Archive for the ‘Windows 7’ Category
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014
Windows 7’s “My Documents” library folder is by default mapped to the system drive, e.g. as [C:\Users\<username>\Documents]. However it is also possible to map it elsewhere, e.g. to another volume. A broadly equivalent situation exists in Mac OS. One might for example use this option to move the Documents library/folder to a thumb/flash drive when using several computers (one at a time) or to put it on a non-system drive, e.g. to free up space on the system drive, exclude it from system backups (thus freeing up both space and time) or to put it on something like a server, possibly on “The Cloud”.
I found the following explanation by accident, while attempting to find a way to prevent Adobe Media Encoder (AME) from storing its own “preview files” (sic), which are huge, in a sub-folder of “My Documents”, which itself on typical Windows systems is to be found on the System Drive. It seems that AME has no Preferences setting to store these preview files elsewhere, so a workaround is needed, e.g. to move the “My Documents” library folder itself to another volume.
- http://forums.adobe.com/message/6045027
- 6. Mark Mapes, 23-Jan-2014 10:17
- http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/redirect-folder-new-location#1TC=windows-7
- Windows 7:
- To redirect a folder to a new location
- Click the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then click your user name.
- Right-click the folder that you want to redirect, and then click Properties.
- Click the Location tab, and then click Move.
- Browse to the location where you want to redirect this folder. You can select another location on this computer, another drive attached to this computer, or another computer on the network. To find a network location, type two backslashes (\\) into the address bar followed by the name of the location where you want to redirect the folder (for example, \\mylaptop), and then press Enter.
- Click the folder where you want to store the files, click Select Folder, and then click OK.
- In the dialog that appears, click Yes to move all the files to the new location.
- Mac OS (Mavericks & previous):
- To restore a folder to its original location
- Click the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then click your user name.
- Right-click the folder that you previously redirected and want to restore to its original location, and then click Properties.
- Click the Location tab, click Restore Default, and then click OK.
- Click Yes to recreate the original folder, and then click Yes again to move all the files back to the original folder.
- https://discussions.apple.com/message/23510349#23510349
- (Ignore the initial links, which are merely about changing names, e.g. when migrating a laptop from one person to another)
- John Galt, 25-Oct-2013
- The procedure was unchanged in Mavericks from previous OS X versions.
- What I did was create a new User in System Preferences, after which I logged out and logged in to that new User.
- I performed basic configuration, created some documents, etc.
- After that I logged out, logged in under my usual account, and dragged that User’s folder to another volume.
- Then, I used Users & Groups “Advanced Options” to point to the new Home folder’s location.
- After that, I restarted the Mac using OS X Recovery to reset that user’s Home Folder Permissions and ACLs since permissions problems with the copied Home folder would otherwise result.
- After quitting OS X Recovery I was able to log in to the User account established on the USB flash drive, and was able to use it more or less the same way without any surprises. Safari, iTunes, iPhoto all worked, no problems.
- The original User account (home folder) remained on the boot volume, so I dragged it to the Trash. I verified that I could still log in to the account on the flash drive, confirming the one created on the boot volume was no longer required.
- Attempting to log in to the account with the flash drive disconnected resulted in an expected error (below) and obviously you wouldn’t want to do that while using the account.
- Reconnecting the flash drive restored the ability to log in as expected.
Posted in Adobe Media Encoder, file mgt, Mac, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Friday, April 4th, 2014
Following on from my previous post entitled: “SSD Format Details for BlackMagic Cinema Camera”:
Here is how to (re)format a volume as exFAT , whether or not it is already in that format, from Windows 7, via Command-Line (cmd):
- Windows Start:[cmd]
- format E: /q /fs:exfat
- The type of the file system is EXFAT. Enter current volume label for drive E: <your volume’s name>
- WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK DRIVE E: WILL BE LOST! Proceed with Format (Y/N)? y
- QuickFormatting 457860M
- Format cannot run because the volume is in use by another process.
- Format may run if this volume is dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID.
- Would you like to force a dismount on this volume? (Y/N) y
- Volume dismounted. All opened handles to this volume are now invalid.
- Volume label (15 characters, ENTER for none)? <your volume’s name>
- Initializing the File Allocation Table (FAT)…
- Creating file system structures.
- Format complete. 447.1 GB total disk space. 447.1 GB are available.
- 131,072 bytes in each allocation unit. 3,662,754 allocation units available on disk.
- 32 bits in each FAT entry.
- Volume Serial Number is <your volume’s serial number>
Posted in Formats, SSD, storage, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Friday, October 18th, 2013
In summary:
There’s no magic option, each workstation needs a local storage volume with block-level data access (as opposed to simply file-level access) and formatted to a file system that is native (doesn’t require translation) to that workstation’s operating system. Migration and collaboration imply file copying/synchronization, which implies read-access to the “foreign” file-system. Mac OS can read NTFS, Winows can only read HFS+ via third-party add-on utilities. Furthermore, for speed and responsiveness appropriate to video editing, the local storage should ideally be RAID or SSD. In either case, it is possible to split the local storage (e.g. via partitioning) into more than one file-system. At least, that worked on the mutiple occasions I have taken that approach, and have not been aware of any issues.
In greater detail:
Consider the challenge of setting up a shared data storage volume (e.g. RAID array or SSD) for video editing, such that either Windows or Mac computers can connect to it, and a video project started on (and saved to) on one of those operating systems (OS) can be continued on the other (and vice versa).
My current solution is to split the drive into separate volumes, one for each OS. For example I have done this on RAIDs of various kinds and on an internal drive for Mac systems bootable to either Mac OS or (via Boot Camp) to Windows. In the case of RAIDs I was advised against this by my system supplier, but got the impression they were just being defensive, not knowing of any definite issues, and to my knowledge I did not experience any issues.
It is is not practical to have just one volume (necessarily in that case, one file-system format), because:
- Mac OS on its own is able to read NTFS but cannot write to it.
- This is a show-stopper. Some of the major video editing applications (e.g. NLEs), slightly disturbingly, may use (or for some functionality, even depend on) read/write access to source-files and the folders containing them.
- I initially, naively, imagined that video editing systems etc. would only ever read source media files, not write to them, or to the folders containing them. However that proved very naive indeed…
- In Apple/Mac’s (erstwhile) Final Cut Pro 7 I regularly used their (moving) image stabilization effect, SmoothCam. Its analysis phased was typically slow and heavy – not something one would wish to repeat. The result was a “sidecar” file of similar forename to the analyzed source file, but a different extension, placed in the same folder as the source file.
- I’m not certain, but got the feeling that maybe the source file (or folder) meta data, such as permissions or somekind of interpretation-change to media files in the quicktime ([.mov] mmedia format.
- Certainly, Adobe (on Windows and Mac) could adulterate both files (by appending XMP data – being an Adobe media metadata dialect in XML) and the folders they occurred in (depending on uder-configuration) in terms of sidecar-files.
- Sony Vegas also generates sidecar-files, e.g. for audio peaks.
