Quote On the 17th September I posted in the PD17 thread (there was no PD18 thread) my
problems with PD18 crashing (as an upgrade from my PD365 subscription). Frequently
crashing. I never had a problem for many months with PD17. I decided to upgrade my
computer to a new desktop, the specs are below.

UserBenchmarks: Game 109%, Desk 133%, Work 120%
CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K - 110.6%
GPU: Nvidia RTX 2070 - 103.5%
SSD: WD Black NVMe PCIe M.2 250GB (201 - 224.7%
HDD: WD Blue 2TB (2015) - 82.6%
USB: SanDisk Cruzer Blade 32GB - 15.2%
RAM: HyperX Fury 2666 C16 2x8GB - 82.1%

PD18 installed and it is STILL CRASHING. Not every 5 minutes like it was before,
but it is still doing it. This is a beast of a machine capable of playing the
very top games at high frame rates. My poor laptop got the brunt of the blame,
but it is clear that it wasn't all to blame. As I said before it worked well
with PD17 for months. PowerDirector 18 should NOT be crashing with such a
powerful machine and 16GB of DDR4 ram. Still no word from Tech Support.
They must realize there's a problem. I can't be the only one (and I'm not).
I'm going to post this in the new PD18 thread as well
(there was no PD18 thread when I first posted). Please help.

All of the initial issues that I've seen with PD18 seem to involve the 365 version of the software. There are obviously real issues there that will require a significant patch to resolve. I think that all you can do is place a detailed ticket with technical support, and I see that you've already done that. They have a history of not being very responsive, but hopefully they do actually escalate such tickets.

I'm also having this issue and hope that "upgrading" wasn't a mistake. I haven't video edited in a while and decided to upgrade to what I thought would be the best with a very capable machine: Intel i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz, 32 GB Ram, 64-bit Windows 10 Pro and nVidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics card, 500 GB SSD (where I have all my data and my project saved to via a working folder, I'll move everything to a data drive once rendered). I have had the entire computer crash twice while doing a basic video editing session. Both times, it seems to be related to transitions. Anyone have any idea. I'm going to be at a standstill if this keeps up.

Quote


All of the initial issues that I've seen with PD18 seem to involve the 365 version of the software. There are obviously real issues there that will require a significant patch to resolve. I think that all you can do is place a detailed ticket with technical support, and I see that you've already done that. They have a history of not being very responsive, but hopefully they do actually escalate such tickets.

Really? The PD 365 version of PD18 is a different version? So what is the advantage to PD365? The monthly extras that are let's face it are 5 minutes work by any artist. I just spent nearly 2 grand on a new desktop computer when I could have spent £100 on PD18 Ultimate? Hard to believe. I shall have to think seriously about renewing my subscription. Can anyone else confirm that this is true (PD365/18 is not the same as PD18 purchased separately)?

I do hope a patch becomes available very soon to fix this crashing problem. I have informed Tech Support but still no news.

I always purchase the stand alone product. The advantage is that you're always purchasing a clean build. PD17 is patched and very stable on my system, and the editing I've done so far with PD18 Ultimate has been without issue. Last night, I completed a twelve minute video with multiple audio layers, transitions and titles with no issues. I'm sure there are bugs in PD18, but nothing that's yet shown up with my editing preferences. I don't like the subscription model. I get that you get a constantly updated product that way, but if you really need some of the functionality of the 365 model, you can always purchase those packages for the stand alone model anyway. I find that I really don't need them. I hope Cyberlink gets it sorted out for you soon.

Quote All of the initial issues that I've seen with PD18 seem to involve the 365 version of the software.

That may be what you've personally seen, but I don't think there's anywhere near enough evidence yet to call out one version over the other.

For example, I have the subscription version and haven't seen any stability issues at all. The only issues I've encountered are the new incompatibilities with various AVI clips, specifically lossless ones using HuffYUV and MagicYUV.

That's not to say that the subscription version is otherwise problem-free, only that few of the problems people have been reporting have been universal, and the common threads that connect the problems to specific hardware or PD version are not obvious. More posts from members and further digging into the issues should start to tease them out, though.

Quote Really? The PD 365 version of PD18 is a different version? So what is the advantage to PD365? The monthly extras that are let's face it are 5 minutes work by any artist. I just spent nearly 2 grand on a new desktop computer when I could have spent £100 on PD18 Ultimate? Hard to believe. I shall have to think seriously about renewing my subscription. Can anyone else confirm that this is true (PD365/18 is not the same as PD18 purchased separately)?

I'd say they have to be different. Other than the monthly cutesy worthless stuff provided as you note as enticing candy to go subscription, they also "prerelease" or release for user testing or production release other features too. For instance, PD17 subscription had library preview, particle animation display speed, customizable mouse wheel behavior, title snap alignment, to name a few that perpetual PD17 users didn't ever get via a patch. As such, the builds have to be different.

My guess is they are not intended to be different in the real core capability but from users experience they appear different there too like this experienced user claiming import support in one and not the other, https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/80241.page#post_box_330081 Is this just extremely poor QA and version management issues, I don't know, but obvious inconsistencies exist.

