Video editor 2020 freezes as soon as I click “Export and Share”

[bsb2001ca]

I have 3 drives. C(OS), D(SSHD STORAGE), S(SSD scratch disk) running Windows 10, with all recent updates. 2018 core i5-8500 with 16gb ram and an outdated video card. So up until recently I had no problems making video from the same camera GPHero5 black. All is good. Then just recently I installed a new SSD just for scratch to help performance. My source files are on "D" and program is installed to C. I had some freezing after installing the new drive because of where the scratch was being placed. I uninstalled and then reinstalled to make sure it would save to my scratch drive. Fixed it for 1 video. Was able to export and share fine. Went onto my next project. Initially set up my scratch disk to the S again. Worked on the project. Saved the file and closed. Came back next morning boot up computer and now in the settings the scratch has all moved to "same as project" instead of "custom." Now anytime I close down the project and reopen it, the settings always revert back to "same as project."  I found a work around for that so that I save my project inside my scratch disk folder, but regardless of any of the 3 drives I save my project to, it hangs the second I press "export and share" even if it's a 7 second video with nothing done other than adding the video to the timeline and then exporting.

EDIT: Figured out the program will freeze at the same window even with out adding any video at all.

EDIT2: Chat customer service, and get remote desktop help. TLDR: My graphics card is old and disabling Hardware Accelleration in General settings fixed everything!!!

[Bill Sprague]

I don't know why it hangs.  Maybe it is objecting to using too many drives.

My workflow includes using a dedicated folder on my SSD for copies of the source files, the project, scratch disks and output.  Everything is in one place on my fastest drive.   "Media Cache" does not remember my settings for new projects so the first step on a new project is to be sure it is set right.   

In my case the SSD is the C:\ drive.  

When I am done with the project or paused working on it I can move the entire dedicated folder to a slower drive for storage.  When I want to work on it again, I move it back to the SSD.  

[Peru Bob]

Are all drives internal?

What brand and model drives?

What are their sizes and how full are they?

[bsb2001ca]

All drives are internal, C has 200gb free,D has 1.2tb and S has 217 gb free. Seagate for SSHD and the SSD's are Samsung evo 850- 250Gb

[Peru Bob]

What are the capacities of the drives?

[bsb2001ca]

C&S are 250, D is 2tb. 

[Bill Sprague]

"Old school" video editing systems use multiple drives because read and right speeds were a limiting factor.  SSDs pretty much eliminated the need for that.    Unless you are making long documentaries, the space on your C:\ appears sufficient for projects.  

On my machine, it is necessary to check the scratch disk locations as the first step in a new project.  I don't know why, but Premiere Elements does not "remember" all the scratch disk setting from previous projects.   Once a project is started, it will remember the settings.

Take the S:\ drive out of the workflow.   Install Premiere Elements on the C:\.  Then at the opening of a project, use Preferences to assign the scratch disk choices to the C:\.   Now does it freeze?

[bsb2001ca]

no, im not making anything that long, and i know my file sizes arent too big... theres lots of wiggle room. i have tried installing elements and running it soley from each of my drives and just tried putting the video file in with the save file and the scratch folder and still hangs.

[Bill Sprague]

"...and still hangs."

In the Help Menu is a choice for "Online Support" it will lead to an online "chat" where Adobe techs can remotely troubleshoot your computer.   Don't know what else to suggest.

[bsb2001ca · Accepted solution]

Turns out it was my older video card. After 45 mins of chat and remote assistance... They unchecked hardware acceleration in general settings and it loaded just fine.

UPDATE #2: Got hardware accelleration working. It was not my old graphics card, rather that elements wants to use the onbard/integrated graphics first for encode/decode and then it usese my Card for 3D and over lays and the technical stuff for lack there of a better way to put it. I went out and got a GTX 1660 TI to hopefully get that working. still didnt work until i installed my onboard graphics. Then while rendering and scrubbing through the timeline, i can see in certain cases that both the onboard and the card get used at different times with varying % use.

[Bill Sprague]

"Turns out it was my older video card. After 45 mins of chat and remote assistance... "

Terrific!  Thanks for posting about the success.