- File system translation add-ons can add Windows read/write access to HFS+ (ordinarily it could not even read it) and add Mac OS write access to NTFS (ordinarily it could only read it), but not sufficiently transparent/seamless for big real-time data access as required for demanding video editing endeavours.
- File system translation add-ons (to operating systems) exist, such as MacDrive, to allow Windows to read/write Mac OS, or Tuxera NTFS, Paragon NTFS or Parallels for Mac to enable it to read/write NTFS, but these (reportedly, and in part of my experience) only really work well for standard “Office” type applications, not so well for heavy (big andd real-time) data applications such as video editing, where they can impede the data throughput. Doh!
- Some people have experienced obscure issues of application functionality, beyond data-movement speed issues.
- {Also, I am concerned over the (unknown/imagined/potential) risk that the “alien” operating system and/or its translation utility might alter the file system in some way that upsets its appearance to the “home” operating system.}
- FAT is universal but is a riskier option:
- FAT is un-journaled, hence risks loss not only of individual files but of whole volume (integrity).
- In video editing, corruption could be disastrous to a project, not only in terms of possible data-loss or time wasting and project delays on data recovery, but also in terms of “weird” effects during editing, such as poor responsiveness to commands, whose cause the user may not appreciate. or even an increased risk of unacceptable flaws in the final product.
- FAT32 is essentially obsolete, because its maximum file size is (1 bit under) 4GB.
- exFAT, a kind of “FAT64” is practical, and indeed a big successful corporate Mac-based production company once supplied me with many GB of footage on an exFAT-formatted external disk.
- The largest file I have so far stored there is 40GB. No problems.
- NAS (Network-Attached Storage) sounds at first an easy option, but in my experience they impede big real-time data throughput (as stated earlier for “file system tyranslation” add-ons). Double-Doh!
- Such devices only permit file-level access. Consequently, the client systems can e.g. create or retrieve folders and files, but cannot e.g. format the device or address it in terms of lower-level data structures.
- A likely explanation for the “impedement” of a NAS (to data responsiveness and throughput) is that such devices store in a local format (typically they run linux) that is invisible to the client, then translate to an appropriate protocol for each operating system accessing it. They normally incorporate a bunch of such protocols. As always, translation => overhead.
- Other options, such as SAN and iSCSI, instead of providing file-level access to the client systems, instead offer the lower level of data block access. Thus they appear to the client system as would any local storage device, and can be formatted as appropriate to the client system.
- One suggestion I saw was to use a Seagate GoFlex drive, which can be used (read/write) with both Mac and Windows. But the supplier’s FAQ (about that drive) indicates that it depends upon a translator utility for the Mac:
- If you would like to be able to “shuttle” data back and forth between a Mac and a PC, a special driver needs to be installed onto the Mac that allows it to access a Windows-formatted drive (i.e. NTFS). Time Machine will not work in this case, nor will Memeo Premium software for Mac. However, if you want your GoFlex solution to also work with TimeMachine, the drive will need to be reformatted to HFS+ journaled.
So I guess there is no “magic storage” option, my main work setup will have to remain based on separate volumes for each OS.
When transferring an editing project from one OS to another, the following actions will be necessary:
- Copy any absent or updated files across.
- e.g. via a file-synch utility such as Syncovery.
- Allow time etc. for possible file re-linking, re-indexing, re-preview generation, re-“SmoothCam” (or equivalent).
- This aspect is down to the editing application etc., as opposed to the operating or file systems themselves.
- Ensure any effects used in the edit are present on both systems.
- If so then these should presumably still work…
(more…)
Posted in Adobe, collaboration, disk, FCP7, FCPX, file mgt, Final Cut, Formats, Mac, MacDrive, NAS, Parallels, Premiere, RAID, util, video, Windows, Windows 7, workflow | No Comments »
Friday, October 18th, 2013
The md5 checksum algorithm is very old and nowadays regarded as “breakable”, to such an extent that it is not recommended for use in data transmission (through interfering environments) protocols. However it is handy, well-established. and hence warm/fuzzy…
On Mac OS, the ‘md5’ command is inbult to the OS:
- Compute an MD5 checksum:
- $ md5 test.mp4
- MD5 (test1.mp4) = f3ed1559874599d26fddc5802d65266e
- $ md5 *
- MD5 (test1.mp4) = f3ed1559874599d26fddc5802d65266e
- MD5 (test2.mp4) = b9bfa87a6a126911f2246c7a615bff27
- For help: [ man md5 ]
- To check a file against an expected checksum value:
- md5 -c CHECKSUM.MD5
- Where CHECKSUM.MD5 has (only) multiple entries (lines) as returned by MD5 command, e.g.:
- MD5 (test1.mp4) = f3ed1559874599d26fddc5802d65266e
- MD5 (test2.mp4) = b9bfa87a6a126911f2246c7a615bff27
- ???
On Windows 7:
- There is nothing inbuilt to the OS…
- Third-party applications are available:
- Probably best to use a non-Microsoft one, e.g. a linux-like one…
- There are also many user-friendly/convenience (GUI-based checksum applications, offering additional checksum varieties, beyond md5.
- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841290
- The FCIV utility runs on Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003
- No mention of Windows 7 but that was after its time(2004) so maybe still worth a try?
- Download link:
- The Microsoft File Checksum Integrity Verifier (FCIV) utility is an unsupported command-line utility that computes MD5 or SHA1 cryptographic hashes for files. Microsoft does not provide support for this utility. Use this utility at your own risk. Microsoft Product Support Services (PSS) cannot answer questions about the File Checksum Integrity Verifier utility.
- Weird! Why would they maintain such a …discouraging… attitude?
- For help: [ fciv.exe /? ]
- Capabilities:
- Supports MD5 or SHA1 hash algorithms (The default is MD5.)
- Can output hash values to the console or store the hash value and file name in an XML file
- Can recursively generate hash values for all files in a directory and in all subdirectories (for example, fciv.exe c:\ -r)
- Supplies an exception list to specify files or directories to hash
- Can store hash values for a file with or without the full path of the file
- ?
Posted in checksum, Mac, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Sunday, August 4th, 2013
Problem: 10-bit QuickTime (QT) Cineform footage in Premiere CS6 on Windows 7 looked ok with Sequence in 8-bit mode but crazy (mostly noise) when same Sequence was in “Maximum bit depth” mode.
Solution: Re-wrap the footage as AVI-Cineform (or else use Premiere CS5.5 or a different NLE).
I posted this on the Adobe Premiere forum at http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1268633
Posted in Premiere, QuickTime, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Saturday, August 3rd, 2013
The following is aimed at Windows Vista, but I think (though being no expert) thatmuch of it applies equally to Windows 7:
Posted in Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013
I want to run some python scripts, whose instructions state the need to run apt-get first. The apt-get command is from unix-land, whereas I use mainly Windows. How can this apparent obstacle be overcome?
