SFPro continually crashes - versions 14-18

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/12/2025, 11:34 AM

I've been dealing with continual crashing with multiple versions of Sound Forge Pro. This has been occurring since at least v14.

I have registered 64-bit versions of the following installed on my computer:

SFPro Suite 18.0.0 (build 21)
SFPro Suite 17.0.2 (build 109)
SFPro 16.1.2 (build 55)
SFPro 15.0 (build 161)
SFPro 14.0 (build 140)

The same behavior occurs in all of them. It doesn't happen all of the time, but it DOES happen about 80-90% of the time. Super frustrating.

Things that trigger a crash:

- placing a marker in a .wav file (ctrl-M)
- copy/pasting a selected region to a new file (double left click to select the region, ctrl-c, ctrl-e)
- placing the cursor anywhere in a file, then hitting the spacebar to start playing
- any other random editing activity (applying a fade, mixing copy/pasted sections, etc etc)
- trying to save a file (and then IF the program recovers it after the crash, you may or may not be able to save it, overwrite the existing file, etc)

If it crashes during a save on a recovered file, sometimes it will say that I don't enough room or access to save the file (when I clearly have access and terrabytes of room). At this point, the program will delete the recovered file. If I don't try to save it again, the file is lost.

All files being edited are 24/192 .wav format.

Each time this has happened, I've upgraded to the newest version, thinking that will fix things. It does for a while, then the same behavior starts again. SFPro18 Suite did the same thing from the beginning - it never has worked without issue.

I've been using SF since v4, back when it was owned by Sonic Foundry. It's a continual source of frustration. I use the program daily. If I'm lucky, I can save what I'm doing after every edit. I'm not always so lucky. Sometimes, it will crash as soon as I make ANY type of edit or try to save what I'm doing.

I'm running Win10 with all the latest updates, 64GB of RAM. I ran the memory diagnostics yesterday, thinking maybe I had some defective RAM - nope, all good there.

I've uninstalled and reinstalled all of the various versions of the programs multiple times.

I've also tried resetting all of the program defaults to no avail. All that does is make me redo all of my workspace changes. The crashes contnue.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to remedy this ongoing problem?

Thanks in advance,

SteveMTNO

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SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:04 PM

This is the only computer that I have the software installed on (and the only computer I have). The fact that it only crashes when I'm using SF tells me that it's a problem with that program.

Yes, it happens on all audio files. I cna't imagine that there is a problem with all of the files. What sort(s) of things are you referring to?

SP. wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:09 PM

@SteveMTNO Compressed audio files or files with uncommon audio codecs or other properties. Usually, you can get good information about audio and video files with a free tool like MediaInfo.

Besides that, there is an option in the preferences to always proxy compressed file formats. Not sure if this will make a difference if you only edit WAV files.

SP. wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:15 PM

@SteveMTNO Have you tried to simply resave one of your WAV files under a different name/sample rate/bit depth in another audio editing software? Does it then still crash in Sound Forge?

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:21 PM

All of my work is done on 24/192 uncompressed .wav files. I don't resample/downsample anything till I'm done. There is no compression done whatsoever.

The resampling/downsampling is all done in iZotope.

I'll try getting MediaInfo and see what it has to say...

Thanks again for your ongoing help...

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:26 PM

What sorts of things should I be looking for in MediaInfo? Looks like a lot of info....

SP. wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:28 PM

@SteveMTNO You can copy and paste one file analysis here.

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:41 PM

Here's one.. Let me know if you want me to pick a different view...

SP. wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:47 PM

@SteveMTNO We need the text from this view:

It looks fine so far, it's a PCM WAV file with a constant bit rate.

rraud wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:49 PM

'Tree' view is good for copy/paste.

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 12:51 PM

Looks like tree view.. here you go:

(this is an untouched file)

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 1:13 PM

I just edited another file. Here's what was done:

- normalized each album side, one channel at a time

- saved the file (no problem)

- opened the newly saved file

- added 2 markers, so that I could form a region (the region is then copied/pasted to a new file, so that the sides can be mixed together)

- tried to save the file after adding the 2 markers, then the program crashed (this is what it's been doing, fairly regularly, unfortunately)

Here is the tree view of the updated file:

Hopefully that helps...

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 1:22 PM

So that I can continue with what I'm trying to do, I save that region (or try to, sometimes it take a few attempts before I can save it), I'll save the region as it's own file (sound1.wav). Then I'll go into that file and mix the two album "sides" together.

This time, I opened the file, hit play, and it crashed. Fortunately (I guess) it gave me an error dump:

Extra Information
File: C:\Users\Steve Marshall\AppData\Local\MAGIX\SOUND FORGE Pro\18\dx_grovel_x64.log
File: C:\Users\Steve Marshall\AppData\Local\MAGIX\SOUND FORGE Pro\18\vst_grovel.log

Problem Description
   Application Name:    SOUND FORGE Pro 18
   Application Version: 18.0.0.21 x64
   Problem:             Unmanaged Exception (0xc0000005)
   Fault Module:        c:\windows\system32\rthdasio64.dll
   Fault Address:       0x00007FFBE1B22FB5
   Fault Offset:        0x0000000000002FB5

Fault Process Details
   Process Path:        C:\Program Files\SOUND FORGE\SOUND FORGE Pro 18\Forge18.exe
   Process Version:     18.0.0.21 x64
   Process Description: SOUND FORGE Pro 18

SP. wrote on 2/18/2025, 1:38 PM

@SteveMTNO Crash in rthdasio64.dll is a crash in the ASIO audio driver.

