bunch of tests. Everything seems fine unless I'm testing the RAM (and only the RAM) repeatedly in a loop. Around the time the test runs its 15 or so loop, the system kernel panics.

 

This may point to the memory as the culprit, however, when monitoring the CPU load, it also shows that the memory test puts the highest load on the CPU - even higher than when running a CPU test (everything passes when doing a CPU test - even in a loop).

 

I tried 3 different 256MB memory sticks and combinations of them, but the system always Kernel Panics when running the Memory test in a loop, so I don't think it's the actual memory sticks, but much more either the timing or how the memory gets addressed by the board or the CPU as suspected in my last post.

 

These are the RAM sticks I tried:

- Patriot 256 MB PC2700 333 MHz DIMM (PSD256333)

- PQI 48750 256 MB DDR-333 (MD3456UVI-T666A)

- 2x Transcend/JetRam 256 MB DDR400 DIMM 2.5-3-3

 

Similar results with all of them.

 

Does anybody have any clues? I don't have much of a clue when it comes to modifying the memory timing. What settings could make the memory at bit more forgiving and the timing a little less tight?

 

Thanks in advance for any tips you can give me!

[Y-my-R]

Hah! I got it working.

 

The CPU couldn't take the multiplier it is rated for. The Athlon 64 4000+ normally runs at 200x12=2400MHz, but that's what got the system to be unstable. I dropped the multiplier to 11, so I'm now running at 2200 MHz.

 

Everything seems solid now. TechTool runs 40+ Memory test loops with no problems and a test project with a total of 132 Plugins is running in Logic Pro 7.2 without hickups for the last 40 minutes or so at close to max CPU load and keeps going as I type.

 

Sure, I took a hit in performance, but it still beats my old PowerBook 800 around the block and back.

 

Happy!!! :pirate2:

 

BTW, CPU temperature was not the problem, I monitored that more closely now and it didn't even get close to the 70C limit. Memory timing didn't do anything to improve the problem either. I guess it's really just the CPU that can't hold what it promises... Oh well, I got the processor for free, so I won't complain

[nexenta81]

Hello! This came after almost 3 years now.. Hope that you are still using Logic (and i'm curious if you switched to logic 8 meantime and still using the hackintosh system for using that. Since you are using this system from a while now I would like to ask you what have you done in terms to improve the performance of logic in a hackintosh environment. I am using now 10.5.5 - iDeneb distro - and face BIG performance issues regarding Logic 8 - high CPU overload even I use 1 track with let's say Sculpture. I knw that there are some big issues on logic's multicore implementation but I found hackintosh people that says they are using with success Logic 8 and the banchmark shows big scores (@25 traks).. I only have 8 and my cpu is out on the window after using 6.. I'm so sad about that because everithing seem to be stable on my machine. My osx never crashes and Logic installs excelent. BUT instead making musik I ended twicking and getting huge frustrations regarding this! The only thing it seem to work is using waves to make musik but without midi tracks this can be possible.. I have an AMD 3.8+ dual core machine and EMU usb soundcard. I also tested the cpu limits using Reason and the cpu seem to stay in good parameteres. Also I face the same issues as you in Logic 8 - 1 CPU is overloaded and the other one is 2% .. while the System monitor shows 20% loading on both. This is so frustrating.. I also tried to get a copy of Logic Pro 7 but I found only Logic 7 Express on Internet and the additional package can not be downloaded because it has no seeders. Can you please tell me where have you got your logic 7 copy? I want to try and test it before I decide to move back on windows.

If meantime you found some usefull tips in improving the performance on logic I will be glad to listen!

Thank you very much!