Spinning Beach Ball FCP 10.1.1

Ever since I have upgraded to 10.1.1 I can't speed through my clip by pressing the "L" button - It will beach ball for about 5 min and then then I can view the clips - This happens every time.
I have done a fresh new install from OS 10.9 to final cut.  I did not have this issue with FCP 10.0.9.

Attached is the settings of the file i'm using.  I'm captureing the footage on a Blackmagic HyperDeck Studio.  The footage is about 1hr 30. 

Similar Messages

  • I've noticed my browser in FCP causes "Spinning Beach Ball of Death?!"

    Ok, here's the thing, ever since I purchased my system, I have always had this problem, I ignore it for the most part, but its really annoying. When you have an Open FCP project and when you scroll through the browser window in order to view certain statistical data like Video Rate, Frame Rate, etc. Sometimes it will take upwards of 5 or ten minutes to respond. It always stops and shows me the spinning beach ball of death, can anyone explain this to me.
    Thanks
    J.

    And what kind of footage are you working with and how large is your project file?
    rh

  • Spinning beach ball each time I make an edit!

    Hi guys - have done a search on this to no avail.
    I upgraded to Leopard (foolishly) and recently have found that I am getting the spinning beach ball on every edit I make, making the whole thing unbelievably slow.
    I have tried repairing disk permissions, closing all sequences / projects except the one that I am working on. The project is only 24 minutes long, and isn't particularly graphic heavy. I have also split the project in to shorter 5 minute sequences but still no luck. I haven't trashed preferences as FCP Rescue 6 doesn't work.
    My settings / setup:
    Mac OSX 10.5.1
    G5 Quad
    FCP 6.0.2
    Motion 3
    DV PAL Anamorphic
    FCP Project folder on internal hard drive
    Capture scratch and render files on external Sata drive
    2 other 1TB External firewire drives
    External monitor
    Sony HDV Dec
    2 screens
    Any help would be much appreciated!
    Stephen

    If you go with the reinstall
    "Not sure what you mean by 0s and bad sectors"
    Disc Utility (applications/utilities) Highlight the hard drive, erase tab, should be under "security" (in 10.4 not sure about 10.5). *This will erase everything on drive*
    "or if there are any specific steps to take backing up the system drive..."
    well anything you want to keep must be copied to another drive or dvd/cd; projects, plug-ins, browser bookmarks, downloaded programs...everything. Which is a really good idea anyway - all drives will fail sooner or later.
    Edit - You know you get into this to be creative and you wind up being an IT guy just to keep it all running - it's inevitable if you want well running system.
    Message was edited by: javabob

  • M2v file causes Spinning Beach Ball of Death? How do you use Video???

    I used FCP to mark a silent video and sent it to Compressor. I was going to use Soundtrack Pro to add some sound to the track for DVD. Every time I try to drag an m2v file over, I just get a spinning beach ball and if it loads at all, it takes about a minute or two before I regain control over the program. The m2v file is 500 megs. The problem now is if I try to scrub the video, every time I do, I get the spinning ball again. I've had to force quit a few times.
    I've got over 5 megs of RAM, but I'm on a G5 dual processor 2.5 ghz, not an intel.
    I'm wondering if I am trying to do something in a way I should not, or if there is a problem with StPro. I have the latest updates to the Studio. I'm on Tiger 10.4.11
    Also, I cannot see the markers from the compressor file, while they are visible in DVD Pro.
    Thanks in advance,
    Jeff

    I am referring specifically to the type of compression used in the .mov file. MPEG-2, Sorenson, H.264, DV, etc., are all types of codecs used to compress the picture in a QuickTime movie.
    Some are easier to work with than others.
    I'm not sure how you produced the .m2v file, that is usually a format with MPEG-2 video. Could it be you just got it from a DVD?
    When you export the picture from FCP choose a different output format. Make a QuickTime movie and choose a hi-quality intermediate codec like DV.

