After selection (containing no peaks near value 1 , see the topic “How does Amplify work”) and choosing Amplify (and Allow clipping) and giving f.e. value -2 the result is an error message telling “Value not in range -56 to 44” (the value 56 appears to the Peak Amplitude box). The same with different projects and Amp values.
I have tried to delete config files and Audacity files and then installing Audacity again: no help.
Sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying or what you’re trying to do…
What does “f.e.” mean?
the value 56 appears to the Peak Amplitude box
That’s way too high. The “digital maximum” (to prevent clipping) is 0dBFS (1) so digital dB levels are usually negative, although the peaks can hit 0dB. If it defaults to +56dB your current peaks are over +100dB which means something is seriously wrong! Like maybe the file is corrupted or maybe it’s not audio.
What does Amplification default to? That will show the inverse of your current peak. i.e. If it defaults to +6dB, your peaks are currently -6dB.
Amplify won’t make changes of more than +/- 50dB at a time. You can do it in 2 steps but “normally” you shouldn’t need to make such big changes. If I have a file with -60dB peaks, I have to run it twice to get maximized/normalized 0dB peaks.
(1) 0dBFs = zero decibels full scale and it represents the maximum you can “count to” with a given number of bits. Audacity uses floating-point internally so it essentially has no upper (or lower) limits but you’ll clip your DAC if you play audio that goes over 0dB.
f.e. = e.g.
I try to reduce the volume for a couple of dBs.
error message telling “Value not in range -56 to 44” => minus 56 to +44
A few months ago the same worked without problems on my old laptop (ASUS Win10). The Audacity version was maybe a few years older, I don’t remember the version.
You didn’t answer my question…
What is the current peak? (What’s the default amplification for this file?) I’m guessing it’s way too high.
Where did the file come from? Is it super loud or super quiet?
Does is sound loud? It may not sound loud if you have one short-duration peak, but one peak can foul-up Amplify.)
What happens with a different " normal known good" file?
Probably with a different audio file.
Help → About Audacity.
The current version is 3.7.7.
I don’t remember Amplify ever having bugs/problems.
The files are digitalized from analog audio tape recorder. The Audacity playback meter shows about -12, not very loud, not very quiet.
I opened earlier made file (from year 2023). The same problem with it though I used Amplify with it then.
I updated v. 3.7.6 to 3.7.7, no effect.
I know the unit dB but don’t know how to find answers to your technical questions. These I found concerning to one typical song:
RMS L= -21dB, R= -21dB, Stereo= -21 dB.
I’m out of ideas. 
Except you can try ocenaudio (free). I don’t have any experience with it.
Or GoldWave ($60 USD for lifetime license after free trial). I’ve had GoldWave for many years. It’s “solid”. Overall it’s “similar” to Audacity but with some different features & effects. (1)
Or, older versions of Audacity are here.
It’s the peaks that can foul-up Amplify but your RMS levels are reasonable and if you are recording/digitizing from analog tape you don’t normally get outrageous peaks so I’m probably on the wrong track with the levels…
Strange…
(1) GoldWave calls regular (peak) normalization “Maximize” which is a better English word but “normalize” is the proper audio terminology. (They call loudness normalization “Loudness”.)
Thank you for your help and advice. I know the 3.1.2 at least works, so I think I’ll continue with it.
EPILOGI
I installed v.3.1.2 but it didn’t work!
But in my wife’s PC (very similar old hp to mine) every version and every file worked. So it had something to do with the computer itself having processor Intel i5-8265U 1.6Ghz. I managed to swap the laptop at the old PC’s shop to similar hp but having a Ryzen R3 5400U processor: Now everything works!
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