CS4 experience with AMD Ryzen processor

[sPretzel]

This is in reference to post: Photoshop CS4 Runs SLUGGISHLY on AMD Ryzen Windows 10 desktop 

I replied to the post but jane-e, a community expert, then locked the thread and asked me to start a new thread.

Here is what I had written in response to Tim Liebe's original post, in which he reported CS4 Photoshop being sluggish on his Windows 10 AMD Ryzen machine whereas CS4 Photoshop would run much more smoothly on his Windows 10 (presumably) Intel machine.

Hi Tim,

-Have you managed to improve the performance of CS4 on your AMD Ryzen system?

-If anybody else has experience with running CS4, CS5, CS6 (Photoshop or other applications within CS) on AMD Ryzen processors, it would be interesting to hear their feedback. In particular, is it comparable in terms of performance to running on Intel CPU, or, as the OP mentioned, is it noticeably slower or with other issues on AMD Ryzen?

Thanks.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Hi @sPretzel not sure you saw this response:

As for the issue of Photoshop CS4 and your current OS: According to the documented System Requirements it isn’t intended to run on Windows 10 at all, so that it does, though sluggishly, may be a testament to the inherent compatibility advantages Windows appears to offer compared to Mac for example. 

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

They are correct that CS4 was not intended to run on Windows 10, as it's support ended well before Win 10 release.

In short, when you decided to keep running CS4 - you should have also kept your hardware in stasis. With each HW/OS update you are moving further from compatibility with your CS4 package and unfortunately there comes a tipping point where performance will be impacted. It sounds like you've passed this point.

[D Fosse]

is it comparable in terms of performance to running on Intel CPU, or, as the OP mentioned, is it noticeably slower or with other issues on AMD Ryzen?

By @sPretzel

The only relevant comparison here is between Core2Duo versus AMD Athlon. Those are the CPUs these old Photoshop versions were meant to run on.

If you choose to run fifteen year old software, you need to run it on a fifteen year old system and don't update anything.

[Jeff Arola]

Is your photoshop cs4 updated to 11.0.2?

You can find out from within photoshop cs4 by going to Help>System Info and looking at the top line Adobe Photoshop Version.

There were some bug fixes in the photoshop cs4 updates to fix a variety of slowdowns related to GPU functionality.

[sPretzel]

Just reviving this thread since nobody answered. I'd like to hear any experience of people who have successfully been running CS4, CS5, or CS6 on recent AMD Ryzen processors. Any of the applications in the suite, not necessarily Photoshop. Thank you.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

CS4 is completely defunct now that you cannot even activate it.

[sPretzel]

Kevin, that's irrelevant. Please respond if you have the experience as described.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Its very relevant since you cant even install CS4 on newer systems including Ryzen processors. Many users have been running CS6 on new systems as long as they can validate.

[sPretzel]

No, it's not relevant or helpful. Unless you have experience running CS4, CS5, or CS6 on a recent AMD Ryzen processor and that is what you want to share, there is no need to participate.

[Lumigraphics]

Its relevant that CS4 is unsupported and can't be activated. Anyone coming across this topic would want to know that.

[D Fosse]

The overriding factor here is that these applications were designed for the operating systems and hardware of 2009-2012. With a current system all bets are off, it may work and it may not, depending on a wide range of random external factors. Intel or AMD is not a significant parameter in this mix.

In any case, CS4 can no longer be activated, so that's of no use to anyone anymore. Just throw it away. CS5 and 6 will probably follow very soon.

[sPretzel]

None of this answers the questions I initially asked. You all know that. Obviously, none of you have experience running CS4, CS5, CS6 on a recent AMD processor. We already know that CS4 and CS5 can no longer be activated. Awaiting proper contributions to this thread.