Vegas 8 - an unmitigated disaster !!

[Ron Cooper]

I up-graded to Vers 8.0b (build 217) and have spent the last two weeks trying to fix major crashing problems but the system is still very unstable after three re-installations of XP Pro. Previously on this machine I had Vegas 7 which ran faultlessly.

I feel there could be a problem with Windows registry as after several virus scans with different programs nothing has shown up.
I have a highly regarded registry scanning program called RegCure which has shown many registry errors re-occurring even after the registry has been repaired.

For example, just now I ran several passes of this program until it showed no errors at all after several "cleans".

I then opened up Vegas Pro 8 and started editing, and after about 15 minutes I opened the sound editor - Sound Forge 9 and after a few minutes suddenly there was a BSOD with a page of errors for a split second and the whole thing crashed and shut down. After I rebooted I ran the registry scan program which showed 79 problems, - 15 File/Path References and 64 empty registry keys.

I am completely at my wits end as I have now been wrestling with these crashing problems for two weeks and getting nowhere. I know that Sony Vegas Pro 8 uses .net framework which got corrupted in the previous installation of XP and caused much waste of time. I am running 4 gigs of RAM with a P4 Dual core 2.1 g. - Asus Mbd. - P5N32-SLI SE Deuxe. I have also run the Windows memory check utility which found no problems. Naturally I have installed all the updates & extras associated wth XP Pro. including .Net framework plus 95 updates AFTER SP2 !
Looks like I need to go back to Vegas 7.

Can anyone offer any solutions other than buying a Mac.!

Regards,

Ron.

[Stuart Campbell]

Buying a MAC does not remove you from the world of crashes!

My advice, bin Vegas 8 and continue to use what worked for you.

My Vegas 8 disk is still in it's box and that's where it'll stay until nightmares such as the one you are experiencing disappear from Vegas forums!

Hope you get it sorted soon!

[Edward Troxel]

Stuart, I'll disagree with you here. I've been using Vegas Pro 8 successfully since last summer.

Ron, It definitely sounds like you could have some issues with your system. While it might not be a pleasant thing to do, I'd consider doing a complete rebuild from the OS up. Once you get everything installed, I'd also do a backup of the drive (I use Acronis TrueImage for this but I know there are other programs that do the same) so I could quickly get back to that same point. I would suspect it would work much better after that.

[Bill Ravens]

Ron...

I've never had good luck with registry cleaners. In my experience, they do things to the registry that result in exactly the kind of problems you describe. Vegas 8 seems to be causing a lot of problems for some users, so, I'm not saying that V8 isn't the problem. But, i would be highly suspicious of the results of using a registry cleaner. Some cleaners allow you to undo what you did. Have you tried that? Then re-install V8.

[Jeff Harper]

I second what the Edward and Bill say. I would reformat hard drive.

I would add, with controversy I'm sure, never install virus protection.

I never mess with the registry using registry cleaners, what is the purpose? If you don't know how to clean your registry manually, I wouldn't advise using a reg cleaner. The way to improve performance is having a workstation running raid hard drives. IMO those kind of software programs are a waste of money.

I know MANY people are succesful with BYO computers, but I gave it up. My last ASUS MOBO was awful. I bought a true workstation class machine and haven't looked back.

I know some of you run virus protection and I respect that. But I have NEVER EVER run it, never waste my money on it. Virus protection slowed down my first custom built computer in back in 1995 and I got rid of it. Use a router and watch where you go. Good luck.

[Simon Denny]

Have one computer for all your video editing and never use the thing other than that.
Have one computer for all your net surfing emails etc...
This should fix the problem.
I have done this and it works.

[Ian Stark]

Edward & Co's advice is sound re the rebuild from OS up.

But Simon nailed it, in my opinion. Dedicated pc for video editing, everything else elsewhere. Ideal world, I know, but it works.

[Dave Blackhurst]

I guess I misread the OP... but I agree, "re-installing" is fruitless with XP, it used to work OK sometimes... up to about Win 98...

XP once it goes unstable, fuggedaboudit... Registry cleaners are not a "fix" despite their claims - I ran one, and have numerous errors in various programs. Things got "lost" in that "cleanup". But hey, I was desperate, and I think it did fix something which was a problem at the time, it just broke a pile of other things in the process... I guess it's a wash...

