TechNote

Troubleshoot system errors and freezes in Director 11.5 (Mac OS)

This document can help you resolve system errors that occur while you use Adobe Director 11.5 in Mac OS X. System errors can manifest themselves in many different ways, including (but not limited to) the following:

A blank or flickering dialog box
A frozen cursor or screen
An error such as one of the following:
- "The application 'Director' has unexpectedly quit. The system and other applications have not been affected."

Different factors can cause system errors, including conflicts among device drivers, software, and hardware, and corrupt elements in specific files. Although a system error may occur only when you work with Director, Director may not necessarily be the cause--it may be the only application that uses enough memory or processor cycles to expose the problem.

To benefit most from this document, perform the tasks in order. Keep track of the tasks you perform and the results of each task, including errors or problematic behavior. Adobe Technical Support can use this information to better assist you, if you need to call.

Beginning troubleshooting

The tasks in this section can help you resolve the most common system errors. Before performing any of these tasks, back up all personal files (for example, Director files you created). Always restart the computer after a system error occurs to refresh its memory. Continuing to work without restarting the computer may compound the problem.

1. Make sure that the system meets the minimum requirements for Director.

Director may not run correctly on a system that doesn't meet minimum requirements. Make sure that your system meets the following requirements:

Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 an an Intel processor
Safari
512 MB of RAM
DVD-ROM drive
Internet or phone connection required for product activation

Note: To check how much RAM is installed, choose About This Mac from the Apple menu. The Memory value indicates the amount of installed RAM.

2. Log in as a user with administrator access privileges.

If you lack administrator access privileges, then Director may be unable to access necessary files. To determine if limited privileges cause the problem, log in as a user with access privileges, and try to re-create the problem. If the problem doesn't recur, then the account you were previously using lacks access privileges. Contact your system administrator to grant you access privileges.

To log in as a user with access privileges:

From the Apple menu, choose Log Out.
Click Log Out when the system returns the message "Are you sure you want to quit all applications and log out now?"
When the log in screen appears, select a user with access privileges, type the appropriate password, and then press Return.

3. Run the Adobe application from within a new user account.

Occasionally, a user account can become corrupted and prevent the installer from accessing or creating the necessary files and folders. Create a new account, log in to the new account, and then try to install or run the Adobe application.

To create a new user account in Mac OS X v10.4 and later:

From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.
Click Accounts.
Click the plus sign toward the bottom of the window on the left.
Type a user name and a password that you'll remember, such as test .
Click the Security tab, and then check the box labeled "Allow user to administer this computer.
Close the Accounts window.
Choose Log Out from the Apple menu.
When the log in screen displays, choose the test user.

4. Install the latest version of Director.

Your operating system and hardware drivers may be more compatible with the latest version of Director than with an earlier version. Before you install an update or upgrade, make sure that your system meets the requirements.

Free updates are made available from the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/support/downloads. An upgrade, however, may solve a wider range of problems. (You may prefer to try the tasks in the rest of this document before upgrading.) You can purchase upgrades from Adobe Authorized Resellers and from Adobe directly:

To locate an Authorized Reseller, visit the Adobe website at http://partners.adobe.com/resellerfinder/na/findreseller.jsp and choose your country or region from the menu at the top of the page.
To purchase an upgrade from Adobe, visit the Adobe Store at http://store.adobe.com/store and choose your country or region from the menu at the top of the page.
To contact Adobe Customer Service in your region for assistance, visit the Adobe website at www.adobe.com, select your region from the menu at the top of the page, and then click Contact Us.

5. Install current Mac OS X updates.

Updates to the Mac OS X operating system can improve its performance and compatibility with applications. You can obtain Mac OS X updates from the Apple website at www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/, or choose Software Update from the Apple menu. For assistance installing updates, contact Apple technical support.

Important: Before you install a system update, check the system requirements for Director 11.5 (and any third-party software or hardware you may use with Director) to ensure compatibility. If the update isn't listed, then contact Adobe or the manufacturer of your third-party software or hardware.

