Power up audio interface before computers and hard drives?

[Phil O]

I have an Apogee Rosetta with X-firewire card. It uses the Apple drivers. If I boot the computer with the Apogee turned on the boot time is about 30 seconds longer than when it's turned off. I don't really know what's going on, but the presence of this particular firewire device causes a significantly longer boot time. I've always assumed that when it's present, other stuff is being loading, but I could be wrong about this. It could be that something is timing out. Don't know. All I know is something is different. Anyway, I always turn on the interface first (I think that was suggested in the manual), and haven't had any problems.

Phil

[mhschmieder]

Phil, I'm confused, as most of your reply mentions what seem non-ideal effects of having the interface on before the computer? Or are you saying the computer needs more time to stabilise its sense of the attached devices, and that the end result is better than when you start up the device after the computer has booted?

[Phil O]

I think that one of two things is happening (but I'm speculating). The longer boot time is because specific code is being loaded for the device, thus it takes longer. Or perhaps there is something that the boot process looks for (that it's not seeing) and it times out. I've had this device through several operating systems and therefore several FW drivers. At one point the interface wouldn't be recognized at all unless it was turned on first (I think that was with Tiger). Also the manufacturer's recommendation is to turn it on first. It uses the Apple FW driver (which many interfaces do not) and which OS I've used with it has had varying differences in boot time between unit-on and unit-off booting. So I'm not suggesting which way to boot, just adding data to the soup.

Phil

[Dave Bourke]

I've never tried this but you could always boot in Verbose Mode and see exactly what's going on as the Mac comes to life.

But it makes total sense that as any computer boots, it checks all its ports to ensure that the devices for which it's loading drivers are actually attached and functioning. A powered-off interface during boot is IMO just asking for niggles.

I know Firewire is supposed to be plug-and-play (and for the most part it is) but remember that in theory you're also supposed to be able to daisy-chain 128 FW devices. But in practise, you'll see why it's a theory.

Kind regards.

[Mr_Clifford]

hi mhschmieder,

I'm gonna jump in here because, like you, I currently run an RME FF800 daisy chained into the back of a FW400 hard-drive (although into a MBP laptop (single FW port, hence the daisy chain)).

If I power on the RME before booting the computer, it literally doesn't register on the computer properly. I assume that's because when the computer checks for attached FW devices at bootup, the hard-drive is still connecting, and so it doesn't see the RME plugged into the hard-drive. As a result I always boot the computer, wait till it's completely logged in, then switch on the RME. The RME control panel & then Total Mix both open themselves, and I'm away. I have had zero problems with this, and would recommend it as the way to do it - particularly if you're daisy chained into the back of a hard-drive.

Even when I was running the RME on a G5 into its own FW800 bus, I found that it worked better to boot the computer first, before switching the interface on.

Oh, and never sleep your computer if the RME is on - it sometimes just doesn't come back online when you revive the computer - again, probably because of the daisy chain.

[grouse]

I know it is politically incorrect but I leave my FF800 on 24/7 for almost 5 years.

And I thought musicians were a conscientious bunch.

[mhschmieder]

Mr. Clifford, thanks for the input as we have identical setups (except for iMac vs. laptop). I think the FF800 might be different as it uses its own drivers and its own proprietary Firewire chips. I haven't had any problems since switching to turning the interface on first, but might switch back for the duration of this setup.

[Armageddon]

I used to turn on my 828 mk1 before turning on my G3 iMac, but these days, I wind up using my MacBook for other things beside music (which makes for a great argument to own a second computer just for music/audio!) and my Konnekt 24D stays off unless I'm doing music-type things. Most of the time, this is no problem, but I'll occasionally encounter a scenario where, for whatever reason, turning on the interface either locks up the computer or it just isn't recognized. This usually leads to a pleasant ten-minute session of plugging/unplugging the interface from the laptop, turning it on and off, over and over again, and basically swearing like a sailor. But that scenario is fairly infrequent; mostly, I'll switch on the interface, there will be a ten second pause and then, everything loads up fine. I think things have changed significantly in both processors and FireWire chipsets, and you generally have more flexibility in loading up all your connected gear.