Premiere Elements 14 freezes Windows 10 PC during export

[christianp30234575]

Hi Everyone!

I'm in desparate need for help: I'm just trying to build up a new (though 2nd Hand) working station running Win10Pro with special need for PE. Installation worked fine, and the software itself works - I'm able to edit, but every time I try to export a Video - no matter which format - PE14 completely freezes my PC - which can then only be "unfrozen" by a total shutdown.
I even removed and de-installed my nVidia Geforce GT630 (since it was one of the old ones using FERMI), de-installed Neat Video (which I desperately need...) and made a fresh installation of PE14 including the update to 14.1, but still the error occurs.
I've checked my HDDs and system stability countless times by now - everything else seems to work fine (No wonder, it just got installed a few Days ago).
Anybody here having similar problems - or even better: A solution?

Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (10.0, Build 18363) (18362.19h1_release.190318-1202)

Processor: AMD FX(tm)-6100 Six-Core Processor (6 CPUs), ~3.3GHz

Memory: 16384MB RAM

DirectX Version: DirectX 12

DirectX Database Version: Unknown

DxDiag Version: 10.00.18362.0387 64bit Unicode

Card name: ATI Radeon 3000 Graphics

Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x9616)

DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)

Device Type: Full Device (POST)

BIG THANKS in Advance!!

[Bill Sprague]

In some google searching, two things seem to pop up.  One is some odd anomoly in the project that stops the export.  Maybe a frame, transition or effect not working.  The other is graphics card drivers.   

How does Neat Video fit into your workflow?

[christianp30234575]

That's what I#ve read, too - and the reason why I de-installed the NVIDIA-Fermi-Card, although it's kinda hard to imagine that it would interfere with Exports - as far as I've read, these don't affect the GPU but the CPU instead.
The Test-Projects I set up were nothing special - just an attempted re-export of an existing mpg, just to see if the system's working. It didn't even use Neat-Video (which I use occasionally to "Cure" some recordings which are just too grainy) in it, nevertheless de-installed it "Just in case".

Later on I discovered that Quick Time wasn't installed and hoped that this would be the missing Link; so installed QT7 and discovered that PE14 wouldn't even boot its Video-Editor anymore. In between I had a chat with an Adobe-Employee who stated that prodcuts older than 2 years won't be supported by Adobe itself anymore - that's why I'm here, but WTF? Do these Guys seriously expect their (private) customers to spend about 150 Bucks each year just to keep their Status Quo???

But now for the sad end of the saga: Being totally despaired after about 4 Days (!) of trying to build a new Working Space, I performed a complete Re-Installation of Win10 (without the GT630) and just installed Quicktime7 and PE 14 afterwards - and guess what happened?? PE14 botted it's VideoEditor again, but  STILL KEEPS ON FREEZIN during every Test-Export, even on a freshly installed Win10! At least, I found one single user on slashcam having the same supposably unsolvable troubles which no-one there could explain, too...

The only rational reason I can imagine is that the licensed software is still running on an older Win7-machine - but as far as I understood the license agreement, it seems legit to install it on 2nd private machine as long as those don't perform simultaneously (which is the case) - but if that was the reason, why a complete PC-freeze instead of a simple warning? Why alway on different points of the export (Sometimes it crashes at about 80% rendering, sometimes after 5-7%)?

So, I despererately need a new Video-Editor. Would an upgrade to PE2019 make ANY sense, regarding the given current situation (at least, it doesn't depend the outdated Quicktime anymore...) or is there a better alternative - preferably including a video-Denoiser since I payed for the Neat-License to be included in Premiere Elements - which runs stable and reliable (!!) on Win10?? I'm kinda fed up with Adobe after the experience and time-waste described above, to be honest...

Ideas or Recommendations, anybody? I'd be very grateful...

[Bill Sprague]

"So, I despererately need a new Video-Editor. Would an upgrade to PE2019 make ANY sense..."

Not 2019.  The current is Premiere 2020 since November 2019.  Adobe allows trials at no charge.  Download and install trial.  Don't spend money until you know it works.   Each version of Premiere Elements is independent of any other.  It won't change or interfere with a version you've already installed. 

Premiere Elements is highly reliable most of the time for most of Adobe's customers.   If it is not working for me, I would certainly look at the alternatives.   I would start with trials of Cyberlink PowerDirector and Magix Vegas Movie Studio.  When I've done that, I come back to Premiere Elements.  

[christianp30234575]

Thank You very much. So you say PE19 would be another money-waste - already??

A functional PE would be great since I wouldn't have to pay for Neat a second Time - actually, there's unfortunately not too much money to blow currently which might explain my problems with Adobe's obvious "Planned Obsolency"-policy.

In fact, the most "hoped for" information for would be some reasonable explanation why my PC is one of approximately 2 worldwide this strange PE14-export-problem occurs on, but I guess it's probably time to give up hope on that...

