Mac help

[Finn]

Clucking bell!

Got a new mac and had problems with a JVC hi def vid camera. Doesnt support QT 7.4 so this nerd suggests rolling back to 7.3 using some software. Now upon booting, i get a black screen with darwin/bsd and its asking for a login. Enter enter bla and i get a gui login but it goes back to darwin.

HELP!

[jrandom]

The Steve considers your problem with alarm!

<img src="http://i31.tinypic.com/2rco4cn.jpg"/>

[jrandom]

(Does that count as McHelp? Your order within 60 seconds, or a voucher for next time, etc?)

[bugjuice]

tried booting off the OS DVD and repair permissions?
be my first start, then see what happens

[Finn]

(Does that count as McHelp? Your order within 60 seconds, or a voucher for next time, etc?)

No, but BD just called and were onto something

[Big Dave]

(Does that count as McHelp? Your order within 60 seconds, or a voucher for next time, etc?)

Thanks Ron. Love yer work.

[Finn]

tried booting off the OS DVD and repair permissions?
be my first start, then see what happens

tried that. No go

[Big Dave]

If you can't find the offending file and trash it - you have to choose a restore option.

There is one that keeps your data but will nix all your settings.

or - just thought

what about re-installing just quicktime?

[bugjuice]

so this nerd suggests rolling back to 7.3 using some software.
forgot to ask for a start, what's this 'some software'...?
not Apples QT software?

[Finn]

If you can't find the offending file and trash it - you have to choose a restore option.

There is one that keeps your data but will nix all your settings.

or - just thought

what about re-installing just quicktime?

can't just install QT. It wants to reinstall the entire os

[Big Dave]

can't just install QT. It wants to reinstall the entire os

I'd try and boot from the DVD.

Launch the browser and install quicktime via downloading from the apple web site. if it will connect.

which it probably won't now that I think about it sorry


Back up what you should - before you try reinstall

[Finn]

repaired perm, repaired disk and it still won't boot. Fuck it, I'm going to bed.

[Big Dave]

repaired perm, repaired disk and it still won't boot. Fuck it, I'm going to bed.

Unless one of the experts here knows,
tomorrow grab a memory stick or similar - copy/back up your photos and stuff - just in case - and do the minimal restore first.

[RantyDave]

Got a new mac and had problems with a JVC hi def vid camera. Doesnt support QT 7.4 so this nerd suggests rolling back to 7.3 using some software. Now upon booting, i get a black screen with darwin/bsd and its asking for a login.
Macs exist in one of two states - working, or rooted. This one's rooted. Back up your shit, which you've been doing with Time Machine anyway right? Blow it away and rebuild. When you rebuild it'll say something about wanting to move your stuff from another mac, give it the time machine drive and it'll fix it all back how it should be.

You can also back it up onto another machine by starting it up in "target disk mode", making a copy of the disk with super duper (yes, really, http://www.shirtpocket.com/) then treating *that* as the "old machine" you're upgrading from.

It's a shit you're not in Welly.

Dave

[Squiggles]

Diskwarrior may be of use to you, it rebuilds your harddrive and file structure, i've used it to repair some of the most f'd machines that wouldnt boot or at least to get the users files back

I would try using it in "target disk" mode as RantyDave suggested, but theres a fair chance that for whatever reason, the file structure might be rooted and it wont even work when repaired in target disk mode (this is usually where i use warrior)

I'll see if my copy of warrior will work on 10.5, if it does you're welcome to use it

edit: nup, just checked and we've only got it for 10.4 , try target disk onto another mac to backup then reinstall the os and copy back

[Big Dave]

Takes me back to the crash of '98.

[Squiggles]

This may be of some relevance to your issues with qt, im assuming its in the importing that it wont work http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6459807

[onearmedbandit]

This thread is a wind-up surely? I mean, Mac's never crash right?

[Big Dave]

This thread is a wind-up surely? I mean, Mac's never crash right?

They are pretty good.

Personally I've had one data loss caused by a faulty machine and two system software spikes - with no loss but a few days productivity lost rebuilding - in a series of machines that have output 7 days per for nearly 20 years.

[bugjuice]

I'd try and boot from the DVD.

Launch the browser and install quicktime via downloading from the apple web site. if it will connect.

which it probably won't now that I think about it sorry


Back up what you should - before you try reinstall
you cannot run the mac as a 'normal' mac from the install DVD, so you can't access the web etc. You can only install and repair stuff.

