Windows 11, when I exit Dorico, I can’t relaunch it without killing one PID in resource manager. Dorico is not running, but here’s an example what Resource Manager shows with the PID I have to kill in order to reopen Dorico.
If Dorico itself is not quitting cleanly, it could be that the separate VSTAudioEngine process is itself not exiting cleanly, and that’s resulting in Dorico hanging around.
Do you see the VSTAudioEngine process hanging around when you’re in this state?
Of course things started working for a while after you asked about the VSTAudioEngine, but I’m in that state now and YES, I see VSTAudioEngine5.exe is running. Other than killing the audio engine or Dorico, is there a soultion? And is this also the reason I usually have to start, then kill, then start Dorico almost every time because the first time it hangs on audio initialization?
We would need to know what the audio engine is doing when it’s hanging there. Probably we need a minidump to help us diagnose what’s going on. To quote @Ulf from another thread:
Could you please get the free utility Process Explorer . It is like TaskManager only more powerful. Then, when Dorico is freezing again, please run that program and in the process list find the VSTAudioEngine5.exe, make a right click on it and choose from the popup menu Create Dump > Create minidump . Please zip up the output from that and post here. Thank you very much.
Dorico5.zip (2.3 MB)
VSTAudioEngine5.zip (2.6 MB)
These are actually 7z files renamed with .zip since the zip files exceeded the 4MB limit by a little bit.
Thanks, Jeff. Hopefully @Ulf will get a moment to take a look and see what might be happening here.
Hi, looks like that the audio engine is stuck inside the tmmon64.dll which comes from TrendMicro and is most likely a protection monitor which intercepts normal file i/o. What if you temporarily disable TrendMicro, do you still have that problem?
Thanks! Disabling Trend Micro so far appears to solve the issue, but that’s not really a good solution. Curious that only Dorico seems to be having an issue with virus protection.
Hi @Jeff_Murphy , sure that is not the solution, but first we need to get closer to the root of the problem. You posted a screenshot of the open file handles within Dorico, but the same I would like you to also do for the VSTAudioEngine process. Dorico does not quit because it waits for the audio engine to quit, but that one is somehow stuck in TrendMicro. So we need to know what handles the audio engine has open, when it is stuck in TrendMicro.
But also make sure you have the latest TrendMicro version installed.
By the way, Windows Defender has a similar problem where it intercepts any file access and slows down dramatically the Dorico start-up time. But in Defender one can define some exclusion path(s) that it won’t track then any more. Maybe something similar will in the end become the solution also in your case. Let’s find out.
Here’s one situation:
| Image | PID | Type | Handle Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\OneDrive\Documents\Steinberg\CrashDumps\Dorico 5 AudioEngine 5.6.41 64bit 2024.9.16 20.23.10.765-freezedump.dmp |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngineCB_jsnim.ipc |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngine_jsnim.ipc |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngine_jsnim.ipc |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngine_jsnim.ipc |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5\VSTAudioEngine\VST3\VST Audio Engine Plug-in Set.vst3\Contents\Resources\AudioPlugs.srf |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Dorico 5 AudioEngine_64\logs\Vst2xLoadUnload.log |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.41991B707C726147B8A705E3F790835D95 |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.41CB2031C53192423B93D974B49D950C59 |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Activation Manager\Logs\Clients\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.41_20240916T130355_92544.txt |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5\VSTAudioEngine\Skins\skin.srf |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 92544 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Dorico 5 AudioEngine_64\logs\VSTAudioEngine.log |
Hi Jeff, it’s difficult to say, but to me the first file handle looks a bit suspicious. Not because it is a dump file, but because it is on OneDrive. Maybe this is what TM can not cope with. What tool did you use to create that handle listing? Can you close handles with it?
And have you checked in TM, is there a way that you can specify exclusion paths? I would put the path
C:\Users\jsnim\OneDrive\Documents\Steinberg\CrashDumps
onto such exclusion list.
The list was from Windows Resource Monitor. I put in the exclusion, will update once I see if it helps. Thanks.