As far as one license scheme being better than the other, I doubt it, both plagued, just different issues for users to find. My PD18 perpetual is absolutely worthless, issues too numerous to mention and very high level stuff like, Fix/Enhance and Keyframe module crashes, yes even parts of pref menu options simply not displayed. With all the user issues with PD18 posted in just a couple days, obviously due development never occurred, however, here's some Halloween sounds clips, $500 value!

Jeff

Same happened to me.
I upgraded the 365 subscription on Sep 16 or 17, yet for me Power Director crashes everytime I open a project or add a source file to it.
It is unusable, and they tell me there is no downgrade feature.
I cannot work, and this is a serious problem for me.
The sick thing is, the reason I bought 365 is so that I would have the bug fixes and have a working program, as version 13 was very buggy (I had Director Suite 3 prior).

I'm having terrible problems with this upgrade as well.

I have two major projects on the verge of completion and neither of them will load. First, I get an error message about missing media files like "Number_000.png" and several others. There are so many that I have never been able to click through them without using Ignore All. After I click Ignore All, the program hangs at 60% Processing and then crashes. Every time. None of my files have ever loaded.

I'm on the 365 subscription plan and have paid around $400 since January, and this upgrade destroyed the product and all the work associated with it. I can't even get PD17 back with a System Restore--the system restores everything except PD17 which it can't reinstall. This is a disater.

good news ...

CyberLink has responded to my Support Ticket and provided me with a link to download the previous 365 version.

Please enter a ticket for yourself, and ask for it.
Hopefully, when I get it downloaded/installed it will work for me.

There's hope!

John

Let's hope they will give the download to the previous version to all of us that are having problems with the subscription update.

Thanks for telling us that you are getting it. May be a light at the end of the tunnel afterall.

Hal OS - Win11 Pro, Alienware R13, CPU - Intel Core I7-12700KF 12 CPUs), 16g DDR5 4400 RAM, Video - Geeforce RTX 3080ti 12g, PD11 & PD365
My YouTube

Update:

What I have received is PD17 version 17.6.3004.0

It is stable and works without crashing.

I recommend that CyberLink modify it's 365 "Application Manager" to have a "go back to the previous build" button.

It is apparent to me that 365 subscribers aren't just getting the latest fixes/features.

We are BETA TESTING the product for CyberLink.
This is something which companies used to PAY employees to do.
Then, they would give it away "free" for a time, witness Microsoft's Windows XP early releases.
Now, apparently, they SELL IT.

Some protection from a broken build/release is in order.

We need a compromise here.
I come from the ancient days of software development, the 1980's.
CAD/CAM pioneer ComputerVision Corp, with 200+ programmers, 50 MILLION lines of code, and a CODE INTEGRATION DEPARTMENT. Sometimes it was a ZOO! Broken builds, people called in to fix things into the weekend when they were the culprit, etc.

Actually, I may need work shortly, and am always up for a side job here and there, although I'd rather play trumpet for money...

If you want me to work remotely, and beta-test for you, maybe I should be paid?
I could work from home, and stress test the product all day long.

I am so frustrated right now. I own a school of Fine Arts and have dealines to get our short films out every month. PD crashes about every 3- 4 minutes. No way to get these films done. If they cant fix it I will be forced to go to Adobe and I really dont want to. I have always used and love PD.

Just let me go back to PD17 so I can finish my projects until you fix the issues. So disappointed in Cyberlink. This is costing me alot of money every day I'm late.

Quote Just let me go back to PD17 so I can finish my projects until you fix the issues. So disappointed in Cyberlink. This is costing me alot of money every day I'm late.

Most people don't have crippling issues with PD18, but since you clearly do, the best answer is to contact CL tech support directly and request an installer for PD17. They don't monitor this forum, and won't know that you need help until you request it.

Quote I am so frustrated right now. I own a school of Fine Arts and have dealines to get our short films out every month. PD crashes about every 3- 4 minutes. No way to get these films done. If they cant fix it I will be forced to go to Adobe and I really dont want to. I have always used and love PD.

Just let me go back to PD17 so I can finish my projects until you fix the issues. So disappointed in Cyberlink. This is costing me alot of money every day I'm late.

I put in a ticket on Monday asking for them to help load all of my files, even if I needed PD17 to do so. They responded on Wednesday by telling me to make sure any external hard drives were still plugged in, and how to use features like Pack Project Materials in the future. It was nonresponsive to my issue since I need my existing files, not methods to improve future files. And I don't use an external hard drive.

I sent them more things, data dump, screen shots and asked to use PD17 while they are figuring things out. The reply function wouldn't let me reply to the ticket; instead it started a new one. I said I needed to be able to access my files within 24 hours. 48 hours have elapsed with no response.

For all its faults, I've like a lot of what PD has done for my videos and I don't really want to switch to something else. But having them release essentially a trojan onto my machine that destroys the product I enjoyed and arbitrarily prevents me from using it (it won't let PD17 come back in a System Restore) sounds like arson.

