Firewire Audio Problems

Hi
This last week i’ve had major problems with my firewire audio setup - which have worked flawlessly for several years, until now. and i don’t know what has changed in my win xp installation, I believe nothing (no internet connection, no new software innstalled).

Problem is, I have severe glitching problems both when running audio through my MOTU Traveler (fw) interface, and when playing audio files from my Lacie external drive - both with the external and the internal audio card. Both runs on their dedicated firewire ports.

I think there is a problem with the general way firewire is handled, and not the Traveler or the Lacie,
because the problem is still there even if my Lacie disk is turned off.
And the behavior seems totally random. Sometimes I can work for 30 mins, and then suddenly: glitching hell.

Does anyone know, if there’s a way I can measure/analyze/test my firewire bus? and monitor the activity?
I’ve tried searching for an app for this, but with no luck.

any help is greatly appreciated - i’m going nuts! can’t get any work done with this, workflow killer deluxe :wacko:

hey man, recently upgraded to an RME Fireface 400.

If you’re using Windows7 - have to tried forcing the firewire driver in device manager to use the Generic driver? This seems to help a lot of people with various firewire audio cards.

Heat development in your computer? Perhaps use an air-dust can to clean out your PC’s interior from dust rugs on your heatsinks?
Perhaps scan your windows software when the last update was installed and uninstall that update if that was very recently.

have you tried a different fw cable??

troubleshoot the issue W/O the FW drive. work locally for a while.

check, test and check again that you dont have any sorts of auto updates for any windowsy crap enabled.

maybe keep your windows computer OFF the internet period?? Since I’ve enforced that rule in my studio several years ago I have drastically minimized any windows issues on production machines.

check for driver updates for the Motu

Thanks for the help and input on this.
On that music dedicated machine, I’m running win xp - with no internet - haven’t been updated since 2006, clean as a baby.

BUT HOWEVER…

Oh dear. Spot on :o
I hadn’t opened or cleaned the case for about a year, until I saw your tip yesterday vV.
Man, it was like a sauna in there. Turns out, 4 of my small fans are dead, and since they are almost noise-free, I haven’t noticed this.
So, I cleaned the insides, fixed a couple of the fans, and also set up a big table-fan next to the now open case, and temperatures are almost back to normal.

And guess what? No firewire glitches - yet.
Thanks a bunch!! B)

I better get some better fans soon, or maybe even consider upgrading the whole thing. about time.