issues with projects after macOS restore due to system crash

Hi everyone,

I'll try to be as clear as possible as I don't understand what is happening in order to explain it.

Running macOS Sonoma 14.5 on Apply M1 Max 16 inch MacBook Pro 2021 with 32GB ram and 1TB ssd.
Resolve Studio 18.6.6 Build 7

Main issue:
I have projects that won't open and if I try to export projects to safe-keep them I get 2 popups saying unable to archive media pool and timeline. Images further down.

Back story:
My SSD got full with render cache. 13MB left (yes, MegaBytes) so the system froze and would not start up again normally.
I tried safe mode, nothing; then restore, nothing; then it came to wiping out drive and reinstalling from scratch.
Once I was able to get back into the reinstalled OS (after repartitioning the drive) I loaded a TimeMachine backup from the day before when the system was running fine.
So everything looks normal, Davinci Resolve loads up normally and I can see my db and projects right where they are were.

Problem:
Some projects would not open and crash resolve right away. Tried restoring backup and that allowed me to load the project just fine.
I decided to export projects one by one to make sure I have a good version of it safe.

That's when the errors pop up:
first one:

Error 1

Screenshot 2024-07-05 at 17.38.15.png (78.84 KiB) Viewed 1413 times

So I click the only option Abort and then the

second one:

Error 2

Screenshot 2024-07-05 at 17.38.23.png (75.51 KiB) Viewed 1413 times

If I try to load what is exported it does not load so I am unable to back it up /export it properly.

I can work on the opened project just fine but I am unable to export it for future use.
I have tried to export a DRT, same results.
I have tried to export a DRA, same results.

I have updated the Media Storage locations in Preferences but makes no difference.

I backed up the database (only one I have) and the export says it was successful. (not verified)

I tried creating a project from scratch so it wouldn't be tied to the system crash and same errors happen if I try to export it.

I am thinking of uninstalling resolve studio (App Store bought) but quite afraid I might not be able to open anything after that.
I have about 20 current projects and 1 of them is a full feature film I absolutely cannot lose.

Solutions?
Maybe I can safely reinstall resolve and load the database?
Maybe I need to reset the resolve system preferences first?

I would appreciate any help I can get on this.

Thank you so much to the community in advance.

Cheers,

Cedric

[Dwaine Maggart]

I've never seen that error before.

If I had to guess, I'd say its something related to using App Store Resolve.

You say you restored a backup? Is that a project library backup? If so, can you put that on a file sharing site and send a link to the backup, so we can examine it? You can PM the link if you don't want the world to see it.

A Resolve log file would also be helpful. You can generate that from the Resolve Help menu: "Create Diagnostics Log on Desktop".

When you tried exporting the projects that generated those errors in your screenshots, were you using the Export Project menu, or something else? I would not expect the Export Project menu to generate those types of errors.

Hi Dwaine,

Thank for your prompt response.

My computer crashed.
I formatted the drive, reinstalled MacOS.
Then I restored a MacOS system backup from the day before. TimeMachine backup.
So Resolve was restored from my OS backup. I did not have to reinstall it.

Opened resolve and everything looked just fine: project library and projects looked just fine as they were before the system crash.
Some projects would open just fine, some would crash resolve immediately as I tried to open them.
So I restored project backups for those, and then they opened just fine.
At this point all projects open up just fine.

As a precaution I decided to do individual project exports to back them up and that is when the errors show up.
Here is a video screen recording or the errors for both DRP and DRA export attempt:

After all my projects now open up just fine I did a library backup. says it was successful.

Since my first post I tried to do a library restore.
It seems to restore just fine and projects open up just fine.
When I try to export backups though, same error messages show up again as in the screen recording.

I have a feeling I either need to reset resolve system preferences or reinstall resolve.. as in uninstall the app and reinstall it.
But I am extremely scared things might not load up and I absolutely cannot lose the feature film I am working on.

Diagnostic Log attached.

Thank you,

Cedric

[Dwaine Maggart]

Couple of things:

Go into Mac System Settings - Privacy and Security and make sure DaVinci Resolve is enabled.

Then with Resolve running and a project loaded (any project, or a new project) do this:

In Resolve, go to Project Settings - Color Management. Scroll down and select Open LUT Folder.

Make sure you have the Finder View menu "Show Path Bar" enabled.

