Why has my Premier Elements 8 stopped working?

Question

Hello,
I have been using Premier Elements 8 for a number of years as it suits my requirements exactly.  I now find it will not let me open any previous projects or create a new one, I get a message boxes saying either;
or
And then it does nothing.
I appreciate I am using an older version of Elements, as we are now up to Elements 13,  but as I said earlier it suits me fine and does what I want.  I just want to carry on using a product I have paid for and am perfectly happy with.   
I have resorted to this owing to not being able to find a simple direct email address for Adobe. I am sure there are lots of Elements users out there who are very knowledgeable, friendly and willing to help but why can't I contact Adobe directly.  It's their product, why do I have to complain in public - Hey, Guys at Adobe I would have liked to have kept it between us.     
Many thanks in anticipation of any advice offered and apologies for sounding a little bit angry.  Thanks.

Answer 1

melvyn hughes
This is not Adobe. Rather user to user. Visitors here like yourself. Classically, Adobe offers support for the latest version/purchased/registered. That is the way it is and has been.
Lots of troubleshooting paths to follow, but first the typical drill that I give Premiere Elements 8 users.
1. What computer operating system is your Premiere Elements 8 running on?
2. Are you running the program as the 8.0.1 Update?
3. Do you have the automatic background rendering and autoanalyzer disabled?
4. Does the problem exist with and without the antivirus and firewall(s) disabled?
5. Do you have QuickTime latest version installed on your computer with Premiere Elements 8.0/8.0.1?
6. Are you running the program from a User Account with Administrative Privileges?
Let us try the classical approaches and get more drastic, if necessary, as we proceed.
1. Delete the Adobe Premiere Elements Prefs file and, if that does not work, then delete the whole 8.0 Folder in which it exists
Local Disc C
Users
Owner
AppData
Roaming
Adobe
Premiere Elements
8.0
and in the 8.0 Folder is the Adobe Premiere Elements Prefs file that you delete. If that does not work, then you delete the whole 8.0 Folder
in which the Adobe Premiere Elements Prefs file exists. Be sure to be working with Folder Option Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives active
so that you can see the complete path cited.
2. If problem still exists,
a. Deactivate the program using an opened project's Help Menu/Deactivate. Close out of there.
b. Uninstall the program the usual Control Panel way.
c. Do a free ccleaner run through (regular cleaner and registry cleaner parts) to get rid of any leftovers from incomplete uninstalls reinstalls.
CCleaner - PC Optimization and Cleaning - Free Download
d. Install the 8.0.1 Update
Adobe - Premiere Elements : For Windows : Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0.1 update
3. If all else fails, create a new User Account with Administrative Privileges and install and run Premiere Elements 8.0/8.0.1 there.
We will be watching for your results.
ATR