I bought a macbook 2.4 core 2 duo about one week before the new ones came out and I'm having some really annoying issues. I transferred all the files from my old mac mini g4 running tiger via firewire. I ran into some issues with OS 10.5.5, which I had mistakenly assumed was compatible with PT 7.4.2. So I did an archive and install to get back to 10.5.4, but had issues with random programs freezing up on me (ie safari, quicktime). I then decided to just do an erase and install so to see if that was the culprit. It seemed like it worked until I installed pro tools.

It was working fine for about a day, but now I can't get pro tools to load. It just gets stuck at the startup window once the bomb factory plug ins load. Now its not only pro tools that is affected - the mac gets stuck while shutting down and is continuing to freeze up randomly on other programs.

Does anyone out there have any idea what may be happening here? I'm not sure if this is a hardware or a software problem. Any help would be tremendous. Thanks.

Re. PT 7.4.2 (which I am incidentally running on OS 10.5.5 without any problems), it sounds like a (third party, perhaps) plugins problem. Try temporarily removing the plugins in your Digidesign folder - /Library/Application Support/Digidesign (or use PT plugin manager from: http://www.maisonsonique.com/index.php?pag...-software_side). See if it loads OK without your plugins.

Also try trashing PT prefs (use 'ProTools Pref and Database Helper for 10.5')

Also check to see that your Digidesign plugins are up to date.

Re. your MacBook freezes, etc. Could these be related to your network/internet settings? Do the freezes happen when you're not connected?

Good luck!

. . . another thing to keep your eye on ( perhaps before trashing your plugins, etc ) would be the drivers for the hardware you're using. The older M-Audio drivers I had wreaked havoc on my system -- especially when I went from a G5 to intel last year, and had to doubly contend with that whole 7.4 not being compatible with Leopard. Make certain your firewire cable is NOT plugged in at start up. Go to the digidesign website, make certain your hardware drivers are up to date, and even "re-download" your particular driver even if you have the latest on. Set it aside, or know that it is in your downloads folder that you can get to later. (( The ONLY time I get errors -- or even a kernal panic on my system is every now and then when I do a DD driver update )).
Before you re-install the driver, try booting up your system with out devices plugged into it. If you are using a lot of USB devices, also try purchasing a powered bus (( I think Belkin makes 'em for about 20 - 40 bucks depending on the quantity of inputs )). Especially with laptops, power drains due to peripherals can be gremlins.
If all goes well, and your iLok is in, plug in your hardware, start up ProTools, and see how that goes.

The digidesign user forum ( once you have become a member ) is another great place for knowledge, information and help. I've found however, digidesign tech support -- especially by phone or email -- to be rude, extremely unhelpful, condescending, and usually followed by one-liners like "here's the link" (( which rather than helping me, forced me to tread through information which was NOT the solution )).

I truly hope this helps solve your issue -- I know there is nothing more frustration !

best of luck !

. . . another thing to keep your eye on ( perhaps before trashing your plugins, etc ) would be the drivers for the hardware you're using. The older M-Audio drivers I had wreaked havoc on my system -- especially when I went from a G5 to intel last year, and had to doubly contend with that whole 7.4 not being compatible with Leopard. Make certain your firewire cable is NOT plugged in at start up. Go to the digidesign website, make certain your hardware drivers are up to date, and even "re-download" your particular driver even if you have the latest on. Set it aside, or know that it is in your downloads folder that you can get to later. (( The ONLY time I get errors -- or even a kernal panic on my system is every now and then when I do a DD driver update )).
Before you re-install the driver, try booting up your system with out devices plugged into it. If you are using a lot of USB devices, also try purchasing a powered bus (( I think Belkin makes 'em for about 20 - 40 bucks depending on the quantity of inputs )). Especially with laptops, power drains due to peripherals can be gremlins.
If all goes well, and your iLok is in, plug in your hardware, start up ProTools, and see how that goes.

The digidesign user forum ( once you have become a member ) is another great place for knowledge, information and help. I've found however, digidesign tech support -- especially by phone or email -- to be rude, extremely unhelpful, condescending, and usually followed by one-liners like "here's the link" (( which rather than helping me, forced me to tread through information which was NOT the solution )).

I truly hope this helps solve your issue -- I know there is nothing more frustration !

best of luck !




Oh, and by the way -- if there are any expired trial software items -- toss 'em. Also, like someone else had mentioned, some of your older plugins WILL NOT WORK in 7.4 and WILL NOT WORK if they are not Universal Binary. They have to go as well. ( I have another, older computer that I have kept 10.4 on to be able to use some of my older, favorite plugins that never got upgraded by the developer -- even though I paid for them !! -- Pi comes to mind as one of them, for example . . .
before you start throwing them out . . . check the manufacturer databases for UB updates.

Thanks for the tips! It looks like the main issue was a Melodyne lite plug-in that is part of the bundled software - I had the old version on my computer. I went to Macintosh HD>Library>Application Support and trashed anything associated with Melodyne (as well as the Melodyne folder in Applications). I've got all the updated software installed and it is running perfectly. I'm very relieved that it isn't the computer itself that's caused all this hassle.

j_grim14

(Thanks for the tips! It looks like the main issue was a Melodyne lite plug-in that is part of the bundled software - I had the old version on my computer. I went to Macintosh HD>Library>Application Support and trashed anything associated with Melodyne (as well as the Melodyne folder in Applications). I've got all the updated software installed and it is running perfectly. I'm very relieved that it isn't the computer itself that's caused all this hassle)

This is the best news I've seen posted in a long time... Bravo! Congratulations!

I know you must be happy.

I am happy for you. Whew, seems like it took a while but it seems you figured it out. "You Know You Badd"!!! (Meaning: Good.)