Finn;
push the DVD into the mac
Reboot the mac and hold 'C' on the keyboard
Click Engrish for the lingo
Click 'Archive and Install'

This will reinstall the OS again, but keep all your user account settings, network/internet settings, files, programs etc. It just reinstalls the system. Since you can't get into the system, it's a bugga you can't delete QT before hand. But just go for it and see what happens. You shouldn't loose any files, just your personal pref settings and the system should be reset.

still don't know what you meant by 'some software'.. that bit sounds dodgy
QT7.4 has been linked to wrecking a couple of things, so won't be long before 7.4.1 will be out

[YellowDog]

Clucking bell!

Got a new mac and had problems with a JVC hi def vid camera. Doesnt support QT 7.4 so this nerd suggests rolling back to 7.3 using some software. Now upon booting, i get a black screen with darwin/bsd and its asking for a login. Enter enter bla and i get a gui login but it goes back to darwin.

HELP!
Easy solution.

Here's what you need:

http://www.blip.tv/file/340692

[Finn]

you cannot run the mac as a 'normal' mac from the install DVD, so you can't access the web etc. You can only install and repair stuff.

Finn;
push the DVD into the mac
Reboot the mac and hold 'C' on the keyboard
Click Engrish for the lingo
Click 'Archive and Install'

This will reinstall the OS again, but keep all your user account settings, network/internet settings, files, programs etc. It just reinstalls the system. Since you can't get into the system, it's a bugga you can't delete QT before hand. But just go for it and see what happens. You shouldn't loose any files, just your personal pref settings and the system should be reset.

still don't know what you meant by 'some software'.. that bit sounds dodgy
QT7.4 has been linked to wrecking a couple of things, so won't be long before 7.4.1 will be out

Did this last night and it worked to a degree. I'm in and everything "looks" normal except a couple of applications (iDVD & Quicktime) won't run at all and Photoshops says that bits are missing. All files are intact.

The "some software" I am referring to is Pacifist. Some Mac guy recommended it for rolling back from QT 7.4 to 7.3.

So where to from here for the cleanup? Diskwarrior?

[scracha]

Fuck me...I was expecting to see pages of "switch to Ubuntu" comments from the Linoooooox nerds.

I've used AppleJack
(http://applejack.sourceforge.net/) with varying degrees of success on the Mac's that have pretended to be broken (cos we all know Macs never break).

[Badcat]

Clucking bell!

Got a new mac and had problems with a JVC hi def vid camera. Doesnt support QT 7.4 so this nerd suggests rolling back to 7.3 using some software. Now upon booting, i get a black screen with darwin/bsd and its asking for a login. Enter enter bla and i get a gui login but it goes back to darwin.

HELP!

hi finn.
what's the exact model of the camera?
and your mac is running 10.5 leopard?
ken

[Finn]

hi finn.
what's the exact model of the camera?
and your mac is running 10.5 leopard?
ken

The camera is a JVC Enverio GZ-HD7. Interestingly, I thought I had Leopard but going through my disks last night it says I have to load it which I didn't do when I bought it.

Having given this some thought, I'm probably best to start from scratch which is a pain because it "looks" okay but is still behaving strangely.

[Finn]

Takes me back to the crash of '98.

More people will be harmed by this crash though.

[Badcat]

The camera is a JVC Enverio GZ-HD7. Interestingly, I thought I had Leopard but going through my disks last night it says I have to load it which I didn't do when I bought it.

Having given this some thought, I'm probably best to start from scratch which is a pain because it "looks" okay but is still behaving strangely.

it's not on the imove camera support page
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1014#2
but it may be too new for that.
best thing is to quickly see what OS and imovie versions you are actually running.
i can prob help.
can you call me with the mac in front of you?
i'll pm you the number.

ken

[Fatjim]

Whatever you do, don't roll back from 7.4 to 7.3!

[Finn]

Thanks for your help guys. As Badcat suggested, I will install Leopard tonight and that should do the trick.

Remember, the worst day possible with a Mac is still far better than a fantastic day with a PC.

[ManDownUnder]

LOL... lovin' this thread.

Macs are da bomb etc etc etc... watching with interest. At least with Windows you can just... naaa hang on... I see your point...

UNIX anyone?

[jrandom]

Macs are da bomb etc etc etc... UNIX anyone?