I guess first I should try the “easy way”, i.e. get the script running on a unix machine e.g. a Mac}
Google:[apt-get windows 7]:
- http://windows-get.sourceforge.net/ {No use to me}
- {Naively, I thought it sounded like a Windows version of apt-get, but it is actually only inspired by apt-get, and is only for getting Windows applications such as FireFox.}
- http://win-get.sourceforge.net/
- Win-get is a automatic software installer and package manager for Windows, inspired by Debian’s apt-get tool. With win-get, downloading and installing an application to your computer is as simple as: win-get install firefox
- win-get is an automated install system and software repository for Microsoft Windows written in pascal (for the command line client) and php for the online repository. The ideas for its creation come from apt-get and other related tools for the *nix platforms.
- The system works by connecting to a link repository. Finding an application and downloading it from the stored link using wget.exe . Then performing the installation routine (silent or standard). And finnally deleting the install file.
- http://wiki.debian.org/AptZip {Possible solution? e.g. run on a Mac then use the download on Windows?}
- {Could this be an alternative? Download on a separate computer and transfer to destination by memory stick etc.}
- APT-ZIP is a package to update a non-networked computer using apt and a (removable) media (harddisk, USB key, ZIP drive…)
- The apt-zip-list and apt-zip-inst commands simplify the upgrade process of a non-networked Debian host using apt , by using (preferably high-capacity) removable media, like a ZIP or USB drive.
- You can use wget in Cygwin in the computer where you haven’t got installed Debian, to execute Apt-zip. Also you can run the script from a LiveCD.
- http://www.cygwin.com/ {Better solution? Needed in any case?}
- Cygwin is:
- A collection of tools which provide a Linux look and feel environment for Windows.
- A DLL (cygwin1.dll) which acts as a Linux API layer providing substantial Linux API functionality.
- Cygwin is not:
- A way to run native Linux apps on Windows. You must rebuild your application from source if you want it to run on Windows.
- Latest Version & Windows Compatibility:
- The Cygwin DLL currently works with all recent, commercially released x86 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Windows, with the exception of Windows CE and Windows NT4.
- The most recent version of the Cygwin DLL is 1.7.17-1.
- http://lifehacker.com/5433452/cygwin-17-adds-windows-7-support-and-many-improvements
- Version 1.7 added Windows 7 compatibility.
Posted in building, Mac, unix, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Sunday, September 2nd, 2012
My MacBook Pro, of 2009 vintage, has both FireWire 800 (FW 800) and ExpressCard among its data & communications ports. These work fine in Mac OS X, but not in [Boot Camp > Windows 7 (64-bit)]. That’s how it’s always been with this laptop. A while has passed since I last searched the web, so I wondered whether any solution had finally been found. I was prompted by the serendipitous discovery (in a desk drawer) of an ExpressCard to FireWire card, offering dual FS800 ports. It was originally purchased in an attempt to work around the non-functioning (in BC-W7) native FW port of the machine, but that attempt had not, to date, been successful. I wondered if maybe a solution to using that work-around might now be available.
No.
Sadly I just wasted valuable time looking around. All I confirmed was that I was not alone with this problem.
(more…)
Posted in Boot Camp, FireWire, MacBook Pro, Uncategorized, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Saturday, September 1st, 2012
This is a long-standing problem to which it seems there might never be a solution…
Websearch on [MacBook Pro > Boot Camp > Windows 7] re not-working-properly of:
Links I found (if only for posterity):
- e.g. Google: [macbook pro boot camp express card recognized]
- https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1770784?start=0&tstart=0
- Q:
- I have just tried the Express 3/4 wireless card from Ubitquiti. After booting up in Bootcamp, and inserting the card, I did not receive the “Found New Hardware” dialog. I am unable to find the device in the device manager. It appears that bootcamp may not support the Express 3/4 card slot.
- I can see when I boot OS X that the card is recognized, but it does not have a driver for it. So I know the H/W appears to be functional.
- A:
- In subsequent experimentation, I am finding that if the card is inserted when I bootup with bootcamp, then the expresscard/34 is recognized. However if I insert the card after having been booted, the card does not get recognized.
- http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=783982
- Q:
- I’ve got Windows 7 RC 64-bit installed on a 2.53 GHz MacBook Pro (dual boot using Boot Camp) with an ExpressCard slot. I also got a FileMate SolidGO 3FMS4D48M-WR 48GB ExpressCard SSD; the drive works beautifully under OS X, but is not recognized at all by Windows 7 when it’s in the ExpressCard slot. In Device Manager, the yellow caution icon appears in front of the Standard ACHI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers. The drive does not show under Disk drives or in Disk Manager. The corresponding Device Status message is: “This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use (Code 12). If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system.”
- The drive is recognized as SATA under Mac OS X and also works fine in Windows when plugged into a USB port instead of the ExpressCard slot (at which point it is not treated as SATA, but USB). I’ve tried the latest Boot Camp drivers, but that has no effect. Any suggestions?
- A:
- Unfortunately for Unibody users like myself with the Nvidia MCP79 chipset there hasn’t been a solution found yet – it’s discussed towards the end of the thread. I’m going to try and help when I have time but until they find a solution or Apple release what would be quite a simple EFI patch to enable it in the BIOS emulation we’re stuck with PATA and your SSD won’t work
Posted in Boot Camp, FireWire, MacBook Pro, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Thursday, August 9th, 2012
Computer increasingly slow on start-up, eventually becomes sporadic in its ability to succeed, unexpected error messages…
Yes, it’s Disk Failure Time ! This time it was on my Mac Pro (desktop)
So I did these things:
- Copied latest stuff to a portable (WD Passport) drive:
- I copied documents, videos and downloads
- I generated a list of installed applications, both 32-bit and 64-bit.
- Opened up the machine to remove drives (and at the same time to hoover-out dust).
- Procured a replacement hard drive
- Google-search revealed my old drive to be obsolete, no longer (easily) available
- Phoned a local computer tech wizardry shop, who fix Macs as well as PCs, and they had a suitable replacement drive (a WD SATA 1TB drive, twice the size of the old/failing one.
- Bought that very disk.
- Fitted the disk, as sole disk, and recovered both the Mac OS and Boot Camp > W7 partitions, according to the “DO” (not “DON’T”) branch of the instructions listed at http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/300
- It took about an afternoon. The longest stages were the actual restorings from backup.
- For W7
- The first thing I updated was the antivirus. This was for the app as well as the database, and it wasn’t quick. No reboot needed though.
- Otherwise, two or three reboots were required, including first-use, windows updates critical, windows updates optional.
Posted in backup, Boot Camp, disk, Mac, repair, Snow Leopard, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 20th, 2012
I have various CUDA-enabled applications and my Mac BootCamp Windows 7 (64-bit) machines have CUDA-capable GPUs (Graphics Cards) but the drivers under Boot Camp make the CUDA features inacessible.
Ordinarily, for a standard windows desktop, it would simply be a case of going to NVIDIA’s site http://www.geforce.co.uk/drivers and letting it automatically scan your system for the latest compatible driver. However for the “shrink-wrapped” / “walled garden” world of Macs and MacBooks, the NVIDIA search result just says “contact the manufacturer”. In other words only the driver supplied with Boot Camp is officially supported.
