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“Quartz Extreme Required” message

My wife has been using iMovie’09 literally daily on her MacBook Pro w/Snow Leopard. It’s been working fine. Tonight iMovie won’t open, giving her the following message: “iMovie requires a graphics card that is compatible with Quartz Extreme. One or more of your graphics cards does not support Quartz Extreme.” Can anyone suggest anything that we might do to get her back in business? Thanks.

— John Russell

Comments: 27 Responses to ““Quartz Extreme Required” message”

    14 years ago

    Try changing the screen resolution to something different, and then back again. See if that fixes it. If not, try logging off and back on. If not, try restarting. If the problem persists, perhaps a visit to the Genius Bar.

      Belinda Callander
      13 years ago

      It worked, thank you!!!!

      Louise Courtney
      13 years ago

      Thanks, worked for us too. Thank the InternetGod for Google!

      David Muro
      12 years ago

      Thanks Man!!! Itt Worked Just Fine :D

      Mrs Dildo
      12 years ago

      It worked!!

      MV
      11 years ago

      You are the GENIUS. It still works!

    John RusselL
    14 years ago

    Gary, my wife thanks you many times over! The first suggestion, changing the screen resolution twice, fixed the problem.

      John Borgmeyer
      13 years ago

      Hey Thanks!!! This worked for me as well, I'm on Snow Leopard 10.6.6 Macbook Pro trying to use Final Cut Express and/or Imovie and I was getting this as well. I think it was caused from hooking up a dual display. Thanks again for the (temporary) fix!

    john Mccoubrie
    14 years ago

    i have encountered the same problem, but as for me when i go to system preferences/display it only shows 1280x800 with no other options.

    Also i have been told to switch my colors from millions to thousands and back again i can only find a millions selection

    Please help,
    thanks john

    *i have imovie08 though*

      14 years ago

      Are you using Leopard or Snow Leopard? It sounds like the System Prefs are only showing you "recommended resolutions" -- look for the option to have it show all.

    James Parsons
    13 years ago

    Gary,

    thank you so much for your suggestion, changing the resolution down and then back up again worked fine for me.

    Thanks again

    James

    SIgurd Magnusson
    13 years ago

    Wow, this bug has been around for years. I got a new Macbook Air and this bug still crops up in 2011; but yes, changing screen resolution is the solution.

    Ari
    13 years ago

    Thanks Gary!

    Just figured out that if it doesn't work when you change the resolution then try to open iMovie with smaller resolution and then switch back to the normal one ;-). Tricking out Mac OS X Snow Leopard :D!!

    Heather
    13 years ago

    I feel very stupid, but where in the system preferences can you change the resolution? I can't seem to find it.

      13 years ago

      The display resolution? System Preferences, Displays, Display.

    Dnero Sucio
    13 years ago

    i'm trying to install Logic Pro 9 to a G5. i followed the advice about changing the resolution. but now its saying that i need a "Quartz extreme compatible video card" and that "the current graphics card" i have doesn't support Logic. the osx is up to date, i have the proper version of quicktime....no results.
    HELP?

      13 years ago

      Well, it probably means that you can't run Logic Pro 9 on your Mac. But for details I'd ask in a Logic forum or site.

        Dnero Sucio
        13 years ago

        thanx.

    Naveed
    12 years ago

    guys i tried changing the resolution, restart, logout .....
    the problem persists its still giving the same message

    Poster
    12 years ago

    whoha changing the screen resolution to lower and then higher again worked (I think that's ****** up)

    Thank you! :-)

    mezan
    12 years ago

    Hi, I'm using MacBookPro Lion 10.7.2 when i open imovie and get this message "iMovie requires a graphics card that is compatible with Quartz Extreme. One or more of your graphics cards does not support Quartz Extreme." plz help.

      12 years ago

      Did you try some of the suggestions above? Read the first comment and try that.

    Morten
    12 years ago

    I am hacking same problem. Have tried all the suggested solutions without luck. I am using a Mac mini and connecting remotely by iPad and MacBook.

    Nathalie
    12 years ago

    Thank you indeed! Worked!

    KiDDie
    12 years ago

    Thanx,
    You just help me!!
    I am using a Macbook. (I know he's old but we get him from school.)

    Jane
    12 years ago

    I am getting this same issue, I used safe mode and its appears to of disabled most of the computers systems including its audio inputs/outputs as well as this-and changing the resolution does nothing.

    marko
    11 years ago

    thanks again - worked for me !

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