About your recommendations: What about DaVinci Resolve and Filmora? Pinaccle doesn't seem to be an option since it seems even more likely to crash than slightly outdated PEs even in its current versions - according to some reviews on Amazon

[Bill Sprague]

Be wary of reviews on the Internet and Amazon.  The thousands that are enjoying success never return.  The angry return to "get even".   Premiere Elements has been around for a long time.  Adobe has many millions of successful customers.  So many that they have a billion or so in annual revenue.   

Premiere Elements 2019 is no longer for sale by Adobe.  You can't try a free download copy.  If you buy it, you are buying left over inventory from a third party.  Adobe has a refund policy for the first few weeks.  Third party vendors probably not.  

My recommendation is to try alternatives if you can't make what you want work.  All of them have the basics of timeline editing and standard outputs.   Windows comes with a video editor built in.   DaVinci Resolve and Filmora have dedicated fans!  I have Adobe Premiere Pro and never use it.  It has so many features and tools, they get in my way of  "getting it done".  

Get something that works for you and get on with making videos!

Frankly, I think the reason Premiere Elements doesn't run on you computer is that there is something wrong with your computer.  Sometimes those things are impossible to figure out.  If it runs right for other stuff, a choice has to be trying other video editors. 

[christianp30234575]

Thanks again. 

It's just kinda disappointing to feel kinda pressured to re-invest into even two items which have already been purchased and are at least supposed to still work within a new hard- and software-environment.

I share your suspect about the new system to be somewhat dysfunctional, but being somewhat of an IT-noob I'm unable to figure out what - especially since PE14 seems to be the only Software causing a system-freeze so far... which leaves the frightful question if the available alternatives will cause the same trouble and even more waste of time and money, but "I guess things happen that way"

[Peru Bob]

Have you tried different drivers for the video card?

Make sure to choose a clean install.

There was a new driver released Jan 6. 

Download directly from NVIDIA:

https://www.geforce.com/drivers

[christianp30234575]

Thank you, but especially newer drivers won't work for the outdated FERMI-series (https://www.anandtech.com/show/12624/nvidia-moves-fermi-to-legacy-ends-32bit-os-support).

Nevertheless, as I stated in my 2nd Post, the same PE14 problem still occurs even after the critical card was de-installed AND Win10 completely re-installed - which makes it pretty much doubtable that the export problem and the outdated graphic-card were realted anyway even in the first place.

I ordered a Radeon R7 recently and might want to try a very last re-installation of PE14 after installing it - but since the export itself has nothing to do with the GPU but the CPU I kinda doubt this will solve my problem.

[Bill Sprague]

"... disappointing to feel kinda pressured to re-invest .... PE14 seems to be the only Software causing a system-freeze so far... "

Premiere Elemens 14 was being coded in 2015 for release in September of that year.   What version of Windows was being used then?  What video drivers?   I don't see how Adobe is pressuring you.  There is no contract or obligation on your side to invest.  Nor does Adobe have an obligation to update vintage versions.    The Elements programs are done the old way with annual versions.   There are alternate subscription systems, if that's better.   Either way computing marches on.    

Peru Bob is probabably correct.  You may need a vintage driver to go with your vintage of Premier Elements.

[christianp30234575]

From a pretty neoliberal point of view you are correct amd of course Adobe isn't the "One to blame" here: If Microsoft wouldn't have stopped for Win7, there'd have been no need for a system change in the first place, if NVidia didn't cut support for their Fermi-series, some possible conflicts would never have occured and so on and son, if if if - anyhow, still "planned obsolescence" somewhat grinds my gears.

I've already tried vintage drivers for the old GTX, but the problem occured with AND without the GT being installed (onboard-card is a ATI Radeon 3000 Graphics), even did a complete windows re-installation without the GT and installed Quicktime 7 and PE14 in a complete clean Win10 - PE14 still freezes my PC during every export (editing seems to work fine).

[christianp30234575 · Accepted solution]

I owe a big Apology to Adobe and also many of You!!
After trying every possible Software-configuration, exchanging the CPU (now the processor is an FX8320) and adding a new Graphics-Card, it turned out that the main problem most likely was a somewhat defect RAM.
Since PE14 was the first program I ran on the "new" machine causing somewhat of a "Heavy Load", it was also the first one to cause Freezes and Crashes which were later on also caused by test- and repair-software (e.g. sfc, Hot CPU Tester, mdsched etc), but did not occur during "Everyday-Usage" like working with Open Office, Nero - stuff like that.
So it was pretty hard to figure out what caused all the trouble; but obviously, it was NOT Premiere Elements 14!
Therefor, I'd like to sincerely apologize to Adobe (though the discontinuing support for products older than 2 years still somewhat puzzles me) as well as to everyone here who contributed - thank you all!

Nevertheless, I hope maybe one Day someone with a similar problem might discover this and might feel encouraged to check the RAM first and thereby spare him- or/and herself a LOT of trouble and "exchange-parts" - being somewhat of a Noob, I'd NEVER have suspected those tiny bars to cause so much Trouble and Hustle.