So in that case, what is not officially supported but does work? Time for a web-search:
Google: [macbook pro geforce 9600m gt driver]
Obviously I will want to back everything up first…
…but it does sound worth a try.
Posted in CUDA, GPU, graphic card, Mac, MacBook Pro, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Friday, May 18th, 2012
Web-Research:
- http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/running-windows-anything-else-your-mac/179571-upgrade-windows-7-without-going-through-bootcamp-again.html
- ID:
- Updating Boot Camp and installing Windows 7 on your Mac
- by Topher Kessler January 20, 2010
- Best to install drivers first:
- Boot Camp Software Update 3.1 64-bit: The full Boot Camp driver package for 64-bit versions of Windows, including Windows 7.
- Boot Camp Software Update 3.1 32-bit: The full Boot Camp driver package for 32-bit versions of Windows, including Windows 7.
- Graphics Firmware Update 1.0: This provides graphics updates for iMacs and MacPros with Geforce 7300GT, 7600GT, and Quadro FX4500 graphics processors. It is only required if you are installing Windows 7.
- {BUT are they not included as standard nowadays (2012) with latest version of Boot Camp ? }
- http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/running-windows-anything-else-your-mac/179571-upgrade-windows-7-without-going-through-bootcamp-again.htm
- ID:
- upgrade to Windows 7 without going through bootcamp again?
- Question by “brockga”, Feb. 2009
- “should be” no need to destroy & re-create existing Boot Camp partition, just install W7 over the top of it.
- Further advantage of this method: W7 “Custom Install” option able to save existing Documents
- << The Windows 7 install process will then copy all of your data in “My Documents” over to a Windows.old folder within Windows 7 itself. All applications and documents stored in other locations will have to be reinstalled / transferred manually. >>
- x
- http://forums.macworld.com/index.php?/topic/139815-successful-setup-os-x-lion-bootcamp-win7-data-partition/
- ID:
- Successful setup: OS X Lion + Bootcamp Win7 + Data Partition
- ernopena_nyc, 28 August 2011
- The key to this working is creating your extra partitions AFTER you make the Bootcamp partition but BEFORE you install Windows. And once Windows is installed, you CAN NOT shrink, resize, delete, create, or modify any partition.
- <<<
- I have my internal 500GB hard drive partitioned the following way:
- 120GB OS X Lion (system and apps)
- 316GB workspace partition (user files, projects)
- 64GB Bootcamp Windows 7 Ultimate
- To make this work, I started with the standard procedure of installing OS X Lion on a single Mac OS Ext partition and using Bootcamp Assistant to build the Bootcamp partition for Windows. Then I did 2 key things:
- 1. Before installing Windows on the Bootcamp partition, I first went back to Disk Utility, shrunk the OS X Lion partition, and inserted a 3rd partition Workspace_HD for all my user files. Then I restarted and installed Windows 7.
- 2. After Win 7 Ultimate, the Bootcamp drivers and Office 2010 were installed and activated, I DID NOT make any changes to any partitions. I can put whatever I want on any partition, but I CAN NOT shrink, resize, delete, create, or modify any partition. Any change to the partition tables after Windows is installed will BREAK the Bootcamp partition.
- I went thru 3 broken installs of Bootcamp/Win7 to figure this out
- >>>
- http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/windows-7-on-a-mac-my-boot-camp-survival-guide/3446
- Miscellaneous related tips and discussions…
Posted in Boot Camp, Mac, Uncategorized, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Saturday, April 14th, 2012
What I have discovered:
- There is a W7 upgrade product but it only works from Vista, not XP.
- Furthermore, the upgrade to W7 64-bit only works nondestructively from Vista 64-bit.
- So I might as well do a clean install…
- (Which is probably wise in any case)
- …and from a Full (not Upgrade) version of W7
- Will initially try it on an experimental system disk.
- Want to be sure of no significant issues before committing the main system.
- One of the things to confirm is whether any of the (few but vital) progs I have that only run on XP will be able to run in W7’s “Virtual PC” (which has XP SP3).
(more…)
Posted in activation, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Sunday, January 29th, 2012
My girlfriend has one of these, ethernet-connected to her router and thus available on her home network. However, in order for any computer, Windows or Mac (what about linux?) to access it, it is necessary (aside from any hacky-workarounds that may possibly exist) to install the Iomega Home Storage Manager. This makes volume(s) offered by the NAS appear, on the Mac in Finder under SHARED, or on a Windows machine as additional drive letter(s).
To acquire the Iomega Home Storage Manager, go to https://iomega-eu-en.custhelp.com/app/platform/p/1031,1043 or else try https://iomega-eu-en.custhelp.com/ and click on [Desktop Network Storage > Home Media Network Hard Drive]. May need to establish and login-to an iomega support account (free) first.
I wondered at first about enabling the NAS as a Mac OS Time Machine (backup) disk. An iomega article I saw suggested that should be possible, for iomega firmware 2.0 and above. But the disk as it stands is NTFS-formatted – because when it was set up we had only Windows machines. Now that disk contains much material in that NTFS. I guess it might be possible to partrition the disk e.g. to keep the existing NTFS and add alongside it a HFS+ partition for Time Machine to use. But it’s guesswork that carries risks (of disruption/damage to existing contents). We want an easy geeking-minimal life, so maybe better to repurpose that NAS and get a purpose-made Apple Time Capsule instead. Either way, the evening wears on, so I’ll shelve that idea/investigation for now…
(more…)
Posted in Apple, backup, disk, file mgt, Mac, MacBook Pro, network, Networking, tidy, Windows 7, wireless | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
Back in early 2010, I bought a MacBook Pro. Like my existing Mac Pro desktop it had a FireWire 800 (FW800) port, but unlike the Mac desktop that port would only function under Mac OS, not Boot Camp > Windows. The desktop had Windows XP 32-bit while the MacBook had Windows 7 64-bit.
In a prolonged attempt (the latter half of 2010) I did a lot of searching, browsing, emailing, phoning and conversing to try to find out if it was “just me” or a recognised issue. The main source of misleading answers to the effect that many had never had that problem was that those same people had never tried (saying that at the start would have been a more useful answer). Or else my question got “pidgeonholed” into a standard one about booting from an external drive – something I was definitely not trying to do. Next, it seemed that some older laptops had a different chipset, by Texas Instruments, and those did not have the same problem.
One workaround some people employed was to go via a FW800 ExpressCard adaptor. But that only works on certain models and certain versions of Windows it appears.
