TechNote

What's covered

• Before you begin
• Beginning troubleshooting
• Intermediate troubleshooting
• Advanced troubleshooting

This document can help you resolve system errors that occur when you use Adobe Premiere Elements 8. System errors can manifest themselves in many different ways, including (but not limited to) the following:

• A blank or flickering dialog box
• A frozen cursor or screen
• An error such as one of the following:
  • "Adobe Premiere Elements has encountered a problem and needs to close."
  • "Sorry, a serious error has occurred that requires Premiere Elements to be shut down. We will attempt to save your current project."

Many different factors can cause system errors, including conflicts among device drivers, applications, operating system settings, hardware, and corrupt elements in specific files. Although a system error may occur only when you work with Premiere Elements, Premiere Elements may not necessarily be the cause; it may be the only application that is memory- or processor-intensive enough to expose the problem.

Before you begin

To benefit most from this document, perform the tasks in order. Keep track of the tasks that you perform and the results of each, including errors and other problems. Adobe Technical Support can use this information to better assist you if you need to call.

You must be logged on as an administrator to perform some of the procedures in this document.

Important: If you are running Windows Vista, some of the procedures in this document may initiate a User Access Control dialog that asks for your permission to continue. Read the details in the dialog to determine if you want to continue. If you choose to cancel the dialog, then you will not be able to continue with that troubleshooting step.sd

Note: The procedures in this document are based on the default interface of Windows, with the exception of the Control Panel. The steps in this document that refer to the Control Panel are in reference to the Classic view. The Control Panel can be switched to the Classic view using the appropriate option located on the left side of the Control Panel.

Some of these procedures may require you to locate hidden files, hidden folders, or files by their full file names, which include extensions (for example, setup.exe). By default, Windows Explorer doesn't show hidden files, hidden folders, and file name extensions that it recognizes. For information on showing hidden files and folders in Windows, see "Show hidden files, hidden folders, and all file name extensions in Windows Explorer".
For Windows XP, refer to TechNote kb404856 
For Windows Vista, refer to TechNote kb404880

Beginning troubleshooting

The tasks in this section can help you resolve the most common system errors. Before performing any of these tasks, back up all personal files (for example, Premiere Elements project files you created). Always restart the computer after a system error occurs to refresh its memory. Continuing to work without restarting the computer may compound the problem.

1. Make sure that the system meets the minimum requirements for Adobe Premiere Elements 8.

Adobe Premiere Elements 8 may not run correctly on a system that doesn't meet the following requirements:

• Intel® Pentium® 4 or Intel Celeron® (or compatible) 2GHz processor (dual-core processors and those with Hyper-Threading Technology supported)
• Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or 3, or Windows Vista, MCE, Windows 7*
• Color monitor with 16-bit color video card
• 1024x768 monitor resolution at 96dpi or less
• 1 GB RAM
• 2 GB of available hard-disk space
• Programs :Core 2 Duo logo
• Display driver compatible with Microsoft DirectX 9 or later
• Windows Media File 9.5x required for Windows XP
• Web features require Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 7 or 8, Mozilla Firefox 1.5, 2.x or 3.0, Safari 2.0

*32 & 64 bit versions of Windows 7.

Note: To check basic system information, such as processor speed and how much RAM is installed, choose Start > Control Panel > System.

2. Install the latest version of Premiere Elements.

The latest version of Premiere Elements may be more compatible with the operating system and drivers. Before you install an update or upgrade, make sure that the system meets the requirements.

From time to time, free updates to Premiere Elements may be posted on the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/support/downloads. An upgrade, if available, may solve a wider range of problems. (You may prefer to try the tasks in the rest of this document before upgrading.) You can purchase upgrades from Adobe Authorized Resellers and from Adobe directly:

• To locate an Authorized Reseller, visit the Adobe website at http://partners.adobe.com/resellerfinder/na/findreseller.jsp and choose your country or region from the menu at the top of the page, or contact Adobe Customer Service in your region for assistance. For contact information, visit the Adobe website at www.adobe.com, select your region from the menu at the top of the page, and then click Contact Us.
• To purchase an upgrade from Adobe, visit the Adobe Store at http://store.adobe.com/store and choose your country or region from the menu at the top of the page, or contact Adobe Customer Service in your region for assistance. For contact information, visit the Adobe website at www.adobe.com, select your region from the menu at the top of the page, and then click Contact Us.

