Where to install Final Cut Studio content

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Level 1

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Where to install Final Cut Studio content

Hi. I'm about to do a clean install of Final Cut Studio 2 on a refurbished mid 2010 Mac Pro running 10.6.8. It currently has a 240 GB SSD boot drive and a 1TB 7200 RPM HD that I've set up to be used as a scratch/media disk. Would like to keep the boot drive as clean as possible and put everything else (that doesn't need to be on the boot drive) on the scratch/media drive.

I understand that one way to go is to set up an alternate Home Folder on another drive, which sounds like a viable option. I'm a little hesitant to go that route however and would prefer to "point" my applications to folders I would manually create on the 2nd drive for projects, content, etc. Is that going to work with installing content for Motion, DVD Studio Pro, Live Type and Soundtrack Pro so I can keep those files on another drive? And I'm assuming I should still keep my FCP project files on the boot drive?

Final Cut Pro 6, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 22, 2014 4:24 PM

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Answer 1

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David Harbsmeier

Level 7

30,089 points

Jul 22, 2014 5:41 PM in response to stopmotion

The Final Cut Studio apps only take up about 4GB of hard drive space - they need to go on the boot drive. During the install process, you'll have the option to install the extra content (approx 56GB worth of SoundTrack loops, Motion templates, etc.) on another volume.

-DH

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Answer 2

stopmotion Author

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9 points

Jul 22, 2014 7:07 PM in response to David Harbsmeier

OK. Thanks. And my FCP projects. They need to stay on the boot drive too, right?

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Answer 3

stopmotion Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 22, 2014 7:09 PM in response to stopmotion

Skip my last post. Got your answer from a previous one.

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Answer 4

stopmotion Author

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9 points

Jul 22, 2014 8:59 PM in response to David Harbsmeier

I ran the installer but it never gave me the option to select a different destination for content for any of the applications. A Custom install window did not appear. If I allow all content to be installed on the boot drive, can I then drag over those files that can be stored on a 2nd drive and transfer them that way?

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Answer 5

stopmotion Author

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9 points

Jul 22, 2014 9:35 PM in response to stopmotion

Or would it be better to use the Content disc installers and re-install all the content on the 2nd drive and then direct FCP to reference it from the new location?

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Answer 6

Nick Holmes

Level 7

30,018 points

Jul 23, 2014 8:58 AM in response to stopmotion

[quote]I ran the installer but it never gave me the option to select a different destination for content for any of the applications.[/quote]

Click the disclosure triangle on the left, then the little pointer symbol marked on the right.

From there you can choose the destination for your content...

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Answer 7

stopmotion Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 23, 2014 9:50 AM in response to Nick Holmes

Thanks for sending the image of the Custom Install window. Unless I missed it, I don't recall seeing a screen like that during the initial installation process, with disclosure triangles and folders listed under the Location heading.

So a default location installation on my boot drive was performed. When I saw that content was being installed on the boot drive as well I cancelled after the 3 audio discs were installed. I know I can move the audio content to a different location (have done it before). At that point, I thought I'd be able to complete the Final Cut Studio installation and then manually install the rest of the content (using the installers on the content discs) onto the 2nd drive. I think it asked me to re-insert the Final Cut Studio installation disc and I got a message about installation having failed. When I clicked the Install Final Cut Studio package icon, it went through the initial screens, finally displaying one with all the apps listed, saying they needed to be upgraded, but there were no triangles or folders under Location. So I clicked Continue, the apps were re-installed along with all the content (onto my boot drive). I also manually installed all content onto the 2nd drive using the individual content discs (then I was able to select location).

So now content is installed in two places (boot drive and scratch/media disk. I know how to handle the audio content, but can I just tell FCP where to look for content for Live Type, Motion and DVD Studio Pro and direct it to the content files installed on my scratch/media drive? Then I'd like to delete all the content from the boot drive (except for what needs to be there according to installation instructions).

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Answer 8

stopmotion Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 23, 2014 11:06 AM in response to Nick Holmes

Did a little more research on moving content media to another drive and apparently you can change the reference path to the media right from within the various applications which is what I'll have to do at this point. I'll just take it on an app by app basis and I should be okay.

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