After Effects Not Responding! CAN'T DO ANYTHING!

[jamesb41333771]

PC:

MSI PE70 2QE x64

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4210H CPU @ 2.90GHz, 2901 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)

Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB

Adapter Description NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M

Adapter Description Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600

After Effects CS6

The program opens as normal and all seems well. However, after camera tracking a short clip, then trying to move layers the program crashes and simply says not responding.

I have tried many of the tips given throughout these forums (such as preference changes, re-installations, cache clear outs etc) with no luck and it is really stressing me out! Especially with University just around the corner!!

PLEASE can somebody help me!?

[Dave_LaRonde]

A couple of things:

1) Don't expect miracles out of AE with just 8 gigs of RAM.  Sure, it'll work, but it works a lot better with 16 gigs.

2) If you're running a newer operating system, you may be encountering an OS-application mismatch.  CS6 runs best under Win 7 & Snow Leopard.

[brankogrcic]

I have machine with 32 gigs and I have a same problem all the time.... but Adobe gys will never admit that they have extremelly bad softwares. I am back to Da Vinci.

[jamesb41333771]

Are you saying that if increase my RAM this will solve the issue? Surely it should not crash within 2minutes of its usage. I think the issue is something different. My RAM usage is around 50% when After Effects is in use.

I have previously tried CS7 and it still crashes - using win 10.

[Dave_LaRonde]

If you have a choice of operating systems, go with Win7.  Then scrutinize the drivers for your casrds -- you may have to change to different versions.

[jamesb41333771]

Is this the only fix you can think of as I don't really have the time or option to perform a full re-installation of windows. Adobe CS7 states that it runs on win10.

[Mike_Abbott]

Check this: Edit menu > preferences > Memory and MultiProcessing.

Because your machine has a limited amount of RAM it's important that these settings are OK.

Installed RAM : 8GB (I assume)

RAM reserved for other applications : What are the setting for this? I would suggest trying 3GB.

If this is too low there will not be enough memory left for the OS etc - and that may be causing your issues - not AE 'directly'.

Render multiple frames simultaneously: OFF

In addition to these settings I'd also suggest you don't have any other applications open while you're running AE.

Does this help?

[jamesb41333771]

After changing the RAM reserved for other applications to 3GB I still have the same problem. I am still unconvinced that the RAM is the issue here. My RAM usage is no more than 50% throughout the use of After Effects and at the time of the crash.

[Mike_Abbott]

OK - it was worth checking.

Is Ae crashing only when you are doing this camera tracking - as per your original message?

Is it working OK if you try some other general operations, eg keyframing, applying one or two simple effects etc - excluding camera tracking?

[jamesb41333771]

Yep it works, albeit rather slowly, without crashing. It has nor problems tracking the camera.

The issue as been occurring when:

Camera Track>Camera and text>moving text layer

[Mike_Abbott]

Could it be a font related issue? Damaged fonts can cause all sorts of odd behaviour.

Try: 'Create null and camera' instead.

[jamesb41333771]

There is still a crash when i try and re-arrange the layers.

[Mike_Abbott]

what's the exact version number of CS6 that you're using?

(help > about after effects)

[jamesb41333771]

11.0.0.378

[Mike_Abbott]

I would suggest you update to 11.0.4 which I think is the last CS6 version - and which you can find here:

Adobe - After Effects : For Windows

If that doesn't help i think your next place to call would be Adobe Customer Support.

...unless anyone else has any ideas?

[jamesb41333771]

Will try this and let you know.

Thanks for your help Mike.

[jamesb41333771]

Unfortunately the update has not solved anything!

[jamesb41333771]

the issue is occuring whenever i try and move any of the layers on the timeline

[Mike_Abbott]

: (

Sorry to hear that. In this case I really don't know what else to suggest, other than calling Adobe Support. Try and be as specific as possible in describing exactly what steps you are taking up to the crash.

[jamesb41333771]

it appears to crash any time i try and drag a layer in my composition/in my timeline. very frustrating.

[BartonGarrett256]

If you know anyone else who uses Ae, you could take your project there. See if it breaks a more powerful machine

My two cents remains you don't have enough ponies under the hood. 

Try a simpler project without a camera and slowly make it more complex until it breaks.

Or remove parts of your current project until it works.

[jamesb41333771]

It crashes whenever I try and adjust the layers - no matter what they are.

I have no project. I am simply inserting a 10 second clip and adding another layer but when I try to put one above the other the program crashes.

I really don't think 8gb RAM would struggle with this.

[BartonGarrett256]

Try it with a still.  Try it with a different clip.  Try it with a shorter clip. Try it with a smaller clip.  Put the clip in Pr and export it in a different format.

I would crawl across broken glass naked before I'd call tech support.  The experts are here (I'm not one), I can't say anything nice about tech support.

[jamesb41333771 · Accepted solution]

After reading endless threads and trying numerous solutions I have come across something that seems to have done the trick (although it has only been in use for 10 minutes).

In short, I have installed a much older driver for my GTX960M. According to the thread I read the newer drivers cause problems for Adobe programs.

[BartonGarrett256]

You are trying to cross the Atlantic in a rowboat.  Yes, it can be done, but it's gonna take a long time, and pray for fair weather.  I have 64GB of RAM, if I could have put in more I would have.  It's like cocaine- too much is not enough.