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DSalk
Known Participant
September 18, 2025
Question

Re-install of PSE 15 faiis

  • September 18, 2025
  • 6 replies
  • 157 views

   Want to re-install PSE 15 on Windows 11.  Received msg. "installer failed to initialize."   Adobe Help Chat was incompetent.  Said PSE 15 will not work on Win. 11 despite the fact that I have  been using it on Win. 11 for several years.   They said I could not re-install w/o uninstalling the existing program (not a re-install but a new install)  which obviously I did not want to do not knowing if PSE could be installed again.   Does anyone know if there is a solution to the "failed installer" problem?   Does an existing program have to be uninstalled first?   My experience has been there is no problem running the install proceess again w/o having to uninstall the existing program first..

   I purchased PSE 22 a few years  but uninstalled it because Adobe had eliminated some functions that I use.  Don't recall what they were but I think at least one had to do with eliminating selection options. 

6 replies

Jeff Arola
Community Expert
Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 24, 2025

The Virtual Store is mainly for older software that doesn't conform to Windows UAC (User Account Control)

so it's not surprising you don't have that.

 

You must have the Plug-ins folder in

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 15\Required\Plug-Ins

or else none of the filters like Filter>Filter Gallery would work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 23, 2025

    Two more places to look for the duplicate plugins:

    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 15\Required\Plug-Ins

    and

    C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files

     

    If you do any system backups, disconnect the backup drive and see if the duplicate plugins are still listed.

    D
    DSalkAuthor
    Known Participant
    September 24, 2025
    Do not have ..\/Required/...., VirtualStore\/Program Files/
    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 22, 2025

    Did you look in

    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 15\Plug-Ins

    and

    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 15\Presets\Scripts

     

    D
    DSalkAuthor
    Known Participant
    September 22, 2025
    Yes.  Deleted plug-in files from directory but they still show up in the
    lists.
    This was not my main issue which is why I am unable to re-install PSE 15.
    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 19, 2025

    You can also try a reset of the Photoshop Elements 15 preferences to solve any other issues by going to

    C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\15.0

    and deleting the Editor folder.

    D
    DSalkAuthor
    Known Participant
    September 22, 2025
       Thank you for the responses.  Unfortunately my issue remains.  Under
    the C:\Program Files\Common ... there are no plug-ins for On1 (the
    program I have the plug-in issue with)). There are plug-ins for Topaz
    but there is not problem with them. Under C:\Program Files\Adobe.... 
    there are no plug-in entries for Preset\Scripts.  Resetting Preferences
    did not make any changes.

       It looks like I will have to live with the duplicate and/or
    non-functioning plug-ins.  Not the end of the world.  Thanks for trying.
    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 19, 2025

    As far as the Filters/Plugins go, look in:

    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 15\Plug-Ins

    and

    C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\Elements 15

     

    Some of the filters may be on the list because of a Script, so look here as well:

    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 15\Presets\Scripts

     

    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 18, 2025

    Is there a particular problem with pse 15 that you think will be resolved by reinstalling?

    D
    DSalkAuthor
    Known Participant
    September 19, 2025
       The major issue is the PSE plug-in displays in Automatic Tools and
    Filters.  Some plug-ins do not work in PSE and there are duplicate
    plug-ins which I would like to eliminate from the listings.  Removing
    them from the PSE Plug-in directory does not remove them from the
    lists.  Also I have a problem with files saved using the "Save for Web"
    function not being immediately displayed in the PSE directory although
    they sometimes will appear at a later time.
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