Premiere Elements 11 (Trial) question

Question

Hello
What might be the reason why Premiere Elements 11 (Trial) will not open up when I double-click on its desktop icon?
I have successfully installed it today - but not used it - and I can see it in the Control Panel and there is a folder for it under Adobe in my Windows 7 Program Files folder on my C drive.
Thanks
Steve

Answer 1

You are correct. The only way to test that would be to install an nVidia, or AMD/ATI card, disable the Intel embedded chip, and install the latest driver from the mfgr's. Web site - then test.
For general computing, the video card/chip and its driver, are less important, and e-mail clients, word processors, spreadsheet programs, and Web browsers usually work just fine. However, with programs like PrE, 3D creation programs and extreme games, rely very heavily on the interface with the video driver. PrE needs that, just for running its GUI (Graphical User Interface). It is programs, in that latter group, that tax the video driver very heavily.
I would start with this FAQ Entry (if I have posted this link upthread, I apologize): http://forums.adobe.com/thread/792580?tstart=0 It starts with a general checklist on getting things set up and running for PrE. Then, it goes into some tips on tuning up one's computer and OS. Finally, it lists many troubleshooting tips, and links to some tools to help in that process, going from easy to harder. If you find, that after that article, things still do not work properly, that will narrow the focus to the video driver, with pretty high probability - though only the test outlined above, could verify that.
Though I have had Intel CPU's, since the first PC hit my desk in the 80's, I would not rely on one of their GPU chips, due to the lack of driver support, and always recommend that one go with an nVidia, or AMD/ATI chip set, instead. Going back some years, I was a fan of the Matrox video cards, especially on my graphic design computers. However, like Intel, Matrox was deficient in their driver support, so I finally dropped them for nVidia.
Even then, there can be developmental dead ends. My current laptop is about 5 years old, and has an nVidia GeForce 8800M GTX. I am still running XP-Pro SP-3 on it, and nVidia has not done a new driver for that chip and that OS, since mid-2012. All of my other Adobe programs run fine on it, except for PrE 11, which has some display issues. It's nothing that I cannot live with, especially as I have a new laptop on order. Still, and even with an nVidia chip, the driver support for it, with my older OS, has run its course. I, who always urge people to update their video drivers, am now out of luck - no new driver for that chip and OS - dead end.
Good luck,
Hunt