Ingesting P2 nightmare

I'm trying to help a friend who shot on a Panasonic AG-HVX200 on P2 cards at 720p/30p. I'm running into a few problems. For one thing, it's ingesting at 23.97 and the compressor is set for 1080i/60 -- this is causing the video to playback in slow motion. For some reason, I don't have the DVCPro HD 720/24 or 720/30 codecs and I've been scouring the Internet all morning and no dice. If anyone can shed some light here, I'd appreciate it. I think it's just a matter of having the wrong settings when it ingests, but I'm not sure how to change that and also, those codecs don't come up. Anyone know where I can download them?
Thanks in advance.
(Oh, and when I Log & Transfer the footage, all the clips get a little red stop sign with an exclamation point. Not sure why.. When I hit retry the same thing happens)

Christian Mazza wrote:
For some reason, I don't have the DVCPro HD 720/24 or 720/30 codecs and I've been scouring the Internet all morning and no dice. If anyone can shed some light here, I'd appreciate it.
What version of FCP do you have, and where did you get it? Scouring the internet?

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    Mark Hopkins
    Program Manager, Lenovo Social Media (Services)
    twitter @lenovoforums
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    Spoiler (Highlight to read)
    1:38 PM  Support session established with KARISHMA BARPANDA.
    1:38 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Welcome to HP Customer Support & Services for Notebook support. My name is Karishma and I will be your technical support specialist today.
    1:38 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Hi
    1:38 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: How are you doing today ?
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    1:38 PM  Adam Colligan: I'm good; just a little confused
    1:39 PM  Adam Colligan: PC symptoms implicated RTC battery: CMOS checksum error on boot. But also instant death when AC power removed. Temporarily resolved after re-seating main battery cable, so chalked up to that. Now not so sure: maybe I had just partly charged RTC battery during testing. Now trying long run on AC to rule this out.Query: x360 service manual (unlike other Envy manuals) makes no mention of RTC/CMOS battery. Didn't see one exposed on board. Can you verify presence and location of CMOS batt?
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    1:43 PM  Adam Colligan: Okay, I'll back up.  Have you heard of something called a CMOS battery or an RTC battery?
    1:43 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Yes.
    1:44 PM  Adam Colligan: Would you be able to find out where it is located on my Envy x360 15t notebook (u011dx)?
    1:45 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Alright !
    1:46 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: In this situation, we need to take the notebook in free servics repair.  
    1:46 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Please, provide me the complete sdhipping address along with the zip code.  
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    1:47 PM  Adam Colligan: I don't want to set up a service yet. I just want to know *where* the battery is attached to the board.
    1:47 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: We need to replace the CMOS battery,  
    1:47 PM  Adam Colligan: How do you know that we need to replace the CMOS battery?
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    1:48 PM  Adam Colligan: Well, in that case we're probably talking about replacing the whole motherboard.  Do you mean *not removable* or just "not user removable" ?
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    1:49 PM  Adam Colligan: I just want to know *where* it is; I don't need to actually do anything to it
    1:50 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Let me explain.  
    1:51 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Let me check.  
    1:52 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Please, allow me few moments.  
    1:52 PM  Adam Colligan: Thank you
    1:56 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Thank you for staying connected. I appreciate your time and patience.
    1:56 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: I am sending you a link, please go through page number 33 and 34.
    1:56 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA has sent a link: http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04513489
    1:57 PM  Adam Colligan: That's okay; I understand that it may take time
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    1:58 PM  Adam Colligan: 33 and 34 refer to the main battery, not the CMOS battery
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    2:02 PM  Adam Colligan: Look, here is a theory.  What if this PC does not have a separate CMOS battery, and it's been using power from the main battery to keep the clock and BIOS settings current? In that case, the symptoms might just be a result of poor seating of the main battery cable.  To rule that out, I would like to confirm for a fact that a CMOS battery actually exists on this motherboard, and I'd like to see it with my own eyes.
    2:02 PM  Adam Colligan: ...before I go without my PC for days or weeks
    2:03 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: The CMOS battery exsist in the motherboard and it is not a customer replaceable part.  
    2:04 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: You cannot see it.  
    2:04 PM  Adam Colligan: So where on the motherboard is it?
    2:04 PM  Adam Colligan: It's on the motherboard but it's invisible?
    2:04 PM  Adam Colligan: Maybe it's under a piece of foam by the HDD indicator light? There aren't many places for it to hide
    2:05 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: I would suggest you to sent the notebook in service repair, and if there will be any hardware issues, then HP technician will take care of it.  
    2:06 PM  Adam Colligan: Please answer this question honestly for me. Is the location of the CMOS battery actually available to you? It's okay for you to say, "I don't know where it is, and I don't know how to find out where it is".  But it seems like you are avoiding saying that.
    2:10 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Let me know are you facing any issues with the HP notebook right now ?
    2:11 PM  Adam Colligan: Yes. Why won't you answer that question?
    2:24 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: I would like to inform you that, the CMOS battery is not a customer replaceable part.
    2:24 PM  Adam Colligan: What does that have to do with whether or not you know where it is?
    2:24 PM  Adam Colligan: Is there some rule that you are not allowed to say "I don't know" ?
    2:24 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: That is the reason,  it is not shown in the manual.
    2:25 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: That is the reason,  it is not shown in the manual.
    2:25 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: The CMOS battery can be replaced by the HP hardware engineers.
    2:26 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: So, the CMOS battery can be replaced only in our service center.
    2:26 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Do you want to send your notebook for a free service to replace the CMOS battery ?
    2:26 PM  Adam Colligan: I think we've established that. I am not asking you about how to replace it. I'm asking if you can find out where it is.
    2:26 PM  Adam Colligan: It's perfectly alright if the answer is "I don't know", but I do expect that amount of honesty
    2:26 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: No, it is not listed in the manual.
    2:27 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: I can understand your concern.
    2:27 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: As, it is not listed in the manual, let me know how can I assist you.
    2:28 PM  Adam Colligan: So then the next question is: can I contact a technical support professional who can tell me where it is attached so that I can visually inspect it before committing to a service by mail?
    2:30 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: This is the only technical support and you can contact our voice technical support. However, they will tell you the same thing, which I have told you.