In conclusion, the issue appears to remain in force, it’s not “just me”, and sadly there is little prospect of it being fixed. I had this vain hope that maybe newer macbook models or newer Boot Camp releases might have sorted things a bit. Doesn’t look like it…
(more…)
Posted in MacBook Pro, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
Posted in Adobe, After Effects, CUDA, Final Cut, Mac, Premiere, Windows, Windows 7, workflow | No Comments »
Sunday, January 1st, 2012
Trying to understand why Ozone 5 will/won’t show up in various Windows 7 applications, I discovered that:
The folder on my system is:
- [C:\Program Files (x86)\Vstplugins]
The corresponding registry entry is:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Wow6432Node > VST > VSTPluginsPath
- The name [Wow6432Node] sounds somewhat unprofessional, but I checked on my system and indeed that’s how it is.
In Registry Editor:
- In left-hand “explorer” pane, dial-down to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Wow6432Node > VST]
- At that location:
- Name: (REG_SZ) = [VSTPluginsPath]
- Value: (REG_SZ) = [C:\Program Files (x86)\Vstplugins]
Posted in audio, REGISTRY, VST, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
- Installer for CS5.5 Production Premium
- For viewing the license conditions, it offers language choices including [English (North America)] and [English (International)].
- It’s not clear what the difference is. I wish it showed some examples in each.
- I’m not the only confused one, e.g:
- http://forums.adobe.com/message/1227810
- Peter Spier
- 3. Jan 14, 2009 10:21 AM (in response to rpollack-2)
- Re: CS4 English International vs English US
- To add to the confusion, I think the difference is in the default dictionaries and the spellings in the interface, i.e. it presumes you want British-style spelling (as you have), and has nothing to do with licensing.
- I have no clue how to change that election other than to re-install. If you can live with the funny spelling in the menus, you can set the default dictionary to US English in InDesign, and probably other apps.
- With nothing open, click the text tool and set the control panel to character mode options. Change the language in the dictionary dropdown near the right end. This is also available from the character panel (which which is where you’d change it in Photoshop, it’s in the prefs under Hyphenation in Illustrator — and you may be able to reset the interface language in the Photoshop prefs, too)
- I chose [English (International)]
- Next it asked for:
- Serial Number or else check the Trial button.
- Also it asked for Language
- I assume this to be the operating language for the app
- Again I chose [English (International)]
- Next, [Install Options]
- Apps:
- Flash Pro CS5.5
- AIR for Apple iOS Support
- After Effects CS5.5
- Audition CS5.5
- Encore CS5.1
- Flash Catalyst CS5.5
- Illustrator CS5.1
- OnLocation CS5.1
- PhotoShop CS5.1 (64..)
- PhotoShop CS5.1
- Premiere Pro CS5.5
- Location:
- Next it began calculating the total time for install and began installing. After a few minutes it returned its time estimate as around half an hour. This (initial conservative estimate?) rapidly dropped to around 20 minutes.
- Next it asked for web browsers to be closed
- Finally it displayed what looks like a Launcher window for the Production Premium suite, withbuttons labelled akin to Periodic Table elements, except that one of them [Ps] (PhotoShop) appeared twice, identically labelled.
- On mouse-hover it emerged (from tooltip text) that the second [Ps] was 64-bit, the first then presumably being 32-bit, though its tooltip text did not confirm this
- Possibly unrelated, Kapersky AntiVirus reported
- <<Detected a potentially dangerous modification of the application BMDSTREAMINGSERVER.EXE without a digital signature>>
- That application was installed yesterday, as part of DaVinci Resolve Lite for Windows.
- (I got distracted by domestic events)
- The Kapersky prompt appeared to time-out, I don’t know whatit assumed/did…
- The Launcher highlighted the followingTutorials link:
- From Launcher, ran Adobe Premiere
- A “First Use” dialog came up
- Requested mu Adobe ID
- Ientered it.
- Response screen said: <<By providing an Adobe ID, you have set up access to Adobe CS Live Services during your trial period.
- It also indicated it had sent email verification.
- I received two emails.
- First email
- <<<
- Thank you for providing your Adobe ID and downloading your Adobe Creative Suite® software trial. During your software trial, you will have access to CS Live services that further extend the capabilities of your Adobe Creative Suite software. Accessed from within your software, CS Live services enable you to accelerate creative reviews, streamline cross-browser testing, and easily host online meetings.
- For quick and easy access to CS Live services, here is some important information you will want to save:
- Your complimentary CS Live services subscription will expire with your product trial.
- >>>
- Second email:
- Verify email address
- Strange that this was sent after the email containing Personal Meeting Room address etc.
- Thank You dialog gave link to tutorials:
- I clicked the [Done] button
- Adobe Premiere started up
- Popup stated: <<Adobe Premiere Pro requires updated video card drivers for CUDA accelerated rendering. Please download and install current drivers for your video card.>>
- That’s what I was afraid of. It’s making the same demands as DaVinci Resolve. I cannot satisfy those demands, all updates are under Apple’s control – it is normal that laptops (as my MacBook Pro is) have customized versions of graphics card drivers…
- Premiere prompted for [New Project] etc.
- I clicked on [Help]
- The Help panel, once populated (after a minute or so), included a [Getting Started and Tutorials] link.
Posted in Adobe, After Effects, Boot Camp, Premiere, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Monday, December 26th, 2011
Given my poor experiences on my [MacBook Pro (2009) > Boot Camp > Windows 7] with Boris Blue and with DaVinci Resolve, it is by no means certain that [Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium] will fare any better. But it’s worth a try.
So I downloaded a trial. As part of that I had to first allow [Adobe Download Assistant] to be nstalled and executed. It prompted for my level of expertise. I answered: <<Novice: I could use all the help I can get>>. In response it gave the following link:
The download is apparently 7.116 GB, estimated download time between 5 and 8 hours. Overnight in other words.
Posted in Adobe, After Effects, Boot Camp, MacBook Pro, Premiere, tutorials, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Sunday, December 25th, 2011
I’ve been using Winclone, a Mac OS app, to back-up my Boot Camp – Windows 7 partition onto a HFS+ (Mac OS compatible) external disk drive. However tonight it failed, early in the attempt, repeatedly. Also when I asked it to look for updates, it failed to connect to the internet, whereas I could access websites OK over Safari. Searching round, I found a later version, downloaded it, deleted the existing one (2.2) and installed the new one (2.3).
The new one similarly failed to access the internet. On the other hand it did not fail early on in the process. I aborted it anyhow, for reasons that will become clear (below).
Web-Search:
- Google: [winclone alternative]
- Several posts stated:
- Mixed experiences when using Winclone under Snow Leopard and the impossibility of using it (straight) under Lion)
- To minimise problems under Snow Leopard, [Compressed] should be disabled. Also select [.dmg] format.
- This product (Winclone) was no longer being developed
- Best Example:
Posted in backup, Boot Camp, Mac, Snow Leopard, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Friday, November 11th, 2011
I bought a discount copy of Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium, because (after much discussion with others) its feature-set seems to match my typical and forseeable production requirements more than those of other NLEs, including my current mainstay, Sony Vegas 9 (which I am still trying to wean myself off, but when any proper job comes along, I tend to fall back on the familiar and trusted, for low risk including avoidance of learning-delay).
