P: Remove Tool and RAM usage

[benj_v]

Hello, 

I don't know if it's a normal behavior, but when I use the new "Remove Tool", my memory usage is going crazy : In the task manager it takes 20Go of RAM, and it takes 18Go more on my scratchdisk.
Even if I do teeny strokes on an white layer.
Here is a video (2min) link to show the PS usage, the task manager, and explorer for the scratchdisk (SSD).

https://youtu.be/qToMtrUmm-0

I tried to use all the others tools, and the RAM usage is "normal". For example : 50 clicks with spot removal and photoshop uses only 5Go RAM, and 0Go scractchdisk.

Is it normal ?

Thank you !

[Daniel Berube]

Oh, ok thank got it

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@D Fosse with a Mac - there is no reason we should be getting out of memory errors with a tool in Photoshop. This is a new issue - we have a dept with over 100 Macs and this has never been an issue before the Remove tool. Even on a M1/M2 Mac I can max out my RAM forcing me to quit PS with 64 GB installed. The releasing of RAM may not be a new issue, but the rate at which it uses the available RAM is explosive.

[D Fosse]

@Kevin Stohlmeyer 

Well, it doesn't happen here, as demonstrated by my post above.

The one possible common factor I can think of is an integrated GPU. That could explain it, because it's using system RAM. Other than that I don't know why you're getting this and I don't.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@D Fosse we're currently working with the team and discovering a lot. The Image Processing settings make a difference - more stable increases faster than the "faster" settings. We're seeing this on both Intel and M series Macs 2023 and 2024 versions of PS. These are also 6300 x 5400 px images with multiple passes of the remove tool.

It's not noticeable with a few strokes here and there but over the course of a days work - if you have hundreds of retouches - it adds up and bricks you.

[Daniel Berube]

@D Fosse 

Here's the test that I have done over the weekend. I use the same image, the same computer, same configuration. 

V25 - I've done multiple strokes and many times covered around 80% of the image and Memory never went over 9Gig opur of 32gig 

V24.2 I've done the same action as mentioned above, multiple strokes and many times covered around 80% of the image Memory never went over 27Gig and stays there. The stroke froze and Photoshop stopped responding. I have to kill the app to do anything else. 

[davescm]

In the interest of adding data points I just tried a similar exercise to DFosse here, using 3 open documents.

RAM use rose until it reached 27-28k then levelled out and, importantly, after that went up and down after each stroke. Hovering around the 27-28k mark.

I had not run out of RAM - I have 256GB installed and Photoshop can use up to 141GB

Scratch files rose to 27GB

VRAM use never went above 15% (of 24GB VRAM)

System : Photoshop v25.2; Windows 11 Pro (v22H2); i9-10920X; 256GB RAM; RTX3090GPU (24GBVRAM) Studio Driver 546.01

Dave

[D Fosse]

Yes, what Dave reports is precisely what I saw too. It levels out at a comfortable level, and then stays there.

I should point out that I kept removing long after I had reached this plateau. It didn't increase as much as a MB after that.

Subtracting memory used by system and other processes, Photoshop stayed very neatly within the RAM allocation set in Preferences.

[Daniel Berube]

Honestly,

I don't mind if the memory stays at this level... I think it deviated from the real problem which is. 

Photoshop freeze, stop working and can't be use without killing the app and retart. 

Although my test is still valid and even do you disagree, the problem is new since the 2 last versions. I've been able to workaround the problem and work on my images for the entire weekend since I rollback to V25. 

[davescm]

'Photoshop freeze, stop working and can't be use without killing the app and retart.'

That, I could not replicate. I've not had it happen here

Dave

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@davescm We've replicated on several machines here and it is a repeatable process and we've passed this along to the PS team. Hopefully they come back with some details soon.

[Daniel Berube]

Ok, I'll try to take the time to do a video and upload it somewhere. I have the impression that here it's well if I can't reproduce it, it doesn't exist... 

[davescm]

I have no doubt the issue is real. What I'm trying to do is show a system that does not have the issue - it may help in locating it.

Dave

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@davescm appreciate the assist. For us - our Intel Macs have 64 GB total RAM with Photoshop set for default ~70% usage. In order me to replicate this - we have to either accelerate usage of the tool or wait until later in the day where the RAM builds up enough (and does not release after doc closes) from continued usage to cause the issue.

[Daniel Berube]

Got it, thanks appreciate all your help. Sorry for my misinterpretation 

[ShowLowAZ]

I am using Win 11 with 64GB RAM and having the same problem—"Could not complete your request because there is not enough memory (RAM)" after only the second application of the remove tool. Photoshop freezes and will not come back for up to several minutes, then the error message appears. I have release ver. 25.2.0 and the problem also occurs when using the Beta version. This is new behavior only recently. When first released the remove tool functioned perfectly.

