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Teresa273255434fw5
Participating Frequently
July 21, 2025
Answered

Audio Playback Failure (Error Code: 1609891836)

  • July 21, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 834 views

Hi, does anyone know how to fix this error code related to failure of audio playback, the video doesn’t even play. Some context: I did install a new hard drive since my old one is full. I already deleted the media cache files as suggested in other posts. I set the location for the media cache database and file to the new hard drive and also the project as well…and it still won’t playback so I don’t know what’s wrong. I also tried uninstalling Adobe on the old hard drive and installing it on the new hard drive. But still won't work. Please help! See attached video.

Correct answer JonesVid

Hi again.

Thanks for the updates.

So the fact you have an internal D drive with SATA is fine.

However, your installation of Premiere on that drive is probably causing you all your issues

Normally, by default, Premiere and programs like After Effects etc should reside within the operating System drive.

This is because there are hooks (or Mapping) to Audio and Video outputs and inputs etc

It looks as if you are losing that. See my setup attached Screen snips.

You have selected Adobe SRT is a Video streaming protocol. What you need is to map your Timeline audio to your System Audio card.

A fresh install on the C drive where the operating system is should cure that.

You should see something like my Audio setup that maps to the system audio for playback.

 

If you just install a program like Premiere on a separate drive you might also lose access to system Codecs which allow Video and Audio decoding of various formats.

This is what I would do to solve your immediate problems :

 

Make space on your System C drive by offloading stuff like completed videos, Pictures etc which are taking up a lot of static data space and put them on the D Drive as a Data Store.

 

Free up enough space so you can get all your Adobe Creative Cloud Apps on the System C drive with space left - at least 150 GB.

If you put Premiere on a separate drive you wil probably lose links to other Adobe Apps like Media Encoder and After effects etc.

I think that should solve your issues. Your Media Cache can stay on D Drive - no issues with that.

 

Note on reinstalling Adobe Programs on other drives 

Utilities exist which allow you to move a working program to other drives.

These are programs like Aomei Partition assistant, Ease US etc. There are others. I have used the Aomei program.

They effectively allow a program to operate on another drive but the program still thinks it is working on the System C drive with all the Audio, Video mapping etc in place un-disturbed.

 

These utilities are also useful if you want to have a bigger System C drive for more space but don't want to reinstall the whole operating system, program set, drivers etc. Useful for Premiere users who have older versions they don't want to lose.

They allow you to 'clone' the System image and write to to a freshly formatted new drive which can be much bigger 1 TB, 2 TB etc

Always take backup of your Windows System Image and files using the Microsoft tools / System restore before doing anything like that - just as insurance.

 

Let us know how you get on by doing the re-install of Premiere and Creative Cloud on C system Drive when you have enough space created.

 

4 replies

JonesVid
Community Expert
JonesVidCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
July 23, 2025

Hi again.

Thanks for the updates.

So the fact you have an internal D drive with SATA is fine.

However, your installation of Premiere on that drive is probably causing you all your issues

Normally, by default, Premiere and programs like After Effects etc should reside within the operating System drive.

This is because there are hooks (or Mapping) to Audio and Video outputs and inputs etc

It looks as if you are losing that. See my setup attached Screen snips.

You have selected Adobe SRT is a Video streaming protocol. What you need is to map your Timeline audio to your System Audio card.

A fresh install on the C drive where the operating system is should cure that.

You should see something like my Audio setup that maps to the system audio for playback.

 

If you just install a program like Premiere on a separate drive you might also lose access to system Codecs which allow Video and Audio decoding of various formats.

This is what I would do to solve your immediate problems :

 

Make space on your System C drive by offloading stuff like completed videos, Pictures etc which are taking up a lot of static data space and put them on the D Drive as a Data Store.

 

Free up enough space so you can get all your Adobe Creative Cloud Apps on the System C drive with space left - at least 150 GB.

If you put Premiere on a separate drive you wil probably lose links to other Adobe Apps like Media Encoder and After effects etc.

I think that should solve your issues. Your Media Cache can stay on D Drive - no issues with that.

 

Note on reinstalling Adobe Programs on other drives 

Utilities exist which allow you to move a working program to other drives.

These are programs like Aomei Partition assistant, Ease US etc. There are others. I have used the Aomei program.

