Avid Xpress

This document is a setup and configuration reference to our Avid Xpress 5.0.7 station.

Avid Composer Products Setup Guide for the Macintosh Operating System

1. Unplug the USB Hub.
2. Boot on a MacOS X 10.2 Installation CD; install the base OS. Name the disk Avid.
3. Boot OS X and run the Software Restore to recover OS 9.2.2 onto the disk.
4. Move the Applications and Avid Xpress folders into Trash. Empty the Trash. Make sure to save: Attic, Avid Projects and Avid Users
5. Install Keyspan USB Twin Serial Adapter 1.9
6. On startup configure the Mac. Set the TCP/IP dhcp client id to Sawtooth.
7. Reconfigure the following
   Memory Control Panel: disable Virtual Memory and lower the disk cache to 128K
   Energy Saver Control Panel: disable sleep and wakeups
   Disable Extensions: All Airport, All the ATI Extensions, Multi-User Startup, Voice Verification and Web Sharing.
   Disable Control Panels: Web Sharing, Multiple Users.
   Disable System Folder: Classic Support UI, MacTCP DNR
   Disable: Appletalk

   Optionally:
   Disable Extensions: Apple Modem Tool, Serial Tool, VT102 Tool, XMODEM Tool

8. And follow the Guidelines for Using Mac OS 9.x
   Change Sherlock indexing to Sunday's 6am.
   Disable Automatic Software Updates
   Disable function keys
   Turn off StuffIt Expander version checking software
   
9. Delete iApps, Earthlink, Outlook, FAXstff
10. Install Imation USB Super Disk Driver 3.3a (and restart)
11. Install QuickTime 6.0.3 Pro entering serial number (and restart)
12. Install Avid Xpress 5.0.7 (and restart; the Avid will restart once more)
13. Plug in the USB Hub
14. Use the Avid floppy to update the Xpress software
15. Put an Avid Xpress alias into the Apple menu items
16. Install Cleaner 6. Keep the Cleaner 6 preferences from the previous install, it contains the registration information and Settings. And update the Cleaner 6.app preferred memory to 96MB (98304).
17. Run all tests with Avid System Test Pro.

System tasks

Zap the PRAM

Useful if the boards in the system have been changed. command-option-p-r.

Setting up MediaDrives

Hardware

Avid Composer Products Site Preparation Guide for the Macintosh Operating System

1. It is important that no PCI devices appear before the EDC in the PCI Xtender in order to prevent conflicts with the Avid software and it's use of memory between the MediaDrives and the Meridian board. Therefore we moved the EDC forward one position (slot 9) to install a SCSI-2 interface for our DLT backup drive.
2. The Keyspan 4-port RS-422 serial board must be seated in the first position (slot 1).