[John40059040]

Just checked new release 25.3.0 but no difference. I have noticed that RAM used (monitoring it using Windows Task Manager) by Photoshop is in no way limited by the Memory Usage setting in Edit > Preferences > Performance. I have tried it in the recommended range and also set very low (20%). I find that as the PC RAM usage rises above 80% the PC crashes (I suspect that Photoshop RAM usage is spiking up causing the PC to crash (Windows Task Manager does not rise above 80% I believe because it is not updated because of the PC starting to crash)). I have tried running the PC in Safe Mode and I find that it will run correctly using Remove tool even when Photoshop is using 85% of RAM. Of course this could indicate there is something running on my PC that is only present when not in Safe Mode. However, surely if Photoshop has a RAM usage control then with it set to the recommended range or even at 20% then I should not be able to see Photoshop using 85% of RAM.

[Toastman3000]

getting crashes and memory leaks around every 5th time I use the remove tool. simply not functional

[GCWB]

Mac OS X - 14.1 (23B2073)

Photoshop 25.3.1

Apple M3 Max (64GB RAM)

I'm a freelance retoucher & I'm using Photoshop around 10 hours a day. The remove tool is pretty much instant for me, however about 3-5 times a day after repeated usage, I'll see the loading bar on a removal.

As soon as this happens, I know to save my work, as activity monitor over the next minute will show Photoshop suddenly using more & more memory until the app becomes unresponsive & only a force quit will fix this. If I have multiple files open I'll only get the opportunity to save one of them so it's a bit like playing Russian roulette with my job.

I'm not doing anything unusual or weird & my files aren't that big. The issue is consistent however.

I will grab screenshots of normal RAM usage & the issue as it happens & update shortly.

Thanks,

George

[D Fosse]

There's been a number of reports about this, both from Windows and Mac. I can't reproduce it here even when really trying (Win 10), but others have shown behavior that I don't get here. So it's inconsistent and erratic.

Gather as much documentation as you can, and post it here.

[GCWB]

Of course.

As of yet the problem hasn't happened again. However here's a bit more transparency on how I work & thus, the steps that eventually produce the issue. These are my settings, 'remove after each stroke' is turned off.

I select 3-10 areas with the remove tool I'd like to remove.

I then do hit 'remove.' I rinse and repeat this process.

When I open Photoshop it starts at a low memory usage however after each 5-10 strokes of the remove tool, about 1GB of memory is added to its usage. This continues as more strokes are added & has seemed to top out at 40GB usage.

So far since my post a couple hours ago I've not yet had a fully memory leak situation such as mentioned in the original post. (this morning though I had about 3 so its just a matter of time).

I'll update with more when a leak happens.

[GCWB]

As promised.

A memory leak crash just happened. I'll be using Remove tool & then suddenly I'll see the loading bar at the top with no progress, this will not move. Activity monitor will then show a constant spike of RAM/memory (about 5GB+ a second) until it reaches about 200GB of memory & then Photoshop becomes fully unresponsive.

I notice you just merged my thread with this one. 

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@GCWB yes as @D Fosse mentioned the team is investigating to determine specifics. Your posts help. Thank you.

[GunnarFreyr]

I have had this issue for a while, unable to update Photoshop past 25.1 since it makes the remove tool hang while increasing the memory usage of photoshop to the max of the installed ram and then after a while of Photoshop being completely unresponsive, I get an error message saying the program could not finish the operations due to insufficient ram. I have been updating the Beta versions and checking if the issue got resolved but no luck there but I suddenly stumbled upon something. I can not produce this issue when using a mouse. I always use a pen and tablet so it had never occured to me until one day I had forgotten to charge my tablet and used a mouse. I suddenly realized that I was working on the latest beta that should have produced the issue but it didn't. I have gone through testing since then, I can't use my Xencelabs tablet with the remove tool on any versions past 25.1. I have updated the Xencelabs drivers, reset them to default, completely removed the device and reinstalled it, makes no difference. I wonder if others experiencing this issue with the remove tool are using some peripheral that produces the issue? 

[andreyr97304427]

After your message that a memory leak in Photoshop occurs when using a graphics tablet. I conducted an experiment. I found out that when using the mouse, everything works as expected. No freezes or memory leaks. I have a Wacom Intuos Pro tablet.

[benj_v]

Here are my last tests, mouse or tablets does the same problem for me apparently. I'm using PSUserconfig.txt, maybe that's why. Are you using it too ?

Left : Total ram used, Right : Difference

Each stroke of this tool is storing in ram a "similar" amount of data, even a tiny stroke (small click with small radius).