MSP8 - Unacceptable Behavior

tavideos · Post by **tavideos** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 3:54 pm

I upgraded from VS8 to MSP8 several weeks ago. I’ve been using VS since version 6 and have been very pleased with the results. I needed to upgrade because I’m doing more multi-camera editing now. I like the layout and ease of use of MSP8 but can’t tolerate it’s behavior. Over the past month I’ve worked on 6 or 7 projects and MSP8 crashed at least once on all of them. On two of the projects, it couldn’t even open the project, “File Reading Error”. Lost 4 hours of work. I tried everything to get it to open including searching on here and elsewhere for help. The other time I got the file reading error, which was this morning, it did finally open one of the older project files, scared me into posting this to see if anyone has any answers as to why this is happening.

If I can’t get this solved, I don’t think I can ever trust MSP8. I do wedding’s and basketball games for the local high school and college. I can’t afford to lose possibly 8 to 10 hours of work. I can tolerate the crashes, I’m sure some of them are related to something I did, usually trying to work to fast. What I can’t tolerate, is a NLE that can’t open a file that it created. Unacceptable!

I have emailed Ulead support, I don't expect any results from them any time soon. I had to contact support about a damaged setup file, that took 2 weeks to get resolved.

My setup XP sp1
P4 2.53 Ghz
1 gig ram
Software Only what I need for editing
Reinstalled MSP8 twice, installed hot fix. MSP8 seemed to
crash less before the hot fix.

Thanks,
Tim

tyamada · Post by **tyamada** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:07 pm

You might want to do a check disk in your explorer and upgrade to Service Pack 2 for XP.

Not sure why you haven't upgraded to SP2, I don't have any problems with any apps, I think Microsoft has ironed out most of the problems wit it.

As a matter of fact most High Definition cameras won't work unless SP2 is installed, not saying you are using a HD camera.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:17 pm

tavideos

Having been an avid computer user for some 20 years and have experienced the loss of hours of work due to computer crashes from a variety of reasons including thins like a sudden mains power cut.
I am now in the habit when working wioth large projects of saving the project under 2 or more different names eg
project1
project2
etc.

Then I have the comfort factor of being able to go back to an earlier point should the need arise. This may not be due to a computer failure or lock up, it may be just to go back to an earlier stage because I am unhappy with some edits.

Steve J

tavideos · Post by **tavideos** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:36 pm

tyamada wrote:You might want to do a check disk in your explorer and upgrade to Service Pack 2 for XP.

Not sure why you haven't upgraded to SP2, I don't have any problems with any apps, I think Microsoft has ironed out most of the problems wit it.

As a matter of fact most High Definition cameras won't work unless SP2 is installed, not saying you are using a HD camera.

I've read, not sure where, that most NLE's run better on SP1. Something to do with some of the updates and security protection of SP2. Is this not true?

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:44 pm

Its a myth. I have Service Pack 2 and it causes me no problems.

Steve J

tyamada · Post by **tyamada** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:45 pm

Not true. I think most of the beta testers probably used SP2 since MSP8 is not that old.

As I said I have SP2 installed and do not have problems editing HD Video. HD video puts a higher demand on the program and would cause MSP 8 to crash more often, which isn't the case.

tavideos · Post by **tavideos** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 5:13 pm

Steve and tyamada, have either of you ever experienced the File Reading Error when trying to open a saved project file?

Steve, do you think saving in differant names would help when this error appears? When this happened the first time, I had several files of the same project saved, but I got the error on all of them.

But, I will upgrade to SP2, MSP8 can't behave any worse.

tyamada · Post by **tyamada** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 5:38 pm

Usually after a crash and upon opening MSP8 again I get a note on the screen that asks if I want to recover project.

I never had a saved project not open, sounds like a bad cluster on your hard disk.

As I said before you should do a Chkdsk and a disk scan to see if you have any errors. Most of the time file corruption occures when your disk drive is having problems.

To do a Chkdsk and disk scan open your Windows Explorer, right click on your hard drive(s), select properties, tools, Check Now, check both boxes.
Reboot the computer.

nbrooks503 · Post by **nbrooks503** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 5:42 pm

You might want to take a look at wherever your project file is located. I'm pretty sure that MSP-8 does automatic saving every so often and puts the saved project file into the folder you designate. example - myproject001.dvp, myproject002.dvp etc.

You might be able to recover your work by looking for the file with the highest number 00? and opening it in msp-8

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:23 pm

I second what tyamada has said.
The advantages of making saves under different names are that it enables you to revert to a previous point if you do something and later want to change your mind. sort of like using the undo function.

It is also a safety net in case the project file gets corrupted.

Steve J

troppo · Post by **troppo** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 2:43 am

It might be a few different hardware problems, dodgy RAM, dodgy HDD, or worse, bad capacitors in your motherboard. This capacitor problem is more widespread than people think, and can affect your computer in all sorts of funny ways. Usually you can tell by opening your computer and looking carefully at the tops of the little barrel things on the motherboard (most are clustered around the processor) If the tops are bulging out them they are stuffed. It is possible to replace, but not a guaranteed procedure, you might need a new motherboard if this is the case.
This has been caused by companies using cheap capacitors from china.
Dell are one of the few companies who acknowledge the problem.
I think there is a class action against Aza in the USA.
Intel, Dell and other big names now only use reputable brands like Hitachi.
Lets hope this is not the problem with your computer!
Cheers,

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:05 am

tyamada wrote:Not true. I think most of the beta testers probably used SP2 since MSP8 is not that old.
.

Not true. I did all my major beta testing on XP Pro without SPs of any number or any updates. As my main video 'puter is isolated from the Internet, I don't need any of the security stuff which can and does compromise hi-tech software. I do have SP2 on my other computers and occasionally use them, when beta testing, to confirm anomalies when I find them. I do no serious video work on them, though.

tavideos · Post by **tavideos** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 3:32 pm

Devil

Do you think this "File Reading Error" has anything to do with SP1 or SP2 factor? I scanned my disks for errors, there ok.

Thanks,
Tim

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 3:56 pm

tavideos wrote:Devil

Do you think this "File Reading Error" has anything to do with SP1 or SP2 factor? I scanned my disks for errors, there ok.

Thanks,
Tim

Frankly, I have no idea. The trouble is there is no single SP1 or SP2. Since SP2 was launched, there have been about 50 updates, each of them effectively a new version of Windows. Who can possibly tell the potential effect of each of those updates? Some of them may have introduced bugs which subsequent updates may have cured. That alone is a good enough reason why I have never updated XP Pro from the original installation on my video computer. It is very difficult for me to pontificate, but I have read cases where updating Windows has caused problems with a number of applications.

That having been said, I think your problem may not be Windows-related. It is more likely that you have something like a missing frame or something of that ilk. On a project that you have loaded, try Search for Empty Time Slots.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 6:24 pm

I have an always on broadband connection with XP Pro Service pack 2 and automatic updates. I have no problems with my completely up to date copy of XP.