Mac restarts when computing digests with Linux CRU

Anything and everything to do with DCP-o-matic.
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dillonjamescole
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2019 11:07 pm

Mac restarts when computing digests with Linux CRU

Post by dillonjamescole »

Hello,

I recently purchased extFS for Mac in order to mount and format Linux CRU drives for use with my media servers. Everything works perfectly fine up until when a DCP conversation gets to the "computing digests" phase. At that time, the iMac force restarts. The conversion process is not completed before the restart, so the conversation is never properly completed.

I have been using this iMac for years with USB drives formatted for macOS without any issue. If I copy a DCP to the Linux-formatted CRU drive, the media servers ingest the content without a problem. So it seems the issue isn't with the particular CRU drive, it's just the DCP conversation process with that CRU drive being the destination that is problematic.

The CRU enclosure houses a high-quality 1TB 3.5" SATA drive. It is formatted ext3.
The iMac is mid-2011 model - 2.5GHZ i5. MacOS High Sierra.
DCP-o-matic version is 2.16.15.

Any ideas? Thanks for your help!
Carsten
Posts: 2648
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:11 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Mac restarts when computing digests with Linux CRU

Post by Carsten »

It's Paragon, and it simply is not solid. We see that often. If you want to continue using it, you better create the DCP on the Macs native filesystem, and then copy the result (carefully) to the extFS partition. Or, you try DCP-o-matic disk writer. Which is a bit more limited compared to a full file system driver, but then there are chances it is more solid.

When I create DCPs on the final transport disk, I mostly use Tuxera NTFS. To me, it appears faster and more stable than Paragon, and all DCP playback servers do support NTFS.
dillonjamescole
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2019 11:07 pm

Re: Mac restarts when computing digests with Linux CRU

Post by dillonjamescole »

I didn't realize that I could just use NTFS. Thank you for your help and expertise!!
Carsten
Posts: 2648
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:11 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Mac restarts when computing digests with Linux CRU

Post by Carsten »

NTFS is not officially supported, but I don't know any server or TMS that is not able to read DCPs from discs in that format.


Keep in mind, though, that you need to make a difference between format and partition type. The officially supported partition type/map is MBR. Most modern OS's create GPT/GUID partitions on new discs. Some prople complained that their NTFS disks didn't work on some servers. However, that was not an NTFS, but a GPT/GUID issue. On the Mac, it is quite easy to create an MBR partitioned disc using disk tool - MBR is one of three supported formats. Just make sure you make that decision when preparing/erasing a fresh disc. Also, restrict yourself to 2TB max size. Some servers do not support larger drives. Yes, that is DRIVES, not partitions (partitions also can have 2TB max size).

- Carsten
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