Photoshop CS5 12.1 Eventually Won't Open Files or New Documents

[Coestar]

I have been experiencing a problem with Photoshop CS5 12.1 in which, after a variable amount of time from a system restart, Photoshop will no longer open files or create new ones.  It is very difficult to search for and/or explain the nature of this problem, but I will try my best.

Photoshop behaves completely normally after a fresh reboot of Windows until this problem presents itself.

The problem has manifested itself during use and before use.  If it occurs during use, it seems that various features of Photoshop stop working.  For example: I can't save files that are open.  Photoshop will go through the motions of doing a "File > Save as...", but nothing happens on the file system.  Restarting Photoshop at this point does not resolve the problem.

If Photoshop is already in this non-functional state upon opening, files cannot be opened nor new files created.  Here is what happens during an attempt to open a file:

1. Click "File > Open..."
2. Open dialog is shown, I browse to select a ".psd" file to open
3. Once file is selected, click "Open" button on dialog
4. Dialog disappears, but document never opens

If I try to use "File > New...", the New dialog never appears.

Once in this state, the only way to use Photoshop normally again is to do a full system reboot.  This seems to indicate that something is slowly happening on my system (such as RAM usage) that eventually renders Photoshop inoperable.  However, at the time of failure, there appears to be ample resources available for Photoshop to use.  It has been difficult to troubleshoot this problem beyond this point.

Please let me know if I need to clarify any of this further.

System Information Dumps:

PS Sysinfo (post failure) http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=9N53jGQC

DXDiag (post failure) http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=x5euCLqn

If it would be useful to include information from a fresh restart (pre failure), please let me know and I will provide those too.

Thanks for your help!

[Noel Carboni]

Well, that puts to rest the thought that maybe a thread is hung.

The symptom that Photoshop never even puts up the File - New dialog has got to be key here somehow...  I'm pretty sure that dialog doesn't rely on Explorer or any components external to Photoshop, and something must have gone awry in the GDI or display driver for it to just fail to display the dialog like that.

I really think the Adobe technical folks (e.g., Chris Cox) are going to have to take notice of this thread and your issue to take you any further.  This is a tough one!

Last gasp thought:  Have you changed anything on the desktop (e.g., font, metrics for sizes of things, added a skinning tool, etc.)?  I see that Aero Glass is not running on your desktop...  Why is that?  Your choice?

By the way, if you just run Photoshop and not other parts of the Creative Suite you don't need the Switchboard service running.

-Noel

[Coestar]

Noel Carboni wrote:

Well, that puts to rest the thought that maybe a thread is hung.

The symptom that Photoshop never even puts up the File - New dialog has got to be key here somehow...  I'm pretty sure that dialog doesn't rely on Explorer or any components external to Photoshop, and something must have gone awry in the GDI or display driver for it to just fail to display the dialog like that.

I really think the Adobe technical folks (e.g., Chris Cox) are going to have to take notice of this thread and your issue to take you any further.  This is a tough one!

I was afraid that might be the case, since this problem is so obscure/obtuse.  I appreciate the help you've given on the subject thus far.  Sorry I didn't express the problem more clearly earlier.

Last gasp thought:  Have you changed anything on the desktop (e.g., font, metrics for sizes of things, added a skinning tool, etc.)?  I see that Aero Glass is not running on your desktop...  Why is that?  Your choice?

Nope, no customizations in that regard.  Aero Glass was disabled automatically by the application I used to record my desktop (XSplit) - normally, it is enabled.

By the way, if you just run Photoshop and not other parts of the Creative Suite you don't need the Switchboard service running.

-Noel

Ahh cool, thanks for the tip. 

[MorganG9869]

Hi,

I am having the exact same issues as Coestar after upgrading to CS6. I.e the intermitent problem of Photoshop opening and being responsive, but not opening or creating a new document.

I have spent days scanning the internet and trying everything I can think of but with no luck.

I was wondering if any of you came a cross a solid solution to the issue? Or if not what you think the short list of causes are?

If you could shed some light on this it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Morgan

[Coestar]

Hi Morgan,

Can you post dxdiag and PS sysinfo dumps for me?  (Please use pastebin, "unlisted" and "never expire")  If you don't know how to do this, I can explain how in more detail.

I haven't heard from anyone since I talked to Noel last, so this thread is all we know on the issue.

My best guess is that there is some piece of software or hardware (or combination thereof) causing a conflict (super specific, huh?) with PS.  As this is not a widespread problem, it must be a pretty particular or unique combination (yet still hard to detect).

