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Mac Pro Lockups

viking396

viking396

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 26, 2008
74
0
So, I have this awesome Mac Pro now and I have to use Windows to watch DVD's.

Play a DVD in Front Row, within 10 minutes, the computer hard locks. Watch the same DVD with the Apple DVD player, it will go a bit longer prior to locking up. Run the Tech Tool to check out memory and the whole system passes which of course doesn't mean there isn't a problem.

So, I switch to Vista 64 and watch DVD's for as long as I want. Now in Leopard there have been no issues other than the system feels slower than it does in Vista.

One other thing I have noticed is Vista 64 will really swell up it's memory footprint when you have boatloads of memory installed which really helps in the how it feels department. No disk noise at all, just smooth as glass and fast as hell.

Since Apple doesn't believe in driver downloads like the rest of the world anybody have ideas on how to troubleshoot this in Leopard? As stated, works perfectly in Vista, goes belly up in Leopard. Have checked connections (just for giggles) and even tried a different drive, same result.
 
Which version of OS X are you running? There were some DVD player problems with 4 GB of RAM on laptops but those were resolved. It seems that more DVD player issues have been popping up lately.

Windows Vista pre-fetches application data into memory based on usage.
 
Eidorian said:
Which version of OS X are you running? There were some DVD player problems with 4 GB of RAM on laptops but those were resolved. It seems that more DVD player issues have been popping up lately.
Click to expand...

I'm in Vista right now so can't verify but I believe it's 10.5.5. I called tech support, they blamed me for buying "non Apple memory" I told him I tried it with the 2gigs and it still does it, then he said I didn't know enough about Mac's to be messing with the system to which I replied "if you're going to seriously use that as an excuse give me a return authorization now and I'll go back to home made computers and never buy a Mac again". Seriously, these guys think their product is incapable of having issues to the point it must be the consumers fault. Funny how in Vista this machine rocks, had I bought this as just a Windows machine I'd be happy. I bought it so I could have the best of both, clearly a mistake on my part.

Windows Vista pre-fetches application data into memory based on usage.
Click to expand...

My apologies, I should have expressed that as a rhetorical statement, I know it prefetches but I never had 10 gigs in a home computer before so seeing it in action swallow up so much was something! Vista 64 performs so smoothly with gobs of memory thrown at it, I'm simply amazed at it. Run multiple video streams in Leopard and it gets all jerky, the menu gets sluggish, in Vista I had 15 video streams going and there wasn't a hitch.

I've had debates with Mac fanboys who are friends of mine, they have come over and used this machine and they can't believe how fluid Vista is compared to Leopard. They all have at most 4gigs in their Mac's, time for them to buy more! I'm going to purchase different DVD playback software for Leopard and see if it still locks up.

If I seem to be coming off as a Windows fanboy, I apologize but Apple is the one playing the ads claiming to be the end all be all of operating systems and machines, so it should at least live up to some of the hype. I could honestly build a machine for less that would lay waste to this machine in all benchmarks, but the fact that I can run the 2 most popular OS's on one machine gives me the ability to expand the things I can do, so I bought it.

I just wish it was as configurable as Apple claims it to be, but still, I love this machine, it's just, friggin nice! I'm saving for the CalDigit RAID card even though there are others, I want that one. WHen it gets tested for 10.5.5 I'll probably get it, even though they hate Western Digital Raptor's (what they friggin smoking?) I feel a combo of 2 Velociraptors and the CalDigit will rock! Plus, as much as I like Vista on this machine Leopard is nice to play with to.
 
No worries if it's OS X or Windows. You just use the best tool for the job.

I'm not sure what can be done with these DVD playback issues short of creating a bug ticket for it. Even then my knowledge on that is limited if a non-developer can even do so.

I've noticed an increase in DVD playback issues lately on OS X but sadly don't have a solution for you. I'm on MacRumors a lot and I have a fondness of finding patterns.

By the way if Apple Support told me that I didn't know enough about Macs to mess around with the insides I would have said the same thing. ;) My department depended on me being the Mac guru for hardware and software.
 
Eidorian said:
No worries if it's OS X or Windows. You just use the best tool for the job.

I'm not sure what can be done with these DVD playback issues short of creating a bug ticket for it. Even then my knowledge on that is limited if a non-developer can even do so.

I've noticed an increase in DVD playback issues lately on OS X but sadly don't have a solution for you. I'm on MacRumors a lot and I have a fondness of finding patterns.

By the way if Apple Support told me that I didn't know enough about Macs to mess around with the insides I would have said the same thing. ;) My department depended on me being the Mac guru for hardware and software.
Click to expand...


Agreed 100%, what do you recommend for DVD playback software, both the Apple DVD player and Front Row locks up.
 
VLC works fine, but Front Row locks up like a *(#&^%#@^&%#!!!!!!!!

If I see one more Apple commercial tonight touting how Vista sucks and Leopard is God I may kill that $4,500 Plasma TV and get killed by the wife but I'll sure feel better for 2 seconds *(&#^*&#^*&*&&(*!!!!!

Nuts.
 
Eidorian said:
I didn't think you'd come back. I'm glad to hear VLC works out for you.
Click to expand...

You are one fast post responder! I like this machine so I'm just venting but being in the IT field and watching those childish Apple vs PC commercials knowing full well neither are better than the other and both having Pro's and Con's irks me, more so when this supposedly superior Mac craps out playing a simple DVD and their support line acts like their crap is so clean it has no smell.

I posted on their support forum so we'll see what they have to say. For tonight I'm in Vista or shall we call it the Beta of Windows 7? :D
 
Your issue is really weird, I've never had anything comparable on any of the Macs I've used/owned, including my Mac Pro.
 
viking396 said:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1754176&tstart=0

Here you go, wow, I do complain about those TV Ads a lot, did I mention I really hate those ads? :D :apple:
Click to expand...

I'm a mac head and I hate the commercials too. They come off as very snobbish and conceited. But hey, use what works for you, what makes the mac pro so awesome is how versatile it really is.

Edit: Never had a problem with dvd playback, but if using apples dvd player is that important, you could always try an archive/install of leopard. Something may have gone corrupt in the initial installation, never know.
 
Sounds like something is corrupted. I would do a repair permissions on the disk. Then I would look at drive testing. Take a spare drive, do a fresh install and see if it still locks up on that installation.
 
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