Continuos error "unable to create image buffer"

Report · Sep 20, 2020

Hi,

I have installed premiere PRO on a new Dell XPS 15 9500:

i7 10875H
32GB ram
Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti, Driver versions 456.38
Windows 10

When using premiere Pro every 10-15 minutes I receive and error "unable to create image buffer".

After that the software become unstable (with several subsequent errors) and I need to close Premiere and reopen it, or sometimes even restart the PC.

I tried already to unistall and reinstall premiere and update the graphic driver on nvidia website.

Do you have any suggestion?

Thanks

Report · Oct 03, 2020

No other suggestion here? The solutions on the other post are not helping.

Thanks

Report · Oct 03, 2020

Have you tried changing the renderer to software rather than hardware. If I remember correctly, it's in the project settings... Not on my editing system now. which version of premiere have you installed?

Report · Oct 05, 2020

I tried, but the problem is still there, no changes.

Report · Oct 06, 2020

I have the version 14.4.0 Build 38

Report · Oct 05, 2020

Hoi,
I have the same issue like you, but I found a partial solution.
Same: Dell XPS 15 9500 (released in May/June 2020)
- i7 10750H
- 16GB RAM
- Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti, driver 452.06
- Windows 10 (build 19041.450)
- Adobe Premiere 2020, 14.4.0 Build 38
Usually I work with 4k footage and get after 15-20 minutes an error ("unable to create image buffer" or in german "Bildpuffer konnte nicht erstellt werden"). I did an update of my nvidia driver; directly via nvidia and not via Dell. It seemed that with the older I got the error earlier, around 10 minutes, and premiere crashed immediatly. With the latest driver I still have enough time to save the project (usually 2-3 minutes before Adobe Premiere becomes unresponsive).

Google result:
After googling I saw that most people did a downgrade of Adobe Premiere. Mostly it were old posts: ppl went from (example) 2016.4 to 2016.2 or so. Others went down one full version from (example:) 2016 to 2015.

Partial Solution:

In my case: I went from the current version: Adobe 2020 14.4.0 Build 38 to an older version: Adobe 2020 14.0.4 Build 18

Side effects of the partial Solution:
Why a partial solution: the older version doesnt touch the Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti, it does its render work entirely on the Intel Integrated GPU (task-manager confirmed). It works, no crashes, 4k playback works, but with an logo overlay and little of colour-editing it gets laggy and 1/2 resolution-playback is advised.
The integrated GPU is running on 100% while the Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti is idling on 0% usage is just garbage.

Only Software rendering:
No GPU in use, only CPU rendering (which is the purpose of software rendering): 4k playback? HAHAHAH - be lucky to get 1fps. Software rendering is always a joke, independant of the computer, who invented that??

Angry Rant:
Its a complete waste of money, 2600€ for a laptop and Adobe, too. I went with Intel instead with AMD to fully use Adobe GPU acceleration and instead of that I'm stuck with the integrated GPU. Some may say "yeah 4GB is for 4K editing not enough", I disagree - if the integrated can handle 4K footage surprisingly okay (given its integrated!), then the dedicated one should shine for longer than 20minutes. And the dedicated card really shines perfectly, lots of After Effects animation, intensive colour grading, footage sped up, all perfect - for 15-20minutes. Btw. it doesnt matter if the playing is in colour-graded 4K or native untouched 4k in the storyboard - the crash-time is the same.
Adobe and Nvidia get together and fix that garbage. Stat!

Report · Aug 08, 2021

I'm having the same problem. I get 15-30 minutes before it hangs. I have an MSI GS65 Stealth. I paid a ton for it.

Report · Mar 18, 2021

Try to select another Preview encoder than I-Mpeg in to sequence setting.

Report · Jul 29, 2021

Hello Alessandro,

Have you found a solution? I am so desperate... I have the same problem. Every 10-15 min. the programme crashes. I have tried everything, but I keep getting the same error. I don't know what to do anymore.

I really hope you have found a solution and maybe you can share it with me.

Thank you very much in advance!

Report · Aug 09, 2021

Same issue and no solution. But please please somebody let me know as I'm saving money to buy a Graphics card but below I noticed that people with a graphics card are facing issue as well. So I don't what I would do now apart from closing premiere pro and restarting sometimes later.

Report · Aug 16, 2021

I have this same issue. Latest nvidia driver updated, and this happens randomly, yet continiously everyday, especially with HEVC/h265 files.

it's asinine. it's unstable updates, not a a driver issue on the users end.

Report · Aug 16, 2021

Hevc is a nightmare format to edit in my experience. Transcode to a high
quality format like prores 422 hq before editing if at all possible.

Report · Aug 18, 2021

Hi! I´m having the same problem here... same project works perfect in my mac but windows.... every project with 4k footage crashes not only premiere, but also other Apps... Is there no solution to this, Adobe?

Report · Sep 25, 2021

I've been following this thread closely for a while now having the 16Gb version of this machine.

Out of curiosity, do you have the USB-C Dell Dock for your peripherals and second display(s)?

I found that when working in PP, I saw much more 1650Ti usage when the second display was directly connected (and Dell dock completely removed from my setup). What was once a maximum work time of 15 minutes is now 45+minutes & counting.

Perhaps the Dell USB-C dock is confusing the system to the point where it thinks everything needs to be done through UHD graphics.

If you don't have the Dell Dock then I guess I am just lucky and this isnt a solution afterall?

Report · Sep 25, 2021

Actually scratch that, a moment after posting I got the error + big crash.

Time to leave PP for DaVinci resolve I think...