Being (so far) a one-man-band who is traditional Windows user, I purchased the Windows version. But, confirming what I had heard, it does seem that most media people I have met use Macs. So should I have purchased the Mac version? Are the versions exactly the same or have they different functionalities? Is there an option for the license to cover installing the same product on both Windows and Mac OS provided only one of them is run at a time? (e.g. when on the same physical machine). Ideally at zero or negligible cost of course. For example Avid Media Composer does have this flexibility. While the uncertainty remains, I will not open the box (in case it turns out that I need to exchange it).
Here is what I have learnt so far (mainly from web-searching, unverified information):
Differences between the OS-Specific variants:
- It appears that for CS5.5 Production Premium (at least), the Windows variant has slightly greater functionality.
- However it remains to be seen what will be the case for CS6, when it becomes available.
Some options are:
- Volume licensing.
- Intended not only for businesses but also for individuals. If the “volume”is for two licenses, they can be for each of the OS’s.
- Crossgrade.
- But as far as I can tell it’s intended only for one-off (or infrequent) crossgrades, requiring “destruction of the software” on the old machine each time. Shame it isn’t simply happy with repeatable deactivation/reactivation on each machine / OS.
(more…)
Posted in activation, Adobe, After Effects, Boot Camp, Mac, MacBook Pro, Premiere, Uncategorized, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
Video-editing on-the-move (e.g. on a train) using a MacBook Pro (laptop) with Sony Vegas 9 (64-bit) as NLE (under Boot Camp / Windows 7), my practical experience was that a GRaid Mini external drive was far, far better than a 5400 rpm Western Digital “Passport” drive. Consistent with the dual use of the MacBook, I partitioned the drive for both NFTS (Windows) and HFS+ (Mac OS), 50-50%. Due to Boot Camp limitations (explained below), up till now I only ever used it “tethered” to its own mains-based power supply. But now I see it can also be used mobile, powered from the MacBook – something that up till now I could only achieve under Mac OS, not under Windows.
When using Boot Camp / Windows on the MacBook, I initially tried the shirtpocket-sized Passport drive because it was small, light and powered from the laptop’s USB port. While its data throughput wasn’t too bad, at least for single-channel HD editing (especially when only 1280720), when it came to cuts from one video clip (hence, in my case, video file) to another, there was a frustrating delay every time.
I also have a GRaid Mini drive, but it wasn’t obvious at first how to use it mobile when using Windows (on a MacBook). That drive consists of two 7200 drives in RAID-0 configuation (striped, giving speed but no redundancy), and appears just like any single drive to the computer (no RAID management etc. needed). The drive has not only a USB (2) port but also FireWire 800 (FW800) and eSATA ports. While the latter two options work fine with the MacBook under Mac OS, they don’t work under Boot Camp / Windows. I have tried many times and trawled many forums, no solution is apparent. Under Mac OS the eSATA drive would ordinarily plug into an ExpressCard adaptor plugged into the laptop’s ExpressCard slot, but under Boot Camp / Windows, the ExpressCard slot doesn’t work, while for the FW800 port under Boot Camp / Windows, it appears to work at first but eventually crashes as a device when it attempts to communicate data (e.g. when copying files).
When connected only by USB to the MacBook under BootCamp / Windows, the GRaid Mini is not powered from that port, hence up till now I have relied on a mains power supply to that drive. However, I discovered if, after first connecting by USB, you subsequently connect also by the FW800 lead, then the drive takes power from the FW800 yet communicates data via the USB lead. Hooray! I can use it on-the-move then!
The order in which the leads are connected is vital. If by mistake the FW lead was connected first, then the drive would sense that as the data communications route, and subsequently fail in use. It is vital that the USB connection is made first. Likewise, on disconnecting the drive (following “ejection” by the computer’s file-system), disconnect the FW drive first. The rule is FW lead: connect last disconnect first.
My experience of editing with the GRaid Mini is far more fluid hence more pleasurable and efficient. Totally worth it. None of the per-cut delay effects of the 5400 rpm Passport drive. And now it can be used on-the-move, even with Boot Camp / Windows on a MacBook. I just wish Apple would fix that Boot Camp isue with FireWire and ExpressCard ports!
Posted in Boot Camp, file mgt, FireWire, MacBook Pro, RAID, Sony Vegas, speed, Video Computer Technology, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Saturday, October 8th, 2011
One thing that might help when in W7, re-building the set of apps previously installed under XP, would be to migrate the whole XP instance to a virtual machine elsewhere, in practice my MacBook Pro, which has Parallels 6 under Mac OS.
Then, while installing apps to the new W7 instance, can do a side-by-side comparison with the virtual XP instance. The only unknown is the Microsoft activation/licensing issue – could it “clog the gears” of this proposed process? Presumably I need to transfer the activation(s) to the XP virtual machine. But could the W7 Upgrade process itself absorb the XP activation, crippling the XP virtual machine?
Only one way to find out, and that time is not now…
Posted in Mac, MacBook Pro, Parallels, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Friday, October 7th, 2011
I have a Mac Pro with Boot Camp running Windows XP (SP2), and want to upgrade it to Windows 7. Not as simple as I had hoped. It sounds like it will take maybe a week rather than an afternoon…
- I had purchased an upgrade version of Windows 7, assuming (very naively…) that this would save me from having to reinstall all of my apps currently installed under XP. In practice, the “Upgrade” only works as such from Windows Vista; in the case of XP it essentially does a fresh install, meaning one does have to reinstall any required applications.
- Also, Windows 7 can’t use XP drivers.
- In consequence, the upgrade is likely to take a few days…
- I have many apps, some of which take half a day individually to install.
- There are also obscure things like device drivers.
Steps
- My initial step was to backup and defrag
- Next I will run [Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor]
- This requires all interesting USB devices to be live-connected during the advisor’s scan.
- I ran it
- It made no major complaints about my system, which it says can also run XP mode (virtual machine).
- It does not return an inventory of applications automaticaly, so I’ll just have to make one manually.
- ..to be continued…
(more…)
Posted in Mac, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Sunday, September 4th, 2011
Made a simple AviSynth script to get an existing real HDV video (in Cineform format) and apply TDeint (motion-compensated deinterlace filter) to it. Opened it in AvsPmod and it displayed OK. Exported the result of that processing from AvsPmod via [Tools > Save to AVI]. This called up avs2avi.exe. That executable’s menu of codec formats was as below. NOTE the Cineform codec (following that company’s takeover) now comes under the name GoPro – I missed it the first time I scanned! The test worked fine – deinterlaced video successfully exported to Cineform and subsequently played in Windows Media Player.
- Microsoft Video 1 (an ancient format – as explained at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Video_1)
- Intel IYUV Codec (a very old format http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?178685-What-is-Intel-IYUV)
- Intel IYUV Codec (again)
- Cinepak Codec by Radius
- proDAD Saver for Mercalli (not sure it’s a real codec, maybe a “virtual” one, associated with the proDAD video stabilization plugin for Sony Vegas)
- GoPro-Cineform Codec v7.3.2 (CINEFORM)
- ffdshow Video Codec (several choices, shown when you hit Config button)
- Intel Indeo Video 4.5 (From the “good old days”, I used it back then to compress PAL standard definition video from analog capture)
- Full Frames (Uncompressed)
Posted in AviSynth, AvsP, Cineform, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Sunday, September 4th, 2011
- Not sure why, but suddenly avs2avi.exe works fine on my W7 system.