Quote


I put in a ticket on Monday asking for them to help load all of my files, even if I needed PD17 to do so. They responded on Wednesday by telling me to make sure any external hard drives were still plugged in, and how to use features like Pack Project Materials in the future. It was nonresponsive to my issue since I need my existing files, not methods to improve future files. And I don't use an external hard drive.

I sent them more things, data dump, screen shots and asked to use PD17 while they are figuring things out. The reply function wouldn't let me reply to the ticket; instead it started a new one. I said I needed to be able to access my files within 24 hours. 48 hours have elapsed with no response.

For all its faults, I've like a lot of what PD has done for my videos and I don't really want to switch to something else. But having them release essentially a trojan onto my machine that destroys the product I enjoyed and arbitrarily prevents me from using it (it won't let PD17 come back in a System Restore) sounds like arson.

Hi,
Need to understand what precisely your issue is.

So, just for clarification, ignoring your previous projects and doing a "clean" launch -
Does the new version load correctly or does it not load at all or does it partially load then hang?
Can you access the version number - please let me know what it is.
Can you start, edit and produce a simple project using one or more of the sample files?

Or
Does your issue only relate to previous projects failing to load assets properly?
If so, does it fail with all projects or just specific ones?

The error message you get is typically caused when PDR cannot find the assets specified in the .pds file and then asks the user to browse for them manually.

The usual cause is that the drive location for those assets has changed, particularly the drive letter (common for external drives and USB drives), or the file addresses (after some housekeeping or re-organising files).

If you wish, you can open a backup of your .pds file in a text editor (notepad works) and scroll through the coding to find where the .pds file stores the asset file locations and check what file locations are embedded in the .pds file, and then check your current system configuration and see if they match or differ.

Depending on what you find, there may be a relatively easy fix but that is to be determined.
Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

I also upgraded to PD18. And since then, the program will not start. I tried to reinstall the software, update the drivers and nothing. Almost a week I deal with support, so far unsuccessfully Did any of you have the same problem?

Quote

Most people don't have crippling issues with PD18, but since you clearly do, the best answer is to contact CL tech support directly and request an installer for PD17. They don't monitor this forum, and won't know that you need help until you request it.

With the greatest of respect Optodata, you say "Most people don't have crippling issues with PD18". How do you know that? Have you spoken to them all? Do they write to you personally? Do you think that the problems with PD18 are limited to a half dozen people on this forum thread? I guarantee this is just the tip of a very deep iceberg.

I have been working with PowerDirector since version 9 or so, and have enjoyed 20 plus years making all kinds of videos with for the most part a very stable product. I have never in all those years had such an unstable PowerDirector. This version has some serious problems. I even went out and bought a brand new gaming desktop as I thought the problem was my roughly 5 year old laptop. It clearly wasn't the laptop. This power computer is also crashing sometimes every few minutes. This computer is capable of playing any game on the market at the highest frame rates and resolution. And yet it can't cope with this PD18. There is a problem. And Cyberlink must surely know this. I have contacted Tech Support directly and have followed everything they've asked and sent them screenshot videos. Awaiting another reply, because this is unacceptable. I thought Cyberlink was catching up with the 'big boys' like Adobe, Sony, DaVinci etc. but right now they have gone backwards.



I can't afford to be sitting around as there are people in the music industry that are depending on me finishing projects.

I am one more person having big problems with PD18. I have been using PD for many versions and I have never had problems like I am having now. I have already opened 3 tickets with support. Support just sends canned responses but they do not address my problems. If things do not improve I will scrap PD when my subscription ends.

Marc

Quote With the greatest of respect Optodata, you say "Most people don't have crippling issues with PD18". How do you know that? Have you spoken to them all? Do they write to you personally? Do you think that the problems with PD18 are limited to a half dozen people on this forum thread? I guarantee this is just the tip of a very deep iceberg.

I say that because while there have been several posts from people that are experiencing significant problems, we're now almost 2 weeks past the release date, and there aren't a torrent of them. This forum would be lit up like a christmas tree with ranting and outrage if the problem were truly widespread.

I honestly don't know how many PD18 users are out there. Is it a few hundred? Is it thousands? Tens, or hundreds of thousands? Even without knowing, I'm fairly certain that people who aren't facing unusable software also aren't going to be flocking to the forum to say that "everything is great."

In other words, I expect to see more negative posts than positive ones, and yet there have been more run-of-the-mill questions posted regarding PD18 than the unfortunate ones by people who can't even get PD18 to run.

The main point in my reply was to have that person contact tech support, since they were sending PD17 links to people that had not been able to use PD18, and posting for CL to "fix the issues" wasn't going to do them any good.

My statement that this issue isn't impacting everyone was a very minor point, and I now see that I could have left that part out entirely. The focus here should be on getting people up and running, and I appreciate how much you want to get PD up and running again on your systems.

I would hope that someone, somewhere at CL is aware of all of this and is planning a coordinated response to offer a rollback or PD17 installer straight away. That's what I'd do if I were in their shoes, and I hope you get a resolution soon!