High Sierra Impressions (so far)

[mikehalloran]

I also have a Mac Pro 5,1. couldn't you just get an extra drive and install High Sierra and see
how it works and since you already have Sierra can't one reinstall that on a drive? In my Mac Pro I have 3 of the drives with Mountain Lion on them just in case my main drive goes down
and all my songs are on the other drives that way I can restart with another drive and still open
the songs.

Getting an extra drive and installing high sierra is not an easy task. Our system drives are like cities full of residents. You’d probably have to start out with a drive duplication program, and then update the OS. Int he process, all sorts of issues may arise such as authorizations failing etc. Definitely not an easy task. Do-able, but a true pain in the butt just to test Apples latest nightmare OS.

Nonsense. It takes a little time, that’s all. One of the best ways to screw up your system is to have a bunch of drives and partitions with different OS.

High Sierra is faster, smoother and has yet to crash on me. I tested it thoroughly a year ago and wrote extensively about it. It is, hands-down, the best OSI’ve ever run.

Don’t clone. Use Migration assistant.

[mikehalloran]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record. Do a Safe Boot to rebuild your paths. Don’t wonder if you need to—when you deleted the icon and it was rebuilt, that’s one of the symptoms.

I went through a number of USB hubs to find one that played nicely in Sierra. The Amazon Basics was inexpensive and worked. Many others did not. DLink gave me the most grief. I have no idea what the issue is. Updating to High Sierra was painless for me.

Thanks, Mike. I’m part-way there.

Not sure I understand how to “rebuild paths”... can you elaborate?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

In System 4 through OS 9, it was called Rebuilding the Desktop. Same thing—same procedure. Boot with the Shift Key down. In OS X, log into your User Account when prompted. When your desktop icons have finished rebuilding, reboot normally.

If any of your alias icons were showing generic, this is one of the many symptoms.

[mikehalloran]

As a "Still on Sierra for the Studio Mac" guy, can anyone offer me a compelling reason or reasons I should move to High Sierra for my studio operations?

Every time you ask, I post this link. You have no idea till you’ve done it.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=64689

It only works if one instance of High Sierra is installed and no other OS is available. My other drives are external and those with an OS must be disconnected before I do a Snapshot restore (it doesn’t work with external drives anyway).

There is an eGPU issue with 10.13.4–6 but only over Thunderbolt 1, 2 and USB. Not your issue but it is mine. As you can read in that thread, it took a few minutes for me to restore my system back a few days to 10.13.3—ordinarily, a Time Machine restore would take between 8–11 hours.

When I was having issues with 9.52 (corrupt audio) and 9.51 gave me the same grief, it took a couple minutes to back up a couple hours to before I had installed 9.52. After I discovered the real issue with my files and fixed them, I was able to go back to 9.52.

MOTU insists that DP 9.5x is optimized for High Sierra and I’m convinced they are right.

[mikehalloran]

Update:

It's getting interesting. After 3 calls with Apple this morning, along with a call to Sabrent tech support (the maker of the hub I'm using), I have run disk first aid and re-installed the O/S to no effect. The hub works fine in Safe mode and Recovery mode, but not after a normal boot—in either my user account, or in a new, dummy admin user account I created.

I'm now working with a level 2 tech who is consulting with engineering. More to come.

That’s weird but it indicates a conflict with a bit of non-Apple code.

Console.app will likely show the problem but it’s going to take some detective work to find the conflict. I know what to look for and so do Apple techs with enough training.

Chances are good it’s something ancient that is loading when it shouldn’t. I’ve had such problems with 2005 HP print drivers, Finale 2009 Help files, Bresink Temp Sensor, Spin Dr X and other obsolete junk. Hard to find but not impossible.

This is the USB hub series that worked for me when others didn’t. I had solved the problem in El Capitán, however.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQ ... UTF8&psc=1

[toodamnhip]

Yes, a Mac OS is better than a PC. And I have always run Macs. But apple runs musicians through hoops anytime they very well please. They change things and let the rest of the world catch up in a panic.

