Why files in my CS4 PP project keep being unlinked when I restart the project

[Michelmnr]

Recently I subscribed to One drive meaning that now the cloud is a big part of my 'IT'! 
I started a project following a cruise.  But I encountered this problem.
Only a few .mp4 are affected. I read that perhaps the cloud has something to do with it. So I copied these files (actually all of them) on my desktop new folder. and upon restarting the project relinked them to my new folder. All good....But not on restart they're all again unlinked !

[Warren Heaton]

With Premiere Pro CS4 closed, try putting the project file and the source footage in the same folder and then linking the clips the next time you open the project. 

Make sure that you are working from the local location that syncs with OneDrive.  

Also, I would temporarily turn syncing of while editing.  

[Michelmnr]

Thank you Warren,  Do you mean I should empty the project, then get the source file in the same folder (is this where the project auto save files are?)  Then I import again these files in my project (but they would be automatically linked if I did this...) Anyway I'll give this a try. 
Now, things have gone wrong. When I last opened my project, many of the file turned plain green!  

I searched about it and some suggestions said to change the files to .mpg, others said to go to propertie General and change the rendering to (something mercury....? I forgot but in CS4 I don't have this option)

I have 16 gb ram and my graphic card is NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 It says that the best driver is already install on my W10 system.  (I keep being reminded to upgrade to W11 but worry about re installing my CS4 Suite as I have lost my installing info.)

[Peru Bob]

  (I keep being reminded to upgrade to W11 but worry about re installing my CS4 Suite as I have lost my installing info.)

By @Michelmnr

If you upgrade to W11, you will not be able to activate CS4.

The activation servers for CS2,3,4 have been shut down.

[Michelmnr]

Thank you Bob, I was affraid that would be the case.  I'm still wondering if it can be used with less functions non activated, I guess not... These days I don't use it very much.

[Ann Bens]

If not activated, you cannot use it at all.

[Warren Heaton]

If the source files are currently linked, then move the project by opening it in Premiere Pro and then using File > Save As to save a new version of the project in the same folder as the source footage.  Then delete the prior file.

If the source files are not linked, move the file in Explorer while the project is not open and then open and link the source files.

[Michelmnr]

Thanks again Warren. I realise that when I move the source files, PP would show them unlinked.  I was thinking of 'copying' but that would not work as they still would be linked to the previous place.  I think I understand what I have to do. ... (If I get my system working ok with my CS4 dynosaur!)

[Ann Bens]

CS4 is old.

Do not use OneDrive but put your files on a local or external drive.

Delete Media Cache and relink.

Green means you are having trouble with the GPU.

Unfortunately, your graphic will not give you MPE hardware (cuda)
But worth this hack: Enter the exact name of the card (Geforce GT 730)  into the cuda_supported_cards.txt file which you will find in the root.

[Michelmnr]

Thanks Ann,  Yep that Onedrive is handy but troublesome.  And I have difficulty to understand when it's synch or not. Like I think I'm on my pc desktop but it seems it's actually Onedrive...
I'm not too sure how to look in the root? 

[Michelmnr]

Hello Ann, I went to the scratch disk setting (I can see that is where my auto save files are too) but I did not see the 'cuda suported text card. ) What I saw there, was that it had 597 GB. Perhaps it's part of my problems also?

[RjL190365]

Guess what? There is absolutely no CUDA GPU acceleration at all in CS4. Mercury Playback Engine wasn't conceived until CS5. The only GPU acceleration, if any, that you'll get in CS4 is OpenGL – and that is only for the interface. All decoding, encoding and rendering in CS4 is entirely software only. And it is extremely sluggish at doing its job because it is limited to under 4 GB total of system RAM (because it is strictly a 32-bit Windows program) while most renders require much more than 4 GB of RAM.

[Michelmnr]

Ha ha ha, Looks like I'm cooked. I may have to look for cheaper alternative since I edit videos so rarely. It's a shame because CS4 was good enough for me; I should say very good!

Although I wonder if I was making only lighter projects and burn them on a dvd ...

[Michelmnr]

Thank you all, it seems it the end of my relationship with PP. 
Sometime ago I gave a try to Vlog Proc from Digitiary.  I hated the idea to learn another pgr but I realise they all have quite a few things in common. This PGR is free and up to date so it may work. They say if I have a graphic card that support hardware acceleration I should be ok. For Nvidia they say GT 630 or higher will have it. So mine is 730 ... Thank you again 🙂