Photoshop CS6—many problems. Slow.

[ladri-bici]

I'm hoping someone at Adobe can address the numberous bugs and general slowness in Photoshop CS6.

Before installing (MacBok Pro 2010 Intel i7, 8GB Ram) I whiped my drive and installed OS Lion. So CS6 went on clean.

What I'm finding:

1. General slugishness all around.

Layered PSD files I was using just fine in CS5 are now extremely slow. An examle is a small (20mb) web design file. So it has many layers (maybe 200, not 2,000) mostly comprised of typographic elements—not many layered effects to speak of. Not many image layers, either. Layer folders are slow to move, folders can't be moved using the shift + arrow key consecutive times, making it difficult to move a range of folders xxx pixels to the left, for example.

Things that were pretty snappy before, are now slow. This is very similar to the problems I and many others saw with the initial relase of CS5—in the next version (12.0.1 I think?) Adobe fixed the issue.

2. Problems with type, example keybaord arrow keys stop working many times when toye is selected. Frustrating.

More of a general rant here, but insted of (at least in addition to) a lot of other 'features' like video in PS extended (why not use Premiere?), 3d, etc., it would be really smart for Adobe to make core elements work better: A big complaint among interactive desigers is that type renders so poorly compared to CSS html. Maybe this could be addressed, as photoshop is used for the design of most all websites.

[gshabanov]

I just downloaded CS6 trial on my work iMac 2012 and MacBookPro 2011 model both have 12 gig ram, powerful graphics cards and are updated video drivers.

Laptop has Snow and iMac is Lion. Both cant load our huge 150 mb psd design files. CS4 and CS5 loads just fine.

NO settings changed. Fresh out of the box iMac and brand new install of CS6.

Sorry but CS6 is slow. There needs to be an update for sure.

[Chris Cox]

It is not slow for most users.  But some people have problems on their system that cause slowdowns (drivers, corrupt fonts, third party plugins, etc.).

But do make sure you've installed all the updates for Photoshop CS6.

[snowdays]

Hello Chris,

I have been reading this forum and trying different settings with no luck. But I did discover several anomalies that I want to share with you.

1. Open CL is only available if the Cache Tile Size is 128k or 1024k, under Performance.

2. Under the System Info the "OpenCL Version:       " is blank, when enabled.

3. Under the System Info the:

Image tile size: 132K - Is this the mislabeled Cache Tile Size? Because it never changes and at that Cache Tile Size Open CL is disabled. Also a very unusual size for a tile, usually they are in multiples of 8 i.e. 16, 32, 48, 64, 96, 128.

I am running: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit, 16GB ram, AMD FX4170, XFX Radeon HD 7770 Core Edition 1GB DDR5, MSI 970A-G46, RaidMax RX630Z

Thanks,

Randy

Message was edited by: snowdays I checked the 32 bit version of Photoshop cs6 and that is the mislabeled Cache Tile SIze, because it changes. The 64bit version does not chage, just stays as 132K. Might be one of the causes of the Open CL issue.

[Chris Cox]

The Photoshop tile size won't affect OpenCL availability.

No, 132K is not mislabelled - it's 128K + 4K (for processors that have cache alignment issues)., the same for 1028K (1024+4).

But the OpenCL version being blank makes it sound like your driver still has problems.

And I don't know what you mean by tile size changes - that's just something that you change, a preference, and only takes effect once you relaunch Photoshop.

[Noel Carboni]

Keep in mind that with some display drivers OpenCL availability seems to come and go.  It might be coincidence that you're seeing it sometimes and not others.

-Noel

[CRCJJ]

OK, Chris/Noel/etc, what are the changes in 6 that weren't in any previous version? (i.e., video, txt engine change, etc) maybe that will narrow down the culprit?

One other thing I noticed since the last update (13.1.2 mac) is that when I open any file, - really doesn't matter to size or amount of layers - 9 times out of 10, I have to run "update all text layers" and even after saving changes and closing, the next time I open it, it's the same thing again. I've seen a lot of "type" problems in the forums w/both platforms being affected... hmmm

[Noel Carboni]

I don't have access to the source code, but in general Photoshop CS6 relies on the GPU more than its predecessors.  It's also been changed to be able to save files in the background and to auto-save files it can revert to if you have a crash.

Text problems imply font problems.  There's a page Adobe provides with instructions you can use to debug font issues:

http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/troubleshoot-fonts-photoshop-cs5.html

-Noel

[CRCJJ]

ALL my fonts are "clean" and have been tested... work every time in ANY app, including all Adobe apps EXCEPT the CS6 problems. It's NOT the fonts that are the problem, it's CS6 or how it's new mgr handles them.

[Noel Carboni]

gshabanov wrote:

Sorry but CS6 is slow.

You may feel your conclusion is founded based on seeing a similar issue on two systems, but rest assured it's not "slow" in the general sense.  In fact, I found it faster (by a small margin in general) than Photoshop CS5 on my PC.  I did objective tests.  Clearly you're not alone in finding Photoshop unacceptably sluggish on a Mac system, but you should try to imagine that it's not an issue for everyone even there.

