IMovie 11 is crashing

Hi

When iMovie doesn't work as intended this can be due to a lot of reasons

• iMovie Pref files got corrupted - trash it/they and iMovie makes new and error free one's

• Creating a new User-Account and log into this - forces iMovie to create all pref. files new and error free

• Event or Project got corrupted - try to make a copy and repair

• a codec is used that doesn't work

• problem in iMovie Cache folder - trash Cache.mov and Cache.plist

• version miss match of QuickTime Player / iMovie / iDVD

• preferences are wrong - Repair Preferences

• other hard disk problem - Repair Hard Disk (Disk Util tool - but start Mac from ext HD or DVD)

• External hard disks - MUST BE - Mac OS Extended (hfs) formatted to work with Video

( UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange - works for most other things - but not for Video )

• USB-flash-memories do not work

• Net-work connected hard disks - do not work

• iPhoto Library got problems - let iPhoto select another one or repair it. Re-build this first then try to re-start iMovie.

This You do by

_ close iPhoto

_ on start up of iPhoto - Keep {cmd and alt-keys down}

_ now select all five options presented

_ WAIT a long long time

• free space on Start-Up (Mac OS) hard disk to low (<1Gb) - I never go under 25Gb free space for SD-Video (4-5 times more for HD)

• external devices interferes - turn off Mac - disconnect all of them and - Start up again and re-try

• GarageBand fix - start GB - play a few notes - Close it again and now try iMovie

• Screen must be set to million-colors

• Third-party plug-ins doesn't work OK

• Run "Cache Out X", clear out all caches and restarts the Mac

• Let Your Mac be turned on during one night. At about midnight there is a set of maintenance programs that runs and tidying up. This might help

• Turn off Your Mac - and disconnect Mains - for about 20-30 minutes - at least this resets the FireWire port.

• In QuickTime - DivX, 3ivx codec, Flip4Mac, Perian etc - might be problematic - temporarily move them out and re-try

(I deleted the file "3ivxVideoCodec.component" located in Mac HD/Library/Quicktime and this resolved my issue.)

buenrodri wrote

I solved the problem by removing the file: 3ivxVideoCodec.component. after that, up-dated iMovie runs ok.

Last resort: Trash all of iMovie and re-install it

Yours Bengt W

1. This You do by

_ close iPhoto

_ on start up of iPhoto - Keep {cmd and alt-keys down}

_ now select all five options presented

_ WAIT a long long time

i'm confused by this close iphoto, on start up of iphoto. could u please give me step by step details?

How-Ever could I give a more step by step instr. than this ?

• What step is strange ?

• What it does - is sorting out any corruption in the iPhoto Library (very common after forced/panic Halting of program or Mac)

• iMovie starts up by going trough iPhoto and other resources libraries - and if faulth here it usually fails in startng up (iMovie)

2. Run "Cache Out X", clear out all caches and restarts the Mac. where is cache out x?

found it OK - I use it rarely - but read that it can help

3. Turn off Your Mac - and disconnect Mains - for about 20-30 minutes - at least this resets the FireWire port. - where/what is mains?

Mains - Depending on what Mac used - The Wall Socket with 240V or 110V (coutry dep.)

If You use a LapTop - Turn it off and disconnect the battery/mains (wal socket) adaptor. Most probably it at least re-set's the FireWire-port (if Your Mac got one - new MacBook Air don't)

Yours Bengt W

About the Mains... YES

About the iPhoto thing.

I turn off my Mac

Turn it on - Just so NO other programs is running

then press down alt-key + cmd-key

click on iPhoto icon in Dock or in Application folder (alt-key + cmd-key still down and kept so during up-start)

I get

I select ALL of them and leave my Mac for Several hours to do this

• No other processes during this time

• I secure that Screen-Saver and Energy-Savers are set to NOT start - but keep Mac up and running all the time.

Yours Bengt W

Can I clear all of the iMovie cache files. I have deleted all projects from my project list except for two. I had no problem with them. So is it safe to delete these files.

Thanks, flammablevapors