Well if your point is that it's wise to stay back from the bleeding edge these days, you'll get no argument from me. That's exactly what I'm doing. On the other hand, sometimes Apple pushes forward with new technology that ends up being beneficial. It sucks when we find out it's relatively "transitional" like FireWire seems to be. You can't give away FireWire audio interfaces on Craigslist these days. But heck, I can't talk... I'm still using PCIe interfaces.

With Mojave around the corner, I don't know what to think. I'll just sit back where I am and watch what happens. From what I have heard, with SSDs becoming so affordable and commonplace, Apples new filesystem is optimized for SSDs and has some very worthwhile benefits in terms of speed as well as backing up data. As much as it would be nice if we could all call "time out" and have things stand still, we can't... at least not collectively. Some of us are doing so individually... by choice.

My larger concern is what sort of approach Apple will take with the new MacPros. I'm disturbed when I see Apple trying to bring MacOS under the umbrella of a consumer-centric iOS philosophy whereby Mac computers start to feel dumbed down. Once upon a time the computer company also happens to make iPhones. Now it seems, the iPhone company also makes computers.

You are correct about the improved drive capability, so my int may have been a bit over unfair to Strawberry, wait, tangerine...no..........its that other red fruit, right! , But I was harsh on app app for “demonstration purposes” only..
But I do wonder how much of the drive industry or whatever other peripherals it improves. Has the hardware been put out that fully takes advantage of this new file system, such as optimized sad drives?

[HCMarkus]

As a "Still on Sierra for the Studio Mac" guy, can anyone offer me a compelling reason or reasons I should move to High Sierra for my studio operations?

Every time you ask, I post this link. You have no idea till you’ve done it.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=64689

With all respect, I don't think I've put this question to the forum before. I apologize in advance if my age has caused me to forget, because, if it has, I have also forgotten what folks said.

I do, however, recall reviewing your linked thread... took a look again; there is a detailed discussion of how quick reversion to older OS is, and how easy to restore files, but I didn't note any references to DP operational efficiencies.

I appreciate your comment that you have not crashed under High Sierra. That is compelling news!

I am wondering if anyone has compared operating DP, same project across Sierra vs High Sierra...

Mike, other than the recovery gains you note, could you detail why having work files on a separate drive is a disadvantage, particularly on a Mac Pro 4,1 or 5,1? No matter where they reside, work files must be transmitted to CPU via a SATA bus. It would strike me that, particularly when SSDs are SATA2 connected in a Mac Pro Cheesegrater, it could be advantageous to allow them to address the CPU independently, to more fully utilize the SATA bridge, which tops out at 800MB/s.

It is interesting to note that the Cheesegrater optical bay SATA ports are attached to a secondary SATA bridge. Would it not follow that, at least theoretically, running four SSDs, two connected to the drive bay SATA bridge and two connected to the optical SATA bridge, would maximize potential throughput for a Mac Pro that isn't running a PCIe SATA3 card?

MOTU insists that DP 9.5x is optimized for High Sierra and I’m convinced they are right.

Hadn't heard that. Compatible is what I got from MOTU. But it sounds like your experiences with High Sierra have been positive, and I appreciate your input.

Just waiting for Ferris Bueller to weigh in.

[Rick Cornish]

In System 4 through OS 9, it was called Rebuilding the Desktop. Same thing—same procedure. Boot with the Shift Key down. In OS X, log into your User Account when prompted. When your desktop icons have finished rebuilding, reboot normally.

If any of your alias icons were showing generic, this is one of the many symptoms.

Ahhh... I always wondered what happened to that routine. I was a frequent flyer. Now I know. Thanks, as always.

[Rick Cornish]

That’s weird but it indicates a conflict with a bit of non-Apple code.

Console.app will likely show the problem but it’s going to take some detective work to find the conflict. I know what to look for and so do Apple techs with enough training.

Chances are good it’s something ancient that is loading when it shouldn’t. I’ve had such problems with 2005 HP print drivers, Finale 2009 Help files, Bresink Temp Sensor, Spin Dr X and other obsolete junk. Hard to find but not impossible.