Chris is not just toeing the company line; you really should work to try to find what it is on your systems that's getting in the way of Photoshop performance.  Install the latest update, for one.  For another, try the various GPU configuration settings (making sure to restart Photoshop after making changes).

Perhaps it would be helpful if you'd describe the performance you're experiencing in objective terms.  As in, "it takes sssss seconds to do dddddddd with an image that's xxx by yyy pixels in bbb bits/channel, with a brush size of zzzz", etc.

-Noel

[gshabanov]

Noel, I installed the latest updates.

Here is the thing.

I work with huge PSD files our designers provide us with for UI development.

While waiting for my company to install photoshop.

I was using my personal copy of CS4 and on another machine CS5. Full purchased copies.

Fresh install of CS6 Trial on my crazy multi core machines at work. Open the same files and then waiting for 3 minutes vs 20 - 30 seconds it takes to open these files.

I figured first time opening a huge file it needs to index what is what.

After file opened and all is well I tried to zoom into the header of the design. Machine stopped responding for 2 minutes.

Drivers are updated on my iMac i7 12 gig ram with AMD Radeon HD 6970M 1024 MB

Now I am wondering if indeed my machine is not optimized. So to do a true test. I find my install disk and bring it to work for CS5.

Loaded like a champ. CS5 was not updated after the install.

So as a user experience. Out of the box sorta speak. CS6 Trial was indeed slow.

[Noel Carboni]

Describe in detail what's a huge PSD file in your world.  Gigabytes on disk, pixel counts, bit depths, how many layers, what kinds of layers, etc.

Did you update your CS6 to the current patch level?  There have been a number of bugs fixed, including some of those described in this thread, which goes way back.

-Noel

[gshabanov]

Well file size is not in question or any of its dimensions.

I just had CS5 installed and am now working at a blazing fast speed.

My goal was not to trash talk CS6 in anyway. I am sure it is cutting edge.

It was just to make a point of A & B compare with a similar task.

The expectation when moving to new software version is it will be

1) more intuitive

2) faster to operate

But thank you for taking time to respond.

p.s. Yes everything was updated.

[Noel Carboni]

But as I asked before:  Did update your CS6 to the current patch level? There have been a number of bugs fixed, including some of those described in this thread, which goes way back.

I'm making the assumption you'd like Photoshop CS6 to work as well as CS5, as it does for most.

-Noel

[CRCJJ]

"...Photoshop CS6 to work as well as CS5, as it does for most."

I don't find that the case at all. Do you have a clue how many people (% that own PS) even bother to come to these forums? I haven't EVER until CS6, when I was wondering WTF w/the way it was [not] responding. Most of these threads are about PROBLEMS w/it, with exception of a small few, and people w/Adobe trying to defend it. I have the very latest patch installed (and I've been using PS since the first beta was sent to me in the 80's) and I've NEVER had this much trouble out of any of them until now. CS3-5 will run circles around 6. And w/5, at least there is the option of booting it in 32bit so older plug-ins run w/no problems.

I'd like to see a version of 6 or at least in the next version (7?) of PS WITHOUT the damn 3D and Video crap in it, just streamlined like it used to be. You have plenty of apps to do vid and 3D on your own platforms and others. I wish Adobe would give up on the "ALL IN ONE" try and go back to what PS is/was known for!

my 2¢ - and YES, my CS6 is plagued w/problems as far as speed and font/type issues (on mac OS 10.6.8) multipul machines.

[gshabanov]

Yea I find that most of the responses are defending PS6.

Seems like they are listening but now at the point where nothing can be done.

Sorry but CS6 trial is enough evidence including this thread alone that I will not be moving away from previous versions.

[Noel Carboni]

As a regular contributor here, I believe I have a pretty good clue how well Photoshop is running for most folks.

Yes, the forum is rife with problems, but that's the nature of forums.

I know a lot of the regular contributors here, and they report that Photoshop CS6 is running well enough for them.

It seems like the whole world must be experiencing the problems you are, but rest assured they're not.  It may have something to do with the system model you have, and/or the particular OS version you're running, and/or the fonts/plug-ins/haxxies/etc. you have installed - or who knows what.   Statements like "CS3-5 will run circles around 6" are overly simplistic, and are true only when appended with "on my computer".

Note which version of Photoshop tops this benchmark chart:  http://ksimonian.com/Blog/2012/11/24/pc-now-sits-atop-time-charts-for-free-radial-blur-photoshop-ben...

Note that there are plenty of Photoshop CS6 entries amongst the top finishers on the first page of this benchmark chart:  http://www.hardwareheaven.com/photoshop_results.php?page=results

Perpetual License holders running PCs haven't had to have but one update:  13.0.1.  Macs are up to 13.0.4.  Perhaps OSX is a system on which it's a bit more difficult for a developer to get things to work just right.

-Noel

[CRCJJ]

so, Noel, when I reply and say something you feel you don't like (in response to YOUR reply) or you get called out, you fix everything by deleting my post?