    1:38 PM  Support session established with KARISHMA BARPANDA.1:38 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Welcome to HP Customer Support & Services for Notebook support. My name is Karishma and I will be your technical support specialist today.1:38 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Hi1:38 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: How are you doing today ?1:38 PM  Adam Colligan: Hello; this is related to case 30150384261:38 PM  Adam Colligan: I'm good; just a little confused1:39 PM  Adam Colligan: PC symptoms implicated RTC battery: CMOS checksum error on boot. But also instant death when AC power removed. Temporarily resolved after re-seating main battery cable, so chalked up to that. Now not so sure: maybe I had just partly charged RTC battery during testing. Now trying long run on AC to rule this out.Query: x360 service manual (unlike other Envy manuals) makes no mention of RTC/CMOS battery. Didn't see one exposed on board. Can you verify presence and location of CMOS batt?1:40 PM  Adam Colligan: Just to clarify: I'm not asking you to walk me through changing a CMOS battery or anything like that -- I know you want notebooks sent in for service if they need that officially. But I just want to make sure that I actually know where the thing is on this model1:42 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: I am sorry, I can't understand you.1:43 PM  Adam Colligan: Okay, I'll back up.  Have you heard of something called a CMOS battery or an RTC battery?1:43 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Yes.1:44 PM  Adam Colligan: Would you be able to find out where it is located on my Envy x360 15t notebook (u011dx)?1:45 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Alright !1:46 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: In this situation, we need to take the notebook in free servics repair.  1:46 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Please, provide me the complete sdhipping address along with the zip code.  1:46 PM  Adam Colligan: It is not confirmed yet that the CMOS battery is actually the problem1:47 PM  Adam Colligan: I don't want to set up a service yet. I just want to know *where* the battery is attached to the board.1:47 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: We need to replace the CMOS battery,  1:47 PM  Adam Colligan: How do you know that we need to replace the CMOS battery?1:48 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Because tHe CMOS battery is not removable.  1:48 PM  Adam Colligan: Well, in that case we're probably talking about replacing the whole motherboard.  Do you mean *not removable* or just "not user removable" ?1:48 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: We will take the notebook in service reapir and our HP certified technician will do the complete hardware diagnostic of your notebook.  1:49 PM  Adam Colligan: I don't want to do anything yet except *LOOK* at the board and see if there is anything obviously wrong with the CMOS battery connection1:49 PM  Adam Colligan: I just want to know *where* it is; I don't need to actually do anything to it1:50 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Let me explain.  1:51 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Let me check.  1:52 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Please, allow me few moments.  1:52 PM  Adam Colligan: Thank you1:56 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Thank you for staying connected. I appreciate your time and patience.1:56 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: I am sending you a link, please go through page number 33 and 34.1:56 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA has sent a link: http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c045134891:57 PM  Adam Colligan: That's okay; I understand that it may take time1:57 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: CMOS battery is not a customer replaceable part.  1:58 PM  Adam Colligan: 33 and 34 refer to the main battery, not the CMOS battery1:58 PM  Adam Colligan: I know that the CMOS battery is not a customer replaceable part. However, I want to visually inspect it.   1:59 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: It is not listed there.  1:59 PM  Adam Colligan: Exactly. Compare that to this manual for the HP Envy 17, page 411:59 PM  Adam Colligan: http://www.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02160120.pdf2:00 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: If you are facing any issues with the battery then, we need to take the notebook in service reapir and will fix the issue.  2:01 PM  Adam Colligan: Sigh.2:02 PM  Adam Colligan: Look, here is a theory.  What if this PC does not have a separate CMOS battery, and it's been using power from the main battery to keep the clock and BIOS settings current? In that case, the symptoms might just be a result of poor seating of the main battery cable.  To rule that out, I would like to confirm for a fact that a CMOS battery actually exists on this motherboard, and I'd like to see it with my own eyes.2:02 PM  Adam Colligan: ...before I go without my PC for days or weeks2:03 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: The CMOS battery exsist in the motherboard and it is not a customer replaceable part.  2:04 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: You cannot see it.  2:04 PM  Adam Colligan: So where on the motherboard is it?2:04 PM  Adam Colligan: It's on the motherboard but it's invisible?2:04 PM  Adam Colligan: Maybe it's under a piece of foam by the HDD indicator light? There aren't many places for it to hide2:05 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: I would suggest you to sent the notebook in service repair, and if there will be any hardware issues, then HP technician will take care of it.  2:06 PM  Adam Colligan: Please answer this question honestly for me. Is the location of the CMOS battery actually available to you? It's okay for you to say, "I don't know where it is, and I don't know how to find out where it is".  But it seems like you are avoiding saying that.2:10 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Let me know are you facing any issues with the HP notebook right now ?2:11 PM  Adam Colligan: Yes. Why won't you answer that question?2:24 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: I would like to inform you that, the CMOS battery is not a customer replaceable part.2:24 PM  Adam Colligan: What does that have to do with whether or not you know where it is?2:24 PM  Adam Colligan: Is there some rule that you are not allowed to say "I don't know" ?2:24 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: That is the reason,  it is not shown in the manual.2:25 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: That is the reason,  it is not shown in the manual.2:25 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: The CMOS battery can be replaced by the HP hardware engineers.2:26 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: So, the CMOS battery can be replaced only in our service center.2:26 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: Do you want to send your notebook for a free service to replace the CMOS battery ?2:26 PM  Adam Colligan: I think we've established that. I am not asking you about how to replace it. I'm asking if you can find out where it is.2:26 PM  Adam Colligan: It's perfectly alright if the answer is "I don't know", but I do expect that amount of honesty2:26 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: No, it is not listed in the manual.2:27 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: I can understand your concern.2:27 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: As, it is not listed in the manual, let me know how can I assist you.2:28 PM  Adam Colligan: So then the next question is: can I contact a technical support professional who can tell me where it is attached so that I can visually inspect it before committing to a service by mail?2:30 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: This is the only technical support and you can contact our voice technical support. However, they will tell you the same thing, which I have told you.
    5. I pay money to have the CMOS battery checked
    Clearly, I wasn't inspired by that chat. Maybe the rep was just wrong about the hardware. More likely, it was just my own ignorance that kept me from finding the CMOS battery, and so I would benefit from a real technician checking it, maybe replacing it or telling me I really did need to send it to HP for service, and also looking at the main battery circuit.
    A couple of hours and $54.13 in diagnostic fees later, I had my answer from the technicians.  My main battery had a short in it and needed to be replaced. There is no dedicated CMOS / RTC battery on this motherboard. The clock and BIOS use main battery power, and it makes perfect sense that the main battery fault would therefore include symptoms normally associated with a simultaneous failure of a main battery and a dedicated CMOS battery in another computer.  This PC is not unique in lacking a dedicated CMOS battery.  I could buy a new main battery for around $55.