At the bottom of the Finder window that's open showing the LUT folder, you'll see the long convoluted path where Resolve App Store stuff gets saved.

The last part of the path is Library/Application Support/LUT.

Double click on that Library (not the Library further back up the path).

Now select the Preferences folder.

One of the files you'll see there is:

com.blackmagic-design.DaVinciResolveAppStore.plist

Change name of that file by adding a .tmp to the end:

com.blackmagic-design.DaVinciResolveAppStore.plist.tmp

Now restart Resolve. The file will get recreated from default settings.

Now see if you can make a project export.

Hi Dwaine,

I could not find DaVinci Resolve in Mac System Settings - Privacy and Security so I could not make sure it is enabled.

I did find a DaVinci reference in the Microphone section as well as Full Disk Access section.
In both, DaVinci is enabled.
DaVinci also shows up in Files and Folders. DaVinci is listed there as having Full Disk Access.

Nevertheless I followed the rest of the instructions.
Same results.

I rebooted the machine: Shutdown then turned on again.
This time I deleted the .tmp file previously created as well as the newly created plist file.

Same results. Can’t export.

I also noticed my UltraStudio Monitor 3G is not recognized.

I appreciate any further options I could try.

Thank you,

Cedric

[Dwaine Maggart]

This is why exports are failing:

Unable to archive media pool: Failed to create temporary folder '/Users/senpera/Library/Containers/com.blackmagic-design.DaVinciResolveAppStore/Data/Library/Caches/mediapoolZWUtpt'.

The most likely reason Resolve can't create that temp folder is because it doesn't have permission to write there. And it seems like the most likely reason for that would be not having permissions in Privacy and Security.

Here's a screen shot of what you should see:

resolve_full_disk_access.jpg (124.15 KiB) Viewed 913 times

Try looking there again.

Hi Dwaine,

Yes it does have access. It already had it.

System Settings Full disk access

Screenshot 2024-07-14 at 12.19.54.png (250.77 KiB) Viewed 879 times

I loaded my library onto someone else's computer and it loaded fine. and I was able to open projects, to export them just fine and restore the exports just fine.

Would you think now that if I just reinstall resolve on my system it'll be alright?
If so what would you recommend backing up before I do that?

Thank you,

Cedric

[Dwaine Maggart]

Possibly restoring the app from the Time Machine backup caused an issue. So a reinstall wouldn't be a bad idea.

I think you will need to remove the DaVinci Resolve app from the Applications folder, for the app store to reinstall it. I would try moving it to somewhere else, like the Desktop, but I'm not sure that will be enough. You might have to actually delete it. But I'd try moving it first, then delete if you have to.

Your user data is stored in a different path, so nothing should be affected by moving or deleting the current app from the Applications folder.

Thank you Dwaine.

I tried removing the app by moving ir to another folder. Redownloaded from App Store.
Same issue.

Tried deleting the app completely, reinstalling from App Store.
Same issue.

Tried deleting the app again, deleted all the traces of Blackmagic folders I could find under library path, application support folders under user/me, even hidden files and folders.
Same issue.

I noticed on this 3rd reinstall that some system and user preferences were not deleted so I must have missed something.

Can you guide me through a total and complete deletion of Davinci resolve files, user data, preferences.. etc.. please?

Thank you,

Cedric

[Dwaine Maggart]

If you remove App Store Resolve from the Applications folder, it will not touch the user specific info.

If you remove App Store Resolve from the Launchpad window, that will also remove all the user data.

So if you are sure you don't need the user data, try that.

Be aware that doing this, the user data will be instantly deleted. It will not be in the Trashcan, so will be unrecoverable.

No luck either.
Same issue.

I tried using CleanMyMac X. It deleted things that removed the preferences so it was looking good.
I relinked my backed up database.. good so far.
Tried export a project again. same issue again.

I will reinstall the OS from scratch eliminating everything and reinstalling everything anew.

If that does do it then... May the digital gods have mercy on me.

I'll hit back with an update.

Cheers,

Cedric.

Hi Caddaric, did you ever manage to fix this?

Happening to me on an app store version.

Going to try a non-app store version.

I found the issue wasn’t present when I installed the non-App store version concurrently.
Unfortunately the project wasn’t available in the project manager.

However I then deleted and reinstalled the App Store version, and now I was able to export the project successfully.