Preserved Topic: Macintosh conflict probs. Any info?

I'm having some serious conflict issues with my Mac. It seems like everything wants to crash it . . . Adobe Premiere 5.1, is so unstable, and often crashes/can't perform "Audio Exports", the MP3 player messes things up, the Netscape Browser will cause the system to collapse undernieth occasionally, ussually while running MSN IM simultaneously, Sound Edit 16 won't load, Adobe Photoshop 5.5 crashes unexpectedly for stupid certain filters or operations. It really pisses me off! I wish I had a clue what was going on . . .

I'm using System 9.0, on a 2/3 year old G3-300 with multiple monitor support. Does anyone have a good conflict resolver for Mac? the slots have an IX-3D Graphic Accelerator, an ATI XClaim VR I/O card w/ 8megs, and an ultrawide SCSI bus card. I have 256 megs ram, and as far as I know, it's not aftermarket stuff . . . I can send a list of extensions/control panels if nessasary. I've tried Norton Utilities, and Speed Disk, and found nothing wrong . . . I'm just tired of not being able to depend on this POS to stay running for more than 30 minutes without a major freeze, (I shouldn't say crash), or loop error, or conflict, or something. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

And, thanks, but I don't REALLY need any not-so-friendly commentary from the die-hard PC users, K?

Thanks!

Sorry for double posting but...

Check all your connections and SCSI chain,
and ADB connections.(mouse)

I've used SoundEdit 16 on my Power Mac 9500/384 megs ram 8.6 with no problems, gave it lots of real Ram though.

Although a while back I was experiencing quite a few odd system bombs,
crashes and frequent Type 1, 2 and 11 errors.
Did some extensive reading at http://www.macfixit.com/ and concluded that some 3rd party
add-ons and other things were to fault.

What I did was dump all 3rd party stuff, dumped ATM Deluxe 4 or above, instaled,
Extensis Suitcase 8, installed Conflict Catcher to manage my extensions and control panels and test for conflicts. Made separate sets of ext. and CP to only load with certain Programs, which by the way totaled over 230 combined.

I never use virtual memory either or Ram Doubler
My drive is also formated using FWB Toolkit. and usualy optimize my drive about once every 2 weeks with good ol' Doc Norton.

This has virtually eliminated all Type 1,2,11 errors and no Sytem bombs.
have ocurred in over 9 months.

I know how much we love to add to and customize our Macs, but I tell you
keep it lean and mean.
If you want to test this theory out try running your machine with just Mac OS 9 Basic Extension Set and I bet you won't have any crashes.

If you want to see if an Extension or CP may be causing SoundEdit 16 or any other app to crash or quit unexpectedly
I highly recomend Conflict Catcher http://www.casadyg.com/

Another way would be to start up with extensions off and launch SE16 to see if it will run...if it does an extension is to blame.

What type of crashes are you getting? the "bomb" or Type"" Errors
Mouse Freeze? or The Program "" Has Unexpectedly Quit Because of Type""Error? All crashes, bombs, freeze or errors point to specific conflicts, hardware or software.
You should take note of the Error Message if there is one and lookk it up
in Mac Error Codes or Black and Bleu Error utility http://www.bleurose.com/blableu.html, which have really good explanations to Error Codes and work arounds.


BTW I also disabled the Control Strip

Also check your Cache seting in the Memory Control panel...
as a rule of thumb use 32k for each meg of real Ram you have installed.
Although mine runs fine at 1024k for 384 megs of installed Ram, so you have to play around with this setting.

As a final measure you could always do a "Clean Instal" of the System.

hope it helps

-kromaZ




[This message has been edited by kromaZ (edited 03-19-2001).]

Yeah, sorry about MY double post, but I realized after I wrote it, that it didn't really apply tot hat area, so I changed it, and re-wrote it here.




Check all your connections and SCSI chain,
and ADB connections.(mouse)

I have nothing on the SCSI chain, (after my IIsi with um-teen external boxes, I vowed to have an internal machine)




What I did was dump all 3rd party stuff, dumped ATM Deluxe 4 or above, instaled,
Extensis Suitcase 8, installed Conflict Catcher to manage my extensions and control panels and test for conflicts. Made

I have ONE seperate set to run certain Quitime functions that I know don't work as the result of an ATM conflict . . . But that's it so far . . .

I never use virtual memory either or Ram Doubler

Ditto - done the Ram-Doubler AND the Space Doubler thing before - stupidest thing I ever did - went back to buying ram if I wanted it . . .