    Obviously, I was now thoroughly upset at HP Support. With this clearly being a main battery issue and the main battery being easy for me to replace and covered by warranty, HP could just send me a new main battery. I wouldn't even care if they wanted to tell me that swapping it myself would void the rest of the warranty period -- better than going without my PC for weeks on end. Failing that, I would probably rather even pay the money for a new battery from a retailer rather than go through the stupidity of sending this PC in just to have the battery swapped out. But now I had already paid the equivalent of that new battery cost just to get the correct information about my hardware, solely because official HP Support had given me false information -- twice! 
    6. Second chat ("Justine")
    Gist:
    So I re-connected with technical support in the hope that something could be done to make the situation right. I briefly summarized the problem and gave the case number in the webform submission not shown.  Make sure you're sitting down for this transcript and have either whisky or popcorn depending on whether you work for HP or not.
    Note in particular at 5:28, where my soul tries to escape my body, and 6:00, where Justine accidentally states the whole issue without actually understanding.
    Transcript:
    Spoiler (Highlight to read)
    5:10 PM  Support session established with Justine.
    5:10 PM  Adam Colligan: Hi Justine
    5:11 PM  Justine: Thank you for contacting the HP Customer Support & Services. My name is Justine and I will be your chat support specialist today. Please give me a few minutes while I review your issue description details. NOTE: For security reasons, PLEASE DO NOT send credit card information via chat. Also, If you are using a mobile device (iPad, iPod, iPhone, etc....) and experience difficulties viewing the chat window, please initiate a new chat from a Windows or Mac computer or use a different browser for better compatibility.For DISCONNECTED or failed to reconnect, we keep records for all interactions feel free to initiate another chat.
    5:11 PM  Justine: May I have the phone number and e-mail address associated with your HP product?
    5:11 PM  Adam Colligan: [redacted]
    5:12 PM  Justine: In order for me to assist you better, can you please provide the Product and Serial number of the system that is having an issue.
    5:13 PM  Adam Colligan: Are the contents of the form I filled out not sent?  The SN is [redacted] . This is a model G6T85UA
    5:15 PM  Justine: Thank you for verifying me those information, Adam. I have read your issue description and it seems like you need help in processing a replacement for your computer's battery, is that correct?
    5:15 PM  Adam Colligan: Yes.
    5:16 PM  Justine: I apologize for the inconvenience. I will do my best to help you resolve this issue.
    5:19 PM  Justine: Alright, regarding the incorrect information that our tech had provided you, what is that information again, Adam.
    5:20 PM  Adam Colligan: My own hunch was confirmed by an independent service center that I had to pay to diagnose this problem: this machine has no dedicated RTC/CMOS battery.   
    5:20 PM  Justine: -
    5:22 PM  Justine: So the issue is that you went to a local tech and they are charging you for your battery replacement correct?
    5:22 PM  Adam Colligan: So I wasted both a day of work and over $50 because two technical support representatives told me in no uncertain terms that I was looking at symptoms of a CMOS battery fault. And I *now* face also having to double that money on a new battery unless you guys can make it right.
    5:23 PM  Adam Colligan: I paid for the diagnosis because they had to go in and determine that HP tech support was, for lack of a better phrase, full of it
    5:23 PM  Adam Colligan: I even have a hilarious piece of transcript:  2:02 PM  Adam Colligan: Look, here is a theory.  What if this PC does not have a separate CMOS battery, and it's been using power from the main battery to keep the clock and BIOS settings current? In that case, the symptoms might just be a result of poor seating of the main battery cable.  To rule that out, I would like to confirm for a fact that a CMOS battery actually exists on this motherboard, and I'd like to see it with my own eyes.2:02 PM  Adam Colligan: ...before I go without my PC for days or weeks2:03 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: The CMOS battery exsist in the motherboard and it is not a customer replaceable part. 2:04 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: You cannot see it.  
    5:25 PM  Adam Colligan: I had even checked the x360 service manuals and compared them to other Envy models, since the CMOS / RTC battery is specified for the other ones.  Hence this (apparently completely false) gem: KARISHMA BARPANDA: I would like to inform you that, the CMOS battery is not a customer replaceable part.2:24 PM  Adam Colligan: What does that have to do with whether or not you know where it is?2:24 PM  Adam Colligan: Is there some rule that you are not allowed to say "I don't know" ?2:24 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: That is the reason,  it is not shown in the manual.2:25 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: That is the reason,  it is not shown in the manual.2:25 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: The CMOS battery can be replaced by the HP hardware engineers.
    5:25 PM  Adam Colligan: Apparently the truth is that it's not in the manual because *it doesn't exist*
    5:27 PM  Justine: I apologize about that, Adam. But to explain this properly, yes the CMOS battery is not a replaceable part. We do not ship CMOS batteries. But if you want, you can consult your local tech about it.
    5:28 PM  Justine: May I ask why do you want the CMOS battery to be replaced, Adam?
    5:28 PM  Adam Colligan: Oh my god.
    5:28 PM  Adam Colligan: You're going to have to just give me a moment here.
    5:29 PM  Justine: Okay Adam. Please take your time.
    5:31 PM  Adam Colligan: Before I explain again, let me just ask a question or two.  Let's say that, hypothetically, HP Support thought that I needed to replace my CMOS/RTC battery.  So I ship it off. Imagine that it arrives at the service center and the techs there discover that there is nothing wrong with the  CMOS battery. Instead, they find that the main battery has a short in it and needs to be replaced. Would I have to pay for the replacement of the main battery?
    5:32 PM  Justine: Alright, first the repair process is that whatever that is we need to replace, we will. also, fortunately, your warranty covers the repair for this computer. We could send it for repair for you.
    5:33 PM  Justine: Whether the CMOS battery or the main battery, we will fix this computer like brand new for you.
    5:34 PM  Adam Colligan: And you're saying there is no charge for this?
    5:35 PM  Justine: Yes Adam.  
    5:36 PM  Justine: It will be for free.
    5:36 PM  Justine: May I ask for your shipping address?
    5:37 PM  Adam Colligan: Wait; see, I don't want to do that yet. How long would the whole shipping and repair process take?
