Help! My IDVD has fallen and it cant get up!!!

[ps2daddy]

Background:
Original Starting point
400Mhz Powermac G4 Sawtooth
384MB or Ram
2X30GB HD one WD 5400rpm other Maxtor 7200rpm
OS 10.2.5 on one drive and OS 9.1 on the other
Pioneer A03 internal firmware 1.63
Sony DRU500-a
I alternate this drive in internal bay

History
Happily burning movies using iDVD 3.0 then I would get a message when I started to burn that would state 1644min to complete project.
I uninstalled and then reinstalled iDVD and the problem was solved (temporarily took about 4.5 hours but it worked)

Step 1 (Sony DRU 500a inside)
Being very ticked off at this problem I erased my harddrive then reinstall Jaguar 10.2 reinstalled iDVD then updated to 10.2.8 and quicktime 6.3 so I could use iDVD.
Started to burn project and it stated 163min to complete................9 hours later still going never completed the screen said 1 min left for 3.5 hours.
I cancelled the project and reinserted the disk and the disk looked as nothing was written on it and the computer recognized it as a blank disk.
Media used as Ritek media.

Step 2 (Sony DRU 500a inside)
I erased idvd and restarted the computer reinstalled idvd and restarted the computer again and zapped pram

Got same results as above

"Started to burn project and it stated 163min to complete................9 hours later still going never completed the screen said 1 min left for 3.5 hours.
I cancelled the project and reinserted the disk and the disk looked as nothing was written on it and the computer recognized it as a blank disk.
Media used as Ritek media."


Step 3 (Pioneer A03 inside)
I took my footage from my DVD camcorder and reran it back through iMovie 3.0 and then imported into iDVD and got same results as above

"Started to burn project and it stated 163min to complete................9 hours later still going never completed the screen said 1 min left for 3.5 hours.
I cancelled the project and reinserted the disk and the disk looked as nothing was written on it and the computer recognized it as a blank disk.
Media used as Ritek media."

Step 4

This time I went and bought apple media

Got same results as above

"Started to burn project and it stated 163min to complete................9 hours later still going never completed the screen said 1 min left for 3.5 hours.
I cancelled the project and reinserted the disk and the disk looked as nothing was written on it and the computer recognized it as a blank disk.

Anyone else having this problem?
I have:
Erased and reformated the HD
Reinstalled the software
Recreated the original material from tape

I am running out of good ideas
(I am starting to think my G4 is possesed)

I am working on a wedding for someone and I need to finish this project ASAP

Any input is apprectiated.

[terryj]

Step 1. Make sure you are using iMovie 3.0.3
AND iDVD 3.01. One without the other will cause problems,
and it has been noted on the Apple message boards, that
if you are running 10.2.8, you need each of these apps to be at the version above.

step 2. Make sure that after you re-install/install,
you a. Run Cocktail and repair permissions,
and b. boot into safe mode and run a FSCK -Y.
This will repair any lingering bad files from
all the installing/re-installing you have been
doing.

step 3. Make sure you are not running any of the following
while the encoding is going on:
a. Screen Savers
b. Energy Saver ( either monitor/hard Disc Sleep)
c. Internet downloads, email checking, etc.

step 4. Make sure you are allowing all files in iDVD to FULLY ENCODE
before burning the project to disc.

barring that, my only other question is are you using the right
10.2.8 updater? So far, the only updater for 10.2.8 shown to
be "safe" is the build 6R73, and the Combo Updater ( 97MB)
not through Software Update, but the one you must download,
is the true safest update. The first build fried my FW ports
on my work Mac, good thing I didn't do it at home on my Dualie.
I have done the 6R73 build Combo Updater, and everything is solid.

[galactica]

c. Internet downloads, email checking, etc.

you think thats necessary? i have never had a problem while using iMovie/iDVD while ichat is running and/or checking email/surfing

[ps2daddy]

Thanks I made sure to turn off screen savers and hard drive spin downs and made sure no other programs were working in the background it took about 5 hours but it worked

I ened up buying ilife and it finally fixed my problems

Thanks for your responses Terry J and Galatica

I feel a whole lot better now

[terryj]

c. Internet downloads, email checking, etc.

you think thats necessary? i have never had a problem while using iMovie/iDVD while ichat is running and/or checking email/surfing

the fact that he is running a 400 mhz sawtooth, yes.
My digital audio G4 466 mhz gets freezes if I try and
check MS Entourage while encoding in iDVD.
I have heard some say they have had problems with
any M$ products running ( as we know they are memory hogs)
while using iMovie/iTunes, and on my g4 466, I can confirm.
Needless to say, I don't do projects at work anymore,
the dualie at home kicks so much more @$$!

[terryj]

Thanks I made sure to turn off screen savers and hard drive spin downs and made sure no other programs were working in the background it took about 5 hours but it worked

I ened up buying ilife and it finally fixed my problems

Thanks for your responses Terry J and Galatica

I feel a whole lot better now

Buying iLife got you the iDVD 3.01, which is a much
stabler build than iDVD 3.0.

Glad you are up and running now!
Don't forget to keep up regualr maintenance after projects,
such as running Cocktail, fsck -y in safe mode, etc.

and don't forget to keep all your iApps and Quicktime current
( but not the OS itself, many OS updates are crap).