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Eonflare14
Eonflare14
Participating Frequently
March 5, 2019
Answered

Scratch Disk Error

  • March 5, 2019
  • 4 replies
  • 2897 views

When I create a new document/file it gives the error:

     Could not complete the command because the scratch disks are full.

What can I do to fix this?

  • I tried deleting files on my disk
  • it is a NEW computer so the disk shouldn't need to be defragged or anything...
  • this has never been a problem before
  • free space on disk 24.54GB
This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Test Screen Name

Also, for the particular case of failing of File > New, look closely, and look again, at the file size you are asking for. Many people have asked for inches instead of pixels, creating files needing unbelievable amounts of scratch space.

4 replies

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
March 6, 2019

Yes you need an external. If carrying an external drive is a nuisance you need a higher spec laptop. or to free more space. A lot of entry level laptops just aren’t suitable for pro tools today.

Eonflare14
Eonflare14Author
Participating Frequently
March 6, 2019

Well, its a new laptop, so im not going to trash it just to get higher specs. It works fine for what i use it for anyway.

L
Lumigraphics
Legend
March 6, 2019

Are you backing up your files? You can get a small SSD that runs off USB really cheap, that will work as a backup and for scratch space. You are going to run into this problem again and probably lose data otherwise.

L
Lumigraphics
Legend
March 5, 2019

Which version of Photoshop do you have?

Eonflare14
Eonflare14Author
Participating Frequently
March 6, 2019

CC 2019

T
Test Screen NameCorrect answer
Legend
March 5, 2019

Also, for the particular case of failing of File > New, look closely, and look again, at the file size you are asking for. Many people have asked for inches instead of pixels, creating files needing unbelievable amounts of scratch space.

    Eonflare14
    Eonflare14Author
    Participating Frequently
    March 6, 2019

    That would be a part of the problem, but as it stands, correcting that still gave the same error.

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    JJMackCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 5, 2019

    24GB is not much space.  I have seen Photoshop use over 100GB of scratch space.  When you get that message and it is being displayed.  Check the Disk Free space.  Is the disk full or is the message wrong,  If full you need more free space. Add a second disk.  You also do not want to use your system boot disk as your first scratch disk.  Your system will not run well if your boot disk fills up. Just starting CC 2019 Photoshop uses 10 GB of free space on my system. Creating a new large document canvas uses 4GB more.  14GB used before I add a pixel of my own.  If you have Photoshop keep many History states the can cause Photoshop to use a lot of scratch space.   I would not feel conformable using Photoshop with only 24GB of free space.  For Photoshop is not the only process that uses free space.

    JJMack
    Eonflare14
    Eonflare14Author
    Participating Frequently
    March 6, 2019

    What second disk can I use?????

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    JJMackCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 6, 2019

    Any you have in your machine or ant external one attached to your machine.  On my machine the internals SSD only have system files  installed application, user appdata and free space for work space like temp file, paging and scratch space.  All my data files are on cheap 4TB external USB3 disk. A second internal disk may be used to backup the boot disk.  If you boot disk only has 24GB of free space you do not want that disk used for Photoshop scratch space for Photoshop may fill it and you system will not perform well.

    JJMack
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