Files are being corrupted in Wavelab

I need help. We’ve been using Wavelab for over 20 years here with pretty much no issues. Most of our files are on a network server, and all of our workstations are on Windows.

The bulk of our files are hour long, mono spoken word. For the past few months, we’ve had a problem where when we save a file, about the last third of the wav file becomes corrupted. This happens about once a week for one of us on the team.

The corruption is a loud static sounding distortion that is not represented in the .gpk wave form. If I click “rebuild display” Then I’ll will see the distortion.

The problem has affected three of us here. We have 4 heavy users, and a few occasional users.
The three computers are very different:
Computer 1 - Custom built ADK Windows 10, Wavelab 11.1. and Wavlab 10.
Computer 2 - Dell workstation Windows 11, Wavelab 11.1
Computer 3 - Dell desktop Windows 10, Wavelab 10.
We’ve had these computers for about 2 years and didn’t have any problems until a few months ago. We also use Cubase, Vegas Video, Reaper and Izotope RX. We haven’t had a problem with the other programs, but we also don’t use them as often. I never use network files in Cubase, but I do in Vegas and RX (in RX, I almost always read from a network location, but write to a local drive).

This problem happens mostly, if not always when we work on network files. I suspect there is a network problem, but our IT guys don’t think so.

What are some things that could cause this sudden file corruption? I don’t think this is a Wavelab problem, but maybe it’s related to how Wavelab writes files to a network compared to other programs.

In the mean time, we’re trying to keep files local as much as possible, but that really hampers our productivity.

Thanks for your help!
~Jay

Please use WaveLab 11.2
This version corrects a problem that could very well explain your case.

1 Like

Thanks PG. Would that also explain why Wavelab 10 is having problems too?

~Jay

Normally no, but you should use WaveLab 11.2 anyway.

Everything has been fine for a few weeks here, but then today a file open in Wavelab became corrupt. I assume it became corrupt when I saved it. the gpk however, didn’t reflect the audible corruption. If I had asked Wavelab to rebuild the display, I’m sure it would have showed the corruption because that what it did in the past.
It was a 23 minute long mono wave file. I created markers in the file last night and then saved it. I kept Wavelab open all night as I always do. In the morning I rendered out separate files based on the markers I created. Everything after the 17 minute point became corrupt. The audible corruption was also present in the original 23 minute file, but not visible in the display.
Even though the file was already saved, I was able to click undo, and all of the corruption went away. I then re-rendered the same portions that were previously corrupted and now they are fine - Thank God!, I need to get a radio broadcast out today.
The file is on a network server, and one of the rendered file segments which was rendered last night, immediately after saving the main file, was corrupt and on the same server. The files rendered this morning were a saved to a local disk.
I’m using Wavelab 11.2.0 (build 13) - x64 on Windows 10.
Is this likely a Wavelab problem or a network problem? Should I go back to Wavelab 10? I’m in a scary place now where I can’t trust my tools.

Thanks,
~Jay

Difficult to say, but when you load/save files that are accessed through a network, not only do you slow down operations, but you add a layer of complexity to the data path (not for WaveLab because WaveLab handles files the same way if they are located on a local disk or a network).

I recommend working only on local files and transporting the file to your server later.

Also, make sure the following folders are located on a local disk (was it already the case?)

Yes, all the temp files are local.

I’ve been using Wavelab on a network since 2.0. It’s very inefficient for us to stop working over a network.
I’m on 11.2.0 build 13 x64 and still experiencing file corruption.
Today and last week it happened the same way…
I was editing a 40 minute mono 24-bit 44.1k wav file. About half way through the file I hit CTRL S to save the file. That’s when I saw the corruption in the waveform. I hit CTRL Z to undo, and the graphic looked good, but there was still audible distortion. I hit CTRL Z one more time and the file was restored. I hit CTRL S again, and the file saved successfully.
I closed the file, and now I am here telling you about it.
Would you recommend that I go back to Wavelab 10 until the issue is resolved?
Thanks,
~Jay

Do you think the corruption happens from an edit point? Or is it anywhere in the file?

It would be good if you could send me a corrupted file, so that I can maybe guess some pattern.

Well, there is no short-term solution as I can’t reproduce the problem with 11.2.

Next time it happens, I’ll save it and send it to you.
the error was not at an edit point. In nearly every case, the error is about the last third of the file.
For example: today I was editing and stopped at about the 20 minute point in a 40 minute long file. The corruption was from about the 30 minute point all the way through the end.
The nature of the corruption is the level is boosted to the point of severe distortion. but beneath the severe distortion and can hear audio from the same file at a very low volume.
Tomorrow when I am back at the studio, I’ll see if we saved and bad samples that I can send to you.

Thanks for your personal support for all of these decades!
~Jay

The error happened again this morning. I have a folder with the files in it. How can I upload it to you? I can message you with a dropbox link if that is best for you.

~Jay

I noticed that when I save a file, it creates a .$$$ file in the same network location as the source file.

Yes please. I give you an email in a PM.

@Jay_M Do you by chance open those files in Pro Tools?
I’ve had a similar problem when I use Pro Tools and then edit files in Wavelab and when you open them up again in Pro Tools they get corrupted, the whole file turns to static noise.
I think it’s a Pro Tools thing because it has happened if I open them on the finder (MacOS)
Since Mac has changed to three different CPUs… PowerPC, Intel, Arm, I don’t know if it has anything to do with file coding. (Big-endian , Little-endian)
Luckily it hasn’t happened in a while. I’m on M1 Arm

1 Like