  • Spinning Beach Ball When Clicking Different Points on Timeline

    I'm sure this is a basic one, but can't find answers anywhere. I'm using FCP 4.5 HD on a new G5. Never had this issue before, but it randomly slows down to the spinning beach ball and white X in the viewer Canvas when I click on various points in my timeline.
    I have over a gig free of memory, and my Activity Monitor shows it's all FCP when it slows to the spinning ball...
    I'm under deadline and this is very time consuming. Any suggestions out there?
    THANKS.

    First - please click the reply button on the actual post you're replying to. It's hard to guess the relevance of your answer when you keep replying to yourself.
    Please confirm the following:
    Easy Setup Setting :
    Timeline Setting :
    (Ctrl+Zero)
    Codec :
    (Right or Ctrl-Click a clip in the browser and report what the 'Compressor' line states)
    Sorry if you know all this - it just saves time if you don't.
    I think it's possible this could be a corrupted render file so I suggest you trash your render files :
    Tools > Render Manager
    After trashing, render again if you need to, and see whether there's an improvement.
    Andy
    Quad 8GB. 250+500 HDs. G-Raid 1TB. NORTON. FCP 5.1.1. Shake 4.1. Sony HVR Z1E   Mac OS X (10.4.7)  
    "I've taught you all I know, and still you know nothing".

  • Got this Spinning Beach Ball when I swap app

    this drives me nuts, and the fact that I do not understand why drives me even more nuts
    when I am in FCPX everything works fine, it goes fast without lack, but if I shortly swap to another app and back, **** begins...
    the Spinning Beach Ball spins like ****, and it takes about 50 seconds before it stops, and it do not matter what app it is, Preview, Safari or just the finder
    I use a 8core 2,26GHz Macpro, ATI Radeon HD 5870 GPU, SSD HD with OS 10.7.2 and 32GM ram, the video is on a 14TB Raid, the same machine runs like a dream with FCP (and all other apps) and did ok with FCPX until the last couple of weeks, it feels like it need to read something over the network with to small bandwidth?
    anyone?

    Okay, this is a little strange.
    Try the following:
    Quit FCP X
    Unmount drives
    From your user library, drag the following preference files to your desktop:
    User > Library > Preferences > com.apple.FinalCut.plist.
    User > Library > Preferences > com.apple.FinalCut.LSShardFileList.plist.
    Mount your drives
    Launch FCPX. FCP X will recreate new preferences files
    See how this goes. Maybe your pref files are corrupted.

  • Final cut Spinning Beach Ball when i press spacebar to playback the sequenc

    Hello,
    We have 5 machines with xsan, final cut and open directory. On one only machine, when i playback secuences appears the spinning beach ball for 5 seconds before playing. The When i restar that machine, the final cut playback correctly again, but if i'm working with Final for 1 hour or 2, this happens again. I uninstall the final cut and reinstall it, and this still happening.
    does anybody any idea about it?
    thank for your time.

    Anything about that particular workstation that sets it apart form the others? Installed software, background processes, attached hardware/peripherals? Does the issue happen regardless of the account being used?
    Have you run any diagnostics on that machine? All the basic system troubleshooting steps taken? Eg Repaired permissions, Rebuilt with Disk Warrior (commercial product).
    Have you done the usual step of trashing FCP preferences on that machine? On that front, you might also want to check out Jon Chappell's excellent FCS Maintenance Pack ( http://www.digitalrebellion.com/fcs_maintenance.htm ) and FCS Maintenance Network Admin ( http://www.digitalrebellion.com/fcsm_netadmin.htm ).

  • HT5103 SPINNING BEACH BALL FINAL CUT PRO..HELP!

    Trying to edit a project and the spinning beach ball appears and continues to spin the second I click onto the project.  Seems so sensitive.I've deleted and clean up files etc..in disk utility, went into my osx, cleaned up there. What else can I do? Help!

    Hi!
    I have to reply to everyone out there having problems with slow Final Cut Pro X.
    Since I got my app I had so much problems. But I upgraded my Powerbook to a 2.5Ghz Intel Core i7 with an external Thunderbold drive.
    I have had no problems with anything since then.
    So my understanding is that there is nothing wrong with FCP X it self. You need a fast machine and (of course) a fast external drive.

