I’ve been a Cubase user since the early Atari days, ca 1989. I’ve been with Steinberg ever since, every new release, all the good and the bad.
But Cubase since prob Ver 10 or 11, is the only software that cannot close projects without crashing or not responding. Posting crash dumps etc is just masking the real problem. And im sure there are people who do not have these issues however a quick search will show that plenty of others do.
The blame gets always put on a) another plugins MUST be acting up b) something the user doesn’t do right.
Then why is it - that every other Music Host software I use works flawlessly? Bitwig - doesn’t crash. Live - doesnt crash with the same plugins, doesnt that tell you something?
Im tired of being ‘afraid’ to close an arrangement because sometimes, i cannot ‘end task’ in windows. I will have to reboot. Its unacceptable because what am i doing? All im doing is CLOSING a project.
“Why dont you use another software then” - when you use something for 3 decades, its hard to change your workflow. These other platforms are for sound design only (in my case).
I did some testing and while mostly it seems NI’s kontakt has a huge memory problem 1. it either takes up to 10 mins to unload or its the cause of the crash. However other times, it still shutdown properly. Why does Live, loaded with 20 Kontakt instances (as a test) shut down in 3 secs then? Bigwig - the same. No error. no crash. So my conclusion is that the "no responding’ errors are random. Sometimes it shuts down most of the times it does not.
there is no fix for this. As i said, this happens to me since ver 10 or 11.
Same here. Every time I boot up Cubase (except for for first boot up from Pc boot up), it’s just par for course to be greeted with the Cubase quit/didn’t shut down properly/crashed previously dialog. Almost always pointing to freeze dumps on my end.
This has been the case for multiple versions going back. I just assume its a feature at this point. I also use large Kontakt libraries (also EW Opus etc) among other things. I also use Live and Reaper, never have this issue there.
I’ve been using Cubase since SX3. This hanging on close rubbish has been consistent for that long. Seemingly entirely at random.
I’m not sure why you are posting if you feel there is no fix? Venting frustration?
Start in Safe Mode with user preferences turned off and VSTs off. Does it still not close?
Every DAW is different. Bitwig and Ableton are different. To assume if it works in Bitwig or Ableton, therefore it should work the same in Cubase is a fallacy.
Listing your OS and Cubase version would be a start.
I personally have experienced horrible Kontakt7 load times that took NI almost 2 years to fix. They are now fixed for Kontakt7 and 8. I’m guessing NI knows a lot of users are “stuck” with Kontakt. I’m no longer fond of NI.
Im posting because A) I’ve used Cubase for 30 yrs and B) because i can. Mr. Obvious.
Seriously, yeah its venting because its getting in the way of being productive. I wouldn’t post here had I not tried everything. When you google the issue, many others have it as well. That every software is different is obvious. My point is: this ONLY happens with Cubase. Meaning its not the plugins that cause this behavior. Its logical to assume (Pulling a spock now ) that the flaw is with Cubase.
Yeah, Im “assuming” because closing a project isn’t really a feature. Its a basic function. So yeah, fallacy? lol no. Its so basic, I expect it to work.
Reg; NI
We can agree on that. NI has gone to poopies. Sadly, Kontakt is a staple. Removing it before closing helps, sometimes. So i save the project before i remove the instances. But it feels like its more random. Sometimes it closes fine other times it wont.
The fact that this only happens with Cubase doesn’t mean at all that Cubase is the problem. That is flawed logic. If one or more of your projects suffers a crash within one of the plugins you use there is nothing that Steinberg or Cubase can do about that. It’s a plugin issue and needs to be addressed by the developer of the plugin.
You may not have actually tried everything.
If you really want to troubleshoot this here, please provide the following information:
What version of Cubase are you currently using?
What OS are you currently using?
What is the precise method you use to quit Cubase?
Does crash on quit happen with all projects or just one particular project?
What plugins (including version numbers) are used in the project?
Does crash on quit happen if you create an empty project and then save this project and then quit Cubase?
In addition, did you try starting in Safe Mode as suggested by @Greg_Purkey ? and then opening the problem project and then quitting - after doing this do you still see the crash on quit issue?
I just want to defend the poster of this topic. I too experience this and we have searched the forums and tried all kinds of manner of solutions, contacted customer service, uploaded crashdumps, tweaked our computers, changed the registry, etc etc etc
The point is that Cubase, that we all LOVE, is not working properly and we hope by posting here that it is getting attention.
I agree with all the conclusions the poster states, and I also very much agree with that other DAWS don’t have these issues. I still want to use Cubase as I think it is fantastic when it works and I am not interested in jumping ship as I am used to a workflow and have invested years of money and time into it.
Cubase is one of the most expensive and feature rich DAW on the market with a serious pedigree. It makes sense it works. It hasn’t always been like this. I started to notice the faults more seriously about 6 months ago and I have posted quite a bit about and I tried all manner of solutions.
Also a user since the Atari. The forum is filled with people experiencing crashes and problems.
You could probably post ad infinitum on this subject simply stating that it is an issue. That won’t make much difference to finding solutions. The issue will only receive attention if you provide precise information about your particular circumstances. Please provide the information suggested in my previous post and I’m sure other users here will be glad to troubleshoot the issue.
I have, on many posts. Just did one a while ago to hopefully make Steinberg pay attention. All info there as well, and in my other posts. No one knows how to solve it, customer service don’t know how to solve it. I am sure no one knows how to solve the OPs issues either. That is the point. Could seem pointless but I understand the reason.
