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First time install – tips and resources?
I’ve searched around, but can seem to find any good simple outlines of what we should and should not do when installed FCS for the first time, and what we might want to do to optimise our system.
We will be setting up our first FCP suite in the next week or two probably. We’re getting a MacPro 8x3GHz, which we’ll pack to the gills with RAM and put the ATI X1900 in it.
I’m not really a Mac person (haven’t used one consistently since my Blue & White G3 in 2000). What do I need to watch out for? I’ve read about ‘fixing permissions’ and things like that with new installs – am I in for some pain?
Also, how long should I budget for install? It takes me about an hour and a half to reinstall Windows XP, drivers, Avid and Adobe apps on our main suite (did it a couple of weeks ago). Should I be putting aside a whole day for new Mac setup with FCP (nevermind the time it will take me to adapt to the software).
I’m looking for advice and/or links, about what I should be doing to make my life easier and my suite more efficient from the outset.
Anything I should be aware of with disk partitioning? In previous Avid versions (before MXF) it was a good idea to keep partitions under 300GB – anything like that I should be doing with FCP? We’ll be running an eSATA RAID 0+1 array with about 2TB available (RAID0 mirror of two 2TB RAID1 stripes).
Are there any free/cheap ancillary apps that I should have (again, like the MDV database manager I use with Avid)?
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8 Replies
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After installing from the disk, use Software Update. Will tell you the correct order. When you have the System and QT updated, you can start the FCS2. Install the Suit from the original discks and run Software Update to download the Pro Application Support files that will allows you install the last updates of the Suit.
After each installation run Repair Permissions. And if you want a good advice, after you have installed everything, run DiskWarrior or TechToolsPro.
I sent a post yesterday (Getting the perfect installation) that would be interesting for you to read it.
Cheers,
RafaelPPC G5 2x2Gh 4GbRAM/BlackMagic SD/PMBP 17″Core2Duo 4GbRAM
JVC DTV-17″/FCS2/AE CS3/COMBUSTION/SHAKE -
[Sycophant] “Anything I should be aware of with disk partitioning? In previous Avid versions (before MXF) it was a good idea to keep partitions under 300GB – anything like that I should be doing with FCP?”
There is no technical reason whatsoever to add partitions.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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When you receive your Mac, the first thing you do is run Software Update to bring your machine up to date.
Then run it a second time as some updates don’t activate until an element has already been installed.
Then run your Studio 2 installation.
Again, run Software Update, probably only the Pro Apps update will run.
Run Software Update again and this time all the studio app updates should run.
No need to partition your harddrive at all for the Studio apps, but keep in mind, no media should be stored on your main system drive.
Also, keep in mind that if this is a brand new system, it will have Leopard installed. Not all third party applications and hardware work with Leopard yet. Most notably the Adobe CS3 Video apps, including After Effects. Also some external media drive companies are not ready for Leopard yet.
Installation itself should take about 2 – 3 hours depending on the speed of your internet connection.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
The new Color Training DVD now available from the Creative Cow! -
Hi Walter,
On Friday I installed FCS2 in a brand new HD. I think was a clean and ordered install, repairing permissions after each step.
When I finished I ran DiskWarrior and I found that the 32% of items were out of order. With a system in such a conditions you start having problem as soon as you start any application.
RafaelPPC G5 2x2Gh 4GbRAM/BlackMagic SD/PMBP 17″Core2Duo 4GbRAM
JVC DTV-17″/FCS2/AE CS3/COMBUSTION/SHAKE -
When I finished I ran DiskWarrior and I found that the 32% of items were out of order. With a system in such a conditions you start having problem as soon as you start any application.
I saw that post – to tell you the truth, it scared me a little.
What do you mean about ‘items out of order’ – is this disk fragmentation?
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32% items out of order in the directories.The directories are the files where the sytsem keeps track of all the files that are in the HDs. When the computer needs a file look in the directories. So only with clean directories your machine can work properly.
With the normal work the directories little by little gets out of order. But I never thought that after installing the system could be in such a bad shape.
You say that you have not much experience with Mac. I work with Mac since twenty years so please allow me to give you my best advice: Get your self Diskwarrior or TechTools. Apple nows that, this is why the include TechToolsPro in the Apple Care kit software.
rafaelPPC G5 2x2Gh 4GbRAM/BlackMagic SD/PMBP 17″Core2Duo 4GbRAM
JVC DTV-17″/FCS2/AE CS3/COMBUSTION/SHAKE -
I’ll look at those tools, but I still don’t think I understand the out of order thing.
Files within directories can be ordered by many different attributes (name, size, creation date, etc).
How does this disorder represent itself to the user, and what impact does it have on the system?
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The matter is that you can not see nothing. Only when you run one of those applications you realize the mess.
Those are files that the computer generate to organice it self. To know in which place of the HD is the information, so can be accessed faster. Are like the eyes of your Mac.DiskWarrior and TechTools rebuild those files.
About the impact is huge. They mark the difference between a system that works flawlessly and a slow system where the applications do not responds and give you every kind of problems.
I have an old G5 and a new MBP. The MBP is faster than my G5 but iit doesn’t runs so well because I haven’t got yet the DiskWarrior for Intel Mac.
I swear I do not work for any of those companies. But if you make your living with a Mac this is the only essential software for your security and tranquility.
RafaelPPC G5 2x2Gh 4GbRAM/BlackMagic SD/PMBP 17″Core2Duo 4GbRAM
JVC DTV-17″/FCS2/AE CS3/COMBUSTION/SHAKE
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