Memory allocation issue 3.0

Hi,

I'm working in FCP 3.0 on system 9.2.2. I have used this system for ages without problems, but I recently reinstalled FCP and now I get this red screen frequently that says "out of memory. Free up memory and window will redraw." it's completely annoying. Just now I waited 1 1/2 hours for a FCP movie to export, and one minute before the end it told me it was out of memory. It seems to be a RAM allocation issue, but no one seems to be able to tell me how my RAM should be allocated. i know, I know, FCP 3.0 and system 9.2.2 are old, I get it, but they are what I have, so can somebody PLEASE help me? I added 512 K of RAM to my system, thinking that was the issue, but it hasn't helped at all. My file is not particularly complex, only 4 tracks of audio, hardly any effects to render. Help!

Mary

how full are your hard drives?

Not very. I have about 95 gig available on the scratch disk, and plenty of space on other drives as well. It's not a storage issue, it's definitely operating memory that's the problem.

With FCP quit, find the FCP Icon. Select it. (Click once) Go to the File Menu and select GET INFO >Memory. Allocate 180000 to "preferred" and the other one (forget what it is) That should do it

Mike

how much total ram do you have?

But I only have 13800 K of RAM in my system. Excuse my ignorance, but aren't I limited to that amount of allocation?

Well, there is your answer. You cant run FCP 3 on 138 mgs of ram. Buy another 512 stick and put that in, then allocate what I said above and all will be well

Mike

I'm sorry, I left off a zero. I said I had 13800, but I meant to say 138000. I have been running this program on this system with even less RAM for about five years. I have two 128's and two 512's, which is actually 128000. So I am mathematically challenged as well. At any rate, I've got plenty of RAM.

any particular reason why you wouldnt move on to OSX and latest version of fcp?

OK, that means you have 512 + 256 for a total of 768 mgbs of REAL Ram.

That indeed is plenty. Now where are you getting this 138000 number from?


Did you look in the Get INfo>memory under the FILE menu?

Here is the definitive way to allocate memory to FCP 3 in OS9

[docs.info.apple.com]

you can put 180000 in both Minimum and Preffered boxes

Mike

wayne granzin wrote:

> any particular reason why you wouldnt move on to OSX and latest
> version of fcp?

Good suggestion but dont do it until you finish this project.

mike

Yes, I know how to allocate memory under "get info". I will try putting 180000. Thank you for that suggestion, though I am as puzzled by where you got that number as you are by mine. I read the article you sent; doing the suggested math doesn't give me anything close to 180000.

And I got 13800 by adding incorrectly in my head -- 128+128+512+512=1280, then I put the wrong number of zeros in error. The point I was making was that I have plenty of RAM. Which I think we're all clear on now. I am not a computer whiz by any stretch, and I don't know what you mean by 'REAL' RAM, but I do know I have enough.

As for OS X, I'm not interested in learning a new operating system while completing a project on a deadline.

There is no math to do. That 180000 number is what you are allocating to FCP. Nothing more. It may be that something else is going on here too, but start with allocating more memory.

Mike

<<2. Choose About This Computer from the Apple menu.
The number next to "Largest Unused Block" is the total amount of memory not used by other software and the most you can allocate to Final Cut Pro.
Note: Don't allocate all of your free memory to Final Cut Pro; you may want to use some for other applications. Instead, subtract 15 from the total available memory and use the result as your maximum memory allocation for Final Cut Pro.>>

This is from the article located at the link you sent. I'm not at all arguing with your 180000 number, just wanting to understand where it comes from.

from experience :-)

my distant memory of the settings is:
minimum = 130000
maximum = 180000

i guess people just found that these settings worked best

whatever the default is, it's too low!
a knowledgable freind told me once "just double it" when he heard what the defualt was

and while more is often better, i seem to remember that 180000 was the most you should give, and more than that could cause problems.

could be wrong... they are very distant memories, now.

cheers,
nick

im wondering if there is something else amiss ather than just the ram alocation, unless maybe someone else had set that up for you in the past.

have you updated to 3.02?
that would be advisable.

nick

damn nick! big cheers on your storage of "retro-info"

Like Nick says its from experience of what works best. Any more than 180000 is a waste. FCP 3 won't use it. And yes, you can consider 180000 somewhat arbitrary.

Mike

It may have been arbitrary at the start but after slightly more than a zillion threads here and in other boards - it became the fairly well established and very well tested ceiling.

Other less likely things to do second third and so on.:

Hazy memory here but the other thing to check for is a Photoshop import that has a blank layer in it. In 3.x this was a big no-no and would cause an out of memory error.

Many OS 9.x apps have memory leaks. Quit the app every few hours and reopen it to release any extra RAM.

If you've got a fair number of stills in the timeline - bump the RAM for the still cache in FCP preferences.

Double and triple check you don't have a bad render file in project and make sure it all plays to the desk top.

Ian

Thanks, things seemed to go well today but I didn't do much. I'll give the 180000 thing a better test on Monday, though I'm sure the collective wisdom of the Group must be right. And yes, I am in 3.02 already. I have no stills and no Photoshop elements, no bad render files.