We just want to work, not spending time here. We have tried to solve it believe me, this is just a last attempt to get attention since nothing works.
That’s simply not true. If the issue resides within a plugin, how would you expect Steinberg to resolve that issue? It would be the plugin developer who would have to know how to solve it.
oh, I have so many examples of that. That is why I know what the OP is saying. Only Cubase has massive problems with VSTs. There is for a example a huge komplete kontrol mystery with Cubase that no other DAW has, and the bug is WEIRD. Neither Steinberg or NI can/wants to solve it.
Of course there are outdated/faulty plugins, but we know that already. You assume we don’t know what we are talking about.
Cheers!
I’m not assuming anything here. I just don’t know what you are actually referring to. You say there is a huge Komplete Kontrol mystery with Cubase that no other DAW has. But with which version of Cubase? Is this still an issue with Cubase 14? Which version of Komplete Kontrol? If it has been established that it’s on the NI side then what would you expect Steinberg to do about that?
I’m sure that’s not true and that both NI and Steinberg would rather things functioned correctly.
I think we are running in circles. Stop analyzing my sentences and listen to what I am saying. You assumptions are not logical arguments. You just assumed my statement about NI or Steinberg can’t solve the issues are false, and you don’t know what you are talking about.
I have posted a ton of detailed information about the problems I am referring to here elsewhere.
This post are examples of frustrations of a software not working properly.
I have contacted both NI and Steinberg who actually to their credit tried to take a look at it, especially NI even gave me an 1 hour with a personal technician. NI can’t read the crashdumps though which is a huge problem. (understandably, but still a problem)
Steinberg just asks standard questions that users that I and the OP already know about and have tried. (guaranteed)
We want Steinberg to prioritize the issues we have given them in MANY other posts.
This I understand but frustration unfortunately doesn’t solve the issue.
I replied to the OP’s original post above with a list of information which could be provided which might help others troubleshoot the issue. Up to now I haven’t seen a response to that request. A response to that request might help resolve the issue in that particular user’s case.
We could complain about the issue that Cubase is not closing without crashing for a long time, but beyond a certain point I’m not sure complaining really helps. And this is one user’s experience, or the experience of a particular group of users… it may not be a generality and may depend upon one or more of a wide range of variables.
I recently posted about my regular crashes and eventually found a fix. Sometimes it can work, keep the hope !
On another note I often have the Cubase didn’t close properly box on boot even though it did close properly. Maybe there are things to iron out in C14.
I’m on Win 10.
And I’ll never leave Cubase no matter the challenges with crashes or zoom issues.
I just hope for a smooth workflow in C14+/C15 instead of yet new plugins !
edit : I had a track playing live bass, tried to open the Waves Trueverb to edit it, then Cubase is just frozen hanging … back to square 1 !
For clarification - are you saying you’re seeing this with Cubase 14? I too have had this issue. From V10 to V13, I always had to close from the task manager, and I’d get the improper shutdown warning when I reopened it - which I just ignored, but I’ve not seen it in V14. (I’m using Windows 11)
Alas this is still happening to me in Cubase 14.0.10 Native Silicon MAC OS Sequoia 15.2, no Rosetta 2. When I stopped using Rosetta2 my CPU usage went down. Great. And the first few times I closed Cubase no problem. But lately I’m back to getting the same problem - try to close Cubase and immediately the spinning beach ball shows up and I have to force quit.
Just a bit of background before I say something that may be misconstrued as OS bashing - I was a Principal Security PM at MSFT for years, in addition to being an MCSE (when it mattered), MCT, etc. etc. and have a bit of insight into the components of Windows through the years and the various issues the HAL can (and does) cause at different levels. I will say that I have never experienced the behavior you have indicated on a Mac. If you must use Windows (or choose to, or want to, or “x”) then you may consider building a VM for testing purposes where you install a minimal OS, and your current Cubase build with “minimal” plugins. If you can, don’t install any NI or other 3rd party plugins or instruments. Create a base project, and save it, and see if you experience the same behavior. You probably won’t. Now copy that VM-based project over to your production rig and see if it crashes. If it does, then you pretty well know that there is another 3rd party component getting in the way. Now, on to the valuable bit - you can save snapshots of the VM and test loading components one-at-a-time (or vendor-by-vendor if you choose) and test each time. I had plenty of crashes caused by NI Guitar Rig dll dependences that made me a crazy person, and those were ultimately resolved by an NI update. So you may or may not experience Shangri-La with this method, but it very well may help you identify that something like the PCI drivers for your Fry’s motherboard’s SATA need updating or any other number of issues. In my opinion, you’re probably looking at a VST component that doesn’t shut down properly during host-app (Cubase) exit, leaving files open and/or not cleaning up temp files properly. Cubase can’t necessarily fix that, as they may be expecting the VST to close properly and clean up, but it doesn’t. The “good” news is that if it IS a 3rd party VST/App/Plugin, then the iterative install-and-test method will identify that. I’m sure you’ve changed computers many many times since you’ve experienced this, so my guess is that there’s some other audio app or maybe even a “can’t live without” app/driver set that has persisted through installs. It’s at least worth a shot, and it’s something you can do over a couple of months when you have time if you feel like it without having to tear up your production rig. Might be worth the effort.