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PowerDirector Keeps Crashing
scotty35503 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Apr 10, 2012 23:23 Messages: 11 Offline
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This is my first time posting here....guess I'll just jump right to it.

I've been using PD10 since around April and haven't had any problems with it, but I've recently upgraded to a Solid-State Drive and upon reinstalling Windows and then PD10, I haven't been able to get anything accomplished with the program. I tried updating PD, but that has not helped. I did quite a few searches and entered regedit to Enable RichVideo (or something like that), but the value that needed to be altered wasn't present in the directory...so I assumed my problem was that RichVideo isn't installed correctly. I did some searches and tried to uninstall, then reinstall RV, but neither the uninstall launcher nor the install launcher works.

At this point, I really don't know what to do. Please somebody help me. lol

Btw, I have completely uninstalled PD10 and reinstalled it about four times to no avail.

Thank to any who can help!
Carl312
Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline
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Your experience with using a SSD drive is a familiar one.

If you remove the SSD drive and go back to a normal spinning drive that has at least 100 GB of free space after all Windows OS and Programs are installed. Powerdirector should start working again.

It you have a 256 GB SSD drive, it might work. If your SSD drive is smaller, you just do not have enough free space left after Windows and programs are installed.

Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

Cap'n Kevin
Senior Contributor Location: Chebeague Island, Maine Joined: Dec 26, 2008 20:22 Messages: 2011 Offline
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Scotty,
I can only speak from my own personal experience. I have a 180 gig SSD drive with 76 Gigs of free space and Power Director 10 and 11 both open and function in a stable manner. I am able to edit lengthy complex projects withiut issue. I am also able to burn BluRay discs without incident. So I don't think that we have enough information to suspect the fact that you using a SSD is the root cause for your problems. Just my humble opinion. I would hate to have you buy a spinning disc and install windows and Power Director and potentially not have solved your problem. Now it might be an issue that you don't have enough free disc space. But that should be verified first.

Scotty could you create a DxDiag file and attach to your next post? The instructions for creating the DxDiag file is located in the stickies at the main page of this forum. Create the file and then when posting use the blue attach button to upload the DxDiag with your response post.

Also could you explain in more detail what is and is not happening?

Does the program launch or does it crash at launch? Can you import anything into the media room? Can you play video in the media room? Can you place media on the editing timeline? Can you preview video that is on the editing timeline? When Is the program crashing? Is it locking up so that it becomes unusable when you do a specific function? This type of information will help in focusing on what may be the problem.

Also, did you clone your Operating system to your SSD drive or did you do a fresh installation? Your description sounded like a fresh installation. And if a fresh install, did you complete a typical operating system installation or did you possibly install your OS using some "custom" installation options?

Here was a recent topic where the user installed his OS system onto a SSD Drive(114Gig with 77Gig free space) but with a Custom Installation that caused an error to prevent using PD(crashing). I asked him if his problem changed if he "booted up in Safe Mode" and this did eliminate the problem. Although not the "Fix". He then ultimately reinstalled his OS with a typical installation onto his SSD drive and as he put it to me "is now delighted". So the cause of problem could be a variety of things, it may take many steps to zero in on the cause.
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/25930.page


Kevin

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at Dec 13. 2012 21:17


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scotty35503 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Apr 10, 2012 23:23 Messages: 11 Offline
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Sorry that I was not more specific. Not sure what I was thinking. The problem arises whenever I try to create a disc. I can view clips in the media viewer, edit, and even produce video files. But as soon as I try to create a disc, the program crashes. Note, I haven't been trying to burn directly to disc, I've had it burn to a folder. I do not see how it could be the SSD, as I have enough disk space to work with the video. I've designated the temporary folder to be on a location on my secondary HDD that is set aside for storage. At the moment, I only have about 20 GB of space on my SSD, but why would I need more than what the project needs to produce? My SSD is a 128 GB drive.

Also, I first tried updated PD, as I thought that might be the problem. However, once I did so, I found myself completely unable to even launch the program.

I have attached both DxDiag files, as I have a 64 bit PC.

