System Overload & "Save as" crashes

Question

I'm using Logic 7.0.1 on 10.4.2, with Pro App Suport 3. When I begin to play the piece, I get the "System Overload" message every few seconds. (The audio engine was not able to process all required data in time. (-10011). In the CPU window, the right column is never active, while the left column mostly says at 1/4, sometimes spiking to 3/4's. I press the "continue" button and begin to play again. The CoreAudio alert repeats a dozen times as I continue through the piece until I reach the last note I've been able to record.
Then, I can suddenly play back from the beginning of the song, all the way through without the error message at all. It is as if the computer stops when it tries to process each new sample, but once it has played through all of them, it handles them easily. However, once I can play the whole piece, adding a new sample (a large sample like performance legato) doesn't trigger the alert message. I only get it when I am first beginning to play through the piece.
I have an external Firewire HD by LaCie to store my samples, so that on the laptop, 37.91 GB's of 55.76 GB capacity are available. I use EXS 24 samples only, Solo Strings from VSL, with Core Audio (till I get more acquainted with Logic 7 and decide what I need). The piece is a string quartet, so even though I have 80 samples on different tracks, there are only 4 notes playing at once at any time. The only plug ins are platinumverb and gain, and the problem continues with these plug-ins "bypassed."
I have been reading the discussion board and took advice given about upgrading to Logic 7.0.1, and getting Pro Application Support 3.1. The problems I experienced have not been corrected.
I decided to use CoreAudio until I became more familiar with the program, and I realize with a three year old laptop, I must be pushing the system to the limit. But then again, it plays easily once I have slugged through the error messages. I ereased my HD and reinstalled Logic a few weeks ago. That did not fix the problem either. ( I upgraded to 10.4 to use Toast 7, but then I was unable to use my modem. After 72 hours of Apple support trouble shooting via telephone, I was told to erase my hard drive and reinstall everything. I did so and the problem wasn't fixed. I then talked to someone who knew of a bug in 10.4. I didn't have to erase the HD after all. I was told the bug was fixed in 10.4.2)
The second problem involves saving. I save this piece as a "project." I can use the "save" option without a crash, but 99% of the time, if I use the "save as" option, I get the "beach ball of death" and send yet another report to Apple.
How is my laptop able to process the data in time once I slog through all the alert messages telling me it cannot? Does anyone know of a "save as" fix?
Much Obliged!
Billy

Answer 1

I'm not sure if you have this, and mis-typed or something, but Logic 7.1 (the update you pay for) and the 7.0.1 and Pro App Support solved this problem for me. However, we installed them all at once so I don't know which fixed the "Save As..." glitch....
Regarding the other query, I sometimes get this too - the computer seems to think there's too much information even though it's already been playing it all, and even if you mute all but one of the channels! (in fact - I think I recall it refusing to play even when all tracks are muted... christ...)
Generally I have to restart the app (and maybe the computer). This always does the trick for me.
Hope this helps,
Best,
Mickey.