IMovie gets stuck while creating thumbnails for iPhoto Videos

Question

Hello,
I've just got iLife 09. When I opened iMovie (with all the latest patches) it asked me if I want to create iPhoto thumbnaisl. I said yes and iMovie started to do something. At a certrain point the progress bar stopped moving and didn't move until I killed iMovie. If I do the same now, not even the progress bar show up and "remaining time" keeps empty.
Can anyone tell me how to convince iMovie to create those thumbnails?
My iPhoto contains about 6000 images and 42 iPhone movies.
Thanks
Bernd

Answer 1

Give this sequence a try, it may help you isolate your issue:
_*RUN SOFTWARE UPDATE*_
Before starting the steps below, make sure you are running the latest software update.
_*REMOVE 3RD PARTY PLUGINS*_
Some 3rd party plugins may be interfering with iMovie.
Here are the only 2 files IN MY QUICKTIME FOLDER:
. . . . . . . . . . . . / Library / QuickTime / AppleIntermediateCodec.component
. . . . . . . . . . . . / Library / QuickTime / AppleMPEG2Codec.component
If you do have more than the 2 files listed above, temporarily move the "NON APPLE" components outside of the QuickTime folder, Reboot the Mac.
_*TEMPORARILY CREATE A NEW IPHOTO LIBRARY*_
_ Quit all your Apps
_ Hold-down the [Option] key and click on the iPhoto icon
_ Click "Create New.." and enter a new iPhoto Library name -- I used "Empty_Library"
_ Click "Save"
_ Quit iPhoto
_*FRESH LAUNCH OF IMOVIE*_
_ Delete the iMovie Plist: /Users/ {your username} /Library/Preferences/com.apple.iMovie8.plist
_ Launch iMovie
Does iMovie starts-up properly without your old iPhoto Library?
If so, your old iPhoto Library may contain a video file / files that are not compatible with iMovie.
_*TRY RE-LOADING YOUR OLD IPHOTO LIBRARY*_
_ Quit all your Apps
_ Hold-down the [Option] key and click on the iPhoto icon
_ Select your old iPhoto Library from the list
_ Click "Choose"
_ Quit iPhoto
_ Launch iMovie
Does iMovie starts-up properly with your old iPhoto Library?
If not, try removing the bad video file / files from your iPhoto Library (if you know which one it is).
Just make sure to back-up those files before removing them from your iPhoto Library.
Let me know if that helps.