My drive is also formated using FWB Toolkit. and usualy optimize my drive about once every 2 weeks with good ol' Doc
Norton.

I don't do it that often - but maybe I should . . . I have done it for now, though.

I know how much we love to add to and customize our Macs, but I tell you
keep it lean and mean.
If you want to test this theory out try running your machine with just Mac OS 9 Basic Extension Set and I bet you won't
have any crashes.

Tell me about it . . . . Well, maybe it's time to "strip" as much as love add-on crap - I think the Microsoft Office toolbar launcher has issues too, (it independantly crashes a lot).


If you want to see if an extension may be causing SoundEdit 16 to crash
I highly recomend Conflict Catcher.


Looking into it . . . Thanks!

What type of crashes are you getting? the "bomb" or Type"" Errors
Mouse Freeze? or The Program "" Has Unexpectedly Quit Because of Type""Error? All crashes, bombs, freeze or errors

Pretty much: you name it, I get it . . .


point to specific conflicts, hardware or software.
You should take note of the Error Message if there is one and lookk it up

Ussually I don't get the error message, because the freeze happens before the computer can put the thing on the screen.

BTW I also disabled the Control Strip

I'll try it.


Also check your Cache seting in the Memory Control panel...
as a rule of thumb use 32k for each meg of real Ram you have installed.

Good thing to know - definately will check on that!

Although mine runs fine at 1024k for 384 megs of installed Ram, so you have to play around with this setting.

hope it helps

-kromaZ


Thanks for all your suggestions - I'll post to tell you if anything changes after I modify/strip stuff!

[This message has been edited by kromaZ (edited 03-19-2001).]

A couple more things you might want to try (Conflict Catcher is not free) is go into
the System Folder to the Preference Folder and drag the
Finder Preference to the Trash.

Restart to create a fresh new preference for the finder.
Sometimes the finders prefs can become corrupt from numerous crashes.
Empty the trash after restart.

You will have to reset a couple of settings after because the finder will go into default settings for your Mac...memory control panel, desktop settings.

Rebuild the desktop http://www.cis.yale.edu/macguide/Procedures/Desktop.html

Zapping the Pram may also help too. (clears Parameter Ram) http://www.yale.edu/macguide/Procedures/PRAM.html

Yeah I too have heard some horror stories about Mac OS 9, which is why I am still using 8.6

*If all of the above suggestion don't do the trick, I would do a complete
re-instal "Clean Instal" which creates a totally new system folder saving your old system folder as "Previous System Folder"then you drag exts. and cp and prefs you need from the "PSF" to the new System Folder. In order to do a 'Clean Install"
you must select it when the dialogue box appears "options".*

But like I said befor, getting rid of all add ons and 3rd party clutter
and testing for ext conflicts (especially Microsoft shit) should do the trick.

which inspired me to create this image...hope to never see it!! *shudder* http://members.home.net/bbtaylor/images/really.jpg

-kromaZ


[This message has been edited by kromaZ (edited 03-19-2001).]

I tried to edit the Disk Cache, but apparently system 9.0 has a "Default Setting" that is supposed to be better than the manual setting, but, I'm leaving it for now, since it didn't solve the crashing issue - I DL'd Conflict Catcher, (test version), and it said that the prob. I'm having with SE16 is that it is looking for system resources, something in the ROM, that is no longer there (error 12). It suggested that if the version is more than one major edition out of date, (which it is), the current System 9.0 prolly just doesn't like it. I found a new 2.0 version on Ebay for $40, I'm thinking about that as an alternative . . .

I'll try the Finder Pref thing, and the other dump . . . I did go through a bunch of Extensions and Control Panels that I had no need for, or hadn't used in ages, (despite the fact that I think they're cool), and took them off-line - the computer seems to be running a little better - fewer all around crashes, though they still occur, just not as often. It is running on three years, I may just be due for another box . . . Have to get a job first, though.

Then I'll network them, and use one for web-stuff, and the other for video editing, and theat way they will have specified purposes, with fewer issues in the conflict department.

BTW - cool picture! Thanks for your help!

Yeah those pesky jobs keep gettin in the way
Glad I read this thread. Don't think I'm missin much without a Mac. Sounds like it's worse, although you do get error messages that are helpful. What I get on a Wintel crash, is the black and white boot screen...only. My only fix is the "clean install" one. I feel for ya brother!