boomoperator. PT will run great on your PC, just have to do a little detective work. I think it's well worth it.

No, what they did was use one less core so the operating system would rely on it, the rest of the cores PT would use. In theory at least.
PT12 you don't need to do that. My experience is that PT12 does a great job of using multicores! Faster the better of course.

After you try without the plugs, if it starts fine, add a few back at a time. If it is still hanging up with no plugs, watch when its starting. At which screen does it start to freeze at? Be glad to offer any help I can, just let me know.