Perhaps we have similar hardware/software configurations.  Examining the overlaps may yield the answer.

[MorganG9869]

Hi Coestar,

Here's the info you asked for.

PS System Info Pre Failure:     http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=uC2KG797

DxDiag Pre Failure:                  http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=4icMymNx

They are pre failure as I cant make the issue replicate on demand unfortunately.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the issue has only arrisen in the last few days after upgrading to CS6. I had been running CS5 for 2 years before with no issues at all.

Also from trauling around the internet over the last few days there appear to be a few recurring themes about what might be causing the issue and ways to solve it. Ive listed the most common ones below to see if any of them stand out for you. Perhaps something we both have in common? Apologies if im repeating anything from earlier in the thread.

Deleting PS preferences.

Setting up new user account.

Changing the default printer.

Not using a logitech keyboard / setpoint / shortcuts.

Conflicts with nVidia graphics cards.

Use of dual monitors.

Adobe flash conflict.

To be honest from all I've read I think theres no definate answer and people are just guessing and getting lucky with results. As im sure you've found the issue appears to come and go as it pleases.

Are you still experiencing the issue?

Morgan

[Chris Cox]

>> LogMeIn Mirror Driver

That's caused problems for some other users.

The system reboot probably means that you're looking at an OS or driver state that causes the problem -- otherwise Photoshop would recover when it was relaunched.

[Coestar]

Morgan,

I am still experiencing the issue.  Based on what Chris pointed out, I have a feeling you might not have the same problem that I do.

[MorganG9869]

Ive not heard of LogMeIn being mentioned on other forums, and I dont have it installed so that isnt it in this case.

From what I understood of your original post, my problem is the same...

1. Photoshop opens and is responsive. ie. I can select tools and navigate menus.

2. When i go File>New. No dialogue appears.

3. When I go File>Open. Dialogue box appears, I select a file to open, dialogue box closes but nothing happens.

4. Restarting Photoshop doesnt solve issue.

5. System resart solves most of the time.

6. Problem is not always present. Sometimes doesnt happen, sometimes happens on first launch, sometimes after a few hours use.

Is this the same?

I agree that it is probably an OS or driver issue. But so far from what I can tell we have no idea exactly what it is. Thats why I was hoping that myself and Coestar could find some common hardware/software configurations from the info I provided, or the list of common so called fixes that I listed.

Morgan

[Coestar]

Hmm... " I dont have it installed" - you might want to investigate that.  The reason Chris brought that up is that your system is reporting that you do have it installed.  Your PS sys info dump shows this as your driver:

"Video Card: LogMeIn Mirror Driver"

And your dxdiag dump has a few "LogMeIn" mentions as well.  If you don't have it installed, it's probably a very bad thing that it is showing up as your video card and/or driver...

Otherwise, yes - it does sound like we are having the same or a similar issue based on your description.

[Noel Carboni]

You definitely DO have parts of it installed.

-Noel

[MorganG9869]

I have used LogMeIn in the past, but no longer have it installed. I agree that its a bad thing that its still showing up. Theres nothing more annoying than software that leaves remnants of itslef after removal.

I guess ill follow the advice here to remove it? http://community.logmein.com/t5/Free/MANUAL-UNINSTALL/td-p/18918

Also, apologies if im missing something, but I dont understand how a video/graphic/driver issue could be causing the Photoshop problem?

Morgan

[MorganG9869]

A little further information.

Although I can't say for sure when the problem started as I havent been running CS6 that long, and havent needed Photoshop that much recently, around the time I noticed the issues I had just updated the following...

Adobe Flash Player11 ActiveX

Adobe Flash Player11 Plugin

Download Accelerator Plus (DAP)

Microsoft Sync Framework 2.0 Provider Services

Microsoft Sync Framework 2.0 Core Components

SyncToy 2.1

Also Dropbox and Spotify updates a few day prior to the above. Probably too far to be concidered.

Morgan

[xxLordSnowxx12]

Hey just wanted to relay what I did to fix this problem and maybe it will help you...first I performed a clean install of win7 on a new SSD. Then without installing anything else just the hardware drivers for my system I installed cs6. Low and behold the problem was STILL there. So this pretty much confirmed what I suspected that it was a hardware issue. Since I was planning on upgrading my video card anyway's and this seemed like the most obvious culprit I started there. I upgraded from my old quadro fx 1700 to a quadro 4000 and the problem is no more!!!! Maybe it had to do with the way I installed the drivers that I had not done before or maybe it was the hardware I'm not sure. Before I installed the new card I used driver sweeper to completely remove any old nvidia drivers...then installed the new card and drivers. Good luck guys I know how frustrating this problem is and how much time it took out of my life.