6. Re-create the Director preferences files.

You can re-create Director preferences files to eliminate problems caused by a damaged preferences file.

Note: Re-creating the Director preferences files restores settings to their defaults.

To re-create the Director preferences files:

Quit Director.
Drag the Adobe Director 11 Settings folder from the Users/[user]/Library/Preferences folder to the Trash. (Director 11.5 uses the same preferences structure as Director 11).
Restart Director.

If the problem recurs after you re-create the Director preferences files, then the problem isn't related to preference files. To restore custom settings, drag the file you moved in step 2 back to its original location, and then click Replace to the alert "An item named 'Adobe Director 11 Settings' already exists in this location. Do you want to replace it with the one you're moving?"

7. Run Director while no other applications are running.

To maximize available RAM and reduce the chance that another application may conflict with Director, quit open applications, and then restart Director.

If applications don't quit as expected, then force quit them.

To force quit open applications:

Choose Force Quit from the Apple menu.
In the Force Quit Applications dialog box, select an application, and then click Force Quit.

Note: Don't select the Finder, which is the core Mac OS component.
Click Force Quit again when Mac OS returns the alert "Do you want to force [application] to quit?"
Restart Director, try to re-create the error, and continue as follows:
- If the error doesn't occur, then the application you selected in step 2 conflicts with Director].
- If the error occurs, then repeat steps 3-4; or, if you've quit all open applications, then proceed to the next task.

8. Check the CD and the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

Sometimes dust or dirt on a CD or DVD can interfere with an installation and prevent your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive from recognizing the media. Examine the application CD or DVD for dirt, dust, or fingerprints. Gently wipe the bottom of the disc from the center outward with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Verify that the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive can read other CDs or DVDs. If it can't, then examine the disc caddy or loading tray for dirt and clean it with a lint-free cloth. If it still can't read other CDs or DVDs, contact the drive manufacturer or Apple Computer.

9. Update the video card driver.

Many video card manufacturers frequently update their software drivers. If you haven't recently updated the video card driver, then contact the video card manufacturer for an updated driver, or download one from the manufacturer's website.

10. Install or Run the Adobe application with the Login Items disabled for the user account.

To disable nonessential extensions located in the user accounts Login Items folder: Press Shift while you restart the computer. Pressing Shift disables any applications that are in the Login Items folder.

11. Install Director from the desktop.

Some system components--for example, device drivers and virus protection utilities--can conflict with the Director installer and result in an incomplete or failed installation. To prevent these conflicts, install Director from the desktop.

To install Director from the hard disk using the Director CD or DVD:

Insert the installer CD or DVD into the drive.
Double-click the disk.
Locate the Adobe Director 11 folder and copy it to the hard disk.
Restart the computer while holding down the Shift key to prevent startup items from opening.
Open the Adobe Director 11 folder you copied to the hard disk, and double-click the Adobe Director setup file. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Director.

Note: If the installation fails, leave the Director folder on the hard disk and continue troubleshooting. You can delete the folder after you install Director.

Intermediate troubleshooting

If the tasks in the previous section don't solve the problem, then try the following intermediate troubleshooting tasks.

12. Repair disk permissions by running Disk Utility.

If you log in to an account with administrator privileges, but are still unable to install or run Director, then your disk permissions may be damaged.

To repair your permissions using the Disk Utility:

Choose Go > Applications, open the Utilities folder, and then double-click Disk Utility.
Select the volume on which you want to install Director, and then click Repair Disk Permissions.
Click the First Aid tab.

13. Remove third-party plug-ins from the Director plug-ins folder.

Remove third-party plug-ins from the Directorplug-ins folder, located in Director, and then restart Director . If the problem doesn't occur after removing third-party plug-ins, then one or more of them conflicts with Director .

Contact the manufacturer of the plug-ins for information about updates.

14. Optimize hard disks.

Installation or application errors can occur if the hard disk is very fragmented. Optimizing the hard disk rearranges files to minimize future fragmenting. It also restores fragmented files into single contiguous blocks, making hard disk space more accessible to the installer.