Didn’t knowingly alter anything.
- The only change I’m aware of is I uninstalled AviSynth 2.5.8 and installed AViSynth 2.5.7.
- I’m using avs2avi as part of AvsPmod 2.2.0.
- AvsPmod is itself in Compatibility Mode for WIndows XP-SP3 (otherwise it doesn’t work)
- However I have not put avs2avi in compatibility mode.
- It (avs2avi) works fine, both from AvsPmod and as standalone.
- Just ensure it has write permission to its destination of course (no that wasn’t the problem before).
Posted in AviSynth, AvsP, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Saturday, September 3rd, 2011
Context & Problem:
- I want a way to serve an AviSynth media stream into NLEs etc., e.g. Sony Vegas. I have done this for years under Windows XP-SP3 (32-bit).
- Partly just for the flexibility of having this option.
- Partly (as explained at http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/388), as a workaround to another problem with old software under Windows 7.
- However an attempt at installation in Windows 7 failed – because (I now know) the installer is obsolete (and hence incompatible) with respect to Windows 7.
- VFAPI requires to be installed, via .bat/.inf files, so that for example it appears in the Registry.
- But the installer fails under Windows 7. It is compatible with XP but not Windows 7 (or Vista).
- It is possible to manually “hack-install” VFAPI into Windows 7, but that causes me anxiety…
Possible Solutions:
(more…)
Posted in AviSynth, Premiere, VFAPI, VirtualDub, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Saturday, September 3rd, 2011
The context (AviSynth>AvsP>avs2avi):
- The AviSynth greater community has developed a number of applications to simplify the development and use of AviSynth command-scripts. One of these is AvsP, an AviSynth-script editor, has an option [Tools > Save using avs2avi].
- Under Windows XP, this prompts for a location then prompts (in a separate popup) for codec details, then AviSynth renders (via avs2avi) to the required output-file.
- There is a step-by-step tutorial at http://www.animemusicvideos.org/guides/avtech3/amvapp-avisynth.html
A problem (works under XP but not W7):
- Under Windows 7 Pro 64-bit (which can also run 32-bit apps), avs2avi merely produces an error message: <<AVIFileOpen failed, unable to open “f:\tmp.avs” : The operation completed successfully.>> The last bit (“successfully”) merely indicates that the application (avs2avi) does not make a very thorough successfulness-check!
- This issue was previously encountered & investigated back in March 2011: http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/247
Searching for a solution:
- Experiments, unsuccessful:
- After much web-trawling, I discovered a new version of AvsP, called AvsP(mod). But it made no difference – same problem.
- Next I tried running avs2.exe on its own, both with and without Compatibility mode enabled. As well as XP-SP3 (which caused a further problem), I tried even older modes (that didn’t). But no joy, the same error message was obtained.
- I downloaded the latest version of avs2avi and also I tried the one that comes bundled with AvsP(mod), in its Tools folder,but again, no difference.
- Asking for advice:
(more…)
Posted in AviSynth, AvsP, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Sunday, May 29th, 2011
To see the effects of interlacing/combing and compare the results of different deinterlacing methods:
- Insert a clip (e.g. 1080p50) to the timelineLeave clip’s properties unchanged (eg UFF).
- Set Project Properties to same as the clip – except make the project Progressive.
- Set Project Deinterlace method to None.
- Set Preview to Good/Full.
- Find a moment on the timeline where there is a good degree of motion (fast but remaining in-frame and not too blurred).
If Preview Scaling is Off then combing should be revealed in principle but may be hard to make out in practice – too fine a detail (1 pixel wide).Easiest workaround:
- Set Preview Scaling to On then reduce the Preview pane size to not-quite half-size.
- The “not-quiteness” (difference from exactly half-size) then generates a “Moire pattern” magnification of the combing – much easier to spot.
Now you can experiment with different types of deinterlacing – bearing in mind you are looking at something derived from the combing as opposed to the combing itself. To clarify the -actual- combing, one can deploy Windows’ Accessibility-Magnifier – more realistic than the above though less convenient – as follows:
- In Windows 7, do Control Panel > Ease of Access Center > Start Magnifier.
- Best magnifier view-mode is a (rectangular) “Lens” (only available if Aero is enabled). Default zoom level is (1:1) i.e no zoom.
- The easiest way to change zoom level is Cmd+ and Cmd-, where Cmd is the Windows button on a PC or Command/Apple/CurlySquare button on a Mac (accessing Windows e.g. locally via Boot Camp or Virtual Machine).
- Can change lens size via Ctrl-Alt-R then (with -no- mouse-buttons held) drag it.
- Exit magnifier by Cmd-Esc.
- Sadly no way to simply toggle On/Off, but in W7 you can pin it to the task-bar.
- If magnifier control window gets buried by another window then it is still accessible as a permanently-on-top magnifying-glass icon.
Posted in deinterlacing, Sony Vegas, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Sunday, March 20th, 2011
They all work fine. Initially there were some teething problems, due to a bad installation of AviSynth, though that cause was not immediately apparent (meaning I spent hours experimenting and Googling before the moment of that realisation…). Versions installed:
- AviSynth 2.5.8 rev. 2
- AvsP 2.0.2
- Avs2Avi (Created 6 July 2004, size on disk 84 KB)
The main symptom of the teething problems: An AviSynth [.avs] script ran OK inside AvsP, to save to an AVI file, but before the dialog could ask me what codec, it failed with error message saying it could not open the source (.avs) file. (more…)
Posted in AviSynth, MacBook Pro, Windows 7 | 1 Comment »
Friday, October 15th, 2010
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en/vistawu/thread/b13b8012-4a73-4adb-aae4-8528c2856516
-
Step 1: Check the update history
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/See-which-Windows-updates-are-installed
Let me know if the description of the updates that have failed status.
Step 2: Manually try installing the updates from Microsoft Download Center
a. Go to the Microsoft download website, type the “KB” number of the update into the download search box, and then click Go.
b. In the list of search results, click the Knowledge Base (KB) article link to go to the download page. If there’s more than one listing, look for a link that goes to the Microsoft Download Center.
c. If there are multiple versions on the download page, find the appropriate one for your computer. Click the Download button, and save the update to your desktop.
d. When prompted, click Open to install the update.
Step 3: Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Open-the-Windows-Update-troubleshooter
Step 4: The update is not installed successfully, you receive a message, and the computer restarts when you try to install an update in Windows Vista and Windows 7
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358
Posted in Windows 7 | No Comments »
Saturday, August 7th, 2010
Here are the steps that worked for me:
As it happened, this whole process was a distraction. I was trying to get a BootCamp-W7 Virtual Machine (VM) in Parallels working – it would boot OK in BootCamp but not Parallels. It was a matter of identifying the problem by excluding other possibilities, as much as hoping for this to be the fix. However I record the process I went through, here, for posterity.