    5:37 PM  Adam Colligan: I've already been told that I have to go through the whole shipping nightmare even though I live right near an authorized service center
    5:38 PM  Justine: Okay, we will ship you a box with a return label within 2-3 business days, then the repair process would be 7-9 business days maximum. This is for us to make sure that everything will be checked and diagnosed so that when it comes back to you, it would be like brand new.
    5:39 PM  Justine: We could still send you the box if you want, the box would be active within 30 days, so you could decide when you want it to be dispatched.
    5:40 PM  Adam Colligan: See, and that's the problem: I might rather just buy a new battery for $53 rather than be without my main work machine for 2 weeks+.   
    5:40 PM  Adam Colligan: And so here's what happened:
    5:41 PM  Justine: Well, if we send it for repair we can determine if it is really a CMOS issue or the main battery.
    5:41 PM  Justine: But it would depend on your decision, Adam.
    5:44 PM  Justine: Are you still there? I want to get your issue taken cared of today. Please respond if you are available to chat.
    5:44 PM  Adam Colligan: In order to make that choice, I needed to know whether this could really be a CMOS battery issue. If it were, then I would have no choice but to send it in, because that would mean replacing the motherboard (or at a minimum re-soldering to it...so probably replacing it).  I would probably also have to spend the time before and after the shipment taking the thing apart myself and putting it back together again because I have my own RAM and my own SSD in there.  And so I discussed my symptoms (which included a CMOS checksum error) with two technical support representatives. The initial one was going to take me through a BIOS upgrade attempt and informed me that if it did not resolve, it would need to be sent in for a CMOS battery replacement. I think I had already let him know that I had looked for it just to check if there was anything obviously wrong and couldn't find it, and I had wondered if there really was one.
    5:46 PM  Justine: Actually if it already gave a CMOS error, it is already that.
    5:46 PM  Adam Colligan: In the end I did upgrade the BIOS, but when it appeared to work afterward, it was a coincidence. The ticket was closed but I discovered quickly that the problem was still there. It appeared that maybe I had partially charged the CMOS battery and so just needed to try running the machine for several hours to see if it would recharge. When that failed, I contacted  HP again, which is where those snippets of transcript come from
    5:47 PM  Connecting...
    5:47 PM  Connected. A support representative will be with you shortly.
    5:47 PM  Support session established with Justine.
    5:47 PM  Adam Colligan: Once again, I was assured that this really was or could be a CMOS battery issue.  I specifically raised my concern that there might not even be a CMOS battery, which is why I tried to focus the conversation on getting the rep to tell me where it is.  She very directly and repeatedly told me that it was there -- which meant that I had no choice between a long service and replacing the battery myself.
    5:49 PM  Justine: The issue is that the CMOS could have already failed so technically, even though it is physically there, the computer is not detecting it anymore. For this, since there is already an error with the CMOS, it should be replaced.
    5:50 PM  Adam Colligan: But between the fact that the reps had not sounded competent and the possibility that it might be worth it to replace the CMOS battery myself and void the warranty, I was still suspicious. And that's why I found myself spending $54.13 for a third party service provider to tell me what HP should have known all along. This machine does not have a separate CMOS battery. When the main battery fails -- as mine has -- it will cause all the symptoms of a main battery failure *plus* the symptoms of a CMOS battery failure, since *the main battery* powers this board's real-time clock and RAM environment memory
    5:51 PM  Justine: I could wait for your decision if you want to send it in for repair, Adam. I will still send you a box for the repair, that would be available for use within a month. It is still up for you to decide, Adam.
    5:51 PM  Adam Colligan: And now you're saying the same thing: that my CMOS checksum error (and also my clock resetting) means there is a problem with the CMOS / RTC battery.
    5:51 PM  Adam Colligan: Am I correct that that is what you are saying?
    5:52 PM  Justine: I highly suggest sending it for repair, really. In this case we could provide a proper explanation in your issue.
    5:52 PM  Adam Colligan: Are you or are you not telling me that I have a CMOS / RTC battery and that it might need to be replaced?
    5:53 PM  Justine: Every motherboard has a CMOS battery, yours have already failed so it needs to be replaced.
    5:54 PM  Adam Colligan: See, I think -- and the service center that just looked at it thinks -- that that statement is flat-out untrue.  
    5:54 PM  Justine: You could replace it by yourself like what you want, but first, we do not ship CMOS batteries, and replacing it by yourself will jsut tamper the warranty.
    5:55 PM  Adam Colligan: And so the important question is: will HP give me a free main battery, which I can install myself without needing to send the computer off, if it turns out that you just became rep #3 to give me false information?
    5:56 PM  Justine: Actually, we cannot determine that without really having it physically here for further details and with sufficient tests. Our technicians will be testing it not just inside, but physically.  
    5:57 PM  Adam Colligan: You don't need my computer in front of you in order to know whether or not this model *has* a CMOS battery.  You are essentially swearing up and down that it has one. If you're wrong, then you've not only cost me the $54 I already spent but will also unnecessarily cost me two weeks+ without my computer
    5:57 PM  Justine: I apologize but we can only replace the battery if we have the computer in question, and we cannot do that without the error in the main battery itself.
    5:57 PM  Justine: Every computer has a CMOS battery, what I mean is that we have to perform tests on your computer physically to determine the real issue.
    5:57 PM  Justine: I apologize about that.
    5:57 PM  Adam Colligan: So I want to know: if it turns out that this model has no CMOS battery, will HP comp me a main battery in return for the time and money that it has already made me waste?  
    5:59 PM  Justine: Actually, we can send you a box with a return label, so that you can decide. At this point we will just wait for your decision.
    5:59 PM  Justine: We will only replace or provide on the part that neede to be replaced.
    6:00 PM  Justine: The CMOS and the main battery has different roles, so we couldn't send you a main battery when it is a CMOS issue.
    6:00 PM  Justine: Is that okay?
    6:00 PM  Justine: May I ask for your shipping address please?
    6:01 PM  Adam Colligan: That. That last thing you said.  That is the heart of the whole problem! If the CMOS battery doesn't exist, then you would *know* you could just send me a main battery?  
    6:01 PM  Adam Colligan: As long as it's not costing me anything, sure, send me a stupid box. My address is [redacted]
    6:02 PM  Justine: If the CMOS battery doesn't exist, the main battery doesn't have anything to do with it. If it does not exist, we can send it for repair, since we do not send CMOS batteries. That is the only thing that we can do.
    6:02 PM  Justine: Alright, is there anything else I could help you with?
    6:03 PM  Adam Colligan: Oh lord. If the CMOS battery doesn't exist, then the main battery is the whole point, because it's the main battery that's supplying the power to the components that normally draw from the CMOS battery on most other systems.