  • Problem description: My  macbook pro since this afteon has been slower, every application I open, it takes a long time to open, and shows the spinning beach ball for a while before it opens or performs some task, or responds to a click-  EtreCheck

    My computer
    Problem description:
    My  macbook pro since this afternoon has been slower, every application I open, it takes a long time to open, and shows the spinning beach ball for a while before it opens or performs some task, or responds to a click…
    EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)
    Report generated 31 de março de 2015 18:29:15 BRT
    Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck
    Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.
    Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.
    Hardware Information: ℹ️
        MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011) (Technical Specifications)
        MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1
        1 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core
        16 GB RAM Upgradeable
            BANK 0/DIMM0
                8 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
            BANK 1/DIMM0
                8 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
        Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
        Wireless:  en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n
        Battery Health: Normal - Cycle count 250
    Video Information: ℹ️
        Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 512 MB
            Color LCD 1280 x 800
    System Software: ℹ️
        OS X 10.10.2 (14C1514) - Time since boot: 0:25:47
    Disk Information: ℹ️
        Hitachi HTS545032B9A302 disk0 : (320,07 GB)
            EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
            Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>  [Recovery]: 650 MB
            Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 318.84 GB (47.94 GB free) - 51 errors
                Core Storage: disk0s2 319.21 GB Online
        MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-898 
    USB Information: ℹ️
        Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
        Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub
            Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
        Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
        Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
    Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️
        Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
    Gatekeeper: ℹ️
        Mac App Store and identified developers
    Launch Agents: ℹ️
        [not loaded]    com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]
        [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]
        [running]    com.trusteer.rapport.rapportd.plist [Click for support]
    Launch Daemons: ℹ️
        [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]
        [loaded]    com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist [Click for support]
        [loaded]    com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]
        [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]
        [loaded]    com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist [Click for support]
        [running]    com.trusteer.rooks.rooksd.plist [Click for support]
    User Launch Agents: ℹ️
        [loaded]    com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]
        [loaded]    com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Click for support]
        [loaded]    com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]
        [running]    com.spotify.webhelper.plist [Click for support]
    User Login Items: ℹ️
        iTunesHelper    UNKNOWN Hidden (missing value)
        AdobeResourceSynchronizer    Application Hidden (/Applications/Adobe Reader.app/Contents/Support/AdobeResourceSynchronizer.app)
        Stickies    Application  (/Applications/Stickies.app)
    Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
        JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 31 Check version
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        Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10
        AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 10.1.13 [Click for support]
        AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.13 [Click for support]
        Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.134 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
        QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
        SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.8 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
        Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Click for support]
        Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
        iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8
    User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
        npsf_cef: Version: sf 3.3.1.1 [Click for support]
        Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: Unknown
    Safari Extensions: ℹ️
        DivX HiQ
        DivX Plus Web Player HTML5 <video>
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        Flash Player  [Click for support]
        Java  [Click for support]
        MacFUSE  [Click for support]
        Perian  [Click for support]
        Trusteer Endpoint Protection  [Click for support]
    Time Machine: ℹ️
        Skip System Files: NO
        Auto backup: YES
        Volumes being backed up:
            Macintosh HD: Disk size: 318.84 GB Disk used: 270.90 GB
        Destinations:
            Time Machine Backups [Local]
            Total size: 999.86 GB
            Total number of backups: 60
            Oldest backup: 2012-07-15 01:16:54 +0000
            Last backup: 2015-03-29 19:28:06 +0000
            Size of backup disk: Excellent
                Backup size 999.86 GB > (Disk size 318.84 GB X 3)
    Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
            97%    rapportd
             3%    WindowServer
             1%    mds
             0%    fseventsd
             0%    distnoted
    Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
        155 MB    Safari
        120 MB    Finder
        86 MB    rapportd
        86 MB    WindowServer
        69 MB    mds_stores
    Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
        12.56 GB    Free RAM
        2.53 GB    Active RAM
        428 MB    Inactive RAM
        1.66 GB    Wired RAM
        1.04 GB    Page-ins
        0 B    Page-outs
    Diagnostics Information: ℹ️
        Mar 31, 2015, 06:00:15 PM    Self test - passed
        Mar 31, 2015, 01:13:05 PM    /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Microsoft Error Reporting_2015-03-31-131305_[redacted].crash
        Mar 31, 2015, 01:05:42 PM    /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Microsoft Error Reporting_2015-03-31-130542_[redacted].crash
        Mar 31, 2015, 12:24:33 PM    /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Microsoft Error Reporting_2015-03-31-122433_[redacted].crash
        Mar 30, 2015, 05:45:38 PM    /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Skype_2015-03-30-174538_[redacted].cpu_resource .diag [Click for details]
        Mar 30, 2015, 01:52:07 PM    /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Last.fm Scrobbler_2015-03-30-135207_[redacted].crash
        Mar 29, 2015, 05:55:05 PM    /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_20 15-03-29-175505_[redacted].crash
        Mar 29, 2015, 01:06:38 PM    /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/VLC_2015-03-29-130638_[redacted].hang
        Mar 29, 2015, 01:02:47 PM    /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/VLC_2015-03-29-130247_[redacted].hang

