VideoPad 17.16 for Windows project doesn't load properly, video is frozen

VideoStudent

Desktop PC, Dell XPS-8900, Windows 10 Pro, 48 GB RAM, NVidia GeForce 730 video card.

I've been using VideoPad 17.16. Now my 14 minute video project takes more than 10 minutes to load, and when I move the red vertical line that indicates the current position on the timeline and when I zoom in the position of the line only moves on the video tracks and not on the audio tracks. When I play the video, the audio plays but the video is frozen. When I minimize the VideoPad window and then restore it none of the files are listed, the waveforms in the audio tracks don't display, and the video preview doesn't display, which is what it looks like when I open the project before it finishes loading.

I can't work on the project until the problem is fixed.

borate

Install this release. If no change, someone here needs to see the project. Please share it for analysis.

The process is easy, quick and can be done privately. Just follow these steps closely, one-by-one. Don't skip any...

Back up --- With your project on the timeline, click on MENU at the top-left. Click FILE|BACK UP PROJECT FILES TO FOLDER. Choose a folder and SELECT FOLDER.
Upload --- Use a free server - Google Drive, MS OneDrive, etc.* - to upload the saved, numbered FOLDER. No need to upload the individual VPJ or export file.
Get link --- Right-click the file and click SHARE. If using Google, right-click the file, click SHARE | SHARE. Change "restricted" to "anyone ... can view"
Share --- Click COPY LINK or OK | DONE. Paste that link here, or click the folder at the top-right of this forum to message it privately. It won't be shared.

* Before uploading, right-click the folder, click PROPERTIES. Look at the File Size to confirm that it's not too big for the free space on the server.

Don't forget to change "restricted" to "anyone with link can view" if using Google Drive.

VideoStudent

Thanks again for the quick reply borate. Before I installed the file at the link "this" in your email I tried using Back up project files to folder. But the program hung and it didn't copy any files to the folder. I had to use Task Manager to kill the VideoPad task.

Then I installed the file at the link "this." It works now. But it still says it's version 17.16. However, the file size of the setup file is 8,098 KB. The size of the setup file for version 17.16 that I installed on 5/5/2025 was 6,858 KB. So it's been updated but the version number hasn't been changed in the UI.

borate

You may have been using the 32-bit release. The link above is to the 64-bit, which is advised for complex edits.

Your video card, circa 2014, may be a bottleneck. If problems persist, turn it off via OPTIONS | ADVANCED tab. In the GPU section choose None (CPU only).

Ample free disk space is needed - preferably an SSD. Before beginning a new project, go to OPTIONS | DISK tab and Clear Unused Cache Files.

Try again to submit the project for analysis.

VideoStudent

I turned off the GPU, selected None (CPU only). I have cleared the unused cache files and rebooted the PC.

All the files for the project are on a Seagate 6TB external USB hard drive that has 262GB free space.

Task manager shows VideoPad is using 83% CPU from right after I run it and load the project for at least the next 15 minutes. I tried the menu option to backup the project files, but VideoPad froze and I had to use Task Manager to kill the process. I think it was better using the NVidia Geforce 730 graphics card.

borate

Strange indeed.

If all source files are in one PC folder, including the VPJ file, zip that folder, upload and share it please.

Upload the zip to a free server, such as Google Drive or MS OneDrive, right-click the link and Share or Copy. Copy the result and paste it here or to me in a Private Message via the mail envelope in the top-right corner of this forum. When using Google Drive, click SHARE | SHARE and change "restricted" to "anyone with link can view.**

VideoStudent

After changing to use the GPU, restarting VideoPad, and loading the project, for about 10 minutes, Task Manager said in addition to using 82% CPU it was using 98% GPU. After about 10 minutes those values were 0.1% CPU and 0% GPU when I'm not doing anything with it, and now the project works.

borate

Good to hear. Consider a video card upgrade. Perhaps an RTX 3060 or the like.

Running the project files from an SSD, rather than the external drive, may also improve performance. Worth a test.

VideoStudent

Thanks, borate! Both good suggestions.