This is the USB hub series that worked for me when others didn’t. I had solved the problem in El Capitán, however.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQ ... UTF8&psc=1

Right you are, Mike (as usual!). See the following post....

[Rick Cornish]

After working through my USB issue with Apple support (to review, my passive USB hub stopped working after I migrated to High Sierra), we found that a Launch Daemon for iLok License Manager was the culprit. (Navigate to Mac SSD>>>Library>>>Launch Daemons and find "com.paceap.eden.licensed 2.54.31 PM.plist”.) Delete it… the hub works fine. Re-install and it's dead.

I'm into my second or third round with iLok, who has been pretty responsive. It's curious that their (ahem) "current" installer is for "Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) or above." Sounds like it could be some dusty old code, but who knows.

Onward......

P.S. On a positive note, I have noticed that external drives (USB 3, USB-C) now eject much faster than they used to under Sierra (which was a constant annoyance).

[MIDI Life Crisis]

The date on my file is "Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 9:01 PM"

How does removal of that file affect the iLok (if at all?) Usually plists are created by the app when missing. I've had intermittent USB hub problems in OS 10.12.6 and earlier, so I wonder if trashing that plist can solve it? I'll try next time there's a problem.

Thanks for the info!

After working through my USB issue with Apple support (to review, my passive USB hub stopped working after I migrated to High Sierra), we found that a Launch Daemon for iLok License Manager was the culprit. (Navigate to Mac SSD>>>Library>>>Launch Daemons and find "com.paceap.eden.licensed 2.54.31 PM.plist”.) Delete it… the hub works fine. Re-install and it's dead.

I'm into my second or third round with iLok, who has been pretty responsive. It's curious that their (ahem) "current" installer is for "Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) or above." Sounds like it could be some dusty old code, but who knows.

Onward......

P.S. On a positive note, I have noticed that external drives (USB 3, USB-C) now eject much faster than they used to under Sierra (which was a constant annoyance).

[Rick Cornish]

The date on my file is "Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 9:01 PM"

How does removal of that file affect the iLok (if at all?) Usually plists are created by the app when missing. I've had intermittent USB hub problems in OS 10.12.6 and earlier, so I wonder if trashing that plist can solve it? I'll try next time there's a problem.

Thanks for the info!

BTW: In case I didn't make it clear, iLok will not work without that Launch Daemon, so remove at your own risk. (I had to put mine back in to get my system to operate… I'll have to find another way around the USB problem, unless iLok finds a fix.)

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Yeah, that's exactly what I was wondering about. Thanks. Damned if you do; damned if you don't!

The date on my file is "Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 9:01 PM"

How does removal of that file affect the iLok (if at all?) Usually plists are created by the app when missing. I've had intermittent USB hub problems in OS 10.12.6 and earlier, so I wonder if trashing that plist can solve it? I'll try next time there's a problem.

Thanks for the info!

BTW: In case I didn't make it clear, iLok will not work without that Launch Daemon, so remove at your own risk. (I had to put mine back in to get my system to operate… I'll have to find another way around the USB problem, unless iLok finds a fix.)

[mhschmieder]

Are we close to a risk date where NOT updating to High Sierra means our only choice will be Mojave downloads, and then waiting for that one to stabilize?

I'm at an OK point for upgrading, except that time is limited (LOTS of gigs, and overtime at work), so I am targeting early October hopefully.

I only see Autumn 2018 as the release info, and officially we are just a few days away from the season...

[HCMarkus]

Are we close to a risk date where NOT updating to High Sierra means our only choice will be Mojave downloads, and then waiting for that one to stabilize?

I'm at an OK point for upgrading, except that time is limited (LOTS of gigs, and overtime at work), so I am targeting early October hopefully.

I only see Autumn 2018 as the release info, and officially we are just a few days away from the season...

9/24 is the scheduled release date for Mojave.

I think there are always ways to get older OS versions; google is your friend when you need it!

[mhschmieder]

HC, thanks a lot, and that's WAY earlier than I thought, which in a way is good because my own product is going through its testing cycle at the moment so it's good that we'll get Mojave feedback in time for the release, as we often get surprised (even if we have early access versions of macOS updates).