    6:03 PM  Adam Colligan: Nope, there's nothing else. You've provided another great transcript for the file.
    5:10 PM  Support session established with Justine.5:10 PM  Adam Colligan: Hi Justine5:11 PM  Justine: Thank you for contacting the HP Customer Support & Services. My name is Justine and I will be your chat support specialist today. Please give me a few minutes while I review your issue description details. NOTE: For security reasons, PLEASE DO NOT send credit card information via chat. Also, If you are using a mobile device (iPad, iPod, iPhone, etc....) and experience difficulties viewing the chat window, please initiate a new chat from a Windows or Mac computer or use a different browser for better compatibility.For DISCONNECTED or failed to reconnect, we keep records for all interactions feel free to initiate another chat.5:11 PM  Justine: May I have the phone number and e-mail address associated with your HP product?5:11 PM  Adam Colligan: [redacted]5:12 PM  Justine: In order for me to assist you better, can you please provide the Product and Serial number of the system that is having an issue.5:13 PM  Adam Colligan: Are the contents of the form I filled out not sent?  The SN is [redacted] . This is a model G6T85UA5:15 PM  Justine: Thank you for verifying me those information, Adam. I have read your issue description and it seems like you need help in processing a replacement for your computer's battery, is that correct?5:15 PM  Adam Colligan: Yes.5:16 PM  Justine: I apologize for the inconvenience. I will do my best to help you resolve this issue.5:19 PM  Justine: Alright, regarding the incorrect information that our tech had provided you, what is that information again, Adam.5:20 PM  Adam Colligan: My own hunch was confirmed by an independent service center that I had to pay to diagnose this problem: this machine has no dedicated RTC/CMOS battery.   5:20 PM  Justine: -5:22 PM  Justine: So the issue is that you went to a local tech and they are charging you for your battery replacement correct?5:22 PM  Adam Colligan: So I wasted both a day of work and over $50 because two technical support representatives told me in no uncertain terms that I was looking at symptoms of a CMOS battery fault. And I *now* face also having to double that money on a new battery unless you guys can make it right.5:23 PM  Adam Colligan: I paid for the diagnosis because they had to go in and determine that HP tech support was, for lack of a better phrase, full of it5:23 PM  Adam Colligan: I even have a hilarious piece of transcript:  2:02 PM  Adam Colligan: Look, here is a theory.  What if this PC does not have a separate CMOS battery, and it's been using power from the main battery to keep the clock and BIOS settings current? In that case, the symptoms might just be a result of poor seating of the main battery cable.  To rule that out, I would like to confirm for a fact that a CMOS battery actually exists on this motherboard, and I'd like to see it with my own eyes.2:02 PM  Adam Colligan: ...before I go without my PC for days or weeks2:03 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: The CMOS battery exsist in the motherboard and it is not a customer replaceable part. 2:04 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: You cannot see it.  5:25 PM  Adam Colligan: I had even checked the x360 service manuals and compared them to other Envy models, since the CMOS / RTC battery is specified for the other ones.  Hence this (apparently completely false) gem: KARISHMA BARPANDA: I would like to inform you that, the CMOS battery is not a customer replaceable part.2:24 PM  Adam Colligan: What does that have to do with whether or not you know where it is?2:24 PM  Adam Colligan: Is there some rule that you are not allowed to say "I don't know" ?2:24 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: That is the reason,  it is not shown in the manual.2:25 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: That is the reason,  it is not shown in the manual.2:25 PM  KARISHMA BARPANDA: The CMOS battery can be replaced by the HP hardware engineers.5:25 PM  Adam Colligan: Apparently the truth is that it's not in the manual because *it doesn't exist*5:27 PM  Justine: I apologize about that, Adam. But to explain this properly, yes the CMOS battery is not a replaceable part. We do not ship CMOS batteries. But if you want, you can consult your local tech about it.5:28 PM  Justine: May I ask why do you want the CMOS battery to be replaced, Adam?5:28 PM  Adam Colligan: Oh my god.5:28 PM  Adam Colligan: You're going to have to just give me a moment here.5:29 PM  Justine: Okay Adam. Please take your time.5:31 PM  Adam Colligan: Before I explain again, let me just ask a question or two.  Let's say that, hypothetically, HP Support thought that I needed to replace my CMOS/RTC battery.  So I ship it off. Imagine that it arrives at the service center and the techs there discover that there is nothing wrong with the  CMOS battery. Instead, they find that the main battery has a short in it and needs to be replaced. Would I have to pay for the replacement of the main battery?5:32 PM  Justine: Alright, first the repair process is that whatever that is we need to replace, we will. also, fortunately, your warranty covers the repair for this computer. We could send it for repair for you.5:33 PM  Justine: Whether the CMOS battery or the main battery, we will fix this computer like brand new for you.5:34 PM  Adam Colligan: And you're saying there is no charge for this?5:35 PM  Justine: Yes Adam.  5:36 PM  Justine: It will be for free.5:36 PM  Justine: May I ask for your shipping address?5:37 PM  Adam Colligan: Wait; see, I don't want to do that yet. How long would the whole shipping and repair process take?5:37 PM  Adam Colligan: I've already been told that I have to go through the whole shipping nightmare even though I live right near an authorized service center5:38 PM  Justine: Okay, we will ship you a box with a return label within 2-3 business days, then the repair process would be 7-9 business days maximum. This is for us to make sure that everything will be checked and diagnosed so that when it comes back to you, it would be like brand new.5:39 PM  Justine: We could still send you the box if you want, the box would be active within 30 days, so you could decide when you want it to be dispatched.5:40 PM  Adam Colligan: See, and that's the problem: I might rather just buy a new battery for $53 rather than be without my main work machine for 2 weeks+.   5:40 PM  Adam Colligan: And so here's what happened:5:41 PM  Justine: Well, if we send it for repair we can determine if it is really a CMOS issue or the main battery.5:41 PM  Justine: But it would depend on your decision, Adam.5:44 PM  Justine: Are you still there? I want to get your issue taken cared of today. Please respond if you are available to chat.5:44 PM  Adam Colligan: In order to make that choice, I needed to know whether this could really be a CMOS battery issue. If it were, then I would have no choice but to send it in, because that would mean replacing the motherboard (or at a minimum re-soldering to it...so probably replacing it).  I would probably also have to spend the time before and after the shipment taking the thing apart myself and putting it back together again because I have my own RAM and my own SSD in there.  