I can not open this project/hard drive

[g4ssss]

Hey Guys
I went to open a recent project. I turned on the machine and the "AVIO PRESTIGE plus" logo appeared in the center of the screen and the hourglass logo was in the upper left.
I waited a while, nothing happened, so I turned off the machine and tried over and over to gain access to my almost finihed project....but I couldn't get in.
I unplugged the machine to reboot.
I inserted the smart media card, but still can't get passed the opening hourglass window. Software disc was also inserted, hoping this might just help the situation.
I tried inserting different sleds/hard drives, and they all opened up to other projects that I have started.
I've never had anything like this happen before. I can't think of anything else to try.
So, if anyone has any ideas regarding this problem, I'd really appreciate any thoughts or sugestions you might share with me.
THANKS for your time,
Gary

[BobNaughton]

Gary:

Its possible that, that one hard drive that wont open was somehow inadvertantly switched in the system settings to be using a double monitor system. If you are using just one TV monitor, try connecting up a VGA monitor to your units VGA output and see if the Information you need to fully access your unit is showing up there. Follow the prompts to get your system running and then go into system settings and switch to Video only, if thats what you normally run on.

[TimKennelly]

No, if Gary is getting an hour glass icon then it is not a monitor setting issue.

The drive clearly has a problem if other sled/drives are working.

The SM card, it is an OS SM card?

If you are inserting an OS SM card, powering up and that is not forcing it to the Install language I'd say your drive is DOA.

Make sure though that you are using an OS SM card and not one with just optional software on it which would not help in any way.

Outside of that, it's nothing but bad news about a dead/dying drive in my opinion.

[g4ssss]

Hi Tim,
Thanks for the help.
When I inserted the SM card, I was able to reinstall the software.
But when the system closed down ( after the download), it still would not open up to my project...I couldn't get beyond the hourglass.
Is there any chance that I need a new SM card? I haven't replaced this one, for a long time.
Sounds like this hard drive is just dead, like you said.
Thanks again,
Gary

[Martyn]

What you describe can be symptomatic of a corrupted o/s or failed/failing hard drive. If the project is important I would have suggested just leaving Prestige on with the Casablanca screen and it might, after 30-60 mins, have booted. If it does then retrieve any material before turning off again. After this try a FULL installation from a SmartCard. If this still is unsuccessful then it is safe to assume the drive has failed.

Martyn
Dalco uk

[TimKennelly]

Rather than follow through with the install I want you to start then install and then answer No to all questions and then after the power cycle restart after being told to remove the SM card try what Martyn suggests and leave it sit there for a good hour or so if needs be and see if it finally comes up on it's own.

If it does, get your project out to tape immediately as I believe the drive is dying if not dead.

[g4ssss]

Hey Guys,
I tried your suggestion : I started my Prestige with the SM card, the language window came up, and I said "no" at the next 2 windows. I removed the SM card and waited for
about an hour. It worked!!!!!!!
I finished my project and went to "finish" and "add film".
I just got home and the progress bar (from the "add film" selection) had stopped at around 20 per cent.
I have restarted (the same way), and I'm trying to "add film" again, but the bar looks like it is not moving past the 20 per cent mark.
Tim, Martyn, or anyone else, any ideas at this point.
I noticed that my SM card is labeled "Smart Edit 4.1a". Could this older OS software be a problem?
THANKS again for your shared time and experience,
Gary

[Martyn]

This could be a glitch in the project or yet another sign of a tired drive. I would certainly back up the project to tape before doing anything else. Tim has a process for "fixing" add film problems but saving the film to tape does much the same thing. It may make more sense to load the saved film on to another drive and make your DVD there.

Martyn
Dalco uk

[TimKennelly]

Gary,

The OS does not matter for this procedure and the first thing you should do is go out to tape as both Martyn and I suggested, NOT Add Film.

You are pressing your luck with what quite possibly is a dying drive by trying to use it with Arabesk before saving your work to tape.

Save it out to tape before you do anything else.

Then you can try using the NOP with Audio process to Add Film and burn a DVD.

Either way, you can afterwards do a full, destructive OS install and hope it was just that, but if it was me, I would be getting a new drive.

Find your longest original, single scene in the Scene bin and highlight it.

This is normally an original raw input scene, but not a section that includes the direct problem footage Scene.
You want to use a segment of source video that did NOT give you any problems.
IE: A segment you know does NOT have corrupted frames in it.

Go to Special, use Scene->Sample, Ok.

Switch to the Audio Mix menu, highlight (left click on) an empty audio channel, Add, Scroll to the newly created longest audio sample, Ok.

Slide the large Volume slider all the way to the left to Mute this track.

If this audio sample is not as large as your entire Storyboard use Add again, Mute that segment as well.

Do this until you have filled this track the entire length of your Storyboard with all these segments Muted.

Switch back to the main Edit Menu, Go to the beginning of the Storyboard.

Got to IP Effects menu, scroll to NOP, Add.
Left click on the duration window, Range, Ok, Make sure the Band button is in Trim, not Position mode, then choose OUT, scroll the bar all the way to the right(this should now be the duration of the entire Storyboard), left click to come out of the duration bar, Ok.

Left click the Scene button, Range, OUT, scroll the bar all the way to the right(this should now be the duration of the entire Storyboard), left click to come out of the duration bar, Ok.

It will now render the entire Storyboard and create a Scene of it.

This will take some time,but consideraby less than the out to tape and back in method and has been found to be more effective.

When the Scene in created switch to an empty Project.

Go into the Edit menu, Special, Clipboard, Scene from project->Clipboard, select the Project that the newly created Scene is in.

This should bring up that Project's Scene bin at the newly created Scene, select Ok, Clipboard->Project, scroll to the newly created Scene (if you have other stuff in Clipboard), Ok, Ok.

Now you should have the newly created Scene in the Project.

If you want Chapters go into Split and split the Scene at the desired Chapter points, selecting Use for all.

Then put all those Chapter Scenes onto the Storyboard in order.

Switch to Arabesk, Film and remove the problem Project.

Then Add Film selecting the Project where you have the newly created and Split Scene/Storyboard and proceed as normal.

This is far harder to describe than do.

Let me know how it goes.
PS - I believe Control Image could be successfully substituted for NOP if you had a Storyboard that you wanted to tweak in it's entirety, aka: change the brightness, contrast and/or saturation of the entire project.
This alternative does not take any longer (or less) than using NOP, but just remember it will effect the entire Storyboard and not just a few Scenes if done in this procedure to fix a failing Storyboard.
You could alternatively use this procedure on a specific Scene if you know which Scene is causing your problems

[g4ssss]

Hey Guys,
Thanks again for the info.
I don't have much experience, so I had to go back to the owners manual to figure out what you meant by "save to film".
I attached a dvd recorder to my Prestige with an IEEE cable. Then I went to the "Finish" window and hit "Record to VCR" with the dv option.
I guess I'll know in an hour if this works.
Then, I guess I'll try that process that Tim described.
Thanks for the help....I'll keep you posted.
Gary