3. Install current Windows service packs and other updates.

See "Install current Windows service packs and other updates for details"  
For Windows XP, refer to TechNote kb404859
For Windows Vista, refer to TechNote kb405107

4. Re-create the Premiere Elements PluginCache.

The PluginCache is a Windows registry entry that contains information regarding the status of all native and third-party plug-ins used with Premiere Elements. To re-create the file, hold down the Shift key while choosing Start > Programs > Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0. Release the key when the Select Initial Workspace window appears.

Note: Premiere Elements stores information about the viability of its plug-ins on the initial launch of the application. This information is stored in the Windows registry in order to allow Premiere Elements to open faster on all subsequent launches. By forcing Premiere Elements to discard and re-parse the existing plug-in data, any new conflicts between the plug-ins and newly installed software or hardware can be detected.

5. Re-create the Premiere Elements preferences folders.

Re-create the Premiere Elements preferences folders to eliminate problems that damaged preferences might cause.

Note: When you use this solution, Premiere Elements will create new preferences folders and you will lose custom settings. However, the folders that you rename in Steps 2 and 3 below are your original preferences folders. If you determine that the preferences folders are not causing the problem, then you can restore your custom settings by following the instructions below.

To re-create the Premiere Elements preferences folders in Windows XP:

1. Close Premiere Elements.
2. Rename the 8.0 folder (for example, to Old 8.0) in the C:\Documents and Settings\[Username]\Application Data\Adobe\Premiere Elements folder.
3. Rename the Styles folder (for example, to Old Styles) in the C:\Documents and Settings\[Username]\My Documents\Adobe\Premiere Elements\8.0 folder.
4. Open Premiere Elements. Premiere Elements will create new preferences folders.

 

To re-create the Premiere Elements preferences folders in Windows Vista and Windows 7:

1. Close Premiere Elements.
2. Rename the 8.0 folder (for example, to Old 8.0) in the C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Premiere Elements folder.
3. Rename the Styles folder (for example, to Old Styles) in the C:\Users\[Username]\Documents\Adobe\Premiere Elements\8.0 folder.
4. Open Premiere Elements. Premiere Elements will create new preferences folders.

 

If the problem continues, then damaged preferences aren't the cause. To restore custom settings, delete the new preferences folders and restore the original name of the previous preferences folders.

6. Disconnect IEEE 1394 devices.

Disconnect or turn off any IEEE 1394 devices, such as your DV camcorder, prior to starting Premiere Elements. Certain DV devices may interfere with the ability of Premiere Elements to initialize. You can reconnect or turn on these devices after Premiere Elements starts successfully.

7. Troubleshoot third-party plug-ins.

Remove third-party plug-ins from the Premiere Elements plug-ins folder, and then restart Premiere Elements. If the problem happens, move the plug-ins back to the Premiere Elements plug-ins folder, and proceed to the next section of this document, "Intermediate troubleshooting." If the problem doesn't happen, identify and address conflicting plug-ins.

To identify and address conflicting plug-ins:

1. Move one third-party plug-in back to the Premiere Elements plug-ins folder.
2. Restart Premiere Elements and try to re-create the problem.
   • If the problem doesn't occur, repeat steps 1-2.
   • If the problem happens, contact the developer of the plug-in you last moved to inquire about an update.

Intermediate troubleshooting

If the tasks in the previous section don't solve the problem, try the following intermediate troubleshooting tasks.

8. Run Premiere Elements in a new user account.

Create a new user account that has the same permissions as the account you use when the problem occurs. If the problem doesn't recur, the original user account may be damaged. For information on setting up a user account, see "To add a new user to the computer" in Windows XP Help or "Create a user account" in Windows Vista, or contact your network administrator.

