Any Mac wizards out there? OS upgrade problems

Ben Elder · From: La Crescenta, California, USA

These are two separate questions but since they happened so close in time to each other, I don't know where one starts and the other ends. (I'll also post the Pro Tools question separately in the Recording section.)

1) Grudgingly, out of sheer desperation and necessity to use certain programs and upgrade the Safari browser on my G4 MDD--the last version of the G4, I upgraded from OS 10.2.8 to 10.3.9. Since then, some programs are only accessible if I do a Safe Boot (CMD+SHIFT+START or restart). iTunes is the most frequently used problem and I have the most recent update of it. Also iTunes shows up as active on the Dock but doesn't register on the Recent Items menu.

There used to be a program called Conflict Catcher, but last I remember, the company behind it folded. Any ideas as to why an upgrade has made things >more difficult9.0 went all Chernobyl on me and this experience only reinforces my raving psychosis about the process.)

Issue 2: part of the reason for the upgrade was to install Pro Tools (6.4 LE) and an 001 interface. I've only tried PT one time and shut it down because I couldn't hear the CD track I'd imported. And therein lies the larger problem. I now have no Audio In or Out device according to System Preferences--just something called Didigesign HW. (HW for "hardware" as in the PCI card that the 001 connects to?)

Now I can't hear iTunes, online audio or even my choice of warning sound-effects (Basso, Blow, Bottle, Frog, Funk, Sosumi, etc.)

I don't know how much of this is ProTools installation and how much is OS upgrade. I'm not even sure of what the question is unless it's What the hell?

Luddites are made, not born.

Dave Van Allen · From: Souderton, PA , US , Earth

Ben;

I suspect the problem is primarily with the PT card and SW as far as system sounds not being available

what was the sequence of events...

a. upgrade OS
b. install DigiCard
c. install PT

did you start with a "Clean install" of the system , or an "upgrade and Archive"?

I'm asking because:

how many other things do you do with computer, how much would you lose if you initialized (formatted) the hard drive and started from scratch?

if you back up the "users" folder you shouldn't lose documents; backup your mp3's and stuff.

there will be the issue of reinstalling older applications.

how many applications do you depend on that run in OS9 or "Classic" mode? Can you afford to not reinstall OS 9 and go all OS X all the time?

"Conflict Catcher" if I remember was a pre- OS X utility.

My take on it is if you have the resources (original applicatin installers etc)

1 you should remove any non Apple hardware
2 initialize the hard drive and install OS X 10.3.9
3 test your itunes, system sounds etc.
4 install Digi Card hardware
5 test itunes system sounds etc.
6 install PT software
7 test itunes system sounds etc.

Cal Sharp · From: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN

Good advice noted above, but the first thing I would do is to try to isolate the problem by booting from another account. (Create one if you don't already have one.) If the problems persist, there's something amiss with your system. If they don't, the problem might be somewhere in the other user folder, usually the Library.

Cal
www.calsharp.com

Dave Van Allen · From: Souderton, PA , US , Earth

good point Cal... quick troubleshooting method and non destructive.Wise move!

I tend to go nuclear 'cause I generally don't have time to futz with stuff... I'd just as soon wipe the drive and get to a known good state then move forward from there... but I'm impatient

Ben Elder · From: La Crescenta, California, USA

Thanks guys.

Yes, OS 9 is necessary. It's why I bought a G4 instead of a G5. (I naively thought about trying not to use OS X at all. As my technology guru Norman Blake declares, "Just Gimme Something I'm Used To." If it ain't broke, don't upgrade it...)

For reasons I won't go into (actually I have, but I'm editing them out), a "Clean Install" would be My Darkest Nightmare, the nastiest Behemoth in my Fear Closet. (I have little faith in my being able to find files, even if backed up.)

I think I did everything the way the various instructions told me, although...I was expecting to select what kind of OS install to do but I never saw any kind of menu. "Agree?" "Disagree?" Whatever... OS just did what it wanted--apparently an archive-and-update--by default.

Compared to Macs (never mind PCs), a ZB is a crowbar on the technological scale.

Cal Sharp · From: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN

Things you can try:

Boot from the install disk (with the disk in the drive, hold down Command + C while the computer starts up) and run disk utilities.

Look in your account settings to see what programs start when you boot (System Preferences/Accounts/Login Items) and remove any suspect ones.

For any apps that you are having trouble with, move their .plist or preference files from User Folder/Library/Preferences to the Desktop. When you restart that app it will create a new .plist or preferences file, and you still have the old one if you need it.

Keep in mind that OS9 is technology from a previous century.

Dave Van Allen · From: Souderton, PA , US , Earth

Cal Sharp · From: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN

Yeah, my steel guitars were made in the 1970's. I like them just fine, but I'm glad my computers are newer. ; ) Geez, I'd hate to be using a computer as big as a room just to type this post.

Ben Elder · From: La Crescenta, California, USA

Update: I'm slowly working through the various suggestions--thanks again. I tried the new-User strategy and things seem the same--at least iTunes won't fully open after a regular boot. However, somehow I've gotten audio Line In and Line Out back (Digidesign HW is still there too). And a printer document that was hanging in limbo since yesterday printed out immediately after startup.

Install disk...where did I leave that?...

**And here's a dumb question! In going from 10.2.8 to 10.3.9. I started with a 10.3.5 Install disk (Apple), then a 10.3.9 upgrade (copy) disk. For booting up purposes, which is my "Install" disk?

[This message was edited by Ben Elder on 28 September 2006 at 09:45 PM.]

Dave Van Allen · From: Souderton, PA , US , Earth

I'd say the 10.3.5 to boot from.

Ben Elder · From: La Crescenta, California, USA

I waited until a magazine article I've been working on was finished...and I'd rather undergo 10 root canals performed by Lizzie Borden (with Sweeney Todd assisting and Whitney Houston singing Motorhead on headphones) than to have to do this, but it appears I WILL have to wipe out the HD and install OS 10.3.9 from scratch. And all my programs all over again--if I can find the CDs, DVDs or in some cases--diskettes. (Music and a/v software has been compromised if not crippled by archive-and-install procedure: iTunes, scanner, QuickTime.)

Since all this upgrading was leading up to creating an optimal environment in which to run ProTools (6.4 LE with an 001 interface), here's one question about that: I think someone told me that ProTools and OS can be installed on a non-system drive. My G4 (MDD) has the main 80GB HD and a 300GB internal ATA, partitioned 200GB/40GB/39GB.

Is there any good reason, after this major surgery, to put ProTools and OS 10.3.9 on the 200GB partition of the second drive? Or should I just put it on the main system HD and store files on the secondary HD?

Ben Elder · From: La Crescenta, California, USA

Coward that I am, I haven't yet done the assured-destruction-wipeout-installation of OS 10.3.9. Stupid question, but since I insist on retaining OS 9 capability for my various ancient programs, I guess I'll also have to find whatever disks OS 9 came on and reinstall it, too, huh?

basilh · From: United Kingdom

Ben, it's generally accepted in the 'Pro Audio' world that executable files i.e. programmes etc. should be kept on separate drives to audio files, (which ideally should have a dedicated drive just for themselves).
FWIW
[url=]Point Here for Better Advice[/url]

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