A different scenario, the previous one was when Dorico “failed to respond” and closed. This one, it looked like Dorico closed without an issue, an the PID 156748 is missing from the processes list but somehow it still shows up in the handles?? It won’t relaunch, I’ll have to kill some PIDs.
| Image | PID | Type | Handle Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5\fonts\DoricoIcons-Regular.ttf |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngineCB_jsnim.ipc |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5\fonts\SourceCodePro-Regular.ttf |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5\fonts\SourceCodePro-SemiBold.ttf |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngine_jsnim.ipc |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngineCB_jsnim.ipc |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico545ED1C6446E74A7ABA07A140E934825D |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Activation Manager\Logs\Clients\Dorico5_20240917T062959_156748.txt |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Dorico 5\application.log |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5 |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | Key | \REGISTRY\USER\S-1-5-21-365307855-832698820-3026124830-1001\Software\Steinberg-Dorico5\jumpBarCommands |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | Key | \REGISTRY\USER\S-1-5-21-365307855-832698820-3026124830-1001\Software\Steinberg-Dorico5\jumpBarAliases |
| Dorico5.exe | 156748 | Key | \REGISTRY\USER\S-1-5-21-365307855-832698820-3026124830-1001\Software\Steinberg-Dorico5\dialogGeometry |
| SteinbergLicenseEngine.exe | 108776 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.415CB39DEC29064A388BCE0692733AF6F7 |
| SteinbergLicenseEngine.exe | 108776 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.41A0C1AC8BC2D34860B4ABD55A0AC5D4DC |
| SteinbergLicenseEngine.exe | 108776 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico545ED1C6446E74A7ABA07A140E934825D |
| SteinbergLicenseEngine.exe | 108776 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.415CB39DEC29064A388BCE0692733AF6F7 |
| SteinbergLicenseEngine.exe | 108776 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico545ED1C6446E74A7ABA07A140E934825D |
| SteinbergLicenseEngine.exe | 108776 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.41A0C1AC8BC2D34860B4ABD55A0AC5D4DC |
| SteinbergLicenseEngine.exe | 108776 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5 |
| SteinbergMediaBayServer.exe | 8988 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5 |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\OneDrive\Documents\Steinberg\CrashDumps\Dorico 5 AudioEngine 5.6.41 64bit 2024.9.17 6.34.31.218-freezedump.dmp |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngineCB_jsnim.ipc |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngine_jsnim.ipc |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\tmp\SMTG_VAE_3_0_Dorico 5 AudioEngine_jsnim.ipc |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5\VSTAudioEngine |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Dorico 5 AudioEngine_64\logs\Vst2xLoadUnload.log |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.41A0C1AC8BC2D34860B4ABD55A0AC5D4DC |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Activation Manager\Logs\Clients\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.41_20240917T063001_156464.txt |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | \Device\NamedPipe\Dorico 5 AudioEngineVersion 5.6.415CB39DEC29064A388BCE0692733AF6F7 |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Dorico5\VSTAudioEngine\Skins\skin.srf |
| VSTAudioEngine5.exe | 156464 | File | C:\Users\jsnim\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Dorico 5 AudioEngine_64\logs\VSTAudioEngine.log |
Hi @Jeff_Murphy , could you please get the free tool Process Explorer. It’s like TaskManager and Resource Monitor in one tool. Very powerful and reliable. Could you check with that on your second scenario? Thanks
Looks like I have 3 hang situations 1) After a crash, 2) Not running, but PID process shows in Resource Monitor 3) same as 2, but the PID is not in the processes, only in the handles. The current dump is for situation #2. Dorico hang 09182024.zip
Hi Jeff, how well can you reproduce those scenarios? Would it be possible to have a remote screen sharing session via e.g. Zoom with you? Then we could have a look together and try some things out. Let me know what you think.
It happens regularly, but not every session. So, I haven’t figured out the particular scenario that reproduces it. Thus, finding a window of time might be a bit tricky, but I am open to sharing if we can make it work.
What time zone are you in? I’m in central Europ, i.e.UTC+2.
Maybe you could just try to reach me spontaneously when it happens the next time again.
California. I do have the luxury of leaving things in one of the states for a while if it pops up at a reasonable time. I’ll let you know.
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For what it’s worth, I am experiencing the same issues, but on Windows 11 utilizing Google Drive instead of OneDrive (not sure if that’s even related. Sometimes, the Dorico process will hang around, waiting for VSTAudioEngine5.exe to finish, other times it will crash (and I’m prompted to restore the backup file upon next launch).
What prompted me to notice was that my monitors regularly failed to sleep. In checking the powercfg noticed that it was always the audio engine keeping the screen awake. Killing the VSTAudioEngine5.exe process always released that wake lock.
ProcessExplorer.zip (3.3 MB)
(also a .7z file, just barely fits under the limit)