Capture NX2 help on brand new MBP needed. I'm frustrated!.

[tigerscorpion]

I've been lurking here for months and just got my new MBP 15" tonight. My first computer was a powermac, then have had a HP laptop the last 6 years.
I've spent 4 hours now with my new, highly anticipated MBP and I'm underwhelmed!
Massive difficulty loading NX2 ( This is after unsuccessfully trying to download software for my MX revolution logitech mouse). Well, after being required to enter my MBP administrator password countless times during the installs of View NX, Nikon transfer and NX2 (what is up with that, please tell me that is a default that can be changed or I'm returning this for sure), View NX stalls and closes- I can see some of my photos, NX2 seems to be OK except won't recognise any of the photo files-it can't read them...
Anyway, I've restarted and had to hard boot a few times, lost my cursor once. Not what I was expecting from Mac; honestly have not had any problems like this with my HP. It was a lot more intuitive to learn the ropes...
Sorry for venting but I thought it might be useful to see how frustrating it is for someone new to Mac, after all these years...I'm really in shock how much difficulty I've had so far. Not yet pleased with my very expensive purchase...
Well, if you have advice on NX2, getting it to work, let me know.
Thanks,
Michael
PS I paid for 1 on 1 and boy will I need it to even get this thing functional or to guide me in the returns process! This is written on my trusty HP!

 

[Designer Dale]

I don't use Nikon and I have a 2008 MBP, but I tried to replicate your problems anyway. I had no trouble either downloading or installing either NX2 or Logitech Control Center, which is what my MX1100 uses. I did notice that the NX software asked to download and install Rosetta, which is software that was used to run Power PC coded software on the Intel Macs. This is no longer supported in the recent builds of Snow Leopard (10.6.x). If you installed Rosetta, it could be causing some of your troubles. At any rate, take it to the Apple Store and get help from them. Don't be mad at the computer when you do. It's (most likely) not the machines fault. I have the latest OS, 10.6.2.

Good luck.

Dale

 

[pdxflint]

I've got a 2 yr. old MBP 2.2 with 4gigs of ram, and it runs NX2 pretty well--certainly didn't have any problems installing it. I just did it straight from a disk that came with my D300 (trial version.) I wasn't prompted to install Rosetta, or at least not that I remember. It could be the problem, and would likely be caused by the other Nikon software. Other than that, something just doesn't sound right... you shouldn't be having all this difficulty. But for reference, I shoot Nikon and never installed any of their software--it just isn't necessary, and Nikon's notorious for writing bad Mac software anyway--they're usually a bit slow to keep up, and you're running Snow Leopard. Yeah, it's been out a while now, but don't expect Nikon to be in any hurry to upgrade software that comes in a camera box... I just use Picasa to handle my offloads from my camera card, and organize my files chronologically in folders. Then in Aperture or Lightroom I import by referencing the files in their original location rather than copying. It's easy to keep all the files where I want to, and still organize them 'virtually' in LR.

Also, I've never had to install drivers for any mouse--just plug in and they go. But, they've been basic functional, not programmable types. But even the bluetooth ones I've used just required the "handshake" with my Mac, and worked perfectly, even on a first generation Mac Mini (G4.) But I quickly came to not ever using a mouse once I got used to the trackpad setup on the MBP. I thought I would still want a mouse... but it's funny how things change that you don't see coming. Lots of things like that will happen as you let the Mac DNA sink in over time.

Just give your Mac time...you'll discover things as you go that will become second nature to you and you'll wonder how you lived without them... (leaving the machine up and running for weeks or longer at a time, exposé, 'quicklook' (in finder, click on file, hit spacebar...arrow up or down, left right to run through anything and get an instant look, or listen, or play video, read pdfs... all without even opening the file, two-finger scrolling, two-finger "left" click, other trackpad gestures, bootable incremental backups on external drives, easy install/uninstall of apps (drag to trash,) tight integration between Apple apps with media files, system stability whenever an app crashes or freezes, just do a "force quit" on that app, everything else normally just keeps cruising along, customer service, Applecare (yes, I bought it, and got a replacement optical drive installed in 30 minutes after the 1 yr standard warranty ran out, so it's been worth it.)

These are things that just came to the top of my head that I now take for granted that just weren't there with my previous thinkpad (which was a nice machine, but now seems several 'tech' generations old in concept, sort of like the "K" cars Chrysler used to sell. They worked, but...would you really aspire to drive one? Even if they 'souped' it up for you?

Hopefully they'll get you straightened out at the Apple store...

BTW: every install on your machine will require admin level authorization...it keeps you safer by keeping you informed. But, only once per install-that's it. It shouldn't be asking for approval multiple times for one app install.

 

[tigerscorpion]

Rosetta

Yup, I was prompted to install Rosetta, so I did. Can I remove it?
Still doesn't explain why the Logitech installation didn't work but glad it does work and I just have to figure it out. Did you have to enter your administrative password about 5 times during the install of NX2, cause that's pretty annoying on top of everything else! I would think once you're logged in as administrator you can do your tasks...
Thanks for your help, looks like I need it!

 

[pdxflint]

You should only have to do the admin password thing once during the process of installing an application, anything that can affect root level functions. I have no idea why you were prompted five times during a single installation... that's not the way it works. Unless you got an "infected" copy of the NX2 install where something else kept trying to install itself on the machine along with the NX2 install. There are worms out there that will affect a Mac as long as the user with admin privliges actually approves the installation of such evil programs. That's why the prompts exist--to give you a heads-up. They can't self-install. There is no better firewall than an informed user.