Lulz!

You do know what OS X is built on top of, don't you...

[Fatjim]

Remember, the worst day possible with a Mac is still far better than a fantastic day with a PC.

Um, I think you just proved this wrong.

[Finn]

LOL... lovin' this thread.

Macs are da bomb etc etc etc... watching with interest. At least with Windows you can just... naaa hang on... I see your point...

UNIX anyone?

It was operator error. When rolling back using some third party software, I clicked yes, yes, yes, yes, whatever, dunno, yes, yes, what?... unplug.

[Finn]

Um, I think you just proved this wrong.

It's working dude and I'm new to Macs.

Footnote: Don't use "Um" in your sentences. It makes you look stupid.

[ManDownUnder]

Lulz!

You do know what OS X is built on top of, don't you...

I don't know but at a guess... does the name Berkeley appears in the list of credits? I'd laugh if Microsft did!

as a name drop.... I met Woz (the OTHER Steve from Apple) a few years back... full of practical jokes he is too!

[jrandom]

I don't know but at a guess... does the name Berkeley appears in the list of credits? I'd laugh if Microsft did!

Heh. Good guess. OS X runs on a Apple-developed Unix core named Darwin, which is open-source and was mostly derived from FreeBSD.

[ManDownUnder]

Heh. Good guess. OS X runs on a Apple-developed Unix core named Darwin, which is open-source and was mostly derived from FreeBSD.

dammit man - now I have to respect a Mac??? (that's kinda cool-I like the freeBSD link. That's typical Jobs and a good move)

[Fatjim]

Footnote: Don't use "Um" in your sentences. It makes you look stupid.

You are sooo close to understanding this its scary.

[Big Dave]

you cannot run the mac as a 'normal' mac from the install DVD, so you can't access the web etc. You can only install and repair stuff.

Finn;
push the DVD into the mac
Reboot the mac and hold 'C' on the keyboard
Click Engrish for the lingo
Click 'Archive and Install'




Yeah - I realised that 10 seconds after posting it.

Wot i told him too.

[onearmedbandit]

Now upon booting, i get a black screen with darwin/bsd and its asking for a login. Enter enter bla and i get a gui login but it goes back to darwin.

HELP!


It was operator error.

Ah, good to see you're toeing the company line. The speed and efficiency of Steve's legal team never fails to impress.

[Big Dave]

Ah, good to see you're toeing the company line. The speed and efficiency of Steve's legal team never fails to impress.


Man you're fast.
I've never know someone who can get one hand off dick and on to keyboard in such a manner. ;-P

[onearmedbandit]

Ahh it's all in good humour. And I'm bored.

[Big Dave]

Ahh it's all in good humour.

yes - I knew that. just returning serve. Finn can't do it - his puter is farked.

My 3yo grandson is visiting - I could do with some quiet boredom

[Finn]

Finn can't do it - his puter is farked.

Yes but my iPhone is working... hence my ability to be able to post this thread.

[Big Dave]

Yes but my iPhone is working... hence my ability to be able to post this thread.

Did you see the other day that almost a quarter of the iPhones sold are MIA.

1.45 million have been cracked.

[skelstar]

Did you see the other day that almost a quarter of the iPhones sold are MIA.

1.45 million have been cracked.

I think they're all being used as props in new TV shows coming out of the states at the moment.

[scracha]

dammit man - now I have to respect a Mac??? (that's kinda cool-I like the freeBSD link. That's typical Jobs and a good move)

Big up's to the Gates man for coming out with Alt Tab though.

Apple haven't had any "innovation" for years. They just pick good stuff from the open source community or Microsoft. If I'm gonna pay the premium price that Mac's are at then I expect stability and sadly they're just not as bulletproof as the classic Mac's. No amount of "I'm young, hip and cooler than you cos I own a Mac" adverts will convert me back to Macdom until they're as stable as a Win XP PC.

[Big Dave]

No amount of "I'm young, hip and cooler than you cos I own a Mac" adverts will convert me back to Macdom until they're as stable as a Win XP PC.

I'm sure they are gutted.

[sAsLEX]

what about re-installing just quicktime?

So let me get this right.

Apple software on an apple machine is playing up?

I thought this was why people avoided MS?

[Big Dave]

So let me get this right.

Apple software on an apple machine is playing up?

I thought this was why people avoided MS?


apple software that was being 3rd party dicked with atchally

[Big Dave]

I think they're all being used as props in new TV shows coming out of the states at the moment.


