[Scyld]

thanks for all the suggestions chaps…

just to expand a bit: yes i have run hardware test (nothing revealed) and no i can’t boot up from the system disk without incurring the kernal panic freeze, so i can’t run disk utility. and finally, no third party ram. all apple, all worked fine for the last few years…

verdict?

[Scyld]

thanks for responding so quickly…

the mac just freezes, and i have to reboot the computer. i tried updating to the version of AE the previous poster recommended, but i crashed during the install too.

i’m beginning to suspect it’s a system/hardware problem, because i’d quit AE by then.. i also cannot boot up from the startup disks (10.4) to run disk utility, i get the ‘kernal panic’ screen and i have to zap the pram to get the mac back. – but i have to say this all started when i upgraded to AE 8.

i will try your safe boot up idea. and the activity monitor (although i wouldn’t know what to look for…)

many thanks anyway.