I recently started using DAZ Studio 1.8.
I had problems with loading models, but now find that they are easily avoided:

on firing up DAZ studio if I go to Preferences and accept and then apply them, I have no problem.
if I have not done that, then Studio crashes when I try to load a model, although scenes are loaded OK.  Oddly enough it will load the DAZ hair object, and after that it seems to load anything OK - bizarre behaviour.

The other thing that seems to cause it to crash is not saving the work often often enough - and usually when using a 'transformation' like 'rotate'.

Using Window Vista premium.  Not sure that this is the correct forum, but......