Adobe apps are crashing my MAC - Black screen of death

[Harry5CC7]

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

2,3 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9

32 GB 2667 MHz DDR4

Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB

Running BigSur 11.2.2

Every time I use Photoshop, InDesign, or any of the other creative apps I'm crashed out to a black screen of death. It might happen after two minutes, it might happen after 30 minutes - but it always happens!

I've run every variable of Clean My Mac. I've deleted every cache and temp file I can find. 

It's ruining my life! I've got the MAC sitting on a huge fan to make sure it's not a temperature thing, and running Macs Fan Control. All seems ok.

My battery is in good health ...

Anyone else ever seen this issue? It doesn't look like hardware.

[kglad]

what happens if you restart your computer, open ps and walk away for an hour?

ie, you do nothing when jps is open, does it still crash?

[Harry5CC7]

Excellent question. No, it doesn't. Seems to happen when I'm doing something active in the program, although I don't believe there's any specific single action.
On the advice of tech support, I've switched off any GPU functions in Photoshop - but it happens using InDesign too so there's that ...

[kglad]

install a temp monitor and watch the temps as you use ps with gpu acceleration disabled (and if it doesn't crash, with it enabled):

Top 10 Mac Temperature Monitors (bestmaccleaner.com)

[Harry5CC7]

Thank you, kglad, I've been running Mac Fans Control but I've installed TGPro now, we'll see if it gives any better idea. However, with Mac Fans, PLUS a fan-cooled laptop stand, I've been keeping the temp below 90 even while running Photoshop.

[kglad]

keep us posted.

[Mike17414077buqe]

Me Too! However, slightly different set up. I have seen several similar threads dating from 2017 but chose this one as it was started in 2021

Every time I run an Adobe app my system freezes soon after. Either spinning colour wheel (Force Quit usually resolves and allows me to use an app that isn't Adobe). Or at worst complete freeze followed by automatic restart of the iMAC. 

It happens with Reader, Lightroom and Photoshop. It has got worse today (Christmas Eve 24 December 2021). By worse, I mean almost as soon as I start using an Adobe app i.e. within 60 seconds. Previously I only had problems when I closed Reader. Lightroom would usually work for long enough to do something useful before freezing, then again for a while before freezing.

I am not aware of any problems using other non Adobe apps.

Particularly annoying as I am trying to earn a living and need access to technical documents which are invariably pdf, as well as using a Nikon D850 which really should work with Lightroom and Photoshop!

iMAC (Retina 5k, 27-inch, Late 2014)

Mojave 10.14.6

3.5Gz Intel Corei5

8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2GB

[kglad · Accepted solution]

first, reset the cc app:

to reset the cc desktop app, make sure it's in the foreground, then press:

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

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

if that fails go ahead and 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

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

uninstall every cc app including preferences, https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/uninstall-remove-app.html
then uninstall the cc desktop app, again using the correct uninstaller, 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
update your os to, at least, 10.15 though 11 would be better.
restart your computer (don't skip this)
reinstall the cc desktop app, https://creativecloud.adobe.com/apps/all/desktop?action=install&source=apps&productId=creative-cloud

do not use an old installer.

if you're unable to download the cc desktop app at this stage, use the link 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

[Mike17414077buqe]

Thank you, did you mean the Lighroom app or Creative Cloud window? I use a MAC

I have reset the programme, that made a small improvement.

The big improvement occured when I upgraded my RAM from 8 GB to the max 32GB. This may help other users but of course it did cost money (cheaper than a new computer though!)

Also for info in Lightroom CMD + Opt + R leads to refining the ratings on the photos

[kglad]

cc app = cc desktop app.

but if you think these are all unrelated problems, you could reset the preferences of each program (lr, ps and reader) before proceeding.  eg, for lr and ps:

lightroom: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom/help/setting-preferences-lightroom.html

photoshop: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html

[Lukas2868402644bn]

I think you'll find this black screen of death is related to Clean My Mac.

Be sure to remove the Clean my Mac malware completely.