    Open Activity Monitor and kill this process - rapportd.
    Reinstalling OS X Without Erasing the Drive
    Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
    Reinstalling OS X Without Erasing the Drive
    Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
    When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility and press the Continue button. After Disk Utility loads select the Macintosh HD entry from the the left side list.  Click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If Disk Utility reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit Disk Utility and return to the main menu.
    Reinstall OS X: Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Continue button.
    Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.
    Alternatively, see:
    Reinstall OS X Without Erasing the Drive
    Choose the version you have installed now:
    OS X Yosemite- Reinstall OS X
    OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X
    OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X
    OS X Lion- Reinstall Mac OS X
         Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet
                     if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

  • New (8/14) Macbook Pro Retina - Premiere Pro CC 2014 spinning beach ball

    Help! Seems my shiny new wiz-bang 4-core Macbook Pro with 16 GB of Ram and a 512 solid state drive works just fine with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2014 until my project reaches a certain size, then it won't open the project and immediately gives me the deadly spinning beach ball. The only way to exit is to force quit whereupon I get the "Sorry, a serious error has occurred...". Aggravating beyond words.
    Saw one forum comment where it was recommended to update to the 6.0 CUDA driver, but not even sure I have a CUDA driver. Plenty of space left on hard drive. In Premiere Pro preferences under the "Memory Tab" it doesn't seem to matter if it's set to "Optimize rendering for.... Memory or Performance." I've reinstalled the Premiere Pro App twice. Doesn't help.
    Some specs:
    Processor  2.5 GHz Intel Core i7
    Memory  16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
    Graphics  Intel Iris Pro
    NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M GPU PCie
    Intel Iris Pro GPU Built-in
    8 GB DDR# 1600 MHz (x2) = 16 GB RAM
    350 GB of 499 GB left on drive
    Of the 16 GB of RAM I have 11 available for Premiere Pro and the other 5 GB allocated for other apps.
    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    >NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M GPU PCie
    >Intel Iris Pro GPU Built-in
    Dual graphics adapters are a bane on civilization!!!
    -http://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/kb/error---preludevideo-play-modules.html
    -http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1001579
    -Use BIOS http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1019004?tstart=0
    -link to why http://forums.adobe.com/message/4685328
    -http://www.anandtech.com/show/4839/mobile-gpu-faceoff-amd-dynamic-switchable-graphics-vs-n vidia-optimus-technology/2
    -Mac Utility for dual adapters http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1017891?tstart=0

  • I am having trouble with a LaCie 526 monitor working with my new Mac Pro.  When I boot up, I see the sign-in screen for a second, then it disappears, reappears with some of the screen pixelated and the spinning beach ball -- and then freezes. Any thoughts

    The LaCie is connected via DVI to thunderbolt adapter.  It had been working, and then when I switched off the computer and restarted several days later, I see the signon screen flash quickly, followed by nothing, followed by the signon screen and spinning beach ball and it simply freezes.  Any thoughts?