And so I discussed my symptoms (which included a CMOS checksum error) with two technical support representatives. The initial one was going to take me through a BIOS upgrade attempt and informed me that if it did not resolve, it would need to be sent in for a CMOS battery replacement. I think I had already let him know that I had looked for it just to check if there was anything obviously wrong and couldn't find it, and I had wondered if there really was one.5:46 PM  Justine: Actually if it already gave a CMOS error, it is already that.5:46 PM  Adam Colligan: In the end I did upgrade the BIOS, but when it appeared to work afterward, it was a coincidence. The ticket was closed but I discovered quickly that the problem was still there. It appeared that maybe I had partially charged the CMOS battery and so just needed to try running the machine for several hours to see if it would recharge. When that failed, I contacted  HP again, which is where those snippets of transcript come from5:47 PM  Connecting...5:47 PM  Connected. A support representative will be with you shortly.5:47 PM  Support session established with Justine.5:47 PM  Adam Colligan: Once again, I was assured that this really was or could be a CMOS battery issue.  I specifically raised my concern that there might not even be a CMOS battery, which is why I tried to focus the conversation on getting the rep to tell me where it is.  She very directly and repeatedly told me that it was there -- which meant that I had no choice between a long service and replacing the battery myself.5:49 PM  Justine: The issue is that the CMOS could have already failed so technically, even though it is physically there, the computer is not detecting it anymore. For this, since there is already an error with the CMOS, it should be replaced.5:50 PM  Adam Colligan: But between the fact that the reps had not sounded competent and the possibility that it might be worth it to replace the CMOS battery myself and void the warranty, I was still suspicious. And that's why I found myself spending $54.13 for a third party service provider to tell me what HP should have known all along. This machine does not have a separate CMOS battery. When the main battery fails -- as mine has -- it will cause all the symptoms of a main battery failure *plus* the symptoms of a CMOS battery failure, since *the main battery* powers this board's real-time clock and RAM environment memory5:51 PM  Justine: I could wait for your decision if you want to send it in for repair, Adam. I will still send you a box for the repair, that would be available for use within a month. It is still up for you to decide, Adam.5:51 PM  Adam Colligan: And now you're saying the same thing: that my CMOS checksum error (and also my clock resetting) means there is a problem with the CMOS / RTC battery.5:51 PM  Adam Colligan: Am I correct that that is what you are saying?5:52 PM  Justine: I highly suggest sending it for repair, really. In this case we could provide a proper explanation in your issue.5:52 PM  Adam Colligan: Are you or are you not telling me that I have a CMOS / RTC battery and that it might need to be replaced?5:53 PM  Justine: Every motherboard has a CMOS battery, yours have already failed so it needs to be replaced.5:54 PM  Adam Colligan: See, I think -- and the service center that just looked at it thinks -- that that statement is flat-out untrue.  5:54 PM  Justine: You could replace it by yourself like what you want, but first, we do not ship CMOS batteries, and replacing it by yourself will jsut tamper the warranty.5:55 PM  Adam Colligan: And so the important question is: will HP give me a free main battery, which I can install myself without needing to send the computer off, if it turns out that you just became rep #3 to give me false information?5:56 PM  Justine: Actually, we cannot determine that without really having it physically here for further details and with sufficient tests. Our technicians will be testing it not just inside, but physically.  5:57 PM  Adam Colligan: You don't need my computer in front of you in order to know whether or not this model *has* a CMOS battery.  You are essentially swearing up and down that it has one. If you're wrong, then you've not only cost me the $54 I already spent but will also unnecessarily cost me two weeks+ without my computer5:57 PM  Justine: I apologize but we can only replace the battery if we have the computer in question, and we cannot do that without the error in the main battery itself.5:57 PM  Justine: Every computer has a CMOS battery, what I mean is that we have to perform tests on your computer physically to determine the real issue.5:57 PM  Justine: I apologize about that.5:57 PM  Adam Colligan: So I want to know: if it turns out that this model has no CMOS battery, will HP comp me a main battery in return for the time and money that it has already made me waste?  5:59 PM  Justine: Actually, we can send you a box with a return label, so that you can decide. At this point we will just wait for your decision.5:59 PM  Justine: We will only replace or provide on the part that neede to be replaced.6:00 PM  Justine: The CMOS and the main battery has different roles, so we couldn't send you a main battery when it is a CMOS issue.6:00 PM  Justine: Is that okay?6:00 PM  Justine: May I ask for your shipping address please?6:01 PM  Adam Colligan: That. That last thing you said.  That is the heart of the whole problem! If the CMOS battery doesn't exist, then you would *know* you could just send me a main battery?  6:01 PM  Adam Colligan: As long as it's not costing me anything, sure, send me a stupid box. My address is [redacted]6:02 PM  Justine: If the CMOS battery doesn't exist, the main battery doesn't have anything to do with it. If it does not exist, we can send it for repair, since we do not send CMOS batteries. That is the only thing that we can do.6:02 PM  Justine: Alright, is there anything else I could help you with?6:03 PM  Adam Colligan: Oh lord. If the CMOS battery doesn't exist, then the main battery is the whole point, because it's the main battery that's supplying the power to the components that normally draw from the CMOS battery on most other systems.6:03 PM  Adam Colligan: Nope, there's nothing else. You've provided another great transcript for the file.
    7. In desperation, I try in vain to attract @HPSupport's attention on Twitter
    Spoiler (Highlight to read)
    @adamcolligan
    6:20 PM - 13 Apr 2015
    (1/3) Hey @HPSupport : would you make a wager with me? The question: whether 3 separate HP reps cost me $54.13 + 8 hrs' work with false info
    @HPSupport (2/3) If I'm right, you send me a new battery for my x360-15t and say you're super sorry on your twitter feed.  If I'm wrong...
    @HPSupport then I guess no hilarious Reddit thread with support transcripts, and I'll spend like $1m on 2ml of your official ink. Deal?
    @HPSupport (4/3) It's easy to resolve. Alls you have to do is know, and I mean *know*: "Does the G6T85UA have a dedicated RTC/CMOS battery?"
    @adamcolligan6:20 PM - 13 Apr 2015(1/3) Hey @HPSupport : would you make a wager with me? The question: whether 3 separate HP reps cost me $54.13 + 8 hrs' work with false info@HPSupport (2/3) If I'm right, you send me a new battery for my x360-15t and say you're super sorry on your twitter feed.  If I'm wrong...@HPSupport then I guess no hilarious Reddit thread with support transcripts, and I'll spend like $1m on 2ml of your official ink. Deal?@HPSupport (4/3) It's easy to resolve. Alls you have to do is know, and I mean *know*: "Does the G6T85UA have a dedicated RTC/CMOS battery?"