I also created a 40 minutes 25 seconds 192 Khz 24 bit file and filled out with white noise. I can edit, save and load and copy and paste and set markers and it works all fine. Tested in Sound Forge 18 trial version.

General
Complete name                            : C:\Users\XYZ\Downloads\Noise.wav
Format                                   : Wave
Format settings                          : PcmWaveformat
File size                                : 2.60 GiB
Duration                                 : 40 min 25 s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Constant
Overall bit rate                         : 9 216 kb/s
Encoded by                               : TRIAL
Recorded date                            : 2025-02-18
Writing application                      : SOUND FORGE Pro 18.0

Audio
Format                                   : PCM
Format settings                          : Little / Signed
Codec ID                                 : 1
Duration                                 : 40 min 25 s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 9 216 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Sampling rate                            : 192 kHz
Bit depth                                : 24 bits
Stream size                              : 2.60 GiB (100%)

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 1:43 PM

So what should I do?

SP. wrote on 2/18/2025, 1:49 PM

@SteveMTNO Can you create also a new file with the same attributes of your large file (192 Khz, 24 bit) and fill it with 40m25s of Insert > Synthesis > Simple? Can you save, load and edit it without crashing? If yes, then there is a problem with your other WAV files, if not, then there is some problem with Sound Forge on your computer. Hard to say if we can do something about this without the offical technical support from Magix.

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 1:59 PM

I just created a file, like you suggested. Added 3 markers. Double clicked inside 2 of them to select the region, ctrl-c then ctrl-e to create a new file. Did this same process again. When I did ctrl-e for the 2nd region, the program crashed.

No error dump this time.

SP. wrote on 2/18/2025, 2:20 PM

@SteveMTNO Ok. Yes, then I suspect that without reinstalling Windows or using an external USB audio interface with its own ASIO drivers we likely cannot suggest much else.

It's odd that iZotope also crashed after you updated the audio drivers. This might indicate a more severe problem with hardware compatibility or your Windows installation.

Maybe someone else here has some ideas or the technical support will get back to you, but I wouldn't expect wonders from them.

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 2:40 PM

I just contacted the manufacturer of my PC and got new Realtek drivers from them.

Tried the usual copy/paste and it crashed again... Not sure what else to do at this point...

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/18/2025, 3:04 PM

The PC mfr suggested going back to an earlier version. The earliest one I have still installed in v12. *So far*, v12 is behaving. Not sure that's a good solution, but so far it's working...

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/21/2025, 1:52 PM

Update time...

I'm still using v12 and so far, it's working as expected. I'm not crazy about the interface (I got used to the later versions), but it's basically letting me do what I need to do.

I'm thinking about upgrading to Windows 11 soon. Not sure what, if anything, that will do to the later versions of SF...

SP. wrote on 2/21/2025, 2:00 PM

@SteveMTNO Good to hear that version 12 works. That's also the same version I'm mainly using. I also have 15 and 17 but they have some problems.

If your hardware is officially supported by Windows 11 I recommend you install everything from scratch and not upgrade your Windows 10 to 11 in case there is something deep inside your Windows settings causing these crashes.

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/21/2025, 2:25 PM

@SteveMTNO Good to hear that version 12 works. That's also the same version I'm mainly using. I also have 15 and 17 but they have some problems.

If your hardware is officially supported by Windows 11 I recommend you install everything from scratch and not upgrade your Windows 10 to 11 in case there is something deep inside your Windows settings causing these crashes.

As much as I'd like to start from scratch, it's really not feasible for me, as I have to use the PC for work too. Not sure if I can go back after the upgrade and start from scratch if things really get messed up. I know I have 10 days to decide if I want to roll back after the upgrade. Not sure if I have the option to start from scratch in the beginning or not.

And as much as I wish I could use the later version(s) of SF, as long as v12 works (which, so far, it is), then I'm good. iZotope does a much better/faster job on the cleanup portions of my audio workflow. I still feel a sense of 'loyalty' (for lack of a better word) to SF tho. I've been using it since v4...

Thanks again to everyone who's helped me with this ongoing problem. I really appreciate it.

SP. wrote on 2/21/2025, 3:43 PM

@SteveMTNO Ok. I hope you make regular backups of your computer.

I usually have my installers and files on external hard drives/cloud backup. If a problem with Windows occurs I can simply reinstall it (via advanced startup options by holding SHIFT while restarting the computer). Then I just reinstall the drivers with Snappy Driver Installer and software and plugins I want to use at that moment. This way it doesn't take much time. Maybe 1-2 hours. I install additional software and plugins only when I need them later.

For example, the last time I had to do this after I was getting regular blue screens after a graphics card driver update where something went wrong and I wasn't able to get it working again. The system simply crashed within an hour after each restart.

SteveMTNO wrote on 2/21/2025, 4:12 PM

Yeah, I'm all about making regular backups. Like they say, it's not a matter of when a hard drive will fail, it's when.

The only thing on my C drive is the operating system and installed programs. All of the install files are on external drives (which also get backed up regularly). I've been very fortunate with my latest PC. I've had it for a little over 4 years now and, aside from the SF issues, have never had a problem. I had it custom built by Velocity Micro. It was a little pricey, but it's build like a tank and I've never had an issue with it. It's by far the best PC I've had (and I've been doing this for a LONG time). I would highly recommend then to anyone who wants/needs a new PC.

I still haven't decide when i'm gong to upgrade. I was chatting with VM about it today. There's no sense of urgency on my part.