I just walked past the co-pilot watching some sitcom - office set with a cherry red original iMac on the desk.

Haven't they stood the test of time nicely. :sick:

[riffer]

Hey!

My 2 year old loves his Grape iMac. :argue:

[Big Dave]

Hey!

My 2 year old loves his Grape iMac. :argue:


Set amongst walnut panneling and a burgundy leather chair no doubt.

[riffer]

Actually it lives on the dining room table.

But kinda close. We live in a 1903 Villa in the oldest part of Upper Hutt decorated in Victorian period style.

[scracha]

I'm sure they are gutted.

See...that's the current snobbish "I'm better than you cos I'm a macaphile" attitude that puts me off owning one again.

[Big Dave]

See...that's the current snobbish "I'm better than you cos I'm a macaphile" attitude that puts me off owning one again.

it's silly banter.

[bugjuice]

See...that's the current snobbish "I'm better than you cos I'm a macaphile" attitude that puts me off owning one again.
but for less than $1000 on a piece of high-tech machinery that'll last years, and never get a virus, you can have this sweet sweet attitude too..

[Finn]

Okay, upgraded to Leopard and it appears the only application that is corrupt is iDVD. How do I reinstall this? The "Software Update" is greyed out.

[Big Dave]

Okay, upgraded to Leopard and it appears the only application that is corrupt is iDVD. How do I reinstall this? The "Software Update" is greyed out.

There is an options box on what to install on the DVD.

[scracha]

but for less than $1000 on a piece of high-tech machinery that'll last years, and never get a virus, you can have this sweet sweet attitude too..

For the love of ged. They don't always last for years and some of them get viruses.

A Mac for under $1000? Blasphemy.

Why the hell do Apple charge so much for umm....EVERYTHING. I mean, I could understand charging a premium for the basic PC or the operating system but to then shaft their loyal customers silly is just astonishing. The fact that Apple resellers lie and tell folks that "normal" RAM won't work with Apple's is criminal.
$1600 for a 23" LCD? FFS, they're $400
$250 for an extra 1GB of DDR2 RAM ($50)
$160 for a keyboard and mouse? ($30)

Mooooo.

Install iAtkos Leopard onto a Dell Vostro and you'll have a new mac laptop for under a grand. Of course you need to buy your copy of OS X legally :Police:

[scracha]

but for less than $1000 on a piece of high-tech machinery that'll last years, and never get a virus, you can have this sweet sweet attitude too..

For the love of ged. They don't always last for years (they're just bog standard PC's with things like RAM and hard drives that fail like any Windows based box) and some of them get viruses.

Your Mac cost under $1000? It must be a Dell Vostro running OSX86 or similar. :bleh:

Why the hell do Apple charge so much for umm....EVERYTHING. I mean, I could understand charging a premium for the basic PC or the operating system but to then shaft their loyal customers silly is just astonishing. The fact that Apple resellers lie and tell folks that "normal" RAM won't work with Apple's is criminal.
$1600 for a 23" LCD? FFS, they're $400
$250 for an extra 1GB of DDR2 RAM ($50)
$160 for a keyboard and mouse? ($30)

Mooooo.

[RantyDave]

Your Mac cost under $1000? It must be a Dell Vostro running OSX86 or similar.
http://store.apple.com/0800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/nzstore.woa/91124024/wo/wz1PtmIcDbQs2SoDxY6QKxPoeM0/2.?p=0

You're right on the displays, though. I know of only one mac owner who has an Apple display and that was bought several years ago. Everyone else runs a variety of Dell's, AOC's etc. etc. Generic DVI monitors work just fine.

The RAM thing is curious. While Apple made their own north bridges they were very picky about memory timings and third party chips were the #1 cause of dodgy powerbooks. (#2 was airport cards going 'funny')

The keyboards are wonderful. You realise after a while that you've been done, and it's actually a (low end) laptop keyboard mounted under a slab of aluminium. But it still makes everything else on the desk look like it's escaped from the 1970's. They're damn quick to type on too.

Unfortunately while I started this post confident of being able to tell Finn how to install iDVD as a standalone thing, I just stuffed my 10.5 install disk in and have no idea. Ummmm, it does have a built in DVD writer, yes? Did iLife come as a separate DVD?

