How can I get my speed back? all of a sudden FCPX is so slow it's unusable. I've been using the program professionally for a few years I am running a maxed out "Trash Can Mac" and I'm also using proxies [have been doing that for years also] I run auto upgrades and all of a sudden the session [I have a massive deadline with] has become unusable HELP!!
Mac Pro, macOS 10.15
Luis Sequeira1 the Etrecheck WAS done before I removed chrome !
But folks it looks like I found the problem ! because I now have the session running fantastically ! So a little credit where credit is due... I think "chrome" was an issue but a small one that "piled on" so I am grateful for this info, because it's running better than ever!!
The real issue was with FCPX and specifically this session [I had edited a different session, with a different library] the night before and it worked OK.
the problem library / session had given me a warning a week earlier that it had been corrupted caused by a power failure [from a malfunctioning UPS] FCPX popped up a menu stating that one of the "project"s in the Library was corrupt and did i want to continue or open a backup. I decided to open the "backup" even though it meant I would lose a little work.
when I opened the Backup, FCPX could not find the "Proxies" so I was forced to relink them.
After re-linking all was well with the world, however now I had 2 libraries for one "session" and the corrupt Library was LARGE 1.8 Tb [approximately] so I closed the Backup session and opened the large, yet corrupt, original version of the session, I ran "Delete Generated Clip Files" and selected everything but "proxies" in an attempt to reduce the library file size... it worked.
so I closed the old corrupt session and re-opened the Backup version everything worked. BUT, bugged by the fact that I had still 2 libraries to run one session I decided to use a feature I've never seen before [which now I can't find?] but might only be available when running a FCPX [created] backup? I can't remember exactly what the menu selection was titled but it was something to tune of; "Copy Proxies to Library" so I tried... it fought me a little, I think I even had to restart FPCX but eventual I got that menu option to work... it took all day for the copy to complete. Once done, I thew out the corrupt Library then opened the back up and everything was there, no warnings and it worked...
or it looked like it did!
yesterday I went to do the edits to the now, official backup session, it opened and looked great BUT it was SUPER slow [as I described] and I posted on this forum for help.
I decided that the problem suggested to me, like there was something wrong with those "copied" "proxies" so on a whim I threw all "created library files" OUT [and BTW it did NOT warn me that this could not be undone as it always does...Hmmmm]
I went and re-created the proxies [similar to the way you create proxies when you first import the files] and I also set the size of the proxies creations to lower than the 50% default . it ran all night, [at 3am there was still 1/3 left]
This morning it runs FANTASTIC!
so the moral of the story... the "Copy proxies to Library" function appears to not work and that if you are forced to work from a "backup" copy of a "session / library' you are advised to re-create the proxies! [and not copy the proxies from the other library]
THANK YOU FOLKS!!! I hope you keep this posted for others to save them the grief... but I image few will find themselves in the same place I was?? [for the same reasons / actions ]?
Luis Sequeira1 the Etrecheck WAS done before I removed chrome !
But folks it looks like I found the problem ! because I now have the session running fantastically ! So a little credit where credit is due... I think "chrome" was an issue but a small one that "piled on" so I am grateful for this info, because it's running better than ever!!
The real issue was with FCPX and specifically this session [I had edited a different session, with a different library] the night before and it worked OK.
the problem library / session had given me a warning a week earlier that it had been corrupted caused by a power failure [from a malfunctioning UPS] FCPX popped up a menu stating that one of the "project"s in the Library was corrupt and did i want to continue or open a backup. I decided to open the "backup" even though it meant I would lose a little work.
when I opened the Backup, FCPX could not find the "Proxies" so I was forced to relink them.
