Photoshop Elements corrupts Windows 11, requiring full system restore

[machinelevel]

I've been through this three times. I have a new Surface Pro 8 with Windows 11. Installing Photoshop Elements requires a restart, and that restart fails. Windows then cannot recover, until I get my bitlocker recovery code and do a complete system re-install, which erases all apps and settings.

Here are the steps:

• Download and install Photoshop Elements, using serial number to activate
• Installer requires restart, displays "restart now" button. Click "restart now".
• System displays four white boxes (Windows logo) forever, does not start.
• Hold power button for 10 seconds to shut down. Press power button to start up.
• Same thing (windows logo forever). Power off again, then on.
• "Preparing automatic repair" ... "Diagnosing your PC"...
• ... "Automatic repair couldn't repair your PC"

I'm a software dev and good Windows power-user... can you please tell me what startup items are being installed that might be failing? I'd rather disable those than keep wiping my system.

This is a giant problem, any help is appreciated.

[machinelevel]

Since the post, I've been able to boot in Safe Mode, and by running msgconfig from Powershell, I see two Adobe services listed: 

• Adobe Active File Monitor V10
• Adobe Genuine Software Integrity Service

My next move will probably be to try disabling both of those and rebooting.

[machinelevel]

Update: Disabling both of those had no effect.

Note that this happens after installing PSE, before even trying to run it.

[Nancy OShea]

Please consult the system requirements below for your version of PS Elements.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/system-requirements.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/windows-11.html

If your device is compatible and this is a supported Elements version, please reach out directly to Adobe technical support for assistance.

CONTACT ADOBE SUPPORT:
================
Online Chat: https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?rghtup=autoOpen
Phone M-F, during normal business hours: https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/phone.html

[machinelevel]

Hi Nancy,

Thanks for this, it was very helpful. According to this info, only Photoshop Elements 2022 (the newest) is supported on Windows 11. My version of PE is older, so I'll happily pay for the new version; I've been meaning to upgrade anyway.

However, please please also make the dev and QA teams aware that customers who purchased older versions of PE and install them on new Win11 laptops are experiencing catastrophic system failure requiring OS reinstall, as an immediate and direct result of installing the Adobe product. It's one thing say the old PE isn't supported on new Windows, but another if the old PE tanks the OS and makes it fail to boot. I can repro this issue, but wow I would really prefer not to. 😕

If I experience the issue after upgrading my PE, I'll post again here. Thanks!

[Nancy OShea]

Sorry I don't work for Adobe. 

Adobe assumes and encourages all users to consult their product's system requirements BEFORE they upgrade to ensure compatibility.

I hope you have a better experience with PS Elements 2022.

[CommonTater2]

After installing Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 on my new LG gram, I rebooted and it was stuck on the LG splash screen.  I had to enter my Bitlocker key and reinstall Windows.  I agree with you that it's a catastrophic failure. 

I noticed the errors before reboot mentioned that Memory Integrity settings were preventing drivers from loading. So, Iwent to the Core Isolation settings and turned off Memory Integrity.  As an extra measure I turned off real-time scanning for McAfee and installed as a trial and added the license later.  I was able to install Premiere and Photoshop Elements successfully without tanking my system.  The only downside was that I couldn't re-enable Memory Integrity because of an incompatible driver from Corel Corporation called PxHlpa64.sys.  It's supposed to be part of the PX Engine used by Roxio for burning DVDs.  I don't even have a DVD drive, so I renamed the file in C:\Windows\System32\drivers to PxHlpa64.old and re-enabled Memory Integrity and rebooted.  I was able to launch all of the Adobe programs.  I don't know if it will work out long term, but it seems to be working for now.