Final Cut Pro X hangs upon opening due to large project. Way to access previous project Version?

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Level 1

18 points

Final Cut Pro X hangs upon opening due to large project. Way to access previous project Version?

I'm running FCPX on what I assume is close to the bare minimum... low end 2011 Mac Mini, upgraded to 8GB RAM. I was working on a project, not too long, but a lot of clips, and for one near the end I decided to "zoom out" to a sort of tile collage of a couple hundred clips (each 1080p24). Whoops. FCPX hung pretty much all night, and after a Force Quit, the app now hangs upon starting up again.

I tried Apple's suggestion for hiding events and projects that aren't being used at the moment, to try and lighten the load, but I guess the current project with that one short clip of those hundreds of simultaneous clips is, on it's own, still too much. FCPX still hangs upon opening, once the project shows up in the project tray. The rotating beach ball mocks me.

I noticed a backup file in the Project folder, but there's only one file and it's not dated old enough to not have the troublesome clip. I can't access Versions because I can't do anything upon opening FCPX except Force Quit. Is there another way I can access a previous Version in order to not resort to starting the whole project over from scratch?

Final Cut Pro X, Mac OS X (10.7.3), 2011 Mac Mini

Posted on Mar 15, 2012 2:21 PM

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Answer 1

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andynick

Level 5

4,955 points

Mar 15, 2012 3:04 PM in response to ChristianP87

There is only one backup file - I think it gets over-written every fifteen minutes so unless you have some other backup, you'll have to resort to inginuity.

Try moving the Media to a temporary folder - that way the Project will open with disconnected clips. You can then re-link them a few at a time - leaving out the ones which you believe are causing the problem.

Then duplicate the project and in the new project, concentrate on the complex clip - ditch all the rest and work on getting that clip back up. Then you could export that clip as one movie file and import it back into the project.

Always keep regular duplicate projects - they are your backup - or, do as I do, and clone your working external HD to another of the same size and speed.

Andy

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Answer 2

mbpellie

Level 1

15 points

Mar 15, 2012 4:18 PM in response to andynick

Oh, forgive me -- I am jumping in here because I'm not sure how else to start a thread. I'm sorry! need faster computer, I'm told (using MacBook Pro with snow leopard) and 4 GB Ram.... but told that I can't use Final Cut Pro on the new computers that come with Lion. Would love some advice -- will be glad to do so out of Forum if that's preferable. thanks!

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Answer 3

ChristianP87 Author

Level 1

18 points

Mar 15, 2012 7:08 PM in response to andynick

Thanks! I didn't think to hide the active event(s) and systematically work with the skeleton of the Project and export it as its own video file. I eventually got everything working to satisfaction.

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Answer 4

andynick

Level 5

4,955 points

Mar 15, 2012 11:41 PM in response to mbpellie

I run FCP X and FCP 7 on Lion with virtullay no problems.

Andy

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