I'd say if you are 100% certain your hardware is fine (I've had co-incident hardware failure that SEEMED like the OS, when something else had gone intermittent), backup the HD or put the old drive aside and use this as an excuse to upgrade the HDD. Start from scratch, and put on ONLY what you need (I've got a lot of stuff on my machine, so you don't necessarily HAVE to only install OS and Vegas, but it's "safer".

I recommend get the OS in, all the patches, and all the hardware updates, if you're stable there, set system restore points, and repeat as you go - that's the ONLY way to "go back" with XP when the "bit hits the fan".

Start with "mission critical" apps and get those working (Vegas would count<wink>!).

I'd agree leave any "virus scanners" as far away from your machine as possible - if you ever think you have a virus, run a free online scan, the permanently installed ones sap MASSIVE amounts of performance from your machine. Practice safe computing and have a firewall on your Internet, and you shouldn't ever need an anti-virus. I've only ONCE been infected, and that was due to my own stupidity, opening an email because I was curious... DUH!!!! FWIW, everyone else I knew got that virus too... I got really good at cleaning it...

Watch carefully for any programs that add routines to the start up overload and further slag your machine down. Uninstall or turn off as many as you can, but keep in mind some HAVE to run (my Huey color correction for instance).

When you get done, move all your data back into place (IIRC there is a utility to transfer all your settings over, I just do in manually), keep the old drive for a few weeks to make 100% sure you've left no data behind, then wipe it, and use for whatever purpose, or let it hang around until you decide you need the space more than whatever might be left in the wreckage of your old Win-Ders install...

FWIW, I've installed Vegas, and even though my machine is very much overdue for the above procedure (sort of waiting for Phenom errors to be fixed or my stubborn "support the underdog" mentality caves in to buy a quad from the other guys...), I've had no problems at all with Vegas 8... other than getting used to the slightly different interface.

I know the spectre of a ground up rebuild isn't pleasant (why do you think my machine is overdue!), but once you've lost stability for any "have to have" functions and cannot use system restore sucessfully, it's the BEST solution and will save a lot of time and heartache.

HTH...

[Ron Cooper]

I really appreciate the many helpful replies to my plight with V8. However, I should have been a bit more specific, -these problems WERE after I had formatted a NEW 250g HDD and started with a completely clean install ! I feel I am reasonably confident with matters PC, as I have built many from scratch over the last 15 yrs. or so but this has really rocked me and I even wondered whether having upped to 4g of Ram recently was a contributing factor but I don't think so.

My thinking is, there is a bit of catch 22 here as this PC IS a dedicated Video editing machine and only connects to the web for up-dates etc. - (I keep the network plug pulled out normally), however, to load up XP it is necessary to connect to the web for usually over an hour to download & install all the patches. This is even after installing SP2 from a disc which I got from Microsoft. The problem as I see it, is the potential for a virus to attatch itself during this time of being connected, so that is why I have been quick to install a firewall & anti-virus software after this download from M/S.

So, with thanks to you guys, from your advice, - I do wish to persevere with V8 if I can, (it's the masochist in me !) I now intend to completely re-format AGAIN and start from scratch with no antivirus or reg. checkers. - Wish me luck !

Thanks again,

Ron.

[Mark Stavar]

Ron,

Couple of questions:

1. Were these problems around before the new drive?

2. What video card are you running?

3. Have you updated drivers since the clean install?

good luck,

marks

[Ron Cooper]

Thanks for your reply Mark. Yes there were problems on the existing setup with many random crashes and I spent over a week trying to do fixes to no avail. It was after this that I decided to remove the old C drive & install a new one, format & start again. The frightening thing was that even after this new install I was getting the odd error message like :

"One of the files containing system registry data had to be recovered by use of a log or alternate copy. The recovery was successful" - Hence my desire to install & run the registry check program.

And this was BEFORE I had even installed Vegas ! - Just the O'S with its myriad of updates plus essential things like Winzip, Adobe reader, Quicktime etc.

The Video card is also a recent one (about 6 weeks ago) and is an nVidea GeForce 8800GT Alpha Dog Edition.

