Final Cut running out of application memory when importing files

Question

Final Cut running out of application memory when importing files

Since updating to FCP 11 I cannot import video files, which is quite a fundamental problem!

Actually, I can import very short files, but anything over a few minutes, like an interview, is a no-go.

Once the import process starts it chugs along happily for a bit before the error 'Your system has run out of application memory' occurs.

I am running a MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16GB.

I read somewhere that deleting preferences and deleting Chrome might help, but it has not.

Searching this forum has not turned up much, either.

Any ideas?!d

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.1

Posted on Jan 16, 2025 8:36 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 16, 2025 11:36 PM in response to terryb

Thank you for your response, I have pasted the Etre Check report below.

MacintoshHD has 250.39 GB available of 994.66 GB. The Library is on an external drive with 4.7TB available of 6TB. I've also tried using an external SSD with the same results but I can't remember how much space was available - I think plenty, though.

I followed the 'Chrome is bad' instructions when removing Chrome after the first time this happened. At that time I also deleted FCP preferences, and have tried re-installing FCP from the App Store.

EtreCheck report

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Answer 2

Jan 17, 2025 10:12 AM in response to terryb

It's very worrying. No problems until upgrading - now I'm having to use a 12 year old machine to import footage so I can edit it on a three year old machine!

I've screengrabbed the specs from QuickTime - is there anything there that seems odd or different?

There's no plug-in that I'm aware of, the cameras are all listed as supported and Pro Video Codecs is all up to date.

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Answer 3

terryb

Level 4

2,928 points

Jan 16, 2025 11:48 AM in response to Jared Schiller

How much free drive space is on your MBP? You need at least 15%.

Deleting only Chrome is not enough. Follow the instructions at https://chromeisbad.com for info on how to remove everything they scatter across your system.

Paste the output of an https://etrecheck.com report using the "Additional text" button below in your reply. This anonymized report will help the hivemind here to identify software conflicts and other common issues.

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Answer 4

Jan 17, 2025 12:56 AM in response to Jared Schiller

I am surprised that you are using DiVX in 2025… I thought this indicated a very old installation from years ago but I saw the report says it was installed recently. Is this something that you really use?

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Answer 5

Jan 17, 2025 2:45 AM in response to Jared Schiller

Jared Schiller wrote:

No, I don't use it - I installed it to try and open an old file that I couldn't get to open in anything else. Never used it before or since, so it can definitely go!

Try uninstalling it completely, and see if that makes any difference.

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Answer 6

Jan 17, 2025 3:04 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thank you. That made no difference unfortunately.

When I imported the file I observed the memory usage in Activity Monitor. FCPs crept up to about 45GB, about 4% into the import (which is an hour long 4K file), and then the error message returned.

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Answer 7

Jan 17, 2025 3:38 AM in response to Jared Schiller

Did you set it to transcode on import?

Are you copying this long file to the library? You could try "leave in place" - does that let it import?

Does it import other files? Maybe there is something with the particular file.

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Answer 8

Jan 17, 2025 3:59 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks for your questions! I've done some more experimenting. In fact it *does* import other long files. It actually seems to be camera-specific:

The files it fails to import were filmed on a Sony FX6 and a Sony FS7. The most recent project was filmed on an FX6 with an A7S as b-cam. The A7S footage is importing fine. (These are cameras owned by freelancers I've worked with). I also imported a 45min file filmed on my own camera, a Sony Z90. And I was able to import a ripped file from Youtube that was 90mins long.

So is there something about those particular cameras that would be causing a problem? They are not niche models and I believe they are supported?

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Answer 9

terryb

Level 4

2,928 points

Jan 17, 2025 8:36 AM in response to Jared Schiller

We have FX6 cameras and do not experience any issues with importing footage. Since it's in a file/folder hierarchy, even if FCP is set to Leave files in place, it makes copies into the library. So rather than using the Import dialog, I drag the parent folder containing the footage and this leaves the footage in place. We are not running FCP11 yet so hopefully this workflow isn't now broken.

What are the specs of the FX6 footage?

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Answer 10

Jan 17, 2025 1:13 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

No, I don't use it - I installed it to try and open an old file that I couldn't get to open in anything else. Never used it before or since, so it can definitely go!

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Answer 11

Jan 17, 2025 4:19 AM in response to Jared Schiller

(Also just to clarify, short files from those cameras do import - I guess because they don't reach the point where the memory usage has grown enough to cause the error).