Thanks for your extensive questions and helpfulness!
 Filename
DxDiag64.txt
[Disk]
 Description
 Filesize
34 Kbytes
 Downloaded:
325 time(s)
 Filename
DxDiag.txt
[Disk]
 Description
 Filesize
27 Kbytes
 Downloaded:
532 time(s)
Cap'n Kevin
Senior Contributor Location: Chebeague Island, Maine Joined: Dec 26, 2008 20:22 Messages: 2011 Offline
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This is a great example of where sufficient free space on your main drive may be important When trying to create a disk for burn to folder. Blu-ray Disc creation require at least 60 gigs of free space but 100 gigs is recommended. If you are trying to create a DVD disc or folder structure I think you need a minimum of 20 gigs but 40 gigs are recommended. That number is off the top of my head but I think I am close. Power director uses the free space to house the temporary files during disc and folder creation. Your 20 gigs of free space was sufficient to allow you to edit your project but not enough to create a disc or folder structure. It just sounds like you need to free up some more space.

Is there any way you can free up sufficient amount of free space on your SSD drive? If you get enough free space I think you'll be able to proceed without a problem.

I have a 180 gig SSD drive and I keep about 76 gigs of free space. This allows me enough free space to create a Blu-ray disc without a problem.

Let us know how you make out.

Kevin

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Dec 16. 2012 07:10


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scotty35503 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Apr 10, 2012 23:23 Messages: 11 Offline
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I could maybe move some stuff, but it might be difficult to free up that much space.

If I installed PD to my secondary 750 GB drive, instead of the SSD that my OS is on, will the problem cease, or does it need that free space on the drive that my OS is installed on?

Windows sends all temproray files to my HDD, instead of the SSD, however, I think PD's Temporay Files directory is on my SSD. Is it as simply as moving PD's temp files directory?
Cap'n Kevin
Senior Contributor Location: Chebeague Island, Maine Joined: Dec 26, 2008 20:22 Messages: 2011 Offline
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It is my understanding that the temporary files are on the drive that your OS is installed on. Someone else in the forum might have a workaround and they may offer some advice.

As far as I know a SSD drive is very functional with power director at least it had been for me. But if you do intend to create discs or create a file folder structure you do need sufficient free space in order to accomplish that. Fortunately the cost of an SSD drive has come down significantly so it is possible to install a larger SSD drive to accommodate your specific space requirements. A 180 gig SSD drive holds everything that I want and I can still maintain sufficient fee space. Everyone disc space needs are different.

Kevin
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scotty35503 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Apr 10, 2012 23:23 Messages: 11 Offline
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After thinking about it, I don't see how storage space could be the issue, as prior to installing the SSD I only had around 20 GB of space free on my hard drive at any one time, but I never had a problem with PD crashing.
Cap'n Kevin
Senior Contributor Location: Chebeague Island, Maine Joined: Dec 26, 2008 20:22 Messages: 2011 Offline
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You have a point. I understand what you are saying. I am only going by my previous experiences.

Maybe others in the forum can point you in the right direction to solve the problem.

Kevin
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scotty35503 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Apr 10, 2012 23:23 Messages: 11 Offline
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Just recalled that after I installed my SSD, I followed this [url=http://www.overclock.net/t/1133897/windows-7-ssd-tweaking-guide]guide [url] to tweak some things. Can somebody take a look at it and tell me if they think that a portion of the guide may have effected CyberLink working properly?

Perhaps changing the page file size is what is causing the problem? I'm more informed than the average computer user, but I'm not entirely certain as to what the page file size is.

Just a thought.

Thanks!
Cap'n Kevin
Senior Contributor Location: Chebeague Island, Maine Joined: Dec 26, 2008 20:22 Messages: 2011 Offline
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Quote: Just recalled that after I installed my SSD, I followed this [url=http://www.overclock.net/t/1133897/windows-7-ssd-tweaking-guide]guide [url] to tweak some things. Can somebody take a look at it and tell me if they think that a portion of the guide may have effected CyberLink working properly?

Perhaps changing the page file size is what is causing the problem? I'm more informed than the average computer user, but I'm not entirely certain as to what the page file size is.

