Home Forums Mac Software Mac Operating Systems 10.5.8 back to 10.5.7

I just did a software update on a MacBook from 10.5.7 to 10.5.8 plus installing Final Cut Express 4. Turns out, videos produced using FCE lose the audio content when the file is compressed. Happens in iMovie, too.

The user of this laptop claims advice he has received from others is to just "step back" to 10.5.7 using the combo updater. I assumed that really meant starting over from the original 10.5 CD and then applying the combo updater for 10.5.7. Plus re-installing other apps, etc.

Do I have this assumption correct or is there an easier way to drop back to 10.5.7? Also, has anyone else heard of iMovie being affected like this and/or Final Cut Express? Thanks.

This is mostly correct except that you may not have to manually reinstall all apps. If you run Archive and Install and check to box to Preserve User Settings, you'll have very little work to do. If you use Photoshop, you may run into this issue but that's easily fixed according to the article.

Welcome to FTM! It's good to see you after the demise of MFIF.

You are correct. There are only two ways to "Step Back"

1. If you have been running Time Machine, you can boot from the Leopard install DVD, launch Disk Utility and restore the system from a point in time prior to the 10.5.8 update
2. Do an archive and install of Leopard from the Leopard install DVD then run the 10.5.7 combo updater

This Apple Discussion thread confirms your issue but no solution is offered and it is the only thread. I could find no mention of a similar problem on Apple's iMovie Discussion board. A Google search turned up a similar issue with OS X 10.3.5. All of this would seem to indicate to me the problem is not widespread.

So before doing anything drastic like reinstalling 10.5.7 I would try some basic troubleshooting such as...

• Being you have at least FCE 4.0.1 and iMovie 8.0.4
• Be sure you have Quicktime 7.6.2, Flip4Mac 2.3.0.7, and Perian 1.1.4 and any other Quicktime plug-ins are also up to date
• Use Cocktail, OnyX, and TinkerTool System to flush out all the various cache files; especially Quicktime caches.

JOEMIKEB:

The Apple discussion thread is from my user.

I can't find a version 4.6.2 of Final Cut Express.
iMovie 8 seems to require a paid upgrade to iLife 9??
I do have Quicktime 7.6.2 though.

I will try Onyx to flush caches. Thanks.

GIven your user is the only report of this problem would indicate even more strongly it is his/her problem, not a general problem.

I can't find FCE 4.6.2 either. I have no idea where I came up with that version number but I have corrected my original post. Yes, iMovie 8 is part of iLife '09 and it is only available as a paid upgrade. That is one reason the cost per app in the iLife suite is relatively inexpensive for the capabilities offered.

Be sure and check the Quicktime plug-in versions, those can bite.

With that additional information, ask your user to try logging onto an different account on the Mac and see if the problem follows to the other account or not. If it does not then it is isolated to something in the regular logon account and a different troubleshooting path that needs to be taken.

> There are only two ways to "Step Back"

1. If you have been running Time Machine, [....]

2. Do an archive and install [....] (Emphasis added)

Three!

Time Machine seems to have bamboozled people into forgetting their roots!

Whatever has happened to the bootable backups we all used to maintain and which I and, I am certain, many others still maintain (rather than use Time Machine) and update prior to updating OS X in the event just such a need to "step-back" arises?

UPDATE:

It appears that downgrading to 10.5.7 fixed the problem. Thanks to all for the suggestions.

> It appears that downgrading to 10.5.7 fixed the problem.

Excellent!

Thanks for keeping us posted.

Regards to shrdlu.

(Edit: Which method did you use to revert to 10.5.7?)

I dug out the original OS disk, did an archive/install and than ran the 10.5.7 combo updater.

User is happy now. I'm sure not going to test this out again by updating to 10.5.8 just to make sure it wasn't some other gremlin causing the pain!

--30--

Thanks for filling us in on your procedure.