The issue doesn't have anything to do with your project (.PDS) files, it has to do with the missing media clips used in your project(s).

Even though you "import" clips into the Media Room to work with on the timeline, the clips themselves are simply referenced in the PDS file by their drive/folder locations and aren't ever contained in the .PDS file.

The missing file notifications you're getting are because the project you've just opened can't find the media clips where they were saved on your old computer.

The simplest solution would be to copy over all your media files in their respective folders to the exact same location on your new computer. If you can't exactly duplicate the folder structure/path, at least keep all the clips in the same folders but at a new location.

Then when you first open the old project, use the Browse option to navigate to the new folder location and from that point on PD will be able to recover all the other clips in that folder. Repeat as needed if your project used clips stored in other folders, and then SAVE THE PROJECT (or use Save As to give it a new name) so that the clips' folder locations will updated and you won't have to browse for them each time.

If you still have your old computer, you can open your old project(s) there and then use Pack Project Materials from the File menu and point to a USB drive, NAS or cloud storage folder. PD will physically copy all the media clips used in that project to the new location and will automatically adjust the PDS file saved in that folder to look in that same folder for the clips. That way, once you connect/access that dive & folder from any machine everything will work as expected.

Quote The issue doesn't have anything to do with your project (.PDS) files, it has to do with the missing media clips used in your project(s).

Even though you "import" clips into the Media Room to work with on the timeline, the clips themselves are simply referenced in the PDS file by their drive/folder locations and aren't ever contained in the .PDS file.

The missing file notifications you're getting are because the project you've just opened can't find the media clips where they were saved on your old computer.

The simplest solution would be to copy over all your media files in their respective folders to the exact same location on your new computer. If you can't exactly duplicate the folder structure/path, at least keep all the clips in the same folders but at a new location.

Then when you first open the old project, use the Browse option to navigate to the new folder location and from that point on PD will be able to recover all the other clips in that folder. Repeat as needed if your project used clips stored in other folders, and then SAVE THE PROJECT (or use Save As to give it a new name) so that the clips' folder locations will updated and you won't have to browse for them each time.

If you still have your old computer, you can open your old project(s) there and then use Pack Project Materials from the File menu and point to a USB drive, NAS or cloud storage folder. PD will physically copy all the media clips used in that project to the new location and will automatically adjust the PDS file saved in that folder to look in that same folder for the clips. That way, once you connect/access that dive & folder from any machine everything will work as expected.

Hi OPTODATA, Many thanks for your very informative reply to my cry for help. I will need a little time within the next few (unfortunately very busy) days to swallow your info and then work through attempting to follow it along. I will get back when I have something sensible (I hope) to say.

Regards, KettMerc911

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Hi OPTODATA, Many thanks for your very informative reply to my cry for help. I will need a little time within the next few (unfortunately very busy) days to swallow your info and then work through attempting to follow it along. I will get back when I have something sensible (I hope) to say.

Regards, KettMerc911

Hi once again OPTODATA,

Please accept my sincere apologies for the long delay in getting back to you with feedback regarding your VERY VALUED assistance with my new laptop setup with Power Director. Your first few paragraphs of info were just so informative, and really set me up to correct my problem. The fact was (probably still "is" to some extent) that I had a very poor understanding of how the file structures in PD operated. Thanks to you I have a better idea, but you have really just made me aware of how much more I have to learn!

Anyway, your directions effectively solved my problem. However, I still appear to have a possible peculiar situation in that in opening one of the "old" (transferred) Projects it loads all but one (1) media file, although I know it does exist in the same folder as all the others that do load ok ??? I need to do more work on solving this great annoyance, as once I receive the pop-up advising that a particular ".m2ts" file is missing or damaged, etc, I cannot get out of the loop I finish up in. Not even being able to close PD. I have had the same thing happen with a few completely different Projects, and have had to re-boot the laptop to lose PD, then start again.

I must admit at this point that I could not have picked a worse time to setup a new machine, as I am in the midst of moving house while all this is going on. My wife and I are actually living between 2 properties as we are in the moving process. That is why I have been so long in getting back to you, and will almost certainly continue to inmpact on my computer time for some weeks (probably months) to come. Thus I will have to muddle away with my problem, as I get the time (just as well I am retired!), so please understand if I do not communicate for some time, but please DO understand that I really appreciate your help.

I will look forward to having some even more satisfactory feedback in the coming future.

Best regards, KettMerc911

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I cannot get out of the loop I finish up in. Not even being able to close PD. I have had the same thing happen with a few completely different Projects, and have had to re-boot the laptop to lose PD, then start again.

I can't comment on your m2ts file problem but you may be interested to know that you can force-kill programs that won't close. Use Ctrl/Alt/Del and select Task Manager. You can then select the offending task or process from the list presented and end it.

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I can't comment on your m2ts file problem but you may be interested to know that you can force-kill programs that won't close. Use Ctrl/Alt/Del and select Task Manager. You can then select the offending task or process from the list presented and end it.

Hi Fenman,

Many thanks for your response to my "program kill" problem. Actually I should have thought of your solution myself, as I have certainly used it in the years past. As age catches up with me, I find I am getting better and better at forgetting all sorts of things!!!

I really do appreciate you giving me that prompt again. (I will try not to forget it again!)


Regards, KettMerc911

Quote ... I need to do more work on solving this great annoyance, as once I receive the pop-up advising that a particular ".m2ts" file is missing or damaged, etc, I cannot get out of the loop I finish up in.

I'm glad you were able to move past most of the issues and that Fenman was able to help with another.

For the problematic .m2ts clip, it would help to know the exact message you see. If it says the clip is damaged, it may help if you used the Attachments button below the forum's text box to upload it so other people can check it. Only do that if you're comfortable sharing that content here, though