Just a thought.

Thanks!


Many of these "tweaks" are to increase the longevity of the SSD drive and to help improve performance.

I can tell you that on my SSD drive I made no changes to Windows Page File Size or changing the directory for Temporary files by pointing to another drive, not sure if you did all of the steps in that guide.

I think the reason that the SSD drive sometimes gets a bad rap here in the forum is because the people having problems with SSD's have made tweaks and modifications to improve the lifespan of the SSD by reducing the amount of times it is written to by lowering the Page File Size, temp directories or even changing Progam Data file locations off the OS drive. Some or all of these steps probably cause problems with Power Director. I know some of these definitely do!

I chose to use a SSD drive but made very few "Tweaks" and made a personal decision that my SSD drive will not last as long. But I would enjoy the other benefits of a SSD drive until it failed, then replace it.

And to be honest I am not 100% sure that your 20 gigs remaining is causing your problem. I suppose I could fill up my SSD drive with 20 gigs of free space and test it to see if replicated your problem. But it wouldn't be an accurate test because our SSD drives are not set up the same. I just thought it easier for you to free up space in your drive and see if it works for you. So maybe you might try untweaking your SSD and see which tweak made a change or not.

One of the hardest things about figuring out a problem that someone has with Power Director is uncovering the differences(the tweaks) in their PC.

Kevin

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Dec 16. 2012 06:37


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Cap'n Kevin
Senior Contributor Location: Chebeague Island, Maine Joined: Dec 26, 2008 20:22 Messages: 2011 Offline
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In a related topic involving a SSD drive and Power Director was crashing due to a tweaked Windows 7 installation. The fact that Power Director was installed on a SSD drive was NOT the problem. It was the tweaking of the Windows OS that caused the problem. Now he is delighted with PD's performance. But he did so many things to try to correct it that are usually suggested in the forum and none of them worked. It wasn't until he uncovered the OS tweaking installation that uncovered the actual problem.

Just thought I would offer the link in case you might be interested in reading about it. It's helpful information.

http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/25930.page

Kevin
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scotty35503 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Apr 10, 2012 23:23 Messages: 11 Offline
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Solved the problem. I knew that space was not the issue. Before I even installed the SSD, I was running PowerDirector 10 on my HDD with only 20 GB of free space left with no problems, whatsoever. The disc I was trying to make, this whole time, was just an 8.5GB DVD movie.

I reinstalled Windows on my SSD and then went through every one of the tweaks in the SSD Tweak Guide I posted above. After I did each tweak, I tested PD's Create-A-Disc function to see if it worked. Each time, operated properly, until I altered the Temporary File location. I stated multiple times before that I had changed the Windows Temporary File location to my HDD.

Apparently, PowerDirector 10 can only function if the Temporary Files are located in: %USERPROFILES%\AppData\Local\Temp. This goes for both the TEMP and TMP variables. In order to altar that variable, you must right-click Computer, select Advanced System Setting on the left sidebar, then click the Advanced tab of system properties, and at the bottom of the window click Environmental Variables. This will show you the TEMP and TMP variables that you can edit the location for. If they are anywhere besides the %USERPROFILES%\AppData\Local\Temp directory, PowerDirector will not work.

I am now able to use disc creation, with slightly less than 20 GB of storage space on my SSD. As someone mentioned before, the problem was not necessarily with the SSD, but with the tweak applied to it. If anyone else has this problem please recall this solution.

Thanks for your time, guys!
Cap'n Kevin
Senior Contributor Location: Chebeague Island, Maine Joined: Dec 26, 2008 20:22 Messages: 2011 Offline
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Great troubleshooting Scotty!!

Thanks for sharing your detailed solution. I bet it will help others in the future. Interesting to know that your 20 gigs of free space had nothing to do with your problem. I learn things all the time!

Sounds like from your experience that some other questions can now be asked of people who are experiencing crashing using Power Director. "How" was Windows installed onto the drive and was there any custom installation options like changing temporary folder locations?

Glad you are back up and running!

Kevin
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