Constant Crashing - PP virtually unusable

If you can't save workspaces, that's a permissions issue in your OS perhaps. I had an issue with my newest desktop when new ... OneDrive had taken over all User folders, wouldn't allow Adobe apps to write anything. I couldn't sync preferences, use my custom workspaces or keyboard shorts ... and it took three days to finally get that nasty thing totally gone from my computer.

Yeah it's wild I can't even save workspaces. It's been a weird 2 years with Premiere.

You might try a new Windows User Account. Not being able to save preferences is so basic, and I haven't seen anyone else mention that. Save anything you want, preferences, settings, keyboard shorts, layouts. Then nuke the system with the adobe cleaner, setup a new user account and reinstall. Do all or part of this as you prefer.

Run the Adobe Cleaner after you uninstall the programs and before you re-install them:
Also, reboot your computer between steps even if you are not asked to...

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

Hello!

All 4K XAVC-I files with basic color grading. Some captions, and a jpeg with a crossfade effect. No 3rd party effects at all, however most of the crashing isn't via playback. It's either upon opening PP (project select screen) or when just simply clicking on an item in the project manager. RARELY do I even get the opportunity to play anything back. You'd think if it was overloading my processor or RAM or SSD, it would happen then but I'm barely doing anything at all to cause a crash.

I dumped all my cache files already. PP won't even save my preferences which is fun so I'm constantly at "factory default" when I open it up. Default Audio is already set to none. I've done all the steps!

I'm running a 24 core 3960X Ryzen, not having any problems in either 23.6 or 24. Some, like you, certainly are ... so basic troubleshooting 101.

What's your media used, effects, especially any third party? Is Preferences default audio input set to "none"?

And on launch, hold down Shift key, select dumping all cache files ... if you haven't already. Also, try Trashing Prefs ...

Plus, you can install 24 without interfering with any previous build. Make sure to deselect "remove prior versions" as even if you have that set in the CC app prefs, for some unmentionable reason that's always both in a new version install dialog box ... and selected. Which is horrid, but make sure that's deselected.

On first launch, hold down shift, dump cache, create a new project. Now you can add some media & test. If it works fine, great ... if not, nothing lost.