Cannot write file - disk may be full (but it isn't)

[profwacko]

I am getting this error message trying to save a small project I have been working on attempting to learn more about Audio Snap.

The first time I saved the project file after enabling AudioSnap on probably too many clips, the file size went from 1.1k MBs to 27k MBs.

After deleting the unused clips and moving on editing, deleting, and moving audio transient markers, the saved size ballooned to 87k MBs.

Now, after using the Audio Snap Palette to use transient markers to create splits in my project length (about 90 seconds) audio clips, I'm getting the Cannot save file - disk may be full error message after a 10-minute wait while app seemed to be busy trying to figure something out.

So, I have left the project open in my studio in hopes of being able to save the progress I have made, but am unable to save.

I did a search on the Cannot save... error text, but got no hits.

Anybody ever seen anything like this?

ADVthanksANCE

-Jack (needs saving in central Texas)

 

[profwacko]

Quick update: 

Just did a Google search on the Cannot write... text, and got hits from the CbB forum.

I'll go clear my picture cache and see what happens.

[profwacko]

No change after removing over half of the picture cache files.

Also, I've tried saving this file to 3 different drives, including my C-drive, and they all fail with the same message.

Hardware drive error not likely.

[Kurre]

Sometimes very long filenames together with long paths to the folder can be problematic.

[reginaldStjohn]

As can saving to a compressed folder or directory where you don't have full permissions.

[John Vere]

Did you try Save As? 

[profwacko]

Kurre: I tried reducing the length of the name of the project to no avail.

RSJ: I have been working on this project in the same folder in the same drive for several days now with no issues, until I started editing and manipulating audio transient markers. 

JV: I've tried them all - Save,  Save As, Save A Copy, etc.

Thanks for the suggestions, y'all, but I've decided to cut my losses and go back to a previous saved version  that had no Audio Snap data. That has worked so far...

But now I have a new problem that I'm starting a new thread for.

When I get a chance, I'm going to open the un-savable project and pursue that a little, in the hopes of helping someone else with the same issue.

-Jack (still working on it in Central Texas) 

 

[msmcleod]

Have you made sure that your project directories are excluded from any anti-virus and/or cloud-sync (e.g. OneDrive) software?

If other software is trying to scan the files as Sonar/CbB is trying to save them, this could cause this issue.

[profwacko]

MM: Wouldn't that sort of interference be fairly periodic, rather than continuous?

I banged on this file for quite sometime and found only that a failed saving attempt on a USB3 drive took 15 minutes, where similar action on my internal C drive only took 5 minutes.

When I get in to the studio today, I'm going to see if their are any minidumps to be found.

Really good question that I had not considered, however. Thanks for that.

 

[msmcleod]

2 hours ago, profwacko said:

MM: Wouldn't that sort of interference be fairly periodic, rather than continuous?

It really depends on the AV / Cloudsync app.  AV's in particular can jump in as every time a file is accessed.

You should have all of your project and any VST content (e.g. sample library) directories excluded.  Not doing this is definitely liable to slow down, but could also cause crashes.  Personally I've also excluded the VST plugin directories and Cakewalk application directories too, as I'm confident as to where the exe's/DLL's have come from.

For cloudsync, I use Mega rather than OneDrive and I have a batch file that copies my project files to a directory on another disk which is set to sync to the cloud.  The batch file does an incremental copy - i.e. it only copies newer / newly modified files.  This means that it only syncs when I want it to, and I've also effectively got another backup.  The downside of course is that I need twice the space for my projects.

[Glenn Stanton]

i use a separate drive for my cloud services and file downloads, then use freefile sync to update the "cloud drive" from my selected local folders. turn off AV for the audio, video, CAD programs and files. OneDrive and Google Drive cannot interfere with my local files (except for the documents folder un onedrive but that's seldom a concern for me) using this approach and i have 3 location for backups - primary, cloud drive, and cloud. the sync process only take a few minutes to run (except when i have to update arturia pro content, groan).

[David Thiel]

I just got this message.  I compose with Cakewalk Sonar every day.   Most projects are derived from previous projects.

I have been prolific recently.  This was a 2nd piece today.  I exported the audio and then cntl-s.  It refused to save. (Cannot write file - disk may be full)  E drive has over 700 Gb available to save a 5 meg file so that isn't it.

Save As doesn't, no error message, but no dialog box.  "Save a copy" doesn't do anything either.  I dislike losing the last hour's efforts.  I've been using the same setup for this project for the last 16 months.  The only major change was a Cakewalk Sonar update, but that was yesterday (I think) and I've loaded and saved several projects since then.  

Never seen this error before.

E drive is working; other apps save files to it.

WTH....

 

 

[Noel Borthwick]

@profwacko Can you try this? First keep a backup of your project before saving or save to a new name afterwards.

• Select the clips you edited and open the AudioSnap palette. 
• Right click on the power button
• Choose "Clear all audiosnap markers"

Now save the project and see if it rectifies the problem
You can also select all clips in the project (CTRL-A) and do this operation. 
NOTE: This will delete all user edited audio snap markers. 

Sometimes after an error or with many edits the number of audiosnap markers can get huge in the hundreds of thousands. Clearing them like this will allow you to start over.

 

[David Thiel]

Noel,

The only way to exit Sonar was to quit without saving.  Generally, I save frequently except when in the heat of the moment.

Now I am not so confident.

I rebooted (win10 system due to be replaced when I get a chance).

I loaded up the project.  The worst.  I saved when I cleared the previous clips out.  I do have the exported audio of the project but nothing else.

It was 100% MIDI prject, mostly Kontak7, Sound Paint and two instances of Spitfire Audio.  6 tracks in total, maybe 32 bars, it was an orchestral sketch.

I use markers to navigate; there were probably a half dozen.

Pretty simple.  And totally gone.

I'm at the tail end of a big project, I've written over 120 orchestral pieces for a game, and today was the first time I've seen this.

Does Audiosnap refer to MIDI clips?  I would think not.   I only had one audio clip, that was a reference for the style that I am mimicking.

 

[Noel Borthwick]

My response was to the OP. That error is a generic message and can be caused by different issues. It may not be related to disk space but something failed while writing the file. Did you try writing to a different drive?
 

[David Thiel]

3 minutes ago, Noel Borthwick said:

 Did you try writing to a different drive?
 

My first thought.  The problem is that File Save As didn't bring up a dialog box so there was no opportunity to save to another drive.  I tried the seldom used "Save Copy As" and that didn't do anything either.  Sometimes Sonar doesn't seem to do the right thing because dialog boxes are coming up behind other windows.  I closed all the windows but the main one, minimized it and brought it back but I could not find any hiding windows.  The error dialog came just fine, every time.

Sonar has been working consistently, without crashing so I was lulled into false security.

[Noel Borthwick]

most likely the save as dialog was hidden by something else. There is no way it won't launch - its a simple system dialog.

[David Thiel]

2 minutes ago, Noel Borthwick said:

most likely the save as dialog was hidden by something else. There is no way it won't launch - its a simple system dialog.

that is what I thought, but nothing I did would reveal it.  It could have only been behind the main window and that makes no sense.

I'm recovering the work now, working backwards from the export and saving frequently.  This is working.  Very strange.