"Adobe Crash Processor" hogging system memory

[jeremypbushnell]

Hi there. I'm using a Mac, running 13.7.5. I use a variety of Adobe apps, predominantly Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat, but also occasionally InDesign and Audition.

Every day, or sometimes multiple times a day, Adobe Crash Processor launches, and proceeds to gobble up several GB of system memory. 

It does not seem contingent on my actually using any Adobe app (aside from Creative Cloud running in the background). This might go without saying, but: when I do use the apps they aren't crashing, so I don't see any reason why the crash processor should be activating in the first place.

I can terminate the process with Activity Monitor, but it inevitably recurs. I've tried rebooting the computer and updating the apps to the latest versions, but this doesn't seem to have any effect. I could upgrade my OS to Sonoma or Sequoia, but if anyone has another solution that might forestall an entire OS upgrade I'd like to try that first.

Any help anyone has would be appreciated! I've seen a few other threads across the internet with people having this problem, but none of them seem to eventually get to a solution 😕

Final note: Adobe wouldn't let me post this without a topic, but the only topics it allowed me to choose from were "File sync," "Collaboration,"  "Libaries," or "Cloud storage web assets," none of which are even slightly close.

[kglad]

reset the cc desktop app by making sure it's in the foreground, then press:

Win: Ctrl + Alt + R
Mac: Cmd + Opt + R


if that fails, repair per https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-install-stuck.html


if that fails and you have windows, open your control panel > add/remove programs > cc desktop app > repair

if that fails, uninstall using the correct uninstaller from https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/uninstall-creative-cloud-desktop-app.html#sa_src=web-mes... and then reinstall using*


if that fails, do a clean cc install carefully following each applicable step:

uninstall every cc app including preferences per https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/uninstall-remove-app.html

then uninstall the cc desktop app, again using the correct uninstaller per https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/uninstall-creative-cloud-desktop-app.html#sa_src=web-mes...

clean your computer of cc files per http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html

check for, and if available, update your os

if windows is your os, repair all ms visual c++ versions that can be repaired (use google if you don't know how to do this)

if windows is your os update your ms visual c++, if it can be updated (use google if you don't know how to do this)

restart your computer (don't skip this)

reinstall the cc desktop app using the "alternative download links" at the bottom of the page at https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-desktop-app-download.html

use the desktop app to install your cc programs/trials>

if that fails, you probably have a corrupt user account. google your os and how to create a new one.

[jeremypbushnell]

Going through one at a time. The Cmd + Opt + R fix didn't help (I did it yesterday and the behavior recurred today). On to the next step!

[kglad]

keep us updated.

[jeremypbushnell]

Still working on this. In the process of removing all the CC applications and removing the CC app.

[kglad]

i know it's time consuming.

[jeremypbushnell]

Mostly I had to wait until I was at a "pause point" with a million different projects 🙂

[kglad]

has the clean install worked?

[jeremypbushnell]

Doesn't look like it. This is from this morning:

 I've only reinstalled the cc app and Acrobat, nothing else. And nothing has crashed (I don't think I've even launched the re-installed Acrobat, much less crashed it). 3.61 GB of memory is lower than the other screenshots I posted at the start of the thread (7.6 GB and 8 GB, respectively), but it still seems much higher than a background process should demand and it's higher than anything else that's running. Does anyone know the norm for how much it's supposed to be eating up, under ideal circumstances?

Before doing the clean install, I did upgrade to Sequoia, so outdates OS is not the issue either. Am I down to the last possible step, recreating my user account? I'd like to avoid that if possible, especially since my account is provided through my employer and recreating it could be a hassle.

[Tarun Saini]

Hi @jeremypbushnell

Welcome to the community! I'd like to inform you that Adobe Crash Processor and Adobe CRDaemon are used interchangeably to refer to the same Adobe processes. It reports if the Creative Cloud desktop app or any of its background processes crash on your device. It also captures crashes for all Creative Cloud apps.

For more information, please check this article- https://adobe.ly/4lERELt

Let us know if that helps.

Regards,

Tarun

[jeremypbushnell]

Thanks, Tarun, but I'm afraid this raises more questions than it answers. As my initial post indicates, it activates even when I'm not using apps, and when there's been no obvious crash. If it's background process, should a background process really be crashing multiple times a day, even on a clean install? And why would a standard operating process regularly require 3-8 GB of system memory to handle a minor crash of that sort?

[jeremypbushnell]

Like, instead of terminating once it "reports and captures," it instead remains active, and the amount of system resources it uses gradually increases. As I write this comment I have watched it climb in the Activity Monitor from 500MB to 2.65 GB, despite the fact that I am not running any CC ap. 

[kglad]

i misunderstood the post to which i was responding.  if you did a clean install you should expect the adobe crash processor to be running at all times, but not using increasing memory.  eg, on my win 11 computer (that's not be restarted for weeks and on which there's never been a crash), the crash processor is using 1.7 mb.

[jeremypbushnell]

Right, whereas for me as I write it's at 2.18 GB and in the time it took me to take and crop this screenshot and write this short post it climbed to 4.04 GB. 🤷

[kglad]

google "what causes adobe crash reporter to occupy increasing ram on mac"

[jeremypbushnell]

This thread is the second hit on that search (and the most relevant one) 😂

[kglad]

(that won't be terribly helpful.)  but i thought the ai suggestions might be helpful.

[kglad]

you can't leave any adobe app installed when using the clean install steps, so it's not clear what you did.

[jeremypbushnell]

you can't leave any adobe app installed when using the clean install steps, so it's not clear what you did.

By @kglad

I de-installed each app one at a time, then uninstalled cc entirely. Yesterday I re-installed cc, and then re-installed Acrobat only from the fresh cc build. Then I noticed the Crash Processor at the top of the Activity Monitor again.

[jeremypbushnell]

Also, do you think there might be a likelihood that some other process running in the background (a system automator like Hazel or a optimization scanner like CleanMyMac) could be causing it to trigger? 

[jeremypbushnell]

Interestingly, the problem doesn't occur if I boot in Safe Boot Mode; I'm not sure if this works because it shuts off something that's causing problems with the process or because it just blocks the process itself (I don't see it anywhere in the Activity Monitor at all)

[kglad]

adobe crash processor doesn't load when booting into safe mode?

[jeremypbushnell]

Here's processes sorted alphabetically. Probably not a permanent solution:

[kglad]

what happens when you start an adobe app?

i would think the background apps will load and cause the same problem.

[MiltStevens]

Just jumping on to say I have the exact same issue. Adobe Crash Protector pops up using lots of CPU. Force quitting eliminates the process only temporarily before it reappears. I've done everything except the clean install and see by this thread that it didn't seem to work. Interestingly, I am also on a Mac running Ventura (13.7.6.)

I'd love some thoughts on how to resolve as it seriously impacts the way my computer functions. Thx.