I just lost any respect I had for you.

I'm a 56yr old ad agency owner, not someone who's clueless to how PS works.

Oh, and the others missed the chance to respond to relevant info in my reply. Sad.

[Noel Carboni]

I have no ability to delete anything.  I'm not a moderator.

Nor do I object to opposing viewpoints.  I actually like debate.  No one learns anything when everyone agrees. 

And I'm not altogether unsympathetic to people having problems.  I'd like nothing better than to get to the bottom of what's wrong.

-Noel

[CRCJJ]

my bad, I apologize for saying YOU did it. I won't set and waste my time retyping it all to have it deleted again.

STAFF has proven there is a lot that we aren't getting to see being said here. and a lot of it is relevant. They need to get over the butt-hurt and deal with it.

Yes, forums are well known for getting out of hand very quickly... but when they are called out on bashing another system because it's not their preferred choice, it's sad that they just delete it.

I have better things to do than play in a sand box belonging to someone else... I need to go back to my reality and let them play in the fantasy they live in, where everyone can have the ultimate, nothing better released in last 24hrs, custom built machine to run CS6 ALMOST as fast as it should run out of the box... not everyone can afford that, and most are barely able to afford CS6 cloud on student I.D.s, much less afford hardware upgrades. I spend 10's of thousands of hard-earned company dollar's keeping my designers and video people up to latest releases and normally lease machines for 24 mos so new ones can come in as tech advances... that being said, it's all gone very well... UNTIL CS6... luck would have it all the company software was on disk until 6 and the cloud came along. It will cost me quite a bit to go back to CS3-5 (in reinstalling time man hrs.) and it chaps my a** that it SHOULD EVEN BE NECESSARY! I should be singing the praises of PS as I've done since the 80's, but now I've been let down because of corporate greed to rush something out not tested well enough.

[paul campagna]

I brought this up before. Someone needs to create a program to indetify and fix potential problems with photoshop. If we could start with indetification. It would prevent the same issues coming up again and again.

With everything i did to fix photoshop, (meaning get to actually work without sucking) I have no idea which one thing it couldve been, because I did so much for so long before finally the last update fixed it. My system was as clean as it could possible be before the last update and it ran like crap. the last update fixed all of my issues.

So don't give up,  if you're like me, you really can't, unless you want to be a plumber to make ends meat.

[Guest]

The fact that it's the 9th page in the thread already speaks for itself. These are only those people who are willing to participate in discussion, how many others have just read it? How many searched it? The problem exists, and it will really be a frustration if the fixes come out in cs7 instead of a patch. It's bad, bad, bad - not to have any serious competition on the market 🙂

Gents, let's still be respectful.

[WBoswell]

I must be one of the few who hasn't had any problems with Photoshop CS6 since I purchased it last August.  After reading this entire thread last night, I thought maybe there was something wrong with my copy.  I'm running it on a three-year-old PC with only 8GB's memory, and not the best video card.  My video card isn't even listed for the requirements for Premiere Pro CS6 and it works fine.

When I have software issues, I usually reformat my hard drive and reinstall everything.  It gets rid of years worth of junk that can conflict with software.  I know this isn't always possible in a business environment, but maybe they should think about it.  It may not be the software at all.  It could be just too much junk buried in the system that even utility software can't find.

[JoeIntrospect]

I'm curious William.  Did you install CS6 on a recent fresh install of windows 7?   One of the biggest jumps in performance for me was when I installed windows 7 and CS6 on a fresh brand new hard drive.  Everything ran much faster out of the box.  Still had some lag issues with character Styles and Paragraph styles but ran acceptably well otherwise.  Once I added the videocard and Ram upgrades it basically became fully functional for me.

[WBoswell]

I was running PS CS6 fine before I reformatted my hard drive.  I only reformatted it because Norton Internet Security wasn't working.  Since the reinstall, I'm having no issues with Adobe or any other software.

I know it's a headache, but if people have been using the same computer for years and installing/uninstalling software then they're bound to have problems eventually.  It used to take me three days to reinstall everything then reconfigure.  It's a boring process, but it also allowed me to decide whether to reinstall programs I don't use anymore especially old software that is no longer compatible.

I use character and paragraph styles a lot and never had problems.  That's why I wondered if this is a Mac problem or something else.  My computer isn't the fastest either.

[Jeff Schewe]

CRCJJ wrote:

I should be singing the praises of PS as I've done since the 80's, but now I've been let down because of corporate greed to rush something out not tested well enough.

Not for nothing but I doubt you've been using Photoshop since the 80's since Photoshop 1.0 shipped Feb 10th, 1990. Illustrator shipped in the late 1980's (Illustrator '88 I think).

You might wanna actually post some useful info to allow others to help troubleshoot instead of making accusations about normal users deleting your posts which, of course doesn't happen (which you might know if you had been here in the forums a while).

What Chris said is true...CS6 (with the most recent updates) runs just fine for the vast majority of users. If it ain't working for YOU, outlining what's NOT working for you and detailing what steps you've done troubleshooting would be useful.