Just got DP7: Can't Launch (OSX Error -8796)

[jlaudon]

I think that might have messed up the system (the font updater) -it did mine... All I would suggest is to reinstall SL at this point.

[mdripps1]

Dang... I reinstalled SL and the problem is still there. Man, I am dead in the water here.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Well looking at various Google searches, nearly everything that comes up points to MS Office and Entourage. I took he latter off my machine as it also screws up Time Machine backups. Not sure how that might help, but it does seem the point to MS...

[dcoscina]

I think I know what this might be- go into your AU folder and move everything out of it. Then launch DP7. Slowly introduce your 3rd party AU plug-ins one by one and see which one might cause this message. I had the very same problem with DP6 a while back and found out it was a 3rd party AU plug-in that was corrupt and prevented DP from launching.

Worth a shot anyhow. Just remember NOT to delete the AU folder, just move it and re-introduce the plug-ins one by one.

Hope this helps!

[Shooshie]

Try this before you do anything else:

-1. Start by opening System Preferences
-2. Select 'Sharing' from the Internet & Wireless section
-3. From the list on the left choose 'File Sharing' and turn it off.
-4. Delete anything listed in the Shared Folders section
-5. Turn File Sharing back on
-6. Log out, then Log back in
-7. Done!!

This comes from a post in an Apple thread, to which our fellow 'Nation member Kevorkian linked us from another thread here.

I'd be very curious to see if it works for you.

Shooshie

[mdripps1]

I think I'm giving up on DP. I don't know what to do and i've spent hours on this. I'm sick of wasting my time. Motu gave me the Font Finagler trick and also had me create a new admin user. But I haven't heard from them since.

I've turned Sharing on/off and logged out/in.

I was able to remove plugins from HD/Library/Audio. In fact I moved all files out of there and when DP started to launch it created a new Plug-Ins folder, so I felt I was in the right place. Oddly enough though, I wasn't able to alter Users/[me]/Library/Audio. In fact, I couldn't even rename the folders. However, they were all empty anyways, so maybe those don't matter.

I've repaired permissions (again) and rebooted.

I moved fonts into another folder in library/Fonts and users/[me]/library/fonts, but I'm not able to do the same in System/Library/Fonts.

I reinstalled dp6 and i get the same error message.

I started disabling fonts via Font Book just now and periodically relaunching DP, but I'm out of time and haven't gotten through them all. I was disabling fonts from the All Fonts category, as opposed to Computer or User. So, what would be the difference between All Fonts and Computer?

Anyways, thanks for the help. I'll try disabling more fonts later, but I don't have much hope for that or anything else really.... None of my other apps have this problem, they all boot (Finale, Reason, iLife apps, etc.)

Mike

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Sorry to hear nothing worked, but no one else is having that problem as far as I know. This would indicate a problem specific to your configuration and the error code is apparently not unknown in connection with MS Office (which you said was/is on your system). I have also used MS Office for a long time but deleted Entourage because of the many problems (like this one) that it presents to Mac systems.

So while I understand your wanting to 'abandon' the effort and DP, you should also realize that whatever the problem is, it is still there and may well come back to haunt you and at a most inopportune time - like in the middle of a project!

Only you know your time, patience, financial and technical resources, but if it were me... at this point I would seriously just get a new HD and reinstall my entire system (including DP) and only copy files (no system stuff). I realize that is a MAJOR PITA, but if your stuff is worth anything to you, that is your last resort and the only sure way to resolve the issues.

Again, I certainly understand the frustration and this has been going on for a while now. OTOH, I really don't see it as a DP problem, per se, but a problem in what is and/or is not available to DP (and other apps) from within your system. Until that is fixed, you may only be one key click away from a major catastrophe.

Good luck in whatever you decide. I really hope you find out what the root of the problem is before it becomes something far worse.

[mdripps1]

Thanks for your advice and wisdom, I will take it to heart.

This is my home machine and I don't have immediate projects, so I've got time to think about my plan. I probably could wipe my HD clean and reinstall SL (and everything else), but man do I hate to have to deal with that.

I'll put up a post here if I find out anything more, but it's gonna be a few days before I decide what to do, as any plan of action is going to require a large chunk of time (all because I decided to upgrade).

Kindest regards to all who have spent time too helping me with this. I am truly grateful for your efforts.

Mike

[KEVORKIAN]

Try this before you do anything else:

-1. Start by opening System Preferences
-2. Select 'Sharing' from the Internet & Wireless section
-3. From the list on the left choose 'File Sharing' and turn it off.
-4. Delete anything listed in the Shared Folders section
-5. Turn File Sharing back on
-6. Log out, then Log back in
-7. Done!!

This comes from a post in an Apple thread, to which our fellow 'Nation member Kevorkian linked us from another thread here.

I'd be very curious to see if it works for you.

Shooshie

Yes... I fought with a similar DP launch issue in Snow Leopard for a few weeks before the File Sharing "fix" above corrected things for me. That said, your error is different and your crash is in the "main thread" which is a pretty serious and immediate app failure.

Let me ask you this:

1) Did you try following the file sharing instructions above exactly? Meaning, did you delete the shared folders (including the public folder) from the shared folder locations?
If you did this, please try keeping Sharing off and then restarting and attempting to launch DP.

2) Did you upgrade your system from Leopard? Did you elect to migrate your user settings? Or is this a fresh installation?

I finally found a peaceful DP7/SL world only after a fresh install of SL and using the file sharing fix.

PS> before you give up on DP, realize that this appears to be a Snow Leopard issue (random crashes) as many users of iWork, iLife and Adobe apps are seeing crashes....