After re-linking all was well with the world, however now I had 2 libraries for one "session" and the corrupt Library was LARGE 1.8 Tb [approximately] so I closed the Backup session and opened the large, yet corrupt, original version of the session, I ran "Delete Generated Clip Files" and selected everything but "proxies" in an attempt to reduce the library file size... it worked.
so I closed the old corrupt session and re-opened the Backup version everything worked. BUT, bugged by the fact that I had still 2 libraries to run one session I decided to use a feature I've never seen before [which now I can't find?] but might only be available when running a FCPX [created] backup? I can't remember exactly what the menu selection was titled but it was something to tune of; "Copy Proxies to Library" so I tried... it fought me a little, I think I even had to restart FPCX but eventual I got that menu option to work... it took all day for the copy to complete. Once done, I thew out the corrupt Library then opened the back up and everything was there, no warnings and it worked...
or it looked like it did!
yesterday I went to do the edits to the now, official backup session, it opened and looked great BUT it was SUPER slow [as I described] and I posted on this forum for help.
I decided that the problem suggested to me, like there was something wrong with those "copied" "proxies" so on a whim I threw all "created library files" OUT [and BTW it did NOT warn me that this could not be undone as it always does...Hmmmm]
I went and re-created the proxies [similar to the way you create proxies when you first import the files] and I also set the size of the proxies creations to lower than the 50% default . it ran all night, [at 3am there was still 1/3 left]
This morning it runs FANTASTIC!
so the moral of the story... the "Copy proxies to Library" function appears to not work and that if you are forced to work from a "backup" copy of a "session / library' you are advised to re-create the proxies! [and not copy the proxies from the other library]
THANK YOU FOLKS!!! I hope you keep this posted for others to save them the grief... but I image few will find themselves in the same place I was?? [for the same reasons / actions ]?
I recommend etrecheck to assist in sorting out performance issues.
I'd run etrecheck. Etrecheck will analyze your machine and software and generate a report. Post results here so others can view. Experienced users have found the reported information useful when diagnosing problems. The proprietary stuff in the report gets filtered.
Install and run
-- Download etrecheck. Goto the EtreCheck download page. The download link is at the bottom of the screen
-- Install etrecheck. Goto your download folder. Double click on EtreCheckPro.zip
-- Drag the app to the application folder if you wish.
-- Turn on full disk access for EtreCheck. This was how macos used to work. Do it for etrecheck not avast as in the instructions.
Enabling Full Disk Access in macOS Mojave (10.14) and higher | Official Avast Support
-- Double click on etrecheck to run. The first five runs are free.
An alternative explanation how to install, run and report output for the EtreCheck Application
Using EtreCheck to Troubleshoot Potential… - Apple Community
Explanation of EtreCheck output by etresoft, the author.
Using EtreCheck - Apple Community
How to report etrecheck data.
1) Run etrecheck 😎 [ see above ].
2) When the report is done, click on the Export icon.
3) click on "Copy report" to copy to the clipboard
What to do with your report
4) Get back in your web browser and access your discussion. etc.
5) click on Additional text icon
which results in...
6) Paste your report and fill in a title.
7) click on "Add Text" button
8) post your post by clicking on reply or update
Robert
We need information.
What OS, what version of FCP, what type of media, where is it stored, how is the drive connected, how full it is?
Do you have Chrome on this system? It has been crippling professional applications...
Also, Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here.
Use the “additional text” button and paste the report into the text box.
This may show other software issues.
Great detective work. Hope I didn't mislead your.
macOS should run fine with out need of any cleaning. Normal cleaning is built into macOS. I had not thought of "safe" as a cleaning app. I suggest it to get rid of third party extensions. I don't know what rational "safe" boot might use to delete things.
I have two pieces of advice:
R
OS = 10.15.7 Mac= 2,7 GHz 12-core Xeon E5, 64 Gig ram, [dual?]-AMD FirePro D700 6 GB. FCPX version 10.5.1 the "session" Library is on an external Thunderbolt 2, 4Tb, RAID Drive [config for speed not redundancy] and the Original media is on an 8TB USB 3 drive the video media is 4k Apple Pro Res shot in Slog2 and recorded using BMD Ninja recorders.
"Chrome"..... hmmm well i do have a Chrome browser.... [I HATE, because i'm quite sure i was hacked thru using it??] but I need for running a program called "Clean feed" [I use this to hear[audio] mixes I'm doing a hundred miles from the studio [in real time] it will only run on Chrome... and in COVID the remote mixes are a must...
