10.2.1 beach ball and freezing

Hi friends, after 10.2.1 update I'm constantly having spinning balls and freezings. The major problem I have is that I cannot close fcp, even from the forcequit menu. I need to reboot my mac every time.
I'm under Yosemite 10.10.3
I'm working on a very simple interview, working with canon mov files and using izotope plugins for audio correction.
My library and render files are under a thunderbolt 2tb lacie disk and the original media is on a Seagate 4tb external usb 3.0 disk.
I was using this same configuration with 10.2 and didn't get this issues.
Any help appreciated.

Delete pref files and render files to start with.

I have exactly the same problem.

1. I boot up my computer upgraded to Yosemite. It boots faster then Maverick.

2. I boot up FCPX 2.1. The project load-in time has increased from less than a minute with Maverick and FCPX 1.4 to close to 12 minutes with Yosemite and FCPX 2.1 before I am able to edit without drop frames in the viewer window or FCPX freezing and locking me out making me force quit the program.

3. Once the project is totally loaded in the timeline and browser FCPX works fine.

4. I can close FCPX and re-open it and the projects run fine, no long load in, providing I do not shut down the computer.

5. Starting from a boot up of the computer and then starting FCPX 2.1 the problem repeats itself exactly each time, a very long project load in or freezing and I have to force quit

I've been working with a senior FCPX tech via telephone on the problem for three days now. We have eliminated the many possibilities for this problem down to a few and I hope the next session we will find the answer.

I’ve read on a few sites that FCPX2.1 has a totally new way of handling files. If this is in fact true it’s been a negative improvement in my case. Outside of the ability to do 3D titling I have not found any particular advantages using 2.1 over 1.4. I find the adage holds true. “ If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”. Since editing is part of my business I should have waited till all counties are heard from before taking on a new OS and an upgraded version of FCP.

I’d appreciate to hear any comments that mention file handling problems and load times with 2.1.

Create a new admin user account, log in with this account and launch FCP X. Does FCP X work faster with the new user?

- Ronny

I also have had this issue. Maybe 3 or 4 times now. The most recent one was today. I had just finished importing a few clips and put them on the timeline. Nothing complex or long at all quite literally no editing other than 3 two-minute clips against each other. I was playing one of them on the Timeline by pressing the space bar. It played for several seconds and then like maybe 4 or 5 seconds from the very end it just stopped. Had to force a reboot.

Mac Pro Trash Can model. Betancourt are you also using a Mac Pro Trash Can™?

Also if you have mutilple libraries open, close them all except for the one you are working in. See if that helps.

After four days of testing hard drives, reinstalling both the OS and FCPX2.1, logging on to my computer as a new user, deleting the render files and then re-rendering and switching library and material files from one hard drive to another, this is my observation in my particular case of color wheels, freezes and crashes with 2.1 and Yosemite.

If I boot up my computer and then open FCPX2.1 I am obligated to wait close to twenty minutes as a project loads in. It takes that amount of time to load in the thumbnails in the browser and the video pictures and audio wave files into the timeline. I admit I’m using RED r3d files at an aspect ratio of 4480 x 1920, very large. If I don’t wait till all is loaded I get dropped frames while viewing the project, or long color wheel segments or being frozen out of the program even with my background rendering indicator at 100%, if I try to do any editing . When the project stabilizes the program works. Working with OS Maverick and FCPX1.4 there was never a load time of more than 30 seconds loading in the exact same project.

I can close FCPX 2.1 and re-open it and the project I’m working on instantly loads into the time line.

If I shut down both FCPX and my computer when I boot up again and open FCPX it again takes close to 20 minutes for the entire program to load. It seems like 2.1 has to do some type of rendering again to get back all the material even though my background rendering indicator is 100%. I notice if I close 2.1 early I get a flag indicating the background rendering is not complete. There is no indication of rendering on the background rendering indicator.

I thought that once rendered, rendering did not have to be repeated even after the computer was shut down. Now, it seems to me anyway, that certain aspects of rendering have to be repeated when the computer is rebooted . In searching FC blogs I’ve found similar problems popping up with 2.1

Close the offending Library and every other Library you have opened.

Then create a completely new Library, import some of your R3D footage into that Library and let FCP X create the thumbnails and waveforms.

Then close FCP X and shut down the computer.

Start the computer again and launch FCP X.

Do you still have the problem with the new Library?

- Ronny

I reinstalled fcp 10.2.1, trashed preferences and deleted render files. Also repair disk permissions and rebuilt directories with disk warrior. None of that seems to help too much. But what I believe solved (still testing) my issue was to create a new librabry and move all my projects, events and media to the new one. It seems that 10.2.1 has some problem reading old libraries. So Ronny's suggestion may help you Ralph.

Redifer, I'm using a macbook pro Retina late 2013

10.2 has not changed anything to the way clips are handled, but there have been a lot of changes to how thumbnails and waveforms are written and read. However, there seems to be a problem with certain cache files that have been created pre 10.2.

When you work with an older Library in 10.2/10.2.1 and you are experiencing performance issues due to thumbnail and waveform regeneration, moving the contents of the problem Library to a newly created Library may help. Another possible way to solve this issue is to just delete the contents of the Cache folder of the problematic Library and let FCP X completely regenerate the thumbnail and waveform cache.

- Ronny

Thank you again, for all your input. A lot of great suggestions. In the meantime I’ve been working with a Senior tech for FCPX at Apple via telephone for four days, three hours a day running tests on my computer, Yosemite and FCPX 2.1. I will say, to Apple’s credit they’ve been relentless trying to solve the problem.