I'm only bringing this up because it could mess you up...Where did your install file for NX2 come from? Was it directly from Nikon's website? I'm just asking in a process of elimination. Any chance it came from a bit torrent-type file-sharing site? Was it a single file, or did you have to download multiple files and then use something like split and concat to reassemble them into a single file/package? I've tried some of this in the past in my Windows days, and while it was a big temptation back then (everyone was doing it, and viral infections were rampant...) the Mac side of things is a lot more production oriented, less games/warez and all that tinkering kind of hobbiest stuff. It's like I simply don't even want to go there. There is a lot of free software and shareware for Macs without the torrent sites. And a lot less hassle. And a lot less systemwide corruption and malware. Once you get used to no longer being bombarded by viruses/worms/adware/malware that can simply install themselves by hiding in the code of something else, you'll feel amazingly good. You'll appreciate the need for admin privileges to do anything that can seriously affect your computer.

But... and here's the real caveat-- anything can be written to infect your computer if you allow it to install itself. Your Mac will at least notify you that there is something that want's to install itself, and halt any further action until you do something, and it's your call one way or the other. It's about the only real way your Mac can become compromised. So, if you were prompted 5 times during a single install of NX2, and you approved the request each time, it does suggest something out of the ordinary going on. You might want to do a complete clean install, and start over if you're in doubt. Just some thinking from the old Windows days, but I know lots of Windows users (myself included) tended to tinker with their machine, and old habits can be hard to break. The less you tinker with the innards of your Mac, the happier you'll be.

 

[Designer Dale]

Yup, I was prompted to install Rosetta, so I did. Can I remove it?
Still doesn't explain why the Logitech installation didn't work but glad it does work and I just have to figure it out. Did you have to enter your administrative password about 5 times during the install of NX2, cause that's pretty annoying on top of everything else! I would think once you're logged in as administrator you can do your tasks...
Thanks for your help, looks like I need it!

Try entering "rosetta" (no quotes) in the Finder search field. Finder is the first item on the left of the Dock. Drag anything that shows up to the Trash.

I received two prompts for my Admin. One for NX and one for Logitech. Anytime you have to access your System for an installation or modification you will get a prompt for it. This is good. If you leave your system logged in as Admin, it prevents another user from installing something.

Given the amount of trouble you have had so far, it might be best to drop back and punt. Do a Clean Install of the OS from the CD and start over with the NX/Logitech stuff. As pdxflint mentioned, never OK the install of something you don't understand. I skipped Rosetta just because I knew what it was.

The long-time Windows users I met in school always had trouble adapting to the Mac Trash function. Items placed in the Trash are only removed when the Trash is emptied. If you drag a bunch of stuff from a flash drive into the Trash and pull the flash drive out, the Trashed items will remain on it. Empty the Trash before you remove the flash drive or any other removable drive. Use right-click/eject or drag the drive icon to the trash to do this. On lab days, we used to find hundreds of gigs of stuff in the Trash of users used to Windows.

Dale

 

[tigerscorpion]

Thanks for your responses.

I installed NX2 from a trial CD ROM I just got at a Nikon workshop. I was prompted for the password for installations of this or that utility that NX2 uses, so it seemed. I'm hoping it's all due to rosetta. Still not sure about the logitech difficulty. I'm taking a break today and will get back at trying to figure it out over the weekend.
Thanks again,
Michael

 

[Hmac]

Yup, I was prompted to install Rosetta, so I did. Can I remove it?
Still doesn't explain why the Logitech installation didn't work but glad it does work and I just have to figure it out. Did you have to enter your administrative password about 5 times during the install of NX2, cause that's pretty annoying on top of everything else! I would think once you're logged in as administrator you can do your tasks...
Thanks for your help, looks like I need it!

With the latest two versions of NX2, Rosetta isn't a problem. Both 2.2.4 and 2.2.3 work fine with Snow Leopard with or without Rosetta installed.

Anyway, I've restarted and had to hard boot a few times, lost my cursor once. Not what I was expecting from Mac; honestly have not had any problems like this with my HP. It was a lot more intuitive to learn the ropes...
Sorry for venting but I thought it might be useful to see how frustrating it is for someone new to Mac, after all these years...I'm really in shock how much difficulty I've had so far. Not yet pleased with my very expensive purchase...
Well, if you have advice on NX2, getting it to work, let me know.
Thanks,
Michael
PS I paid for 1 on 1 and boy will I need it to even get this thing functional or to guide me in the returns process! This is written on my trusty HP!

I don't know what to tell you. I've installed Niikon Capture dozens of times between the various laptops I use and my Mac Pro....it's always been really straightforward. Even when NX2 wouldn't work with Snow Leopard, at least it installed perfectly. You must be doing something wrong, although I can't tell you what it is. Sorry for your difficulties. I'm at a complete loss.

 

[tigerscorpion]

Easy solution!!!

I called tech support. I was downloading from CD's versions not compatible with OS 10.6...granted 10.5 something but guess that makes all the difference.
I just downloaded all the Nikon software from their website and it was incredibly, unbelievably simple and easy...only 1 request for my password...
All I can say is: Doh!

 

[Designer Dale]

Big difference between 10.5 (Tiger) and 10.6 (Leopard/Snow Leopard). Tiger was the last OS that would run on the G3-G4-G5 computers. Glad you got your problem solved. Enjoy your Nikon!

Dale

 

[pdxflint]

Actually, Tiger is 10.4.x, Leopard is 10.5.x (the latest is 10.5.8) and Snow Leopard is 10.6.x.

Anyway, glad it's all working as it's supposed to now! Enjoy your Nikon and your new Mac.