Question Rendering issue with Movie Studio Platinum 12

I’m having a lot of trouble with Sony Movie Studio Platinum 12.0. It’s software that Ive had for quite a few years (originally purchased on CD.) It used to be really reliable years ago. The previous times I was using it, it would take ages to start up and would sometimes disappear as it was launching. Though I was able to render two videos successfully at that point in time.

For this latest project, the software is starting up super quickly and doesn’t disappear when doing so. And the editing has been really reliable (no issues there.) The problem now is the rendering. Ive spent all day yesterday trying to render my saved and finished project file multiple times. Actually more times than I can count.

Often I will get to about 3% or 4% of the rendering process and then the software will vanish from the screen. Sometimes I will get a message that it’s about to close. Other times, it will close without any warning while I’m rendering. Once I managed to get 21% of the rendering done before the software disappeared. Usually, it’s under 5%.

I defragment the internal hdd before starting up the software again. I do this every single time. Ive also restarted the PC. I’m trying to track down the CD but I’m having a lot of trouble locating it. I haven’t seen it around for well over a year or two.

However, I was reading that reinstalling the software rarely fixes these kinds of issues. Today, I reset the software twice (clearing the cache.) I followed these instructions here. 

www.moviestudiozen.com/doctor-zen-faq/573-how-to-reset-sony-software-to-default-settings#a1

Unfortunately, it made no difference.

Is there anything else I can try?

Hi Blaze

Forget about the original installation disc.
The build version on that disc will be way out of date.
During the lifetime of Movie Studio Platinum 12, many new build versions with bug fixes and new features were released.

Go to this link and enter your Serial License Key. Then download and install the final build version released for MSP12.
www.magix.com/us/support/my-service-center/product-downloads/

After you have installed the new version, make sure to reset the program. This will force a rescan of all FX.
www.moviestudiozen.com/doctor-zen-faq/573-how-to-reset-sony-software-to-default-settings#a1

If you still can't render a video after installing the new build version, you need to tell me more about the project.
Most constant crashes at the same part of a project, normally indicate a problem with a Video Effect you have added to the project.
If you push some Video FX too far, like Sharpening, it will cause a Memory overload of your computer, which would explain the entire program crashing and disappearing.

I also recommend you render using Mainconcept AVC/AAC.

Let me know how you go.

Regards
Derek

Thank you for the advice and links.

As I can't currently find the CD or the original box, I'm not sure whereabouts I can locate the Serial License Key. I don't suppose I could find it somewhere in the program itself?

I used two Video FX - 'Brightness and Contrast' and 'Saturation' (colour.) But they were very minimal doses. I only increased those a tiny bit. Actually, I do have the settings I used for some of those:
Brightness 0.074, Contrast 0.116. And an even smaller amount of colour saturation (bumped up two notches from the default.)

Additionally, the edited video is a very short duration at about a minute and a half and HD resolution. It's comprised of about 6 events (clips.) Ive never had issues rendering short videos before. 

And the other thing is that it doesn't shut down at the same point in the rendering process. I will reach different percentages before it shuts down. Usually very small percentages like 1% - 5% or thereabouts. Sometimes a little higher but usually under 10%. 21% is the highest I got before the program vanished. There are also times when it will crash and disappear at 0%.

And yes, I was using Main Concept AVC/AAC. I was creating an MP4 video file with a frame rate of 25fps, 1920 x 1080, constant bitrate 20,000,000 bps. 

Gosh, Ive just encountered another issue. I'm using an extremely old computer with Windows 7 and sometimes it has trouble recognising usb drives. The video footage is located on an external hdd and right now, it will not recognise that particular drive. Ive shut the pc down and restarted it a few times and still no go. I'll have to try again but this time around, I'll use a different usb port. 
 

I obtained the serial number and downloaded the update. But I'm not sure if it installed properly. You see this green bar going along and a low percentage (so it looks like it's being installed over a period of time.) But then a message appears that says: "The installer is unable to update Movie Studio Platinum 12.0 while it is running." But the program is not running. It's not open. When I click "Ok" on that message notification, the installer goes to 100% immediately but half of the bar is still green. I tried this a few times and I get the same thing each time. When I opened up Movie Studio afterwards, it says that it's build 333. Though I can't recall if that's the same number that it was before or not. 

And the pc is not recognising the ext. hdd once again (even though I'm using a different usb port.) I'll have to connect the ext. hdd to a laptop and send the video footage and saved project file from there to my pc via Wetransfer. 

The error you are seeing when you try to update the program, does happen sometimes.

If you open Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 12 and go to Help / About, you will find the Serial License Key - make sure to write it down and don't lose it!

How to fix install error
1. Completely uninstall Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 12
Type "control panel" in the Windows Search box next to your Windows Start button - select Control Panel to open it.
Set View by in top right corner to Large Icons
Select Programs and Features
Find Movie Studio Platinum 12 and un-install it
Re-boot your computer

2. Now find the Installer file you downloaded from MAGIX, that is the newer build version of VMSP12 - double-click to run it.
It should install no problem at all now.
You may need to enter your Serial License Key again, so make sure you know what it is before you uninstall the program in step one.

3. After the install, do a full program reset.
I know that may seem weird, but when you uninstall most programs, it doesn't remove temporary cache files and settings - there still there.
The reset will make sure the new build version has a clean slate.

Let me know how you go.

Thank you once again. There seems to be some disagreements online about what a reboot means. Some say that a reboot is the same as restarting the computer. Others say that it is something different (rebooting the system.)

Would restarting the computer be sufficient after I have uninstalled Movie Studio?

Re-Boot = Re-Start the computer
Re-booting clears the RAM (memory) and guarantees all programs are not running in the background (unless set to auto-start by Windows).
OR
If I had said "re-boot the program", it would mean close the program and then re-start the program.

As a test, I tried to install the latest build version of Movie Studio 12 on a brand new laptop with use of the the serial number. But it did not work. It said that the download was corrupted. The issue occurred after the attempted download of Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 which is necessary for the software. I have tried the install twice but got the same result. And by the way, Sony Movie Studio was not previously installed on this machine.

As such, I don't want to uninstall Movie Studio from my pc as yet because there's a likely chance that the install of the new built could fail on that computer as well. And that would leave me without Sony Movie Studio (unless I find the CD.)

I found a link to the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack from the Microsoft site. I'll download that and then try the install on the laptop again.

After downloading the Microsoft Service Pack on the laptop, the Movie Studio installation went smoothly without any issues. And so far, the software seems to work fine in Windows 10 in compatibility mode. I was able to render the project that I had been working on on the pc previously. Rendering went fine (unlike with the pc.)

Now that Movie Studio is installed on the laptop and works okay on there, I can uninstall it on the pc and then reinstall it with the latest build.