Etrecheck is awesome ... but not free anymore... I'm sure the guy could use the money [the guy who developed it]... not really in a place to spend more money, however I will if you think this is needed? nothing else seems to have slowed to a crawl tho
THANKS BTW for the fast response!!
Take a look at this article, about a guy whose FCP performance slowed to a crawl and consider test removing Chrome ( and its components):
https://www.imore.com/google-chromes-updater-killing-mac-performance
to see if that is causing your problem.
MtD
Meg The Dog, thanks! I followed the article and removed Chrome [after reading the article]... hmmm no difference.
I also tried deactivating all the "effects' [I was running LUTS on each track of the Multi Cam so I didn't have to look at the bland Slog II footage.] but that didn't seem to help either!!
this is acting exactly like it acts if I try to run the Multicam edit in "optimized / original" view! [instead of setting to "proxy"] normally if I try to run [by forgetting to set to Proxy} but as "optimized / original" , when I hit the space bar I get a beach ball for [what feels like an eternity] then it plays smooth for a second or two... followed by super choppy playback [or full on stills] even though the sound continues to play.
I don't see anything obvious. You do have a lot of extensions running. Running in safe mode prevents extensions from loading.
I upgraded from 10.10.5 to 10.13.6 a month ago. I follow the moto "if it aren't broke, don't fix it". I do keep lots of backups in case I get hacked. iMovie crashed when saving a movie. I had to boot up my 10.10.5 partition to run iMovie until I got the issue sorted. You need to use something like carbon copy cloner to make a backkup copy of your startup drive before you upgrade to a new macos in case you have issues upgrading.
I'm not sure if FXPX will run in safe mode, but it is worth a try.
Try a safe boot.
Shutdown your machine. Hold down the shift
key. Poweron. The boot up will take longer than normal
because the filesystem on the startup drive is being checked and
repaired as needed. All about safe mode including what
features and apps safe boot leaves out.
Safe boot uses a software driver instead
of using your machines video hardware.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1455
You could define another user and try running from this user.
You could run activity monitor and see if you can see any thing.
Some semi-random thoughts on addressing performance
problems.
Activity Monitor
Look at what is happening with your Mac when you
run Activity Monitor.
You want to monitor the cpu time:make certain:
1) little arrow appears in the %CPU column
2) little arrow is in the down direction
3) Activity Monitor is monitoring (All Processes)
4) Make sure that you have clicked on the cpu tab.
Use the View menu to change to All Processes if
needed.
You can gain some understanding of Activity Monitor
by looking at it
every once in a while. Look at the small graph
below to see the total
cpu time used. See what processes are listed on
top.
You can get an external drive. I use macsales/owc. You will get good performance out of an external ssd. I do. re-install the absolute minimum.
Robert
Was the Etrecheck report done before or after removing Chrome?
In the report, we still see the "keystone" launch agent from Google, that seems to be the actual problem, or at least part of the problem...
I'm very aware of "Safe Boot" FCPX will NOT run in "safe" mode. however, I understand? that occasional booting in this mode clears certain cache's??? so it's part of what I do when in trouble LOL
the "activity monitor" is something I'm I'm only barely aware of... and I have payed more attention to Etrecheck's reports concerning CPU usage.... I was getting warnings of super high usage [that made no sense] and I [now] assume that Chrome was the culprit! G D Google! what a PITA that company is.... yet a necessary evil. so again THANK YOU!
You got it! I will do both of your suggestions... I am busy LOL like you said, but I have been very guilty of being spoiled by Mac OS being so “bullet proof”... I have become very suspicious of Hard drive reliability however!... so I have been hard core about data backup! Every customers project A'LWAYS exist on two drives without exception ... but i struggle with using time machine on my OS . . lol
safe mode.... you didn’t lead me astray, I was sharing (what I thought I had heard about safe mode....) it wouldn’t surprise me if I’m dead wrong!😂😂
all of a sudden My FCPX is too slow to use I have a maxed out Trash Can HELP!
