Everything works, Photoshop does not start

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

Build a new PC, asus x670e-e,  ryzen 7950x, 96 gig ram, Windows 11 24H2, GF 4060ti 16GB. Every other Adobe app and game and so on works fine, just Photoshop, no matter what version does not load. There is not a splash screen coming. Out of 50 times starting, rebooting and so on it maybe opens ones. Tryed beta, 2022, 2024, latest... i am going crazy! fresh installed windows, falshed bios, changed bios settings and so on. Where could i find logs, why it does not load? In task manager it just idles 0% cpu, 22,3 mb ram, 0 net 0 disk... i close it try again... starting in windows save mode it mostly loads. Updated all drivers, too ofcause... lightroom, illustrator, all other apps work....

[nikunj.m]

Hi, we're sorry about the trouble with Photoshop. Which version of Windows are you working on? Please ensure you have all available Windows updates installed on the computer. Have you used Photoshop on this machine in the past? If yes, you can try to reset the preferences of Photoshop using the steps mentioned here: https://adobe.ly/4gpdKPW

Please backup your settings prior to resetting the preferences. You can check: https://adobe.ly/4gvW6tN

If not, please go to the Event Viewer in Windows, expand Windows logs, select Application, and check if you have any Error or Warning entries for Photoshop. 

Thanks,
Nikunj

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

I am using latest Windows 11 Pro 24H2 version. Used Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner to uninstall and install again. IN Eventviewer i could not find adobe. Where should the logs be? Windows-Protocols and then Application? Or Application- and Serviceprotocolls?

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

I used Process Monitor. It shows some File locked with only Readers, Name not Found, Buffer Overflow, Buffer too Small. But even with chatgpt i could not find out more in this logs. I have 96 Gig on ram, could this be a problem? As i sayed lightroom and so on, no other tool makes any problems...

[davescm]

Hi

Are you able to run Photoshop as admin? The file locked may be a permission issue. I see you used the Adobe CC Cleaner tool, did you restart the PC before re-installing Photoshop?

'I have 96 Gig on ram, could this be a problem?'

96GB of RAM should not lead to any issues, I have two PCs here one with 64GB RAM, the other with 256GB. Both run Photoshop without issue.

Dave

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

It is so strange! Because of the problems wir Photoshop i installed Windows completely new! It worked for some days now. The last days i just installed some new fonts (but they worked inside photoshop) added some mounted drives, nothing else - no new driver, no antivirus or something... this morning photoshop still worked, now the same [cursing removed]. everything works but photoshop does not load. It hangs before Splashscreen... i dont have the time to reinstall every some days. I am quite sure there must be a bug, as others have similar problems. Where and how can i for example send Process Monitor logs to investigate this?

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

I did some more research. I am doing IT things since decades, but never had such a strange problem. As i do backups with macrium reflect every day, i gone back to yesterday - today i was working with photoshop. And guess what, even after restore, photoshop does not load anymore. Everything else still works. Photoshop is starting in Windows Savemode. But not in normal Windows. I even gone back 3 days and still not working. So my conclusion is, is it anything like a check over internet that prevents from starting or is it a hardware error like from the grafikcard or processor - even it works in every other tool/game... This is like it looks, it justs stands there no splashscreen no further loading

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

Installed the PC new, photoshop worked for 4 Days, now today the same 😞 and as always it is only Photoshop making problems... what could that thing be and what else can i do?

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

I installed everything like before but this time i let the brother printzer / scanner software away. I will make a imake later, but somehow i think maybe this brother driver and tool set has something to do with it https://support.brother.com/g/b/branch/downloadend.aspx?c=ch&lang=de&prod=mfcl3740cdw_eu&os=10068&dl...  could it be that photoshop does not start when there a re special driver for printer or scanner installed?

[nikunj.m]

We have seen situations in the past where drivers have caused instability with Photoshop as it checks for available devices and drivers at startup. 

Thanks,
Nikunj

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

Ok, Problem came back today. As always its ONLY photoshop not loading. Dont know if it hast something to do with the update that i got today. So, its not (or not only) the printer driver. I dont understand, why only photoshop is effected everytime, all other apps and all other adobe apps work! so what would be a way to get this sorted? 

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

Gone back to a backup vom 1.1. and loads again, even i worked with the pc and photoshop since days, all the other backups of the last days did not work. Well i did not clode photoshop and did not reboot, for the last days, i just had it in energy save mode. What i did when working, i added fonts (i used before on the old pc, and addem them again, as opening older files asked for missing fonts) so, as everything else like lightroom and so on works... MAYBE it has something to do with the fonts? Like photoshop not liking one of the fonts when restarting? When Restarting windows i sometimes get the error "LogTransport2.exe could not started properly" looks like another bug.... 

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

None any idea? now works again since some days, but dont have the time to restore daily backups always after some days/weeks... can not find any logs, or error messages. 

[Francesco Rugerfred Sedda]

I have the same [cursing removed] problem, and it's embarassing how little Adobe care about this problem compared to how much this cost. I'm this close to never use it again and use alternatives instead.

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

@Francesco Rugerfred Sedda is it a new system, too? AMD, AM5, RTX, Windows 11? I am now doing step by step. Installing Stuff, reboot, start Photoshop, taking backup with macrium, work some days, and over and over again. As there is ZERO Support from Adobe, and it does not show any error, or any logs, i hope i can find out what exactly the problem is. maybe some gone wrong autoupdates or really a bug in a font that only affects photoshop - so its a failure of photoshop. I dont wonder sometimes, why people use Capt. Jack Sparrow software, when paying customers get such bugs that takes them hours of work/lifetime

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

Still the same problem, from time to time, photoshop, and ONLY photoshop is not starting! No error message nothing. @nikunj.m when will Adobe ever help?

