My iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017, Monterey 12.6.2) keeps crashing and restarting for no particular reason. It only happens when I’m using Dorico 5. My audio interface is Apollo twin x by Universal Audio (UA). I have thought the main problem to be the shared BUS between the two Thunderbolt ports, but during the latest crash I had only the audio interface was in use, the other TB port was empty.
This has been going on for three years now, bringing the maschine to an official Apple service (BetterWorx in Berlin) didn’t bring anything. Steinberg says that it is an UA issue, UA says that it is an Apple issue, Apple…well I have only been to this one shop, they didn’t seem to know much.
I would love to offer an Apple crash report, but there was none in the console (never has been). Perhaps someone has had something similar. I can only offer an EtreCheck report and Dorico Diagnostics.
Any reason you haven’t installed Monterey 12.7.6? If there are any fixes on Apple’s side, that’s where they’ll be. (Or indeed, upgrading to Ventura.)
You have got … 376 Audio plug-ins, which I’d suggest you try removing and seeing if that helps. I’d also test removing Soundflower, just to rule it out.
I’d be tempted to test removing everything you’ve got installed, and try adding them back, one at a time!
However, an app can’t bring down the whole stack. A kernel extension can: so the finger of suspicion does point to the UA drivers.
EtreCheck is also reporting that it took “an unusually long time to run”, which is a worry. I can’t see any reason why that might be the case, though.
Nice “seeing” you here, thank you again for offering help!
There is no particular reason for not updating, I’ll try that! As to re-installing, I did erase the the whole system more than a year ago. Adding stuff one by one would be challenging, the hard reset happens so every few days (and sometimes even longer), so I don’t really know, how I would organize that:)
The UA drivers are up-to-date, is there something else one can do?
Oh my…it is like an ant nest of UA stuff Do you happen to know, whether I can delete those components and VSTs? Right now I don’t use most of that stuff at all.
First of all, update to the latest Monterey version - or to Ventura, if possible.
Go to your Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-ins folder and create the following two folders: “VST (Unused)” and “VST3 (Unused)” (see screenshot). Type in your Mac password as needed as the operating system asks for it when creating the folders and moving the plug-ins as well.
Move (do not delete) the VST plugins to VST (Unused) folder and VST3 plugins to VST3 (Unused) folder, except for Steinberg folder in VST3 folder, don’t move it at all. That folder contains Halion , Groove Agent and other sounds installed for Dorico.
After this try to restart your Mac and start Dorico. Hope this helps you to narrow down the plug-in problem!
Do you happen to know, whether I can delete those components and VSTs? Right now I don’t use most of that stuff at all.