| There are times when simply trashing the Final Cut Pro Preference file clears up problems. This file is located in your System folder in the Preferences folder. Keep in mind, though, that all favorites and custom presets have to be rebuilt if you trash this file. In OS X, it's located in Users> your user name >Library>Preferences>Final Cut Pro User Data>Final Cut Pro 4.0 Preferences. Just trash the file or put it in another folder temporarily. The next time you launch the application, Final Cut Pro builds a new one that has the FCP default settings. If this fails, and you are positive you need to reinstall Final Cut Pro, an article in the Knowledge Base on Apple's website guides you through the uninstall process. You should uninstall Final Cut Pro before a "ground up" reinstall. You'll find this article at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93150. In fact, many Final Cut Pro articles are posted. You should check them first when troubleshooting any problem. Go to http://docs. info .apple.com and search for "Final Cut Pro 4." You'll be enlightened by reading them. Sometimes you just can't get things to work properly, and you are completely stumped. You can call AppleCare for support. You might even get your problem solved for free. The software warranty on Final Cut Pro is only 90 days from the date of purchase, but problems with new installations are always addressed for free. If the problem is directly related to your computer, and not third-party hardware, AppleCare is free during your hardware warranty period. I heartily recommend buying extended AppleCare for your computer and its Apple-purchased display. One computer repair can easily offset the cost of this extended warranty. Replacing a FireWire connector and bus can cost hundreds of dollars. It's not at all uncommon to replace CPUs, motherboards, and disk drives . All of these repairs are expensive. You can avoid the high cost for years if you add AppleCare to your order or if you add it when you purchase your Mac from any authorized dealer . Replacing a computer display when ordered with AppleCare could save you up to $2,000. A new motherboard is an expensive repair. This peace of mind is always welcome, especially if you are a professional who relies on your system to run properly at all times. You can add AppleCare to your computer anytime during the first year of its life. It's worth every dime. Getting a system profile report might open your eyes to hardware problems. It's a piece of cake to do. Just select About this Mac from the Apple menu, and then click More Info to open the report. Try it just to become comfortable looking at it and what it tells you about your setup. If you want to get help from other users, an amazing amount of support is available online from the various websites listed in Appendix E. Don't forget to post your problem with as much information about your computer setup as you can gatherwhich computer model, the amount of RAM, which OS, which version of QuickTime, which version of Final Cut Pro, which camera or input device, whether you have a capture card installed, and anything else related to your complete setup. The more you post about your environment, the sooner a helpful user will be able to determine your problem. Don't forget to thank someone who helps you solve your problem. Remember, no one is being paid to help you. The Final Cut Pro community enjoys a tremendous free online support system. Keeping posts friendly and supportive is probably a good idea for everyone. Also remember to search the posts with keywords that relate to your specific problem. You'll quickly find answers to most questions this way, and you won't have to wait for someone to come to your rescue. |