[bugjuice]

For the love of ged. They don't always last for years (they're just bog standard PC's with things like RAM and hard drives that fail like any Windows based box) and some of them get viruses.

Your Mac cost under $1000? It must be a Dell Vostro running OSX86 or similar. :bleh:

Why the hell do Apple charge so much for umm....EVERYTHING. I mean, I could understand charging a premium for the basic PC or the operating system but to then shaft their loyal customers silly is just astonishing. The fact that Apple resellers lie and tell folks that "normal" RAM won't work with Apple's is criminal.
$1600 for a 23" LCD? FFS, they're $400
$250 for an extra 1GB of DDR2 RAM ($50)
$160 for a keyboard and mouse? ($30)

Mooooo.
lol.. don't be so high strung! just messin with ya :bleh:
MacMini (http://store.apple.com/0800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/nzstore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=7B723682&node=home/shop_mac/family/mac_mini)'s are $948, but you have to get your own keyboard, mouse n screen. And yeah, I do agree some things are over priced that apple sell, but they work (most of the time), and they work well. They aren't for everyone, and if it's not you, then don't get one. But they've worked for me for the last 14 years of using nothing but macs, and my 4 year old iBookG4 is still going as well today as it was when I first got it, and it's the base model. I've upgraded it with PC ram in it, upgraded to 10.4, and a PC laptop 120gb drive in (from the original Seagate 40gb drive).

Apples' design is just gorgeous tho, that can't be denied. They've led that field for a while now, and everyone wants to copy them, proven. So they've done something right. And for a computer and OS to be built hand in hand, can only be good. I bet if Windoze built a PC, it'd rock. But they don't. I've used plenty of PC stuff with Macs, and I will continue to, when I have to. Never had issues. I'm getting a PC screen soon, so I have more room when at home. I have a Mac keyboard (cos they're sexy, and have the right keys for OSX), I use a MircroSoft mouse, and like I said, using PC HD & ram etc.. And I do graphic design and photography, and I just love how macs work for me. There's no 'superior' attitude that I've seen,may be some gloating that there's rarely a mac virus, but it's just a sense of well being and lack of frustration that I find nice about macs. Yes, like everything, they do go wrong, but find one thing in the world that never will, and you'd be either a millionaire for making it, or broke, cos no one needs you to fix and upgrade it.


Finn, what's happening with iDVD then? Is it launching? Or just bouncing the app in the dock? or opening and crashing? or not there at all?

[Big Dave]

It's a new, big imac ranty. I reckon the apps are on the 10.4 DVD that came with the machine and won't be on the Leopard upgrade disc.

I've got an Ilife 08 DVD, if needed.

[RantyDave]

I've got an Ilife 08 DVD, if needed.
Yeah, I reckon that'll be the one. No doubt you can whizz round to Finn's house and drink all his beer while it installs...

Dave

[bugjuice]

+1 ^

[Finn]

Finn, what's happening with iDVD then? Is it launching? Or just bouncing the app in the dock? or opening and crashing? or not there at all?

It opens but is unstable. I googled "iDVD & Leopard problems" and it appears I'm not the only one...

BD's coming over later with an iLife DVD to see if that works.

[bugjuice]

sounds like it should help/work then..

[scracha]

lol.. don't be so high strung! just messin with ya


Shh....I was just trying to wind up the Mac brigade.



of using nothing but macs, and my 4 year old iBookG4 is still going as well

I quote like the old G4 laptops I must admit.



Apples' design is just gorgeous tho, that can't be denied. They've led that

Oh...dunno. Don't like the style of the new iMac and the Mac mini is well.....umm.. The NeXT Cube was Steve Job's finest looking PC if you ask moi. A simple cube...genius.



field for a while now, and everyone wants to copy them, proven. So they've

??? Haven't seen HP, Asus, Acer, Toshiba, Sony etc trying to copy their design? As for the Mac mini....I think you'll find similar designs that Apple erm....found inspiration from (to put it politely).

I just don't get the point of their new "thin" laptop. I mean, it'll still pump out heat and it'll still need a big laptop bag and take up the same amount of desk space as other laptops. I think it'll flop but then again I also think the iPhone will flop. The iPOD was superbly marketed, is a nice product and has good software. Now if Apple made a good mini PC like the Nokia N810 I think they'd be on to "a good thing". Apple should have OS X incorporate Snerdware Group cal or come up with their own solution to link properly to a MS Exchange server. Also throw in an MS Word/Excel compatible app and a security suite. If they did this then the Mac mini might become a not quote so expensive proposition compared to your typical Windows PC + MS Office SBS + security suite. It'd also mean less peso's going to their Redmond competition as a lot of Macs run MS Office.

