Plunge: Full Computer Upgrade

[Chiba]

Stumbled across a great deal on a last-generation Mac from a friend, so I decided to buy his and sell mine and finally upgrade from old and busted to new hotness

Outgoing: G4/400, 1GB RAM (full), dual heads w/2 cards, 2x40GB HDD.

Incoming: G4/Dual 1GHz, 1GB RAM (can take another 512MB), dual heads w/1 card, 2x80GB HDD - and a Superdrive! (DVD-R/CD-RW)

Exciting I've got a Protools OSX upgrade on the way as well.

--chiba

 

[jnavas]

Very cool. Which interface are you using?

 

[Chiba]

Sticking with my Digi001 & Protools LE, but moving to 6.4. I plan to hang on to my old system/software until I'm sure the transition works.

--chiba

 

[MichaelK]

Nice move - enjoy!

 

[matte]

Great computer, Chiba. I just sold my Dual 1 GIG G4. Did alota work with/on it.

 

[Chiba]

Everything went well with one small hitch. Apparently the firewire hardware in my old G4 is too old to support "Target Disk Mode", so I copied all my important stuff onto my firewire drive, which I then plugged into the new G4.

Unfortunately, OSX considers this firewire drive to be both Mac & PC - so it doesn't "understand" my Protools session files - it 'thinks' they are unix executables and nothing I tell it will change its mind

I know two ways to work around it - simply install the PT hard drive from the old computer in the new one OR use my iPod to transfer all the files (very time consuming). There's space inside the new box for 2 more hard drives, but I can't figure out where to hook up an additional ATA cable!

I'll have it figured out pretty quick - I'd actually like to have a third (or even fourth!) hard drive in there for iTunes & iPhoto files - I have something like 3 gigs of photos and almost 30 gigs of mp3s, so having another 80 gig drive (or 2) would be super cool.

It's nice to run two monitors off one card, that's for sure! With a gig of memory this thing just blazes - I can't wait to record with it.

--chiba

 

[MichaelK]

Cheebs, try this -

Highlight the session files, use the File menu or Command-I to open the "Get Info" dialogue. Go to the "Open with..." area and specify ProTools as the default application. That ought to do it.

Either that or drag the icon for the session file onto the ProTools icon (or an alias) to open it, then when you save it, it will save as a ProTools session.

You ought to check the disk allocation for each session the first time you open it to make sure ProTools saves audio files to the right session folder.

 

[Chiba]

MK - great idea, I tried exactly that. Didn't work - I think because the firewire drive is Mac/PC, it does 'something' to the files.

What I did do, though, is pick up a PCI card that allows me to run up to 4 more IDE drives - and it works fine - mounted my old Protools drive no trouble at all.

'Problem' solved

--chiba

 

[MichaelK]

Originally posted by Chiba
I think because the firewire drive is Mac/PC, it does 'something' to the files.

Doesn't sound right. All firewire drives are Mac/PC. Which did you try, changing the "opens with" or dragging to the ProTools icon?

Glad it worked out, anyway.

 

[Chiba]

I tried both - first dragging, then resetting the "opens with" through the "get info" dialog. Protools itself wouldn't even open up the files. It was weird.

But not now

--chiba

 

[jnavas]

Please let us know about any issues you have moving plug-ins over to OS-X.

 

[MichaelK]

Originally posted by jnavas
Please let us know about any issues you have moving plug-ins over to OS-X.

I can tell you that they all will have to be upgraded. That's the reason I haven't made the leap on my G4.

 

[matte]

Originally posted by jnavas
Please let us know about any issues you have moving plug-ins over to OS-X.

Some VSTs(that come with both Carbon and Calssic versions as downloads)are not a big deal. Everything else is an adventure in conscious suffering.

 

[MichaelK]

Originally posted by Matte
Everything else is an adventure in conscious suffering.

That would be an improvement. I'm more inclined to call it "negative work."

 

[jnavas]

I figured the third party stuff would be somewhat of a pain. I haven't done much research on the ilok yet.

Is the same true for the digirack plugs?

I ask this because I am looking at a used 001 and the seller has verified that several of the plug-in manufacturers will transfer the registration. Everything he has is 9.2.

I might end up doing a dual boot system, and use 9.2 for PT and osX for all of the cool apps that run in it.

 

[MichaelK]

>> I haven't done much research on the ilok yet.

iLok is very cool. I wish all plugs supported it.

>> Is the same true for the digirack plugs?

Digirack plugs come with the version 6 software.

>> I might end up doing a dual boot system, and use 9.2 for PT and osX for all of the cool apps that run in it.

It may require two disk partitions for PT to work in OS 9. It used to be that if OS X was on the same partition PT would not work. Digi or Sweetwater web sites may have more info.

 

[jnavas]

You are correct, it does have to be on a seperate partition.

 

[Chiba]

I won't have any plug-in 'issues' because I've always only used the built-in plug-ins. Too cheap to spring for third-party ones and too honest to use pirated ones.

The place I do my final mixing has LOTS of plug-ins, and the reason he hasn't updated to OSX is because he's got a small fortune invested in those plug-ins.

On my basic mixes I don't usually need more than D-Verb, a delay, and the 1- and 4-band EQs that come with the PT software.

--chiba

 

[jnavas]

Same for me regarding the built-in plugs. I am thinking about going with a good outboard reverb. I guess I'm a little old fashioned about stuff like that.

 

[MichaelK]

>> too honest to use pirated ones.

>> the reason he hasn't updated to OSX is because he's got a small fortune invested in those plug-ins.