Use a disk-optimizing utility, such as Symantec Norton Utilities, to optimize (defragment) each hard disk. For instructions on using a utility, refer to the documentation included with the utility.

15. Check hard disks for damage.

A damaged hard disk can cause installation errors. Check hard disks using a disk utility, such as Apple Disk Utility, Symantec Norton Utilities, or Micromat Drive 10.

Disclaimer: Adobe doesn't support third-party disk utilities but provides the following instructions as a courtesy. For support, contact the developer of the disk utility.

To check for damage by using Apple Disk Utility (included on the system CD):

Start the computer from the system CD.
Choose Installer > Open Disk Utility.
Select the disks to be checked, and then click the First Aid tab.
Click Repair to check and, if necessary, repair selected disks.

16. Scan for viruses.

Use current anti-virus software, such as McAfee Virex or Symantec Norton AntiVirus, to check the system for viruses. Make sure that you have the latest virus definitions for the anti-virus software you use. Although virus infections are rare, they can cause unexpected system behavior, including installation errors. Running virus-detection software regularly (for example, daily) prevents viruses from damaging software on the system. For instructions on running or obtaining the latest updates to the virus-detection software, refer to its documentation.

Advanced troubleshooting

If the tasks in the previous section don't resolve the problem, then you may be able to resolve the problem by reformatting your hard disk or by determining if hardware is conflicting with Director.

Disclaimer: Adobe doesn't support hardware and provides these tasks as a courtesy only. For further assistance, contact the hardware manufacturer or an authorized reseller. If you troubleshoot hardware problems yourself, then you may void the computer's warranty.

Note: Before you remove or rearrange hardware, turn off and disconnect the power to the computer and any peripheral devices.

17. Use the Activity Monitor to identify and quit processes that may be using large amounts of system resources.

To ensure that Director has enough system resources, use the Activity Monitor to quit processes that use more than 30% of the system resources.

Choose Go > Applications.
Open the Utilities folder, and then double-click on Activity Monitor.

Note: If the Process Listing window doesn't appear, then choose Window > Process Listing.
For Activity Monitor, go to View> Update Frequency and select "less often (5 seconds). For Process viewer, set Sample Every to 5 seconds.
Select each process that uses more than 30% of the CPU, and choose View>Quit Process.

18. Reinstall the system software.

Reinstall the operating system, or run a system restore.

Important: Running a system restore erases all contents on the hard disk, so be sure to back up any files that you want to save to an external drive, CD, or DVD.

For more information on running Software Restore, see its documentation or visit the Apple support page at www.info.apple.com, and search for "System Restore."

19. Install to a different hard disk that is designated as the startup disk.

Install the system software on a different hard disk (not a different partition on the same disk) and then specify that disk as the startup disk. Then, install Director to the new hard disk.

To specify the startup disk:

Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
Select Startup Disk from the System selections.
Select the drive to which you reinstalled the system software.
Restart the computer.

20. Reformat the hard disk using HFS+ formatting, and install only Mac OS and Director.

Reformat the hard disk using HFS+ formatting, and then install only Mac OS and Director from the original installation media. Reformatting a disk erases all files it contains, so be sure to back up all personal files first. Also make sure that you have all application and system disks.

Note: Don't install additional software or hardware until you're sure the problem is resolved. Don't back up the hard disk and restore Mac OS and Director instead of reinstalling them; if the problem is caused by an application or Mac OS, and either one is restored instead of reinstalled, the problem may recur.

After you reformat the hard disk and install only Mac OS and Director, try to re-create the problem:

If the problem no longer occurs, then install other applications one at a time, and try to re-create the problem after each installation. If the problem occurs after an installation, the recently installed application may be the cause. Contact the developer of the application for information about an update.
If the problem recurs, then the cause is hardware-related, and you should contact the hardware manufacturer or an authorized reseller for assistance. Before contacting the manufacturer or reseller, however, you may want to try one or more tasks in the following section.

21. Contact Adobe Technical Support.

If the steps in this document did not resolve the issue you are facing or if you are having difficulties with the solutions provided, then please contact Adobe Technical Support. Contact information is available here.