9. Run Premiere Elements while no other applications run in the background.

Some applications may cause system errors or freezes when running concurrently with Premiere Elements. You can identify these applications and disable them before starting Premiere Elements. To identify problematic applications that run in the background, remove applications from the Startup folder, and close those that are specified in the registry to start automatically.

To start Windows in a simplified mode:

1. Quit all applications.
2. Choose Start > Run, and type msconfig in the Open box. Click OK.
3. Write down all unselected items under the Startup and Services tabs.
4. Click the General tab, and choose Selective Startup.
5. Click the Startup tab and select Disable All.
6. Click the Services tab and select Hide All Microsoft Services.
7. Select Disable All then re-select FLEXnet Licensing Service. If you are unsure whether an item is essential, leave it deselected (disabled).
8. Click Apply, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.
   
   Note: Upon restart, you'll be notified that the System Configuration utility has made changes to the way that Windows starts up. Click OK. When the System Configuration utility appears, click Cancel.
    
9. Right-click icons in the Notification Area and close or disable any startup items that are still active.
10. Double-click the setup.exe file in the Premiere Elements folder you copied to your desktop.

Then, try to re-create the problem:

• If the problem doesn't occur, one of the startup items conflicts with Premiere Elements. Re-enable startup items one at a time, testing each time until you determine which item conflicts with Premiere Elements. Then contact that item's developer for an update, if available.
• If the problem recurs, startup items aren't the cause and you can re-enable them.

To re-enable startup items and services:

1. Choose Start > Run, and type msconfig in the Open box. Click OK.
2. Click the General tab, and choose Normal Startup.
3. Deselect any items that you wrote down in Step 3 of the previous section.
4. Click Apply, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

10. Update the video card driver.

Many video card manufacturers frequently update their software drivers. If you haven't recently updated the video card driver, contact the video card manufacturer for an updated driver, or download one from the manufacturer's website. (To determine the manufacturer of a video card, view the card's properties in Device Manager.)

11. Verify that other device drivers are compatible with Windows.

See "Verify that other device drivers are compatible with Windows XP" (TechNote kb404864) for details. For Windows Vista, refer to "Verify that device drivers are compatible with Windows Vista" (TechNote kb404887).

12. Troubleshoot QuickTime.

An outdated version of Apple QuickTime or a damaged QuickTime file may prevent Adobe Premiere Elements from starting. To update QuickTime, install the version on the Apple website at www.apple.com/quicktime/download/ . To replace damaged QuickTime files, remove QuickTime and delete any QuickTime files or folders remaining on the system, and then reinstall QuickTime. For further assistance with removing QuickTime from your system, contact Apple support.

13. Check for codec problems.

Many startup problems and application freezes may be caused by poorly written or otherwise incompatible codecs (enCOder-DECoder). Troubleshoot codecs by removing any recently installed video and audio codecs. You can test additional codecs for compatibility by temporarily disabling them; if the problem doesn't recur, then codecs aren't the cause.

Note: Removing a codec may cause some video or audio files to become unreadable, or may cause some applications to stop working. Use caution when removing codecs. If you are not certain which codecs should remain on your system, contact Adobe Technical Support for additional help.

To remove a video or audio codec, see "Remove a codec (Windows XP)" (TechNote kb404869).

To temporarily disable a video or audio codec, see "Temporarily disable codec (Windows XP)" (TechNote kb404870). For Windows Vista, refer to "Temporarily disable a codec (Windows Vista)" (Technote kb404892).

14. Identify the file that causes the problem.

If an error indicates which file causes the problem, then reinstall the application to which that file belongs. If that file is damaged and causes problems in Premiere Elements, then reinstalling the associated application can correct the problem. Converting that file to a different format (i.e. convert a problematic JPEG file to a BMP file) may also correct the problem.

If an error indicates a Windows file, then contact Microsoft for help replacing that file.

15. Remove and reinstall Premiere Elements.

System errors or freezes may be caused by a bad installation of Adobe Premiere Elements. Removing the application and then reinstalling it may rectify the problem. If more than one version of Adobe Premiere Elements is installed, remove all versions, and then reinstall just the version you want to use.