    When you have kernel panics, the pertinent information is in the panic report.
    These instructions must be carried out as an administrator. If you have only one user account, you are the administrator.
    Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.
    In the Console window, select
              DIAGNOSTIC AND USAGE INFORMATION ▹ System Diagnostic Reports
    (not Diagnostic and Usage Messages) from the log list on the left. If you don't see that list, select
              View ▹ Show Log List
    from the menu bar.
    There is a disclosure triangle to the left of the list item. If the triangle is pointing to the right, click it so that it points down. You'll see a list of reports. A panic report has a name that begins with "Kernel" and ends in ".panic". Select the most recent one. The contents of the report will appear on the right. Use copy and paste to post the entire contents—the text, not a screenshot.
    If you don't see any reports listed, but you know there was a panic, you may have chosen Diagnostic and Usage Messages from the log list. Choose DIAGNOSTIC AND USAGE INFORMATION instead.
    In the interest of privacy, I suggest that, before posting, you edit out the “Anonymous UUID,” a long string of letters, numbers, and dashes in the header of the report, if it’s present (it may not be.)
    Please don’t post other kinds of diagnostic report.
    I know the report is long, maybe several hundred lines. Please post all of it anyway.

  • I accidentally quit my CC on my Macbook pro and now the cloud icon is grayed out and every time I hover over it with the mouse I get the spinning beach ball of death on the icon. I have no idea how to open it because when I use spotlight search to open it

    I accidentally quit my CC on my Macbook pro and now the cloud icon is grayed out and every time I hover over it with the mouse I get the spinning beach ball of death on the icon. I have no idea how to open it because when I use spotlight search to open it it gives me a message saying "Creative Cloud is not open anymore" help!

    Since you didn't include any pertinent info such as the Mac model and OS version you are running, here is some general information:
    Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
    Depending on which OS yours came with originally - and which OS you are now running - you would either need your original install disks - you can call Apple for replacements by giving them your serial number. Or you may be able to reinstall the OS by using recovery (again, depends on which model/which OS).

  • Safari won't open... spinning beach ball

    Out of the blue this morning, Safari won't open. I click it, the icon bounces, and then I get the spinning beach ball. If I go to the Force Quit Applications window, it says it's not responding. Any ideas what may be causing this and how to fix it?
    -B

    What is the exact wording of the message you see, and what are you doing when you see it?
    These are the steps I took this morning, again, along with the wording.  Before these steps, I logged into my account through the Google browser, and verified that I had a purchase in October of OS X Lion: 
    1 - booted computer under recovery.
    2 - Disk Utility - Repair Disk  (Result: The Volume New Macbook appears to be okay)
    3 - Disk Utility - Repair Disk Permissions - (Result:0 Repaired - Permissions Repair Complete)
    4 - Reinstall Mac OS - "Your computer's eligibility will be verified with Apple - OK
    5 - "To Continue, you must agree to the terms and conditions" - Agree
    6 - Select New Macbook - Install
    7 - signing into Apple Store  (Result: This Apple ID has not purchased Lion)
    8 - rebooted and tried to launch App Store - back to spinning beach balls, along with all other internet apps; Safari, Mail, App Store, iTunes, etc. 
    Aps not affected: Google Chrome, Outlook (as long as I don't click on an email connected to an HTTPS server) and anything not on the internet.
    I hope this helps and thank you for your advice.  I wish I could use my Snow Leopard disks; my dvd drive is broken.

  • New MacBook and The Infinitely Spinning Beach Ball: Anybody Else?

