MacBook Pro Overhaul - Help Needed

[Splinter]

My audio partition is long overdue for an overhaul. I'm still on 10.6.8 and DP7.24 on a MBP Quad 2.4GHz i7, but most of my new plugs crash it (i.e. Slate and Waves). So, I just hunkered down and paid for all the upgrades to make the jump to 64 bit, but what is the best way to update my system and to what version of Yosemite should I upgrade? Is the migration to Yosemite "clean," or do I need to wipe the drive and start over (that's a couples days worth of work). It's just been a really long time since I done this kind of upgrade on my audio partition and I'm looking for advice on what's best. Cheers!

[apanacci]

I removed my cd burner and put in an SSD drive. I made that my system drive and record to the original drive. Works great !

[Splinter]

I would love to put an SSD in my MacBook, but I just spent the whole wad on my upgrades! That's not a problem though as I'm using my 4TB Thunderbolt external drive. I reads at about 550Mb/sec. I'm more concerned about the software upgrade at this point.

[mikehalloran]

...most of my new plugs crash..

That is often a symptom of having a lot of old crap installed that has conflicts with the newer software.

Do you need to do a clean install? Possibly not. It's not a bad idea every twenty years or so and if you are having these kind of problems now, I recommend it.

You have the OS 10.8.2 hump to overcome when a lot of old software no longer worked and some of it crashes the Mac. One advantage of Yosemite is that much of that garbage cannot load since the .kext files are not signed by Apple.

If doing a clean install, ask about every app: Is it current? Is it supported? If no, then do a Google search to find out if people are having problems and what kind. Then ask, Do I really need this?

At the same time, it's a very good idea to buy the DP 8 upgrade. Not only will you have access to MOTU Support but you get DP 9 when it is released later this year.

DP 7.24 runs well in Yosemite but not everything old does. I have written in other threads about all these issues.

No reason not to go to OS 10.10.2 unless you have a new Mac Pro and have drives to eject. Those users may want to stay at 10.10.1.

[Splinter]

Thanks, Mike. Good feedback. I'm making the BIG jump to 64 bit and upgrading ALL the plugs that are 64 bit. The only ones that I'm losing at this point is the URS plugs and that's a downer cause I use Channel Strip Pro a good bit, but messaged Bobby Nathan and he said they are working on it, but Waves, NI Komplete, Slate, Soundtoys, Altiverb, Arturia V Collection 4, Autotune, are all good to go, so there may be specific issues with different plugs, but they are all theoretically Yosemite ready.

As for my current set up, I'm pretty sure the problem is just the newer plugs. I keep my system on this partition really clean - no email, no non-audio apps, limited background processes, etc... - and only started having these issues when I introduced the Slate and Waves V9 plugs. The Waves 9 stuff isn't even 10.6.8 compatible but runs and Slate's stuff says it is compatible with 10.6.8, but both crash when closing windows under a heavy CPU load. I have to remember to stop playback before closing the window or they crash DP. May not be the OS, but DP that they aren't agreeing with. My hope is getting everything up to date - I think my last WUP upgrade was 2008 - will smooth over some of these bumps, but just wanting to know the best way to go about it.

Thanks again! Because I'm upgrading so much of my plugs I just wasn't sure how to do that. If I wipe the drive, I lose all the previous versions and authorisations, so I would have to reinstall the old versions then upgrade to the new versions? Of course, most plugs are authorised on iLok, but it becomes a major undertaking and if I just update to Yosemite then upgrade all my software that might be a smoother transition. I've not sure.

[Shooshie]

My audio partition is long overdue for an overhaul. I'm still on 10.6.8 and DP7.24 on a MBP Quad 2.4GHz i7, but most of my new plugs crash it (i.e. Slate and Waves). So, I just hunkered down and paid for all the upgrades to make the jump to 64 bit, but what is the best way to update my system and to what version of Yosemite should I upgrade? Is the migration to Yosemite "clean," or do I need to wipe the drive and start over (that's a couples days worth of work). It's just been a really long time since I done this kind of upgrade on my audio partition and I'm looking for advice on what's best. Cheers!

I think there are a lot of answers to that question: "is the upgrade to Yosemite "clean?" The short answer is "sort of, but you're going to end up here anyway, so you might as well get it over with." The basic things work in Yosemite: DP, Waves, Kontakt, Wallander, Ivory, Vienna, Sibelius, etc. I'd be more worried about one time apps or plugins you bought 10 years ago, and have grown fond of, but which stopped being updated in 2010.

Most printers and peripherals have been pretty standard since USB entered the fray, so you probably won't have to buy new ones, if you can get drivers; in fact, most drivers seem to come with the update. The possible exception is the dedicated scanner; I used to have to buy a new one every few years until I started getting all-in-one printers/scanners from HP, who always updates their drivers. I'm sure Epson and others do, too.

I was ready to do a clean install, because of certain problems I was having, but it's a huge job, and I first wanted to see if there were any guarantees that it would fix the problems. There weren't any such indicators, so I held off. Either they've gone away, or I've gotten used to them. I did search the net for fixes to some problems, and occasionally found old files I could delete. I think it fixed things.

Bottom line: do it. You probably will say a few swear words before it's all over with, but in the end it feels good to be up-to-date.

Shoosh

[Shooshie]

No reason not to go to OS 10.10.2 unless you have a new Mac Pro and have drives to eject. Those users may want to stay at 10.10.1.

