FCPX hangs, computer is hung too.

I repaired permissions on internal drive (SSD) and verified the "external" disks (thunderbolt).

I fired up FCP using Opt-Cmd and cleared the prefs and opened a new library. Then I changed the prefs back on where things are stored. (? could this be a problem??)

Then I opened an existing project I need to work on. It opened fine. I double-clicked on a different "project" than the one that displayed by default and that project opened in the timeline. Fine.

Then I move the cursor over the timeline and an instant later, the beach ball appears.

I force quit FCP and launch FIrefox to come here; Firefox cannot open a window and moving the cursor to the menu bar for Firefox shows the beach ball. So I force quit Firefox (now apple wants a report!).

I select "shutdown" from the apple menu and the display goes dark but the "gear timer" revolves endlessly and the machine does not shut down. I have to hold the on button to shut down.

I wonder if this ha anything to do with scrubbing? I'm nearly at the point where my "brand new / powerful / FCP X" machine is unusable (while my 2008 Mac Pro with FCP 7 continues to hum along on old projects I'm finishing)

One more thing.

Pursuing the theory (??) that somehow skimming was causing or invoking the problem, I repeated the sanitary opening procedure and then turned skimming completely off before daring to click in the project / timeline area. It appears I might actually be able to work on this video now!!

But crazy still.

I spent one session at the Apple Store and the guy reset ACLs on my account and we tried a new account. This appeared to solve the problem. However, after a week out of town and working on a different project (older computer) when I finally fired up the Mac Pro, the problem reappeared instantly. However, it got worse: at one point the machine would not boot up!!

Luckily I got a senior guy the next time and, long story short, both graphics card appear to be flaky; regular programs don't exercise too many fancy features and the "self test" is pretty simple. But Final Cut (and then Resolve) both had troubles; lots of kernel panics from the GPU.

I'm hopeful that replacing that hardware will eliminate my problems. I'll post back if they go away.

cheers, Jim

I picked up my Mac Pro today from the apple store (southpoint / durham nc). It had been tested, but GPUs passed the tests and nothing was replaced - it had 10.11.1 (El capitan) installed. I brought it home and did the following:

- created my own account and deleted the "apple" account

- turned on wifi

- loaded one of my printers; driver was downloaded from Apple

- installed FCP X from the Appstore

- double-clicked on a previous project file (bundle)

- no FCP window ever displayed. Had to force quit.

- double-clicked on the FCP icon in the dock to open a new project; no window comes up

force quit again

- go to shutdown; computer hangs; had to use power button to power off.

Final report. Returned my Mac Pro to the Apple Store. After a week, got it back. BOTH graphics cards were replaced. I was able to boot Final Cut and click around various things with no ill effects, no beach ball and no computer hang at shutdown. More work necessary to be really comfortable that the problem is solved, but looks like there are problems with interfacing to the GPUs that only video intensive apps (FCP and Resolve) invoke. Some of the "simple" hardware diagnostics test the card but apparently do not use the same software interface as the actual apps do.

I'm optimistic my problems are behind me, but it's a cautionary tale, in part because the problem emerged after six months of use and got worse until the computer was unusable.