[MorganG9869]

Thanks to you both for the help. Removing the LogMeIn driver, plus a good overhaul and cleanup of my machine including updating the nVidea drivers, appears to have done the trick. For now atleast so fingers crossed.

Cheers.

Morgan

[Ron_Rudduck]

I seem to be having the same issue with PS (CS5)

[the_wine_snob]

Welcome to the forum.

Did you do the maintance, that Morgan found successful, and it did not work?

Is that is the case, I would start with supplying all the info asked for in this FAQ Entry: http://forums.adobe.com/message/4587299#4587299

Good luck,

Hunt

[Ron_Rudduck]

Thanks Hunt - I am not very good with the technical aspects of all of this. It is intersting to read the threads tho.  In answer to the questions

• What version of Photoshop? Include the minor version number (e.g., Photoshop CS5 Extended with the 12.1 x 64).
• Have you installed the recent updates? all updates current
• What operating system? Mac OSX v10.7.5"
• What kind(s) of image file(s)? Nikon - usually jpeg images from Bridge
• What were you doing when the problem occurred? reopening a project after running PS for a while
• What other software are you running?
• Tell us about your computer hardware. 500 GB SATA Disk  427 GB free
• Has this ever worked before?  Usually if I close PS and restart it - everything works fine

[Guest]

I'm having the exact same problem as Coestar. I've reinstalled my OS and the problem persists. After rebooting I can use Photoshop fine for awhile, but it always ends up having this problem at some point during the day, meaning I often have to reboot 3 or 4 times a day just to be able to use Photoshop. I'm using CS6.

Coestar, were you ever able to fix your problem?

[station_two]

Read posts 37 and 38 in this thread.  Both posters solved the issue in different manners:

37.xxLordSnowxx12,

Aug 11, 2012 7:15 AM   in reply to Morgang9869

Report

Hey just wanted to relay what I did to fix this problem and maybe it will help you...first I performed a clean install of win7 on a new SSD. Then without installing anything else just the hardware drivers for my system I installed cs6. Low and behold the problem was STILL there.

So this pretty much confirmed what I suspected that it was a hardware issue. Since I was planning on upgrading my video card anyway's and this seemed like the most obvious culprit I started there. I upgraded from my old quadro fx 1700 to a quadro 4000 and the problem is no more!!!!

Maybe it had to do with the way I installed the drivers that I had not done before or maybe it was the hardware I'm not sure. Before I installed the new card I used driver sweeper to completely remove any old nvidia drivers...then installed the new card and drivers.

Good luck guys I know how frustrating this problem is and how much time it took out of my life.

[station_two]

…and…

38.Morgang9869,

Aug 13, 2012 8:06 AM

Thanks to you both for the help. Removing the LogMeIn driver, plus a good overhaul and cleanup of my machine including updating the nVidea drivers, appears to have done the trick. For now atleast so fingers crossed.

Cheers.

Morgan

[Guest]

Thanks for the response, but I don't believe Coestar ever solved his problem, at least he never posted he had.

[station_two]

I didn't say he had.    I just pointed out to you other posts by users who had. 

[Guest]

Ah, sorry, I misread.

[Guest]

Upgraded my video card. Still having the same issue. No LogMeIn driver, nvidia drivers are up to date.

[AdventPres]

I had a similar set of issues with photoshop cs6 mentioned in this thread on new install of Windows 7. After a reboot of the machine photoshop worked fine the first time but if reloaded, Photoshop wouldn't create a new file or open an existing file. I could drag an image in from Mini-Bridge but it would not save. I would have to either keep Photoshop open or reboot the machine any time I wanted to use Photoshop.

In my case this was not a preferences issue, GPU issue, nor even a photoshop issue. It was a permissions issue between Photoshop and the OS (Windows 7 64bit). With 7 and now with 8, Windows sometimes doesn't give you all the permissions it is supposed to when you set up the first user (an administrator by default) and using the "Run as Administrator options dodn't correct this for me.

To fix the problem I simply created a new user as an administrator and migrated my preferences and other setting over to the new user. The new user was given full permissions and Photoshop works just fine now.

It is a simple fix to try, so well worth the effort.