Last but not least.... I preferred their old rainbow style apple logo.

[Finn]

All working fine now thanks to Large David. However, I'm back to square one with my HD video camera. QT 7.4 won't recognise .TOD (JVC Mpeg 2 or 4) format.

[Joni]

Hmmm, glad to hear its all sorted. Go BD! :eek:

Everyone in my company works on MACs... except me (as I am a stubborn PC fan) Got a new PC today... nice and fast... but damn MS has changed so many things in the new version that its taking lots of time to figure the basic stuff out! And no one in the office knows anything about MS applications to speed things up :lol:

Maybe my stubborn streak has come to bite me on the arse! :confused:

[Big Dave]

All working fine now thanks to Large David. However, I'm back to square one with my HD video camera. QT 7.4 won't recognise .TOD (JVC Mpeg 2 or 4) format.


anything on the jvc web site? Was there any software with the camera.

[Finn]

anything on the jvc web site? Was there any software with the camera.

Zip. There was an apple codec with the camera but that only works on QT 7.3, not 7.4.

I'm not alone... http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6490513

[Big Dave]

Zip. There was an apple codec with the camera but that only works on QT 7.3, not 7.4.

I'm not alone... http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6490513

My eyes glazed over - did one of them say it worked if you buy the mpeg component?

Its about $30 - might be worth a try.

[Finn]

My eyes glazed over - did one of them say it worked if you buy the mpeg component?

Its about $30 - might be worth a try.

I'll give a whirl tonight. However, the thought of paying for software makes me feel sick.

[Finn]

Great. Can't buy anything from the Apple Store in NZ. Bastards.

[Big Dave]

Great. Can't buy anything from the Apple Store in NZ. Bastards.

I love saying this - Tell it you are in Australia and it all works.

[bugjuice]

Great. Can't buy anything from the Apple Store in NZ. Bastards.
what bank are you with?
apparently some credit cards use an Oz number instead of the NZ numbers, so buying stuff online can cause a prob. Apple checks where the card is billed to, via a code in your credit card number. If you've got a card that has the 'Oz billing' code, then it'll give you jip. Try Oz, like db says and see
I've bought stuff before, and it worked..

[RantyDave]

Hey, I've just been playing with iDVD and I think I've found your problem:

It's a huge, steaming piece of shit.

I've been daft enough to try building a project with a reasonably large number of files contained on a network drive. Translation: performance is shit. It, kinda stupidly, encodes the files into MPEG2 (needed for DVD's) in the background but appears to try to encode the files in parallel. Result: live lock. It uses bugger all CPU trying to do too many things at once. It looks like it's crashed but actually it hasn't (look in the activity monitor). In my case the solution could well be to leave it for a while. Read: possibly a number of fucking hours. And also to never try an iDVD project with a large number of individual files. And to never try an iDVD project across a network. And to burn whoever in the iApps team designed this self important retarded piece of shit.

Had I played with iDVD on the day of it's release I'd have written a replacement myself. Unfortunately I feel the train has left that particular station.

Bugger. Damn. Very annoyed. I don't like it when things don't work properly.

Dave

[bugjuice]

files contained on a network drive.
might be your problem right there. Keep everything needed for the project, local.
also, what specs are the mac you're running it on? tis a bit RAM hungry

[Big Dave]

Poor ol' dave.
He doesn't remember leaving the video rendering or the 3D modeling ray tracing till last job of the day so that you could let it run overnight.

It does seem better suited for making a disc for Aunty Doreen than professional applications.

Localise and let it run whilst you push out zzzzzzzzzs

[RantyDave]

might be your problem right there. Keep everything needed for the project, local.
Well, I know that now, don't I :)

also, what specs are the mac you're running it on? tis a bit RAM hungry
2GB MacBook Pro, so it's not that. It's also on a gig network, so it's not that either.

Anyway, it appears to have sorted it's life out now. Or at least it had until I switched the windows machine (that was the network drive) off. Somehow a 1.3GB project file doesn't actually include the stuff it was going to write to disk. Or maybe it hadn't finished encoding. Oh well, I'll got back to torturing it tomorrow.

Dave