Yes, I did update the drivers for the video card & the Mbd. Chipset. - BUT, just now in my quest to get things up to date, I downloaded and flashed the Mbd. BIOS as per instructions and when I re-booted, it had Failed !! (I have done this many times over the last 10 yrs. without a problem.) So now I am totally up the proverbial creek !! - Never before have I had this much trouble. As an editor, I am only a very serious amateur, I would hate to have to earn a living doing this, it's like a carpenter building a house and having to sharpen his chisel every 10 seconds and then spending hours on it.

So now it looks like A new Mbd. or go & buy a Mac. ! - Any suggestions for a new Mbd. if this is now the only way ?

Ron.

[David Hadden]

I really like my gigabyte P35=DS3R (allows a LOT of HDD's and quad Core 45nm procs)

Link here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128086

had a power surge get through the surge protector and network line and hurt the built in network jack. I also bought and installed a Firewire card with jack for the 6pin front Firewire 400 on my case since the board didn't come with one). Much cheaper than buying the board with similar HDD capability etc... at the time of purchase.

It's served me well so far, and I suggest it ( about to try it with 6 GB Ram and Vista 64, currently running Vista 32 and XP ).

Dave

upon looking now I might suggest this board for a bit more, but really I was mostly trying to keep a new build of a quad core machine in the sub 1K range so you can drop a little more money and get something better still, but I like my current one or this option as well.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128087

[Mark Stavar]

Originally Posted by Ron Cooper

Thanks for your reply Mark. Yes there were problems on the existing setup with many random crashes and I spent over a week trying to do fixes to no avail. It was after this that I decided to remove the old C drive & install a new one, format & start again. The frightening thing was that even after this new install I was getting the odd error message like :

"One of the files containing system registry data had to be recovered by use of a log or alternate copy. The recovery was successful" - Hence my desire to install & run the registry check program.

And this was BEFORE I had even installed Vegas ! - Just the O'S with its myriad of updates plus essential things like Winzip, Adobe reader, Quicktime etc.

The Video card is also a recent one (about 6 weeks ago) and is an nVidea GeForce 8800GT Alpha Dog Edition.

Yes, I did update the drivers for the video card & the Mbd. Chipset. - BUT, just now in my quest to get things up to date, I downloaded and flashed the Mbd. BIOS as per instructions and when I re-booted, it had Failed !! (I have done this many times over the last 10 yrs. without a problem.) So now I am totally up the proverbial creek !! - Never before have I had this much trouble. As an editor, I am only a very serious amateur, I would hate to have to earn a living doing this, it's like a carpenter building a house and having to sharpen his chisel every 10 seconds and then spending hours on it.

So now it looks like A new Mbd. or go & buy a Mac. ! - Any suggestions for a new Mbd. if this is now the only way ?

Ron.

Ron,

I feel your pain. I smoked a MoBo about 6 weeks ago myself -- exact same scenario, BIOS flash gone bad.

I upgraded to a Phenom (bag for buck suited me), got an ASUS MoBo.

One thing though, I specifically upgraded to the nVidia GeForce 8600 as I had seen several reports of people with the 8800's have problems with crashes.

Just coincidence, I don't know, but my 8600 has worked a treat for me running 8.0b (build217). No hard evidence, but I did definitely get a *feeling* about the 8800's. Maybe checking this forum and the Sony forum might give a clue.

Would you have any chance to try a video card other than the 8800 - I know it would be a pain having spent the money and all, but it could just save your sanity.

I have found 8.0b to be very stable (but I only work in SD), and I love it.

Hope you get some joy in this matter.

Ciao,

marks

[Ron Cooper]

Thanks Mark, but would you believe it, I removed the cmos battery, shorted out the Mbd. terminals, re-installed battery and, SHE WOIKED !!
So now I am in the process of reinstalling everything AGAIN, (after another format), with no extras, only essentials. So far so good but only up to SP2 at the moment. I'll keep posting.

Ron.

[John Estcourt]

hi folks ..just rebuilt again with intel Q9300 @3.2 with 4g ram nvidia 8800 gts 640 mb graphics card runing vista home premium 64 and vegas 8b ..stable, fast, rendering hdv captured with vegas edited native from canon XHA1 25f and 50i faultlessly and faster than realtime..cant wait for vegas 64..ps had 8800 for a year never a prob with vegas.