Posted in Boot Camp, Mac, MacBook Pro, Parallels, Setup, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Sunday, July 25th, 2010
Some issues:
- Had a serious system-disk issue, where CHKDISK deleted corrupt unknown system-related stuff. Windows still worked afterwards as far as I could tell but it was cause for concern…
- Later, the Mac OS function keys became unresponsive.
- The FW800 port only worked in Mac mode, not Boot Camp / Windows 7.
Some fixes:
- As a potential fix to both issues, was advised by machine supplier to reinstall Boot Camp
- Method:
- Mac (machine): Run [Boot Camp > Windows]
- Windows:
- Use [Remove Programs] to remove Boot Camp
- Use Mac OS system disk (from Windows) to reinstall BootCamp (was 3.0).
- Check for any Boot Camp updates – get the latestone (was 3.1).
- Result:
- Function-keys fixed, FW800 issue remained.
- As potential fix for FW800 issue:
- A Sony Vegas forum post advised disabling Aero.
- Web-searching and Vegas forum advised installing the free FW800 driver from UniBrain, allegedly better than the Boot Camp one.
- Prior to the BootCamp reinstall, this was not possible – installation aborted.
- Following the BootCamp reinstall, installation worked but FW800 drive not visible in Windows Explorer.
- Tried a Windows Repair, in case it was not just the BootCamp that had been damaged (possibly by the serious system disk issue mentioned at the start).
- Windows Repair & successive steps:
- Boot Camp: Repair the windows system (Windows 7).
- Check whether System Restore works now.
- Yes, when I set a restore-point, wait a few mins and restore to it. But what if I reboot then try to restore?
- Seems hit-and-miss: sometimes Restore works, sometimes not. Rebooting doesn’t affect that but system crashes/freezes e.g. as caused by FW800 failing, do appear to. Uncertain, just rough observations.
Posted in FireWire, MacBook Pro, Uncategorized, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Saturday, July 24th, 2010
On a MacBook Pro(17 inch, “5,2”), a FW800 connected drive worked fine from MacOS but not from BootCamp-Windows7. From others’ advice, tried replacing the MS IEEE 1394 (FireWire, FW) driver. Was initially skeptical, as I had not heard of that before, but others had recommended it and (according UniBrain’s own website), the drivers earned the “1394 Trade Association Compliance Logo”. But it only made things worse for me. Details of my experience:
- Apparently (from web-search) there is an option to install a “legacy driver”. Have not tried it, and won’t now, but maybe later.
- Allegedly better option: UniBrain’s driver.
- First install-attempt failed.
- Wondered if AntiVirus (Parallels / Kapersky 2009) caused a problem, so temporarily disabled it.
- Second install-attempt (no AntiVirus) worked!
- Installer said it had finished OK. Reboot requested and accepted.
- Device Manager listed the “1394 Bus host controllers” as “UniBrain driver”.
- FW800 disk read and write tests revealed worse if anything results than for the default MS driver:
- Disk now not recognized unless connected during machine boot.
- Write-test fails immediatly (as for MS driver) but now freezes the whole machine, requiring power-off (was aable to use system shutdown when using MS driver).
Posted in FireWire, Windows 7 | 1 Comment »
Monday, July 19th, 2010
Problem:
- In Windows I export from Sony Vegas to AVI (CineForm). In OS X I read the file into FCP and apply the SmoothCam effect, then export to ProRes. In Windows, Sony Vegas, I replace the original file with the smoothed one. The levels/gamma are wrong.
Solution (Search):
- Sony Vegas forum http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=718371
- Use DNxHD
- Couple of tips re DNxHD: 709 color level assumes 16-235, and RGB assumes 0-255.
- Force it back again: www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/gamma_mac_pc.html
- But this presumably implies getting re-quantized twice (the roundtrip issue and the forcing), which for 8-bit footage I imagine could reduce the quality (banding).
- Uncertainties
- Where and how does this gamma get applied? In FCP I didn’t (knowingly) alter the levels (eg until it looked right), I just applied the SmoothCam filter. So I guess it would look wrong on the (pre-SnowLeopard) Mac but I wouldn’t care. Wouldn’t FCP then export back whatever it got but smoothed? This one is really confusing. Experiments needed (when I get time…) I guess.
Posted in Cineform, DNxHD, Final Cut, Formats, gamma, Mac, ProRes, QuickTime, roundtrip, Snow Leopard, Sony Vegas, Video Computer Technology, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Monday, May 3rd, 2010
On MacBook Pro, used Sony Clip Browser (ClipBrowser) to import footage from a Sony XDCAM-EX to Mac OS HFS+. This machine had MacDrive installed, enabling Windows apps to directly access files on the HFS+ file system. On same machine, under Boot Camp (BootCamp) and Windows 7, ran Sony Vegas NLE. Successfully imported and used footage by both of the following methods:
- Sony Vegas’s Device Explorer [View > Device Explorer].
- This took several minutes to import.
- Importing resulted in copying the [.mp4] file (and other files) to the NTFS partition.
- Direct use of [.mp4] on the HFS+ partition.
- No need to import as such, just constructed waveforms etc.
- This completed in seconds.
- Only downside is that it ewas unable to save the waveform files etc., due to my config of MacDrive (read-only), so it would have to do this every time I opened the project.
- Have yet to try the same thing when MacDrive has config for full read/write access.
Posted in Boot Camp, file mgt, Mac, MacBook Pro, MacDrive, microsoft, Sony EX XDCAM, Sony Vegas, Windows, Windows 7, XDCAM EX | No Comments »
Monday, May 3rd, 2010
GRAID mini was initially a single partition formatted HFS+ under GPT partitioning-scheme.
Repartitioned it as MBR partitioning-scheme where the HFS+partition (existing but reduced) was followed by an NTFS partition. The repartitioning of the disk and the formatting of the NTFS partition was accomplished from Mac OS, using the iPartition application.
When I first connected the resulting disk to a MacBook Pro, the HFS+ partition was seen OK under Mac OS. However the NTFS partition seen from Boot Camp / Windows 7 caused Windows Explorer to crash, whenever it was selected or right-clicked in that applications left-hand pane. On the other hand if the thing selected in the left-hand pane was the computer itself then the NTFS partition (among other volumes) was listed in the right-hand pane, and it was possible to right-click that without the application crashing. Also, no problems were experienced when accessing it from commandline, or when using Windows Explorer to look inside its folders (as opposed to teh top-level).
By right-clicking the NTFS partition in the right-hand pane, selected options to:
- Define it as a mainly-videos drive. Presumably alters the block size or something.
- Change that volume’s name, from “GRD mini NTFS” to “GRm HTFS. Not sure if relevant.
Subsequently was accessed OK in both left and right hand panes.
Posted in Boot Camp, Mac, MacBook Pro, microsoft, Windows, Windows 7 | No Comments »