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Offline Russ Kidd

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Reinstalling software
« on: September 25, 2014, 06:21:25 PM »
I have a Power PC 9600, 350 MHz that I've been running an old version of Cubase on since 1997.  Cubase is a music sequencing program that allows you to record and edit music using MIDI.  The Mac OS is 7.6.1.

The Playback function has apparently become corrupted because during playback, the sound will suddenly stop, but the on-screen depiction of playback with a moving pointer continues.  Once I click the Stop button and restart Playback, everything is fine.  But then before long, the sound cuts out again.

I've always heard that if a program gets corrupted, reinstalling it often solves the problem.  I have never reinstalled this program, so I'm sure it's gathered a lot of cobwebs since it was installed in 1997.  And I have never updated it, so the version I have on my computer is exactly the version I have on the discs that came in the Cubase box (which I still have, of course).

If I do reinstall the program, do I need to uninstall it first?  (I don't know how to uninstall on this computer, but I assume it's not difficult.)

And is reinstalling the best way to solve this problem?

Thanks.

Russ
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Offline Paddy

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Reinstalling software
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2014, 07:04:51 PM »
Wow...OS 7.6.1. I don't think I remember very much about that OS now! tongue.gif

Does it use an installer to install, Russ? If so, it's likely to have installed bits and pieces in various places, which you'll have to hunt down. If it was a drag and drop install, then it's very easy to uninstall - just drag it to the trash.

Of course, it could also just be a corrupted preference file...but I have no clue where Cubase puts its prefs in OS 7.6.1 and will defer to anyone who actually does know. (Googling only brings up info on a contemporary version in OS X)



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Offline Russ Kidd

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Reinstalling software
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2014, 07:51:45 PM »
Paddy, I don't know if it uses an installer.

If I were to do a reinstall, wouldn't all the components of the program simply overwrite the existing ones wherever they were located?  Or is there something about the way a program reinstalls over an existing program that I'm missing?

I'm pretty rusty on solving problems on Macs, but I do seem to remember that getting rid of the preferences file is often a solution.  Is that something I should try?  Maybe I should look for the Cubase preferences file and get rid of it.  (I'm not at home right now so I can't check.)  If I do that, will the program create a new preferences file when I first run it?
« Last Edit: September 25, 2014, 09:00:55 PM by Russ Kidd »
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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Reinstalling software
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2014, 09:10:01 PM »
Since you have the discs, load the one that says something about being or having an 'installer' and see if it has an UNinstaller or at least some instruction files.

Some 'modern' app's have 'smart' installers that won't over-write preference files. The developer assues you have made changes and you would likely be upset if he reset everything back to the default values. smile.gif In "OS 7.6.1" developers may not have been that considerate! And I don't think they even had "preference" files in the same way as OS X 10.7.6...
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Offline Russ Kidd

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Reinstalling software
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2014, 11:31:01 PM »
Just thinking ahead (since I'm still not at home), if I do find a preferences folder in Cubase, is it okay to drag it to the Trash?  Will Cubase create a new one when I re-launch Cubase?

I apologize for asking these Cubase-specific questions, but I'm thinking that applications written for Mac probably have similarly structured components.  I should post on a Cubase forum as well, but I thought I'd start with you guys since you've been so helpful to me for many years (even though I haven't posted here for a long time).
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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Reinstalling software
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2014, 08:38:47 AM »
I never recommend dragging anything to the trash unless you want it deleted. "Trash" is not a storage location. Simply moving a file outside its original directory is usually all that is needed to remove an app's ability to use it.

I have extremely little memory of how preference files were done in OS 7. What I seem to remember is that ".plist" files are a creation of OS X (probably a Unix concept), definitely not what was done on a system like OS 7. Things were much more 'non-standard' 25+ years ago! wink.gif

Perhaps you can find some helpful info in these links:
« Last Edit: September 26, 2014, 02:18:57 PM by Xairbusdriver »
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THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
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Offline Russ Kidd

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« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2014, 02:32:22 PM »
Thanks, XABD.  For the moment, I think I can limp along with the problem for a few days.  I'm up against a deadline for a project I'm working on and I don't want to do anything that might make things worse.

I'll check back with TS when I have the time to try to fix things.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Russ
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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Reinstalling software
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2014, 02:55:37 PM »
Speaking of making things worse...

You are faithfully making regular backups, right? Not sure there were any automatic backup functions in OS 7, but even manual data backups to floppies is better than "flying blind"! eek2.gif Maybe I should change that to "driving blind-folded"?! laughhard.gif Just don't do either! nono.gif
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THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system
CAUTION! Childhood vaccinations cause adults! :yes:

Offline Russ Kidd

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Reinstalling software
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2014, 08:52:03 PM »
Oh, sure, I'm a faithful backup guy.  I like to sleep at night.
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