Encore will not function

Question

I am unable to get Encore to export in any format.  It will open only with Premiere open also.  I get the following error message when attempting to export: When I right click on the ! in the triangle at the end of the file it says :Could not read from the source. Please check if  deleted or moved.
PProHeadless.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Here is the error detail.
- Source File: C:\DOCUME~1\ALANSA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\MJW_2_2_1.prproj
- Output File: E:\MJW2\Sequence 02.avi
- Preset Used: Custom
- Video:
- Audio:
- Bitrate:
- Encoding Time: 20:53:36
7/25/2009 11:13:42 AM : Encoding Failed
Could not read from the source. Please check if it has moved or been deleted.
I have the Premier project and media files stored on a 1 tb portable hard drive.  Software is on the C drive.
Computer specs are:
OS-XP
RAM:  2 Gigs
Proc. 2.5 GHz
Graphics:  NVidia card
My project is quite simple, just 3 tracks of audio and 2 tracks of video (with a few dissolves and lower 1/3 text supers).  Length is only 3.5 min.
How can I tell Encore to go to a different drive to get the file?  Is that the problem?  Yesterday, I was able to download the files to .mov, .flv, and earlier today .3gp., with the same settins as the ones I currently have.  Now I can't get Encore to work at all.  This is my 1st project with CS4 (I was using Premier 1.5) so any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

Yes, CS4 does require more resources, than previous versions. Yes, your computer is at the lowest level for performance. The 5400RPM single HDD will be a bottleneck. However, if you are patient, work slowly (Save often), and can live with probable jerkiness in playback, with SD material, you should be able to get by.
I'd advise (and this is gut feeling, and not from emperical testing) doing the Export from PrPro (remember, elemental streams) and Import into Encore. Keeping Adobe DL out of the mix will likely keep the resources usage to a minimum.
Another piece of advice is to eliminate ALL unnecessary processes and programs, before each editing session. Even on my workstation and on a very powerful laptop, I close ALL anti-virus, pop-up blockers, sypware killers, etc. I then run a little program, EndItAll2, to close all unnecessary processes. At the same time, I have already eliminated most of these with MSCONFIG, when I set the machines up. Most computers loose 1/3 +/- of their capabilities due to "bloatware," and other things, that are definitely NOT needed to do editing. This also means that one will NOT have any Internet presence, no e-mails, etc., while editing. When you're done editing/authoring, just reboot to get the machine back to "normal." Then, and only then, can you surf the Net, answer e-mails, and similar - not while editing/authoring.
Good luck, and hope that it goes well. If you need more direct info on the Export, let me know. I covered the basics in this and the Encore thread. Also, if you hit any problems with Encore specifically, there are a ton of helpful people in the Encore forum. That link is to the General Encore forum. If your problem is more specific, note the different sub-fora and post to the appropriate one. Many of the folk there, do not hang out here, and vice versa. There are two "experts" in particular, who do not post here, but know their Encore inside and out.
Hunt