    I wonder if I'm the only MacBook owner having this experience, or if there might be some company in my misery?
    I purchased a new Aluminum MacBook on Nov.14. This one is the high-end, 2.4GHz model with 4GB of RAM and currently running OSX 10.5.5.
    I have in the past few days (or week, or so) encountered what appears to be an intermittent performance failure. I will, for example, be in Apple Mail: Open a new message to compose, and as soon as I click on the open window, the beach balls starts spinning... and continues to spin for a minute or two. Typically, when this starts happening, when I get the cursor back I click again, and the beachball resumes spinning.
    This will also happen in Firefox, or, as it did yesterday, even accessing items in the upper-right menu bar. Suspecting an impending hard-drive failure, I clicked the Time Capsule icon in the menu to see when I got my last backup, and instead of getting Time Capsule, I got... the spinning beach ball of death.
    The most difficult thing about this dilemma is that it appears to be intermittent. I took the MacBook to the dealer that sold it to me yesterday, was unable to replicate the issues. Everything worked fine in the store. Came home, problem returned for about 10 or 15 minutes, then it went away and the computer performed normally until I closed the lid to go out for the evening.
    Then this morning I opened the lid again and.... spinning beach balls for a total of about 17 minutes. And now, again, it appears to be working fine.
    While I was at the store, we ran a disc verify in disk utility, and it returned the message "The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK."
    This is the worst kind of problem -- the intermittent one. I suspect something in the computer itself, in the believe that hardware issues are more likely to be intermittent than software issues; I could be wrong about that, I dunno.
    All I do know is that I can have maddening periods when I can't do anything with the computer, and then, just as suddenly, everything goes back to normal.
    So I wonder if there might be anything in the circuitry in these new MacBooks that might be causing a similar problem for others. Or is this my unique cross to bear until the thing goes completely south?
    Thanks,
    --PS

    Have you tried running the diagnostics from the Leopard disc? If not, give it a go to see what it finds. To run it, boot while holding the "d" key (with Leopard disc in ofcourse).
    Haven't tried that, I did not know that was on the disk. I'll run it, how long might it take? What sort of tests does it run, what sort of results should I expect?
    Another thing to try is reset the SMC.
    Following the link you provided suggests there might be some things in the SMC that could be causing my problems. Should I do that before or after I run the diagnostics? Would the diagnostics tell me if that's something I need to do?
    If still nothing... perhaps a reinstall of Leopard.
    I call that the "Vietnam Solution" -- destroying the village in order to save it. I thought was done with that sort of thing when I abandoned PCs and Windows. Not a desirable outcome.
    As a last resort, you might consider trying a new hard drive. A failing drive can cause theses intermittent delays.
    That was my initial thought, too. Are there any diagnostics I can run besides dick utility to determine the integrity of the hard drive? Do the diagnostics on the Leopard install disk do that?
    Thanks,
    --PS

  • Power Mac G4 MDD 1.25GHz DP often completely locks up in the first few minutes after booting, sometimes with the spinning beach ball, normally with a very high pitched whining noise.

    Over the last few months my Mac has developed a worrying habit.
    Within the first few minutes of starting it up (perhaps on average about 50% of the time) it will completely lock up. This may happen at the Log In screen (if I start up the Mac & then leave it for a while) or during normal use.
    Often the first symptom is a very high pitched (but quiet) whining noise that seems to come from the loud speaker on the front of the Mac. The pointer may freeze at this point, or it may still be moveable for 5 or 10 seconds before it freezes. It sometimes turns into the spinning beach ball during this. Once locked up the only way I can restart the Mac is to hold down the power button on the front for a few seconds to completely reboot the machine.
    Once the Mac has restarted, it usually behaves normally, almost always for the rest of the day. The initial lock up & resulting restart only normally seem to happen the first time I use the Mac that day.
    The only peripherals attached to the Mac (apart from the display, keyboard & mouse) are an ADSL modem, a USB printer and a pair of Apple Pro speakers, and this setup hasn't changed since long before the problems started, so I'm confident that I can discount the peripherals causing problems. I doubt that unplugging the speakers, for example, would have any effect.
    I've run Disc Utility, OnyX and DiscWarrior without anything major cropping up. My instincts (I've been troubleshooting Mac problems for 16 years) tell me that I have a fundamental hardware problem, possibly with one of the 4 RAM DIMMs installed.
    The RAM configuration is shown in the attached screen grab.
    I'm considering removing one DIMM, running with 1.5GB of RAM rather than 2GB for a while, and repeating with a different DIMM removed each time until I can hopefully isolate the dodgy DIMM.
    Do people feel this is a sensible approach, or should I try something else first?
    Many thanks.

    Sometimes visual inpection will show bulging tops/sides., my guess is if it is it's most likely in the PSU.
    Possible cheap fix, You can convert an ATX PSU for use on a G4...
    http://atxg4.com/mdd.html
    http://atxg4.com/

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