Photoshop CC can't save file as PDF due to disk error

[heleng2]

Hello! I have searched for an answer to this, but been unsuccessful.

I am using Photoshop CC 2017. When I try to save a file as a Photoshop PDF (File>Save As), the response I get is as follows:

Could not save as “FileName.pdf” because of a disk error.

Note: It says DISK error, not program error. I've seen plenty of posts regarding program errors and have tried those solutions in hopes it will help, but has not.

This is a NEW error. I have been saving files as PDFs with no issue until two weeks ago. I cannot remember if I have saved files as PDFs since upgrading to Photoshop CC 2017... prior to this, I was using Photoshop CC 2015.5

I have done the following to try to solve this issue without success:

1. Try different files

2. Try saving TO different locations (hard drive, desktop, external hard drive)

3. Try saving files FROM different locations

4. Ensure there's plenty of room on computer (145 GB avail) & external hard drive (2.85 TB avail)

5. Preferences > File Handling > Deselect "Save in Background"

6. Re-starting Photoshop CC 2017

7. Re-starting the computer (MacBook running OS Sierra 10.12.6)

8. Upon re-starting Photoshop, select Cmd-Option-Shift

9. Search for font errors - one identified and deleted

10. Ensure programs are all up-to-date

What am I missing? Any help would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks, in advance!

[Mohit Goyal]

Hi  heleng,

Yes, you have almost tried everything to fix this issue. Please create another user account with the admin rights and check the Photoshop there.

8. Upon re-starting Photoshop, select Cmd-Option-Shift

When you tried resetting the Photoshop preferences were you able to do it properly.

Refer: Preferences in Photoshop

Regards,

Mohit

[heleng2]

It did not work. And now after updating to 2018, I had to delete the preferences file and re-open Photoshop CC2018 to get it to work properly with Lightroom CC. I still cannot save a PDF.

[Mohit Goyal]

Hi heleng,

Thanks for getting back to us. Could you please post a screenshot of error which you are getting while saving the files as PDF?

Regards,

Mohit

[heleng2]

[tonyharmer]

Hey Helen—thanks for the info and also for the screenshot of the error dialog.

Do you have another drive you can save to?

Also, are you working on files that are on a local network?

[heleng2]

Doesn't seem to matter what drive my images are on. I generally save them to external drives - have tried many different external drives and am getting the same error. I also uninstalled and reinstalled Photoshop with no luck. It won't even allow me to open PDFs with Photoshop. Did the repair disk as meastwood​ suggested, repaired - there did seem to be an issue - but still no luck.

[tonyharmer]

Just a quick question to eliminate a potential problem, if you don't mind?

When you're saving the file as a Photoshop PDF, is it to replace an existing PDF file that is open somewhere else?

PDF's use quite a variety of system resources (that's what makes them so capable) and if you have a PDF open (even in a different application) and try to create a new PDF with the same name, you will get this error.

[heleng2]

Hi Tony - no, I'm not replacing existing PDFs. I've tried with a number of different files and file types. I've tried just "save as", as well as save as a copy. Nothing seems to be working. So strange that it was working fine for years before this.

[meastwood]

Is everything else working ok with your computer?

Just a thought: could be something wrong with your hard disk?

Maybe try running verify/repair permissions...

[ashwing89257041 · Accepted solution]

Just found this: (IOS solution)

On a Mac, go to Launchpad. Then click Photoshop. Immediately after launching the application, press command, option and shift. A small dialogue box will appear, asking to delete settings. Click yes. After this, it should be possible to save as PDF again (it worked for me). ) (cc thomasf32295561)

Worked for me! PS CC 2018

[heleng2]

Thanks, but that was the first thing I tried and it didn't work 😕

UPDATE!

I don't know if it was sheer stubbornness or exasperation, but I decided to give that one more shot and... it finally worked!! I must have done that about 3 times previously without any success. This time, however, I went into preferences beforehand and added one of my external drives as a scratch disk. Then I restarted and did cmd/opt/shift, delete the settings and voila! I can open and save PDFs again. I went back into my preferences and noticed that the external drive I added as a scratch disk is no longer selected. Whatever it was that did it, I'm thankful it works again.

Appreciate everyone's help!

[Felipe Augusto]

It worked for me too!
Tnx

[l13_l130421]

thank you......

[gerritv57747060]

Tnx! Worked for me!

[Timmybamidele]

Hi! How do I do this. I use a windows not a mac

[Timmybamidele]

Hi! How do I do this? I use a windows PC not a mac

[Timmybamidele]

Solved it already. The problem was with the file and not Photoshop