    No response; not sure if I expected one or not.

    Update time!  I know you've been dying to know how this has been turning out.
    I provided all the requested information in response to the private message from HP staff. Nothing ever came of it; as far as I can tell, no real human being ever attempted to contact me after being "forwarded" the details of the case.
    Three days after I tweeted at them, @HPSupport sent me a series of public replies. In essence, they told me to abandon useless post-sales technical support and get information from HP Sales.
    Adam Colligan @AdamColligan  ·  Apr 13
    (1/3) Hey @HPSupport : would you make a wager with me? The question: whether 3 separate HP reps cost me $54.13 + 8 hrs' work with false info
     Adam Colligan @AdamColligan  ·  Apr 13
    @HPSupport (2/3) If I'm right, you send me a new battery for my x360-15t and say you're super sorry on your
     Adam Colligan @AdamColligan  ·  Apr 13
    @HPSupport then I guess no hilarious Reddit thread with support transcripts, and I'll spend like $1m on 2ml of your official ink. Deal?
     Adam Colligan @AdamColligan  ·  Apr 13
    @HPSupport (4/3) It's easy to resolve. Alls you have to do is know, and I mean *know*: "Does the G6T85UA have a dedicated RTC/CMOS battery?"
    Adam Colligan ‏@AdamColligan Apr 13
    @HPSupport No but seriously. Does the HP Envy x360 have a dedicated RTC / CMOS battery or not?
    HP Support ‏@HPSupport Apr 16
    @AdamColligan Hello Adam, Eddie here. Saw your tweet. Our Product Information team will be able to assist with your inquiry. Dial:.. ^HPCare
    HP Support ‏@HPSupport Apr 16
    @AdamColligan 1800-752-0900. Follow prompts for “product information”. If you prefer email click this link http://ow.ly/HYnHT  .. ^HPCare
      HP Support ‏@HPSupport Apr 16
    @AdamColligan Once there be sure to choose "Contact an HP sales specialist" as your subject. Let me know if you require further... ^HPCare
    HP Support ‏@HPSupport Apr 16
    @AdamColligan information and/or assistance. Have an awesome day! Thanks! ^HPCare
    Now, being the exhaustive give-it-a-try kind of guy that I am, I tried *both* the phone and the email path to support.  I may have been told once on the phone to try the email, but it's hard to even remember at the moment. I'll just paste the email outcome here.
    Me (into the webform):
    HP reps have directed me to contact sales support after others in the company were unable to help with a technical product question. I need to know whether the HP Envy x360 model G6T85UA (should be board 780958-501 and main battery 760944-421) has a dedicated CMOS/RTC battery. If it does, I need to know *where* it is connected to the board. This is a fairly urgent issue for me implicating a disconnect or swap-out of the main battery while AC power is not being supplied. 
    HP:
    Dear Adam,
    Thank you for contacting the hp.com Sales Center.
    I understand the you are still seeking resolution for your technical concern and I’m sorry to hear that this remains unresolved.
    I'm very sorry, but our email sales team does not handle technical or product support concerns. We can only handles sales inquiries pertaining to orders placed in our store.
    HP Technical Support will be able to provide you with service and support for hardware, software, and parts replacement of HP products that are still covered under warranty.
    I strongly suggest that you contact the HP Technical Support Team since your matter requires technical expertise. HP Technical Support can best assist you and can be reached 24 hours a day at: http://www.hp.com/contacthp
    Below is step by step guide how to obtain the webform/online form:
    1.  Please copy and paste this link http://www.hp.com/contacthp into a new browser.
    2.  Please enter your model number in the "Enter my model number" search field provided then hit the "Find my product" button to generate the result.
    3.  Select the correct product from the search results.
    4.  On the next page wait for a few seconds to load the webform.
    5.  Scroll down to find the webform.
    5.  Complete the webform then hit the "Submit" button.
    6.  After you fill out the online form, you will receive a Technical Support case number. You will also be able to engage with a Tech Support product specialist either by chat or they will give you a call at your earliest convenience.
    By the way, I have seen a link which might help you with this concern. Here's the link:
    http://partsurfer.hp.com/Search.aspx?SearchText=G6T85UA
    The link shows the the HP ENVY 15-U011DX X360 CONVERTIBLE PC (ENERGY STAR) has the 780958-501 motherboard but has a different battery. It doesn't show also the RTC Battery and where you can find it. Please contact our HP Technical Support for other information.
    I hope this information has been of assistance to you, Adam. Please reply to this message if there is anything further we can do. For your convenience, you may also call the HP.com Sales Center directly at 1-888-222-0029 between 7:00 AM - 2:00 AM EST, seven days a week.
    Customer Satisfaction is our store’s top priority. Please tell us about your email experience today. To participate, please click on our Customer Satisfaction Survey link below.
    Thank you for choosing HP.  We appreciate your business.
    Regards,
    Regine G.
    Oh dear.  So technical support doesn't have technical information about HP machines, and sales support doesn't answer technical questions about HP machines and refers you to technical support. Brilliant.  But by this time, I of course knew better than to actually *believe* what someone was telling me, so I used the sales phone number instead.
    The sales guy was super eager to help, especially since I framed this as a problem of future use. I work on disaster vulnerability issues. If I buy Envy x360 15ts and use them in a place where there isn't AC power for a while, can I swap spare batteries into them without screwing up the BIOS and real-time clock settings?
    He put me on hold two or three times for what I was led to believe were very thorough attempts to get me a totally definitive answer.  And this is what someone eventually told him to tell me.  All HP machines ship with CMOS batteries.
    So I must have been mistaken all along, right?  The CMOS battery must have stopped working at the same time as the main battery.  It must just be that neither I nor my local repair shop could find my CMOS battery because we all have the wrong prescriptions on our glasses and contact lenses.  Well, there's just one small issue with getting to that conclusion: what HP told me about my machine was, once again, totally false.
    How do I know?  Because I still didn't believe HP, and rather than shipping my compter off for weeks in the big padded box, I ordered a new main battery for a total of just over $60.  I swapped it. Guess what happened, HP?  If you guessed, "every aspect of the problem instantly resolved, because there never was a CMOS/RTC battery in this machine in the first place", you would win a gold star. But I'm assuming you'd also lose your job, because this particular piece of information has somehow been banished and outlawed from the minds of HP employees and contractors.
