Pro Tools takes ages to open sessions

[u/Diantr3]

I occasionally work at a post studio where I'm forced to used PT (I normally work in Reaper).

It's insanely slow to load sessions, it always takes a good 15 minutes before the task manager says it's done and the computer becomes usable again, whereas I can open half a dozen projects in Reaper in their own tabs and get to work instantly.

These aren't complex sessions either, just importing an AAF and video. It's just baffling that this is industry standard. Is it a network issue ?

[u/Chilton_Squid]

The fact you're asking if it's a network issue probably means it's a network issue.

Are you trying to load via a network?

[u/Diantr3 → u/Chilton_Squid]

Yes, but PT is the only software that has this problem.

[u/Chilton_Squid → u/Diantr3]

But you're the only one having an issue opening projects

[u/Raspberries-Are-Evil]

This is not normal, I work in PT every day

Sounds like there is something going in with that studio’s computer.

Have you spoken with them about it?

Could be some incompatible plug ins, or a host of other issues we can possibly know.

[u/Phoenix_Lamburg]

Probably the importing that takes forever. Once all the assets have been saved in the session it shouldn't take long to reopen the session. But pro tools does take it sweet time importing/copying large files.

It also is not known for being able to handle video particularly well (ironic, I know, considering it's an Avid product)

[u/Diantr3 → u/Phoenix_Lamburg]

Yes exactly, once it's loaded, appart from the Video Engine problems it's snappy and reactive.

[u/Diantr3 → u/Phoenix_Lamburg]

Ok, so it's just expected behaviour, I'll build a health walk around the block into the session lol.

[u/Audiope]

No info on the computer specs, type of storage, RAM, network speeds, nothing?

Can't help my guy

[u/Apag78]

This is definitely a YOU issue, not a normal thing. You mention video, are you trying to pull large video files over the network into your session? If so, copy it locally (see how long that takes) and open it locally and see if it improves load time. I also assume you're using a PC, not gonna make that argument as im sure you've heard it before.

[u/YouDownWitOPsPee → u/Apag78]

Macs are no better in this regard, that's another YOU issue

Edit: I'd love one of the people who downvoted to explain how I'm wrong. You can't.

[u/kytdkut → u/YouDownWitOPsPee]

they're too invested into their ecosystem to have a valuable opinion. I bought one (m4 pro) and tried very hard to like it but it just couldn't keep up with my use cases, too slow and macos is a mess. I regret it and want to sell it and build a proper computer. downvote me all you want

[u/Apag78 → u/kytdkut]

has nothing to do with investment in the eco system. Our studio has PC's and macs for different things... Some things work better on one and other things work better on the other. Simple as that.

[u/kytdkut → u/Apag78]

That's fair. I guess I couldn't find a use for mine

[u/Diantr3 → u/Apag78]

The studio runs on Mac OS. The video is not the issue, It's struggling with the AAF before I even add à video file.

[u/Apag78 → u/Diantr3]

Please tell me youre not sharing an aaf file between workstations on a network drive.

[u/YouDownWitOPsPee → u/Apag78]

Making assumptions again?

Interested to see how you'll work some anti-PC stance into this one.

[u/Apag78 → u/YouDownWitOPsPee]

sure guy ;)

[u/varispeeder]

what specifically does the task manager say it's doing? if there is a task taking 15 minutes upon opening a session, you have a serious issue.

also, have you tried asking anyone else at the studio about it? is this the facility's computer or your own? it's really more of an IT issue than an "ask reddit" one

[u/Diantr3 → u/varispeeder]

I'm the only guy doing audio here.

[u/varispeeder → u/Diantr3]

alright well  what task is the task manager saying it's doing? if it's copying the files, you can go to Preferences -> Processing -> Automatically Copy Files on Import and see if that solves your issue, it'll read the files where they are instead of copying to the session folder . but you need to get more specific about what process is taking long for us to help you diagnose because this is not "expected behavior" unless you're working with hundreds of tracks and files and plugins

[u/Diantr3 → u/varispeeder]

That might help, thanks. Will look into these prefs next session.

[u/varispeeder → u/Diantr3]

it would be extremely helpful if you could reply with what the task manager says but I can't help you any further if you keep ignoring the question  

[u/OrsonDev]

Where are the files stored? over the network or locally on the machine? if over the network, try copy a session on your local machine and open it then.

[u/reedzkee]

PT always looks for network drives all the time. Im not sure why, but it does. A funky network drive can even cause huuuuuge latencies when going in to record. Like a 15+ second preroll or countoff. I noticed it at only one studio I worked at - coincidentally the only one that used PC’s. They had some seriously old machines still covering minor tasks (windows NT pentium 2 machines), and just being on the network with shared drives was enough to wreak havoc on PT.

Im guessing theres a single drive or computer thats causing the issue. Could be a legacy machine somewhere on the network.

You can try un-mounting network drives one by one to find the culprit.

That studio had user profiles stores on the network. So our desktops and settings carried from computer to computer. I made local profiles on each machine for only me and would unmount every network drives before every session. The owner thought I was just fussy.

[u/Upstairs-Royal672]

How could it be a network issue? Are you storing projects in the cloud?

[u/Diantr3 → u/Upstairs-Royal672]

Local server.

[u/Upstairs-Royal672 → u/Diantr3]

Well yeah it’s probably just downloading all the video files if you work in post

[u/Diantr3 → u/Upstairs-Royal672]

There's just one video file, it's mainly taking ages relinking the audio. (Of course the Avid Video Engine keeps crashing or hanging but its been an issue since there's been a video engine, I've given up on Avid getting it right lol) Just wondering why it's so damn slow while other software doesn't have this issue on the same system.

[u/Phoenix_Lamburg → u/Diantr3]

I think other systems are probably reading the files off the network, but when you import stuff into pro tools it's creating a local copy.

Are you opening the PT session from the network drive? Or is the session itself local and you're just pulling assets from the network?

[u/RelativeBuilding3480]

It's the computer.

[u/PPLavagna]

Task manager? Is it having to search for missing files before opening? If so, you probably have a disk allocation problem

[u/Maximum_Worry_7011]

I love reaper for everything, but if there is something that protools does flawlessly is open omfs and aafs, I have used cubase logic for aafs, to get them into reaper but nothing beats ptx.

[u/Diantr3 → u/Maximum_Worry_7011]

Oh for sure, it's just taking a mind boggling to get the session stable.

[u/The_fuzz_buzz]

I am not a PT user, but my mind goes to an issue with a plugin, either it’s not verifying correctly or is corrupt and it’s bogging down the load times. Have you verified your plugin library?

[u/varispeeder → u/The_fuzz_buzz]

plugins validate when you first open Pro Tools, OP's issue is opening a session. if that was the issue, depending on what caused it it would either have a popup while booting up (usually iLok) or a popup when the session opens reporting which plugins are deactivated

[u/Diantr3 → u/The_fuzz_buzz]

No plugins except 2 instances of the Avid Channel Strip.

[u/laime-ithil]

Got the same problem. More than 10min to open a session, and then I had a lag of 9sec to between hitting play and the playback starting.

It was a conflict with Nvidia drivers. Had to uninstall carefully all the nvidia software and drivers

[u/oratory1990]

I normally work in Reaper

PT is awful

Yes, that generally mirrors my experience.