[Francesco Rugerfred Sedda]

Same problem, went through various Adobe support teams. Nobody was able to help or to propose solutions that a quick Google search didn't already proposed. This kind of support is honestly embarassing if you think how much this software cost.

[Aleke]

Hi @Francesco Rugerfred Sedda!

I'm really sorry we haven't been able to help yet. Could you please start a new thread in the community with all the relevant details about your issue, along with the troubleshooting steps you've already tried with our support? This way, we can avoid repeating ourselves and work towards a solution more efficiently. We'd love to make this right for you.

Thanks a bunch!

Best, Alek

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

Still have the same problem, everything works fine since month, all other Adobe Applications but to start photoshop (even the latest version) is sometimes have to restart my pc 10 times, when it works then it works, until the next reboot. This is such a strange bug.... it drives me crazy. When it comes to the splash creen everything is ok, but most times after a reboot it just comes to the splash screen. As every other program works, i would like adobe to fix this s***t!

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

@Francesco Rugerfred Sedda did you resolve it? 

[Sameer K]

@Friendly_Unicorn5089 Try logging in using Safe Mode and see if the issue persists there. This can help identify whether something in your system environment is causing the problem.

Safe mode Windows: https://adobe.ly/4muuLM2

Thanks!
Sameer K

[Friendly_Unicorn5089]

It works too, when i reboot (sometimes 1 time, sometimes 10 times) and then it loads EVERY TIME after closing, or oging to hibernation mode. Buit sometimes it does not even come to the splash screen, and its so anoying because it is only Photoshop, all other tools and all other Adobe Apps dont have this problem... going to save mode 10 times now, it worked 10 times. so how to find out whats the problem? 

[NB, colourmanagement]

Perhaps try a thorough reset of Photoshop preferences?

(read this entire text before acting please)

Unexpected behaviour of Photoshop may indicate damaged preferences, which are saved when Photoshop closes.. Restoring preferences to their default settings is a good idea when trying to troubleshoot unexpected behaviours in Photoshop.

When preferences become corrupt, then various issues can occur.

Here’s some info from Adobe about preferences:

Learn how to access and modify Photoshop preferences and customise according to your frequent workflows

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

According to Adobe, manually removing preferences files is the most complete method for restoring Photoshop to its default state. This method ensures that all preferences and any user presets which may be causing a problem are not loaded. More here: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#Manually

The process:

1. Quit Photoshop.
2. Navigate to Photoshop's Preferences folder.
   macOS: Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings
   Windows: Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop [version]/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings
    
   Note: The user Library folder is hidden by default on macOS. To access files in the hidden user Library folder, see How to access hidden user library files.
3. Drag the entire Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings folder to the desktop or somewhere safe for a backup of your settings
4. Open Photoshop.
    New preferences files will be created in the original location.

You may want to back up your settings and custom presets, brushes & actions before restoring Photoshop's preferences.

Here is general info about that:  https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#BackupPhotoshoppreferences

And here’s an Adobe Quick Tips link as an aid to overall understanding

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/quick-tips-how-to-reset-photoshop-pre...

Thanks to Digitaldog for this quick and simple method:

Press and hold Alt+Control+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (macOS) immediately after launching Photoshop. You will be prompted to delete the current settings.

You can also reset preferences on quit, if Photoshop is running, by going into General Preferences>General>Reset on Quit.

This action only affects the items found in the preferences dialog box. Numerous program settings are stored in the Adobe Photoshop Preferences file, including general display options, file-saving options, performance options, cursor options, transparency options, type options, and options for plug‑ins and scratch disks. Brushes (and lots of other settings) are not affected by the above instructions for deleting preferences.

You may wish to make a screen capture of the settings in the Preferences dialog to reset them prior to deleting this file. 

Before you reset your preferences, in case of future issues, I suggest you make a backup copy as Adobe may need one to check problematic preferences. 

Quit Photoshop.
Go to Photoshop's Preferences folder

Preferences file locations: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/preference-file-names-locations-photoshop.html\

  [on MacOS see: Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings

  Note for those on macOS: - Be aware that the user Library folder is hidden by default on macOS. More on that here:

  https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/access-hidden-user-library-files.html

  In the Finder, open the “Go” menu whilst holding down the Option (Alt) key.

  "Library" will now appear in the list - below the current user's “home” directory. ]

Now you can drag the entire Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings folder to the desktop or somewhere safe as a backup of your settings.

Note for macOS:

Preference preservation is affected by macOS permissions,

You’ll need to allow Photoshop ‘Full Disk Access’ in your Mac OS Preferences/Security and Privacy

If resetting preferences doesn't fix your issue:

Go to Preferences > Performance... and uncheck Multithreaded Compositing - and restart Photoshop.

Is Photoshop still hanging? 

Go to Preferences > Performance... click Advanced Settings... and uncheck "GPU Compositing" - then restart Photoshop. 

It may even be time to reinstall Photoshop.

It’s recommended that you use the Adobe CC cleaner tool to remove all traces first.

(See above about preserving preferences first, though! It’s worth preserving them unless they are corrupted.)

How and when to use the Creative Cloud Cleaner tool | Advanced steps

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

Uninstall Photoshop BUT make sure to choose the option “Yes, remove app preference”.

Once that process finishes, start the installation process and look into the “Advanced Options”. Uncheck “Import previous settings and preferences” and choose to “Remove old versions”.

neil barstow - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colour management

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