Adobe Premiere Elements 2020 on Windows 11 locks up my OS

I have been using Premiere Elements 2020 since it first launched. I've had issues in the past with the application locking up or not having smooth playback, especially with HEVC files, which I could only use after the $0.99 4k download upgrade.  I was able to work with it, but was very aggravating.

  Recently, in the last 2 months, I just upgraded to Windows 11.  It seemed to work fine for small projects ( nothing over 1 minute in length).  However, I'm trying to work with 4K footage and the application will not playback, load or sometimes the files won't even upload into the application, saying thet I can't run HEVC files.  When I open Premeire without any imported files in it (like a brand new project) my OS, a desktop, will begin to lock up as well, no matter what programs are running.  The Task Manager shows my memory is using over 50% when it's running

. I have a ASUSTeK - 64 RAM, my processor is a AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Six-Core Processor, 3400 Mhz, 6 Core(s), 12 Logical Processor(s) with a TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING motherboard, and my hard drive is a SSD CT2000MX500SSD1. Both the program and any files I've used in it are on the internal hard drive.  The drive itself has 1.61 TB free (plenty of space).  My Windows 11 version is 22H2. I've checked all updates, cleared caches, tried any possible driver installs, all to no avail. I had read that others had disconnected from the internet for similar issues, but when I tried to, it would not allow me to import any HEVC files.  It also did not improve any. 

When the application has a audio file in the timeline, (if I can get it there) the audio playback is fine, but the video playback is either frozen or black, even when I drag the scrubber.  I'm out of ideas.