    I wonder: would anybody at HP be interested in apologizing to me, much less in finding a way to make up for the $115+ I've lost because nobody at any stage to this point has been willing to act like a human being?
    BUT WAIT, THERE'S GREAT NEWS
    I shouldn't make it seem through this thread that HP totally lacks competence and doesn't care about me at all. Because within two hours of receiving the email from HP Sales telling me that they weren't going to do anything about my problem, I started receiving advertising email blasts full of great offers and promotions about  buying a new HP laptop and other great products! Yay! I guess I'm not invisible after all. And I'm sure if I bought *more* stuff from HP, they would take care of me then. Right?

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    Back up all data.
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    Note: You need an always-on Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection to the Internet to use Recovery. It won’t work with USB or PPPoE modems, or with proxy servers, or with networks that require a certificate for authentication.
    When the OS X Utilities screen appears, follow the prompts to reinstall the OS. You don't need to erase the boot volume, and you won't need your backup unless something goes wrong. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade, so make a note of those before you begin.

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    Used Imap, Pop mail..!

    Thanks for the quick read and response. Do you feel the issue might lie with the fact that it is a Mac Mini? And possibly just not powerful enough to run Leopard Server? I have to say in our trials with MacPro it was like night and day as to how they performed. And if you could elaborate on this "Many VPNs don't play well with NAT so your VPN server should have a direct connection to the public network (preferably firewalled, of course, but not NATted)." Most every SoHo and for that matter uses simple NAT translation for security even our multi thousand dollar Cisco PIX and ASA's are basic NAT devices to start with. How would you put the VPN on public net while keeping the attack surface low for the rest of the services like file, web, mail and print?
    Don't get me wrong I want this to work more than you can imagine. We are so tired of supporting MSFT technologies that cost thousands a year in antivirus, antispyware, antispam and other malware protection for the enterprise. We know that Leopard has great potential but for an integrator, getting this system up and functional is not an easy task. And the worst part of it is every time we have called for support the tech always lets out a sigh when they hear we have run standard setup because they are not allowed to walk us thru the server console to make repairs. And have been told by 3 techs so far that this is a new product and the support avenues are not there for standard since it just supposed to work out of the box. But when it doesn't then ohh well. Which is sorta sad...
    DM

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    Try updating to iOS 7.0.2.
    Does your iPhone still have performance issues? Have you tried the basics?

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    My iTunes library is set up the way I said in the top post and works totally fine.
    Yes, and that is the default structure to which I was referring.  iTunes will organize it that way automatically unless people do start changing settings (in which case they should know what they are doing and how iTunes works with library files and media structure.)
    Both ways work, the advantages of mine would be that should iTunes try looking fo a library, it will always be in the default location.
    It makes people think they have to change media location in preferences.  They do not unless they want to relocate media only and leave other things on their internal drive (in which case there is no point in copying library files to the external, and you certainly wouldn't want to then delete them from your internal).
    Downside is that then should someone move their iTunes library to anther computer they need to remember to get those library files on the external hard drive.
    Just copy the whole iTunes folder and it will get the library files to the other drive in one step, along with all the other files.
    Your post has good stuff but it makes a move appear intimidating and look like people have to do a lot of organizing to move the collection.  It also throws in  extra steps (namely altering preference settings) that could cause confusion or even make a mess of things.  If people leave iTunes to default preference settings (which most people do) the move summarizes into a short line:  Copy a folder and hold an extra button the next time you start iTunes.
    Note that the instructions in the link I provided earlier do also include many steps, but those are to ensure that everybody does have it all organized correctly before simply copying the iTunes folder.  In the end it is just a simple action.

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    The worst part about all of this is that when I returned home after going through all of this and turning in our entry, I started to look into what happened and immediately was able to export with no issues. I just wanted to cry uncontrollably at that point, and laugh hysterically at the same time. There are not words to express. After poking around some more the error did show up again using one of the sequence timelines I had created, but not anything like getting that "General Error" literally almost 100 times in the course of those two - three hours yesterday when I was trying anything/everything I know to get it to export just ONCE. I had the settings, I knew the drill - I had even practiced doing this before this weekend with the camera we used and did tests - all that went out the window when the export issue started.
    All I could think about was how I was glad this wasn't a "paying client" but in reality, all the people who donated their time to our project were the client. At least we delivered something, but it was only a sad facsimile for the great looking and sounding short film we created. Everything I had done to try to avoid this nightmare was to no avail, and all I can figure is that in the process of editing, one timeline got corrupted and managed to keep any timelines from exporting, or something was corrupted on my video drive that reset powered off and then back on when I packed up my gear and went home. I don't believe I cut/reset power to the drive when all of the problems were happening, so maybe that had something to do with it.
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    Contrary to the information above, your workflow was far from "unnecessarily risky...". Back in 2007 when the HVX200 was all the rage I helped more than one team in the 48-Hr Film competitions that Panasonic sponsored, they used a nearly identical workflow to yours without a hitch. There are some not-so-obvious benefits to shooting in HD and then making a downconversion to SD that many even today just don't understand.
    The "general error" bug has haunted many a FCP editor - myself included - and unfortunately Apple has never been forthcoming in exactly all the things that could cause this error code. In fact, I had an Apple Pro-Care Tech support tech tell me that the reason it's called a "general error" is because the application itself is unable to determine the source of the problem. It happens.
    As you've probably learned from this exercise you should be prepared to do some heavy-duty troubleshooting when things go awry; you've covered a few things in your list of attempts to fix the problem and here's a short list of other things you can check in the future:
    - Connections to external drives, both in hardware (cables, power-supplies etc) and in software (making sure assets/preferences in FCP can still find those drives and are pointing to them).
    - Get a copy of DiskWarrior and make it part of your regular maintenance routine.
    - Speaking of maintenance, download Onyx (free app); use it's maintenance and cleaning routines regularly.
    - Don't forget the obvious; I did see in your original post that you did all the initial troubleshooting (reboot, trash prefs etc) but don't forget things like basic hardware needs: Check internal power-supplies, make sure RAM is fully connected, listen for drive noises (like heads banging themselves silly).
    Don't take this error bug as an issue with your workflow; HD to down-converted SD is not only safe but a preferential method for making superior-looking SD content whether for broadcast or DVD.

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