MSP8 Crashes

[Devil]

Until recently, MSP8 has been as stable as a rock for me. It is installed on a dedicated computer. Originally, the OS was Win XP Pro (no service packs). Because I needed XP SP2 for a different video software, I "upgraded" it. Immediately, the stability was poorer but still acceptable. Recently, I started a complex new MSP8 project (~200 video files) on a reformatted drive. It crashed frequently (Mean Time Between Failures, MTBF, about 5 minutes). This was a darned nuisance.

I suspected an OS problem, so I put in my XP disk to repair. It baulked because I had a later version and gave me the choice between uninstalling SP2, installing a new copy on a different directory (dual boot) or cancelling. I chose the latter. Nothing daunted, I thought I'd try the SP2 CD to see what happened. It allowed me to reinstall SP2 from scratch. Problem solved. It has been running for a couple of hours now without a sniff of a crash.

Moral of the story: if you have crashes on MSP, check the OS.

Edit, at 18.56: 5 hours without a crash!

[Gorf]

...Moral of the story: if you have crashes on MSP, check the OS.

Couldn't agree more - and from a developer's point of view, it's impossible to check the (almost) infinite variety of driver, service pack, codec and software combinations out there.

I have two Dell machines with XP Home SP2 running. On one of them, crossfaded audio on the timeline gets corrupted. On the other, it's fine.

[marcin]

I guess I have a similar problem. Have been using different versions of MSP for 5 years now (hobby level). Initially it was great, but the last two years are one huge frustration. Now using MSP8 (bought it a weeks before discontinuance of this product was announced ). Have been thinking hard about switching to Premiere, Final Cut or recently Speededit, but had no time going through the learning curve.

... and my problem is: very frequent crashes, basically always when I move around or preview/scrub clips in the timeline. I tend to work very fast (I cut and move clips quickly) and keep about 10 minutes of footage split into 3-20 second clips on the timeline. I have a feeling like after a while the software cannot keep up with the speed of my work and then hangs up(?). This is before I put all the filters and transitions on, because then it can get worse.

I've changed computers and components, defragmented drives, but even with my current powerhouse its just the same. I just started a larger project after some time off and can't figure out if it is just the product not being suitable for anything else, but some birthday party videos, or I am the problem (both me and the software being the only constants in this equasion).

ANy thoughts or similar experience?

[troppo]

i think performance varies greatly depending on the video format you are using. I have lots of sluggishness if I try to edit mp4. But DV is flawless.

[Devil]

When it autosaves a backup, it is not advisable to try any editing.

[marcin]

I only use DV (avi) source and output as such.

Hmm.. I switched the autobackup to 1 minute from 10 minute now (I tend to manually save after every clip cut, but sometimes forget and loosing even a few minutes of intensive cutting due to freeze is frustrating).

Autobackup happens so quickly without warning - how would I know when to momentarily stop whatever editing I was doing?

[mmponline]

Devil

I'm experiencing a similar problem with crashes and even auto backups being corrupt.
If you say:

It allowed me to reinstall SP2 from scratch.

do you mean that it reinstalled over the exsisting one or a new clean installation where you have to re-install all programs.

I don't think I feel like re-installing all programs again.

Stephan

[troppo]

I think he means just SP2, not the whole XP operating system. In which case you wont need to reinstall your programs.

[Devil]

Right: it was a 15 minute crush re-install of just SP2. The proggies weren't touched.

Since writing this, it started crashing again and redoing SP2 cured it. There is something very weak in SP2.

Note: my video computer is not on the 'Net, so it doesn't receive updates.

I'm seriously thinking of reverting to no SP, which is more stable, but that will require a complete re-install of everything and that does bug me.

[mmponline]

My Windows version has SP2 included, so I guess there will be no way other than re-installing the whole OS.

[MrA]

Since writing this, it started crashing again and redoing SP2 cured it. There is something very weak in SP2.

Note: my video computer is not on the 'Net, so it doesn't receive updates.

Mine is acting up now and then as well. Especially if I get into "fast editing", i.e., completing a bunch of clicks or tasks in quick succession.

Most recently, It now locks up, when it feels like it, when I add either video mattes or image masks to a track.

A restart of Video editor usually fixes it, annoying, but..

The editing machine is on the net, and I am thinking one weekend, I'll try Steve's harware profile approach.

One other thing I found, is when updating the OS, what order you update makes a major difference.

As an example, update to SP2, then install MSP, then update other OS features, may not work. (has not worked for me with a bunch of apps, not just MSP)

[Steve]

I've been using MSP for years, now on 7.3 and have experienced crashes similar to what has been described during fast editing above or possible problems with autosave. I have autosave set for one minute, so after a crash I just reload resave and back up an edit or two. Frustrating but you sort of get used to it.

I had tried everything, fresh install of XP SP2 driver updates/fallbacks etc. After reading this post I decided to try one 'last' thing. I changed my undo level from 9 to 0. Coincidence or not, I have not crashed since.

I edit DV AVI files, with lot's of audio splitting, clip moving and three to seven second clip edits, so there is a lot of shuffling around. I would think there is an issue with autosave and undo saving. Just my opinion, but though this may help someone else.

Steve


Dell XPS, 3.0 ghz dual core, 4 gig ram, 500 gig raid 0 HDD

[mmponline]

My worst problem is not only the crashes, but also the fact that the 5 min. backups are then all corrupt. If you haven't closed the program for say an hour, the last hours backups will then all be crashing. As if the corruption starts some time during editing and then corrups all backups after that as well.

Very frustrating!!!!!


I now close and open every 15 min max. just to ensure I don't loose everything.

Are there any news of possible SP or updates coming...???