cannot find server

Question

cannot find server

When ever I start imove it gives a message that "There was a problem connecting to the server xxxxxx.local" and i can not stop it happening. The message comes up every 20 seconds or so if I clear it. I have deleted the preferences of imovie, recent items and login, all of which makes no difference at all. I am beginning to give up hope

Stephen

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Mar 11, 2013 6:03 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 11, 2013 6:10 AM in response to stephenfromdagenaham

Make that every 5 seconds or so....

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Answer 2

Mar 11, 2013 6:22 AM in response to stephenfromdagenaham

Hi

Please tell more

• is Your Mac connected to any Net-Work ?

• other external devices ?

• formatted as ?

• OS version

• other program in use - and what version of them ?

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 3

Mar 11, 2013 7:57 AM in response to Bengt Wärleby

The computer is connected to my home wifi network

There are no external devices attached directly to the comupter, although there are other computer on the next work and a TIme Machine for back-up.

I am running Mac OS 10.8.2 at the moment.

This happens when I use imovie on its own or with other programmes at the same time.

Stephen

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Answer 4

Mar 11, 2013 9:46 AM in response to stephenfromdagenaham

To have Movie on one external hard disc connected via a Net-work WiFi or not - Usually do NOT work.

Connected via USB/USB2 - performs badly for me - especially when disk fills up

FireWire - is the only way I use (or internally vis e.-SATA) - they works OK

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 5

Mar 12, 2013 2:53 AM in response to Bengt Wärleby

There is the rub. As far as I know I have not save a movie or loaded a movie on another drive. But now I am getting this message I can not find a way to stop it looking for the other server and it is driving me nuts.

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Answer 6

Mar 12, 2013 5:45 AM in response to stephenfromdagenaham

I think that I have found it. Here is the fix posted by another:

"I had this problem and I have fixed it.

I don't know specifically which part of this worked as I did all this in one fell swoop... perhaps try one at a time if you want:

Move com.apple.iMovieApp.plist to your desktop (find it in your user preferences folder, inside your user library folder)
Move com.apple.iApp.plist to your desktop (from same location as above)
Empty everything from your caches folder (also in your user library folder)
Move everything from your user "Movies" folder to your desktop
Try iMovie now"

Happy now!

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Answer 7

Mar 12, 2013 6:12 AM in response to stephenfromdagenaham

Hi Stephen,

In point 4 of the fix it states "Move everything from your user "Movies" folder to your desktop".

For the benefit of others here it should be mentioned that iMovie can only find iMovie Projects if they are located as follows:

On the internal drive, Events must be located in the User's Home folder "Movies/iMovie Events"
On the internal drive, Projects must be located in the User's Home folder "Movies/iMovie Projects"
On an external drive, Events and Projects must be located at the top level in the folders "iMovie Events" and "iMovie Projects" respectively

So, if Events and/or Projects are moved elsewhere, iMovie will not be able to see them and they will need to be moved back to their original location.

But of course you would know this as you mention that you are "Happy now", so I guess iMovie is now working properly and you can see all of your Events and Projects. 🙂

Hope you don't mind, but just thought I should explain all this in case others have trouble with iMovie locating things!

John

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Answer 8

Mar 12, 2013 7:10 AM in response to John Cogdell

Hello John,

Yes you are quite right there should have been another step to put the house back in order. Thank you for your addition. I am just happy not to get a message every 5 seconds about a server.

Stephen

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Answer 9

Mar 12, 2013 7:17 AM in response to stephenfromdagenaham

Thanks for the quick reply Stephen. Glad to hear that all is working well - and good work in tracking down the solution! Deleting preference files is always the first thing I try when iMovie misbehaves. Clearing Caches is also a good idea.

John

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Answer 10

Mar 12, 2013 7:26 AM in response to John Cogdell

Hello John,

I tried to delet the preferences but that did not do the trick. In addition deleting the caches alone did not work. It was only by doing both that I got it to work.

Stephen

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Answer 11

Mar 14, 2013 1:58 AM in response to stephenfromdagenaham

Thanks Stephen, that's good to know. I appreciate you mentioning that. Next time I suggest deleting the preference file I will also mention clearing iMovie's cache folder.

John

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