I haven't heard about that one. What's up with it? I've got 10.10.2, and my drives eject. Is it causing problems or something?

Shoosh

[Splinter]

Shooshie:

Are you saying you DID do a clean install or migrated from a previous version of OS X? I gather the later, but I know what a hassle it can be having those wee niggles that cause issues and tracking them down can be a pain. That said, with the best of systems there always seems to be something. I just know that 10.6.8 and DP7 was a winning combo and wanted to know how the current OS and DP behaved together.

Thanks for your input. If I gather you are saying you migrated to Yosemite, I'm inclined to go that direction. Any other thoughts on the process for upgrading? OS, then plugs or plugs then OS?

Cheers!

[Shooshie]

Shooshie:

Are you saying you DID do a clean install or migrated from a previous version of OS X? I gather the later, but I know what a hassle it can be having those wee niggles that cause issues and tracking them down can be a pain. That said, with the best of systems there always seems to be something. I just know that 10.6.8 and DP7 was a winning combo and wanted to know how the current OS and DP behaved together.

Thanks for your input. If I gather you are saying you migrated to Yosemite, I'm inclined to go that direction. Any other thoughts on the process for upgrading? OS, then plugs or plugs then OS?

Cheers!

Migrated. I run DP most of every day, and it never crashes. Well, I take that back. I can sometimes get it to crash when building Custom Consoles. I save after every move when I make those. But even there it's only rarely, and that's an old bug that's been there for decades.

I went through some discomfort in the migration (not really with DP, though), but here on the other side, the weather is balmy!

Shoosh

[mikehalloran]

No reason not to go to OS 10.10.2 unless you have a new Mac Pro and have drives to eject. Those users may want to stay at 10.10.1.

I haven't heard about that one. What's up with it? I've got 10.10.2, and my drives eject. Is it causing problems or something?

Shoosh

MLC has posted extensively about this issue. As I understand it, it only affects ihe nMP and went away when he reverted to 10.10.1.

[mikehalloran]

I did a clean install last Oct when I got an SSD and Yosemite came out. It had been since I got my Performa 6200 in 1990 or so since I did it last. 25 years -- it was time and I'm glad I did it.

Time Machine is your friend. You can find individual folders and apps to restore them one at a time. I created a folder that has all of my authorization files and/or instructions and copied it over. Your works such as Documents, Music, Movies etc. likewise, will copy over without permissions issues if done from TM.

Apple apps can be copied over as can a few others like TechTool Pro. Most others must be reinstalled. By having a folder where I have all of my AUTH files and instructions, I did not have to contact any manufacturers for help and was able to get everything running.

Some apps (Finale, MasterWriter, Final Draft and others) need to be de-authorized before you wipe the hard drive. DP 8 is not one of them. You will need certain install disks like DP 7 for reauthorization. iLok is not an issue after you download the license manager and log in.

Time consuming? Yes. It took about 9 hours over three days. Painful? Not at all.

[Splinter]

Cool, Mike. Glad to know it wasn't a complete hassle, but encouraged you had gone so long just doing updates! That speaks highly of Apple's migration process.

I'm not unaccustomed to clean installs, but not sure how this works with upgrades. I suppose it depends on the manufacturer. If I have to reinstall all the previous versions, then the new versions that is a complete hassle, but if I can enter a serial number, that is a different story! I'm inclined to upgrade by partition and see what it breaks first. I know many of my current plugs and DP do work in Yosemite because I have an iMac at work with them installed, I just don't know how the 64-bit migration works.

Is 64-bit DP a separate install from 32-bit? Will it break all my current installations? I know they won't run, but when I go to upgrade do they know to install 64-bit, ask to install 64-bit, or install both? It's a bit daunting how it all works.

[mikehalloran]

I just don't know how the 64-bit migration works.

Is 64-bit DP a separate install from 32-bit? Will it break all my current installations? I know they won't run, but when I go to upgrade do they know to install 64-bit, ask to install 64-bit, or install both? It's a bit daunting how it all works.

DP 8 just installs. It opens in 64bit unless you tell it to open 32 in the Get Info panel. Any plug that is 32/64 compatible will just display and run.

32bit only plugs will not show in DP 8 64 but may if you run it in 32bit mode. DP 7.24 is 32bit only.

Very few current apps require you to download an earlier version then update from there. There are a few such as Office 2008 and 2011.

As far as authorization, it varies by company. I covered it pretty much in my last post.

[Splinter]

Thanks, Mike. That's helpful. Much appreciated.

[Splinter]

So, I decided to go with the upgrade rather than the reinstall. I'm actually surprised how easy it has been and DP is running super smooth (other than the random CPU spikes that DP has had for ages!) It must be DP's ability to access more RAM or maybe it is the Cocoa integration, but windows just fly open and everything seems to run without delay or hiccups. Nice.

I'm on Yosemite 10.10.3, DP8.07, Waves 9.3 (Platinum, Studio Consoles Collection, dbx160, Scheps73, RS56), all the latest Slate plugs, Soundtoys 4, Autotune 8, Komplete 10, Arturia V Collection 4, and IK Multimedia (Amplitube 3, T-Racks 3, and SampleTank 3). I haven't run it all through it's paces, and other than needing to change some settings on the upgraded plugs my mixes have worked well.

I was sad to see my Abbey Road TG413 Limiter go, however. Abbey Road dropped this several years ago and it has been very stable, but alas, it doesn't support 64-bit. R.I.P. Maybe I'll pick up Waves TG12345 Channel Strip to replace it!