They effectively allow a program to operate on another drive but the program still thinks it is working on the System C drive with all the Audio, Video mapping etc in place un-disturbed.

 

These utilities are also useful if you want to have a bigger System C drive for more space but don't want to reinstall the whole operating system, program set, drivers etc. Useful for Premiere users who have older versions they don't want to lose.

They allow you to 'clone' the System image and write to to a freshly formatted new drive which can be much bigger 1 TB, 2 TB etc

Always take backup of your Windows System Image and files using the Microsoft tools / System restore before doing anything like that - just as insurance.

 

Let us know how you get on by doing the re-install of Premiere and Creative Cloud on C system Drive when you have enough space created.

 

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Teresa273255434fw5Author
Participating Frequently
July 23, 2025

Hi,

 

You saved my life!! Thank you so much, this worked. Quick question, I followed your settings for the Audio Hardware, is it okay that Default input is "No Input"? Should this be my settings going forward? Not sure what this means or if I have to change or toggle anything in the future. 

JonesVid
Community Expert
JonesVidCommunity Expert
Community Expert
July 23, 2025

Yes unless actively in use Adobe recommends setting to No Input. It can cause choppy playback on some systems.

Glad you got it sorted out 🙂

JonesVid
Community Expert
JonesVidCommunity Expert
Community Expert
July 22, 2025

Hi, 

Thanks for confirming you can play the H264 file on your system with another Application.

Steps now ....

First try the change Sumeet has requested to set Input as 'No Input' in Audio Preferences, Does that help?

 

If not - can you clarify the type of new Hard disk you have installed. Is it an internal disk connected by SATA or NVMe interface?...or is it an external harddrive connected by USB??. Its not totally clear.

On your video I can see you have set D:\Adobe as new location folder for your Media Cache and Media Database, that's OK as long as its not a basic USB external drive. Media Cache should be on an internal hard drive with fast data interface.

 

You say in your original post you have tried uninstalling 'Adobe' on your old hard drive and installing it on your new hard drive.

Are you referring simply to this folder for Media Cache or the entire Adobe Premiere Program??. Its a bit unclear.

All Adobe Apps normally reside on your System C: drive.

If you clarify all that,  we can advise next steps.

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Teresa273255434fw5Author
Participating Frequently
July 23, 2025

Hi, 

 

I tried Sumeet's request, still no video/audio playback. My new harddrive is an internal disk connected by SATA. Yes, I did set the location for the Media Cache files to the new Drive (D:) in folder "Adobe" that I created in the new D harddrive, if that's okay. It is an internal drive so I hope that doesn't affect anything? I uninstalled the entire program off of the C drive, and then reinstalled the entire program onto D hard drive....I understand that I probably messed up previous projects but it's fine because I already exported all videos. I just want to be able to edit my videos moving forward. Please advise, thank you!

JonesVid
Community Expert
JonesVidCommunity Expert
Community Expert
July 21, 2025

Is the file just an H264 or H265 mp4 file ? 
Have you tried to play it with another application program? eg in Windows just something like Media player. If Mac - system media player etc


T
Teresa273255434fw5Author
Participating Frequently
July 22, 2025

Hi, so the video won't even play on the timeline as well. Like when I click the play button, it doesn't even budge, and then the error pops up right away, "Audio Playback Failure". The video plays perfectly fine on my computer, it's just Adobe. I've had issues with H264 files before but this time it's a different case.

S
Community Manager
Sumeet Kumar ChoubeyCommunity Manager
Community Manager
July 22, 2025

Thanks for sharing the details. For testing purposes, would you mind setting Default Input to No Input to see if that restores the audio and playback? 

 

-Sumeet

 
S
Community Manager
Sumeet Kumar ChoubeyCommunity Manager
Community Manager
July 21, 2025

Hi Teresa273255434fw5,

 

We're sorry to hear about this. We can get this checked. Could you please share a screenshot of the Audio Hardware preferences window in Premiere Pro (Edit > Preferences > Audio Hardware)? Also, is this new drive an internal drive or an external drive?

 

Thanks,

Sumeet

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Teresa273255434fw5Author
Participating Frequently
July 22, 2025

Hi, please see screenshot below. My bf inserted an additional harddrive into my PC, so it would be internal?

 

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