Photoshop CS4 is a disaster

>...the Layer Menu: Why do I have to use "Show All Menu Items"?

Look at the upper right hand corner? Are you in the "basic" workspace? If so, change it to "essentials" or something else.

Kay, that is correct. There is no fix yet. There really is nothing "WE" can do. This fix requires Adobe to dig deep into the code and figure out why performance is so poor compared to CS3.

That is why we have no fix. It takes time. Adobe is working on figuring out exactly what is going on. They were active on the forum from the start of all of the complaints and now it appears they're a little less active on the forum... perhaps because they're being active in the office and figuring this out.

So i would say to everyone to continue to post their problems and experiences regarding performance.

CS4 is a radical change for Photoshop. Adding GPU display code, more than likely required a lot of changes in the PS code that introduced many problems.

I would say its not worth "reformating your system" over. Its more so about waiting for Adobe to fix the program.

In the meantime... CS3 works well. Wait for the CS4 update.

Kay,

XP or vista 32 bit or 64 bit

why did you have to reformat a new computer for?

Did you update directx from the microsoft website?

Scratch disk on a seperate drive?

bump please help.

i just got a new computer and i reformatted it so computer is clean. quad core 4gb ram 512mb 9600GT and CS4 is so slow. CS3 runs faster on a lot slower computer. newest drivers for everything...what's the fix?

i've been reading the forums and no one has a fix :(

CS4. Maybe not a disaster, but certainly a hardship.

The more I use it, the less I like it. My workflow is busted big time by all the glitzy stuff added. For instance, the Layer Menu: Why do I have to use "Show All Menu Items"? Over 50% of all the Layer items I use are buried under that button. Rises neear to 100% if you factor in the ones I use constantly. What a waste, and what a gumption drain.

The palettes. Cripes, I hit (after hitting "Show all..) Curves and I get a second palette, offering me a bunch of alternatives. If I want Vibrance I'll choose Vibrance. I want Curves dammit! An Extra step and time wasted. Gumption drain again.

Then there are the imports from CS3. None for Custom Curves, yet, thankfully, my hot key arrangement followed over.

I can go on, but I'll stop here. Maybe I'll have to write all this in the Suggestions thread.

Oh, the one redeeming quality so far is Auto Tone. It saves me from going back when I go too far at the beginning. Is it worth the extra money? Not if I have to migrate back and forth between CS3 and 4 to get my work done.

Speaking of migrating, you have to outsmart the default settings that wants you to use CS4 automatically. More time wasted.

The beat goes on....

The gumption being drained is the one that would lead me to spend the money. And fight the installation.

I'll chip in 5 bux for a plaque in commemoration of your efforts.

Bad news. Two, in fact.

First, I realized that the reason Photoshop ran slow on my last test was due to the fact I loaded wrong hard drive image (the sluggish one). So it wasn't any of the stuff I mentioned in my previous post.

Second, this far into an install I realized that SP1 placed an important dll onto a wrong disk. Since it's a disk I regularly format, I have to start from scratch. Tried to find a quick solution online first, but Microsoft wants $$$ for providing me with a hotfix or "talk to your OEM" they said.

Called HP, but after 2.5 hrs on the phone with them, they ended up hinting they don't know how to do it, instead I should just reinstall the OS from scratch. I flat out refused, so she was going to hook me up with remote assistance.

RA session was being blocked by security settings in iExplorer so she asked me to start turning on some real nervous checkboxes in the settings panel. Sure enough, that screwed the browser up to the point I couldn't see the buttons she was telling me to press.

Just around the time I realized she had no idea what she was doing (she was trying to tell me how I can't run more than 2 hard drives in my machine @ one point), we got disconnected.

Another day wasted.

Now I'm PO'd! I'm starting from scratch now, and Im determined I am not going to give up.

EVER!

At least I know what steps I can simply blast through; I don't have to create so many images along the way.

That CS5 is looming, though...

Did you try resetting the tool?

I've noticed just flat out disgusting performance using the stamp tool. It just doesnt work right. Its so slow and delayed that after you alt click an area to define your clone source, that PS actually doesnt register that input. It will simply ignore it and use either the next place you regular click or the previous clone source.

Its so ridiculously slow that i'd rather eat my own face than use it.

When you say "slow", do you mean generally or just in pen and text lag?