Live on Mac loses contact with Finder-can't open file, quit

jdp · Post by **jdp** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:14 pm

Mac Powerbook G3 400Mhz, OSX 10.3.9, Live 4.1.4

No taunts, please, it's been a workhorse setup. I had a catastrophic failure that left the application file with a generic icon and zero bytes in size. After reinstalling from disc and upgrading online I should have been good to go.

Over the past two days, Live would run for shorter and shorter periods before I could no longer access any of the File menu functions: open, save, quit. At first this occurred after about an hour, then ten minutes, now I cannot load a file or quit from launch.

Prefs shows me as an unlocked user.

Needless to say, I'm dead in the water. Any ideas?

- Joel

shlomo · Post by **shlomo** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:17 pm

did you kill all the Live prefs?
if you have an old template overwrite it with new one...

jdp · Post by **jdp** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:14 pm

How many are there?

I've removed the /user/library/preferences/ableton folder and the /user/library/application support/ableton folder. I've removed every plugin that I installed in the last month.

What else should I remove?

Thanks,

Joel

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:08 am

How full is your hard drive?

What were the symptoms of the "catastrophic failure" you mentioned?

jdp · Post by **jdp** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:12 pm

The hard drive is only two-thirds full. The catastrophic failure that led to all this consisted of a screen freeze and app lock-up. After force quit, the Live app file showed zero bytes in the finder, and the Live logo had been replaced by Mac's generic app logo. The Live logo my live set files disappeared as well. The logos all came back once I reloaded from disc, and upgraded to the latest version online.

But now although Live launches, it will not open or save a file, and will not quit.

- Joel

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:22 pm

Hmmm... I don't have a specific answer I'm afraid, but I would try several things:

1. Repair Permissions using Disk Utility.

2. Have you been using OS9 recently? Or were any of the files created in OS9? It certainly wouldn't hurt to rebuild your OS9 desktop:

3. I would run Disk Warrior over the drive. It's a 3rd party app, but insanely good at fixing drive/file issues.

hope this is some help

PS how much RAM do you have?

jdp · Post by **jdp** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:17 am

Thanks for the advice. So far, no good.

I repaired permissions on the boot drive. I have not used system 9 or Classic mode in years.

My live set files no longer show a "created on" date, and will not launch the app. Live will open and quit about three times before hanging.

Seems like an OSX or file system problem. I will look into the Warrior app.

Sigh - performance coming up on Saturday.

- Joel

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:32 am

Sorry to hear that

Definitely give Disk Warrior a go. It's gotten me out of a few scrapes.

http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/

ernene · Post by **ernene** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:35 am

Pitch Black wrote:Sorry to hear that

Definitely give Disk Warrior a go. It's gotten me out of a few scrapes.

http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/

Definitely the best tool out there to get your mac up and running! but before stepping into the major league of tools, and spending 99$, why don't you try
ONYX, and it's free...

This stupid machines

Good Luck!

G

jdp · Post by **jdp** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:34 am

I tried Onyx. Things got worse. Took computer to repair shop. The hard drive was failing. Well, at least I know now. And, Onyx is not to blame.

The shop says the data were saved. Hopefully will find a new drive tomorrow, have it installed, data restored, and I'll be back in business (surely it won't be that easy. . .).

Thanks much for all the advice.

vb,

Joel