Note: Removing Adobe Premiere Elements will delete any custom project and export presets you have saved to the default location. If you would like to retain your presets, move the contents of the following folders to the desktop:

    Windows XP:

• Documents and Settings/[username]/Application Data/ Adobe/Premiere Elements/8.0/MediaIO/Presets/OTHERS
• Documents and Settings/[username]/Application Data/ Adobe/Premiere Elements/8.0/Settings/Custom

    Windows Vista:

• Users/[Username]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Premiere Elements/8.0/SC/Presets

After you have reinstalled the application, copy the contents of these folders back to their original locations.

To remove Adobe Premiere Elements:

1. Choose Start > Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add Or Remove Programs (Windows XP) or Programs and Features (Windows Vista).
3. Locate the entry for Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0 (or previous versions, if they are installed) and click Remove (Uninstall/Change in Vista).
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove the application.
   
   Note: There is also an entry in the installed programs list for Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0 Templates. When you remove the application using the steps above, the templates will also be removed. However, the Add Or Remove Programs list does not refresh automatically, and the templates entry will still be there. Click the Remove button next to this entry, click Yes, and then click OK when you see the message "This option is only valid for currently installed applications."
    
5. Open My Computer and delete all Adobe Premiere Elements folders in the C:\Program Files\Adobe folder.
6. Empty the Recycle Bin, and then restart the computer.

To reinstall Adobe Premiere Elements:

1. Insert the Adobe Premiere Elements 8 DVD into the DVD drive.
   
   Note: If the installation does not start automatically, go to Start > My Computer and double-click the DVD drive.
    
2. Choose the desired installation language and click OK.
3. Click Accept to accept the License Agreement.
4. Click Install Adobe Premiere Elements 8 and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.

16. Check for font problems.

See to "Reduce the number of active fonts" (TechNote kb404867) for details. For Windows Vista, refer to Technote kb404915.

17. Set the virtual memory paging file to the default size.

See "Set the virtual memory paging file to the default size (Windows XP)" (TechNote kb404877) for details. For Windows Vista, refer to Technote kb404939.

18. Optimize handling of temporary files by Windows.

See "Delete temporary files using the Disk Cleanup utility (Windows XP) " (TechNote kb404871) for details. For Windows Vista, see "Delete temporary files using the Disk Cleanup utility (Windows Vista)" (TechNote kb404917)

19. Repair and defragment hard disks.
See "Repair and Defragment hard disks" (TechNote kb404981) for details. For Windows Vista, refer to Technote kb405610.

20. Scan the system for viruses.

Use current anti-virus software to check the system for viruses. Virus infections can damage software and cause system errors. For more information, see the documentation for the anti-virus software.

21. Visit the Adobe User to User Forums.

You can see if other Adobe customers have a similar problem by visiting the User to User Forums at www.adobe.com/support/forums/. If other users have experienced the same problem, then Adobe Technical Support may be able duplicate and research the problem.

Advanced troubleshooting

If the tasks in the previous section don't resolve the problem, hardware may be conflicting with Premiere Elements. The following procedures will help you isolate a hardware conflict.

Disclaimer: Adobe doesn't support hardware and provides these tasks as a courtesy only. For further assistance, contact the hardware manufacturer or an authorized reseller. If you troubleshoot hardware problems yourself, you may void the warranty for your computer.

Note: Before you remove or rearrange hardware, turn off the power to the computer and any peripheral devices.

22. Reinstall your capture card software.

If you are using proprietary third-party capture card hardware and software (such as non-OHCI FireWire hardware), Adobe Premiere Elements may not run properly if the software for your capture card is damaged or installed incorrectly (for example, if the capture card software was installed before Adobe Premiere Elements). To resolve these problems, remove and reinstall the capture card software according to the instructions included with the card. For help removing the capture card software, contact the card's manufacturer.

To remove Adobe Premiere Elements, see the "Remove and Reinstall Premiere Elements" task above.

23. Contact Adobe Technical Support.

If none of the above steps has resolved the error or freeze that you are experiencing with Premiere Elements, then you should contact Adobe Technical Support. You can find the support options at the Adobe Support Center.