Trial Problem & Specs Question
 

Grr...the PrPro CS3 trial doesn't work! I tried downloading it, and even though only files over 1gb need the download manager, it still used it. Then, after finally getting it to completely download it, I ran the setup and it asked me to extract the files. So I extracted the files, and when it finished, I clicked on the thing and it didn't open. I went to the folder it extracted to, and it was completely empty. This is getting really frustrating...

Just wanted to add that I tried to redownload it just in case, but the stupid download manager keeps telling me I need to get it, then it installs (in a new window), I go to the download page (in that window) and it does the whole thing again...the cycle never stops!

edit: I found some other topics about this BUT they don't seem to have been solved!

Sorry for the triple post, but I have a few unrelated questions and didn't want to clutter up the forum.

1. Are the specifications shown on the Adobe website really required?
-a. Is a 7200rpm hdd (and a dedicated one at that) actually needed?
-b. Can you still use it with only 512mb of RAM?
-c. My system doesn't really fit in any of the categories for processor requierments, is Premiere even usable at 1Ghz Centrino M (Pentium 4 equivilant)
-d. Adobe is kidding about the 10gb of space, right?
-e. How does the worst integrated graphics card I've ever seen stand up to Premiere

I feel your pain. It's imperative that you get a clean download. If you don't you can expect real problems with CS3 down the line.
If you don't adhere to the Adobe specs, you do so at your own peril. Given what you're trying to do, the system spec requirements are pretty reasonable regardless of the NLE you end up using.
Yes. Without it your performance will be so slow as to make the application unusable. You'll want a second drive for the storage space for your video. I have 2.5TB and I could use more.
Not really. Your performance will not be acceptable if the programs can even load at all.
Again no. You won't get any performance at that speed and you may end up with application errors.
Absolutely not. CS3 is huge. There's a lot of stuff included in the application and that stuff takes up space.
Probably worse than it does with other applications.

You can try installing CS3 on your machine but with sub-par specifications you are setting yourself up for frustration and failure. You'll want the fastest, biggest and beefiest machine you can find for CS3. Cheating the specs will just drive you crazy.

Colin, it would be interest of Adobe to keep the specs at a minimum so that they can sell more copies of Premiere or any piece of software for that matter. If they list high-end requirements it's because that is the reality of the software. When you calculate the size of a HD frame , even at 720p, times the number of bits per pixels, times the frame rate plus other concerns you see that the amount of data transfer is simply huge.

OK, thanks for your help!

Judging by the great answers you provided, it looks like I need some new hardware! Of course portability is a must so I need a laptop. How do you think the following specifications (that I might get) will stack up against Premiere:

Intel C2D T8300 2.4Ghz (with the new 45nm Penryn processor)
Windows XP Pro
160GB 7200rpm hdd
3gb RAM
nVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M 128MB Discrete graphics card

Oh yeah, one more problem with it: Its eaten up over 4GB of my hard drive space, even though it hasn't installed anything! Anything I can do about that?

I think you're still going to run into challenges with that system. CS3 is well-known as a resource hog. Are you sure you need everything it offers? If not, you might want to look at a lower-level package like Premiere Elements 4 or Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 8, which are far less demanding.

In any event, I think you'll need WAY more Hard Disk than you're contemplating.

I know many people have had success with CS3 on a laptop, but I'd never even consider it. My editing machine has a 160GB Barracuda as the system drive alone. Video gets stored on 7 x 1TB drives in RAID 3.

Adam is right. You'll need a lot more storage, although you might not need 7TB right off the bat.

Although it can be done on a laptop, I'd recommend looking at a desktop machine because it will offer better performance and expansion capabilities down the road.

Again, thanks for your help. Unfortunately for me, portability is a must so I need a laptop. I realize PrPro CS3 will obviously suffer (an severely under-exaggerated term) with my current specs. Either way, I need a new machine to edit my latest film before the June deadline. Therefore, I am not looking to install it on this machine anymore, but rather to get back that ridiculous amount of disc space its eaten up without doing anything on my current machine. Does the installer automatically make a system restore point before installing? If it does thats probably the problem. Otherwise, I'm clueless about the situation.

BTW, I'm thinking of getting a ThinkPad T series laptop (with similar specs as mentioned before), preferably one of the new ones that are rumoured to be coming out (unfortunately it has yet to be announced so the release date is unknown, but it is almost definitely sometime June or July). Any comments or suggestions on those specs?

Well it doesn't look like I'll be getting a new laptop in time so I'm looking at desktops while I wait. What would be a minimum usable config? Keep in mind I am happy with anything better than my old laptop (not the one I have now).

This is the specs of my old laptop (again, not the one I was talking about previously, another one) which could handle PrPro 2 with just some lag:
1.6Ghz Intel Centrino M (single core)
1GB RAM
Intel integrated graphics
40GB 5400rpm hdd + external 120gb 5400rpm hdd for video files

I guess CS3 is just that much better (and bigger)...and again, what would be a minimum usable config?

Just go to the Adobe website, read their recommended specs and take them seriously. I'd suggest going "one better" in every category to be safe.

OK, thanks