Here’s where we stand now and you might find this of interest for the problems you’ve been experiencing.

Through a process of elimination we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not 2.1 or how Yosemite is processing information. To avoid this becoming a three page reply I’ll skip all the details about how these conclusions was reached. If anyone would like to know the specifics I will gladly fill them in.

At the Apple tech’s suggestion I downloaded the BlackMagic clocking app, free from the Apple store.

We then tested my 7200 rpm 3 terabyte and 4 terabyte Thunderbolt G-Tech external hard drives and found that they were reading and writing at less than half the speed that the thunderbolt drives should run. We switched out the thunderbolt cable for a USB3 cable and the drives actually ran a little faster then when connected by thunderbolt. To make sure that it wasn’t just my particular IMac I attached the drives to my new MacBook Pro and they cloaked in at the exact same reading and writing speed that could accommodate at the very best, the smallest size files. I ended up with only about six checked boxes on the Clocking app, all the rest at higher resolution where x’d out.

So why was I able to edit flawlessly on FCP1.4 and Maverick? The tech had two computers, one running Yosemite and one running Maverick. He tested his external thunderbolt hard drive on both machines and found that running under Maverick the drive read and wrote much faster then on the Yosemite machine.

This could very well account for the hang-ups, color wheels and freezes using 2.1, if you use external hard drives. He’s taken all this info to a Senior engineer at Apple to find out what might be causing this. I store all my libraries and source material on my external drives to avoid clogging up my internal drive. As I said previously, I’m editing with large R3d files ,not proxies, and what worked for me under Maverick is not under Yosemite.

I’ve been promised that they will get back to me ASAP with their conclusions. I will post them as soon as I hear.

Going back over my notes here are the actual clocked speeds of the hard drives:



7200 rpm 4 Terabyte G-Tech connected with thunderbolt cable: Write = 135MB/s Read = 142MB/s on average on Yosemite OS.



7200 rpm 3 Terabyte G-Tech connected with thunderbolt cable: Write = 129MB/s Read = 130MB/s on average on Yosemite OS.



7200 rpm 4 Terabyte G-Tech connected with USB3 cable: Write = 38MB/s. Read = 42MB/s on average on Yosemite OS.



7200 rpm 3 Terabyte G-Tech connected with USB3 cable: Write = 39MB/s. Read = 43MB/s on average on Yosemite OS.



The results where the same on both my Imac and my Macbook Pro. Sorry about posting speeds between thunderbolt and USB3 close to same. That's what happens when your posting at 3 in the morning. Still these speed are way below what they should be.

This is VERY interesting information!

I have a G-Tech external Thunderbolt 8TB drive and I am getting 275MBPS both read and write. I have had the spinning beachball and crash needing a hard reboot maybe 4 times now. I work with Prores 422HQ files and at most ProRes 4444. Not sure how it's not an OS issue if the drive runs slower on Yosemite than Mavericks, though.

Even if the drive can't keep up, it shouldn't cause the computer to crash and needing to be reboot.

16TB P2 RAID 5, plenty fast, no slow downs.

Did you get your earlier statement about Tb and USB3 seeds reversed? The USB# speeds are the ones that look far lower than they should be.

Russ

As said, moving my files to a new library improved things a lot. But I still was getting to reboot my macbook on some random freezings. So I decided to relink all the original media to my backup disk (Western Digital 4tb thunderbolt). I've been working all the morning with 0 problem. I don't remember 10.4.1 to have any issues with the disk I was using before but 10.2.1 surely has (It's a seagate backup plus 4tb usb 3.0).
The Seagate usb 3.0 is actually faster writing and reading than the Western Digital Thunderbolt, but I guess that the thunderbolt is more stable while handling data.

Quick update. While waiting to hear back from Apple Tech I emailed G-Tech support. Here is their reply:
Thank you for contacting HGST Technical Support. The speeds of Read 130MB/s & Write 127MB/s that you are getting are perfectly normal for the drive you have. For this model drive, on our website we do state that it can get "Up to 226 MB/s." The 226MB/s is only achievable with the 6TB version of this drive due to the type of hard drive that is in the enclosure. The 3TB & 4TB version of this drive should get around 130MB/s. So you are getting perfectly normal speeds with this drive.
So, back to square one. Sort of eliminates hard drives a culprits. I will try some of the suggestions you posted while waiting for Apple. Thanks for the posts

Ralph wrote: ....7200 rpm 4 Terabyte G-Tech connected with USB3 cable: Write = 38MB/s. Read = 42MB/s on average on Yosemite OS...

Normally USB 3.0 should not be that slow. Are you going through a hub or to a USB 2.0 port?

Also for consistent results when testing HDD perf, temporarily disable Time Machine and Spotlight search on those drives. Otherwise it can cause unpredictable perf. fluctuations during testing.

To disable Time Machine backup on the test drive: Open TM Preferences>Options, and add the excluded drive to the list.

To disable Spotlight: System Preferences>Spotlight>Privacy, then add the drive to the list.

In both cases don't forget to remove the excluded drives when you are finished testing.

I have not seen any major disk I/O slow downs on Yosemite vs Mavericks.

I don't know what the required I/O rate for 4k r3d is (it may change based on REDCODE compression setting) but I'd be afraid to edit even H.264 4k material on a single HDD that reports only 40MB/sec.