Here is one mac-illuminati blogger calling out the issues:
http://www.kungfugrippe.com/post/177715198/confessional

Snow Leopard is great when it works and DP 6.02/7 function better in SL than in Leopard, however there are some land mines out there to get past for some folks (Like you and I)

[mdripps1]

1) Did you try following the file sharing instructions above exactly? Meaning, did you delete the shared folders (including the public folder) from the shared folder locations?

No. I simply deleted the folders from within the Sharing System Pref. They're still not there in the Sharing Pref. If I do it in the Finder, is the path users/[me]/Public? I don't know exactly which folder it is in the Finder,

2) Did you upgrade your system from Leopard? Did you elect to migrate your user settings? Or is this a fresh installation?

I have migrated as opposed to a fresh install. I have since reinstalled, but I haven't wiped out the HD and reinstalled.

I finally found a peaceful DP7/SL world only after a fresh install of SL and using the file sharing fix.

Did you wipe out the HD first? I have the $30 SL upgrade to Leopard. I don't recall there being many install options. In fact, is there an erase and install?

PS> before you give up on DP, realize that this appears to be a Snow Leopard issue (random crashes) as many users of iWork, iLife and Adobe apps are seeing crashes....

I am realizing this is system related. However, I can fully use everything on my computer to satisfy all my needs, but I can't even boot DP.

I plead temporary insanity when making the threat to leave DP behind. I really like DP and want to use it. I've owned it for years.

I think someone mentioned getting an external HD and installing SL on that. Wouldn't there be a bit of a performance hit doing that? Or is that a way of finding our if a fresh install will do the trick. I just loath the time involved managing subscriptions/activations/content/etc.

Thanks for the help.

Mike

[KEVORKIAN]

No. I simply deleted the folders from within the Sharing System Pref. They're still not there in the Sharing Pref. If I do it in the Finder, is the path users/[me]/Public? I don't know exactly which folder it is in the Finder,

Sounds like you followed the instructions properly. You don't have to do anything from the finder for this. Just delete the folders from Sharing Prefs.

I was also suggesting that you not re-enable file sharing after that... reboot... and see if there is any change.

I have migrated as opposed to a fresh install. I have since reinstalled, but I haven't wiped out the HD and reinstalled.

Did you wipe out the HD first? I have the $30 SL upgrade to Leopard. I don't recall there being many install options. In fact, is there an erase and install?

After cloning my working OS/DP install... I tried everything at least once:

1) I simply ran the SL installer and performed an update.

2) I booted from the DVD and erased my drive, ran the installer and migrated my prior OS (I tried this many times, always choosing less and less user/system info to migrate but none of that helped)

3) I booted from the DVD and erased my drive, ran the installer and reinstalled all of my apps from scratch. (This is where I am at now, kind of happy I did it as it's a nice fresh start, but it's a pain, however I used Chronosync to do some of the heavy lifting)

The new SL installer performs an update by default. Archive and Install is now gone.

If you want to erase the drive before you install, you have to boot from the DVD and launch Disk Utility from the menu bar when the install screen first comes up.

Did you make a clone of your previous OS install prior to running the SL update? (hoping you did...)

I plead temporary insanity when making the threat to leave DP behind. I really like DP and want to use it. I've owned it for years.

I think someone mentioned getting an external HD and installing SL on that. Wouldn't there be a bit of a performance hit doing that? Or is that a way of finding our if a fresh install will do the trick. I just loath the time involved managing subscriptions/activations/content/etc.

There would be a performance hit, but it would allow you to test SL and then be able to boot back into your previous OS if you need to work. That is what I had to do for a good week until I got to where I am now.

I would maybe try this:

Boot from the DVD and erase your drive, then run the installer and migrate you prior OS from your clone.

That will bring over 70/80% of your authorizations

[Shooshie]

Whatever you do, remember that it's probably temporary. Snow Leopard, contrary to my first reactions to it, apparently has some deep-seated flaws that will depend on Apple to root out and eradicate. I have yet to see evidence of any except the PS Type 1 font issue, but from what I'm reading, there's some serious mojo going on somewhere. I hope it's not contagious!

I think we'll be seeing updates from Apple soon, and after that we'll probably see the first DP update to adjust to whatever Apple does. Within an update or two, we'll probably see an end to all these strange goings on, so don't give up hope.

Remember also that even though it's obviously something related to your system, it's obviously not your "fault." It's not like you could have known how to prevent it, nor could I. I'm just fortunate that --so far--it hasn't happened to me, that's all. So, don't beat yourself up. Do the easiest thing to get up and running, and right now that may well be a new partition or drive with a system set up just for DP. Once Apple finds the problem, chances are you can go back to your old drive, if you even want to at that point. Just do what it takes to keep you going until the cavalry arrives.

Shooshie

[agmetal]

I'm having pretty much the same problem, but with DP6.0.3. I've tried the file sharing prefs fix, I've tried the fontd thing in Activity Monitor, and I still get the -8796 error and crashes when I try to open anything or start a new project. Is a clean reinstall of Snow Leopard likely my only option here?

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I'm having pretty much the same problem, but with DP6.0.3. I've tried the file sharing prefs fix, I've tried the fontd thing in Activity Monitor, and I still get the -8796 error and crashes when I try to open anything or start a new project. Is a clean reinstall of Snow Leopard likely my only option here?

Have you contacted MOTU?

[agmetal]

I'm having pretty much the same problem, but with DP6.0.3. I've tried the file sharing prefs fix, I've tried the fontd thing in Activity Monitor, and I still get the -8796 error and crashes when I try to open anything or start a new project. Is a clean reinstall of Snow Leopard likely my only option here?

Have you contacted MOTU?

No, not yet.