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mindyallen
Participant
January 23, 2014
Answered

Unable to save file as PSD - PS says the file is over 2GB when it's not

  • January 23, 2014
  • 7 replies
  • 79962 views

I have a PSD that I've been working on for many months. This week I got a new computer. When I open this file on my new computer, I am unable to save it as a PSD. The file size, according to Windows Explorer, is 600MB. According to PS CC's Document Size displayed at the bottom of the Document Window, the document size is 288.4M / 1.77G. Yet when I try to save this file on my new computer, I get this error:

Could not save as "filename.psd" because the document is bigger than 2 gigabytes.
See help topic "Saving Files" for more information.

I don't understand how I've been working on this document for the last several months and never had a problem with saving it, yet now on my new computer, it is unable to save. My new computer has a secondary SSD harddrive that I am using as the primary scratch disk. The new computer also has more RAM and a better processor. I had copied all of my preferences files from the old computer to the new, and I don't see any settings that are different between the two computers. Can anyone please provide some direction?

(Note: I've been running PS CC x32 because the x64 version isn't stable on my computer.)


File size as displayed in Windows Explorer: 600,941KB.

NEW: Document size as displayed in Document Window: 288.4M / 1.77G
OLD: Document size as displayed in Document Window: 288.4M / 1.77G

NEW: Adobe Photoshop Version: 14.2 (14.2 20131211.r.515 2013/12/11:23:00:00) x32
OLD: Adobe Photoshop Version: 14.1.2 (14.1.2 20130923.r.427 2013/09/23:23:00:00) x32

NEW: Operating System: Windows 7 64-bit
OLD: Operating System: Windows 7 64-bit

NEW: Version: 6.1 Service Pack 1
OLD: Version: 6.1 Service Pack 1


NEW: Physical processor count: 4
OLD: Physical processor count: 8

NEW: Logical processor count: 8

NEW: Processor speed: 3591 MHz
OLD: Processor speed: 2394 MHz

NEW: Built-in memory: 32694 MB
OLD: Built-in memory: 30718 MB

NEW: Free memory: 25810 MB
OLD: Free memory: 25633 MB

NEW: Memory available to Photoshop: 3255 MB
OLD: Memory available to Photoshop: 3255 MB

NEW: Memory used by Photoshop: 60 %
OLD: Memory used by Photoshop: 69 %

NEW: Image tile size: 128K
OLD: Image tile size: 128K

NEW: Image cache levels: 6
OLD: Image cache levels: 6

NEW: Scratch volume(s):
  C:\, 930.2G, 686.5G free
  B:\, 111.8G, 103.6G free
OLD: Scratch volume(s):
  C:\, 930.7G, 567.1G free

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer SG...

    Hi,

    I just sent you my contact info via direct message. You should get an email notification soon.

    thx!

    steve


    Hi,

    To follow up for any future readers that find this post, there indeed was a bug fix in 14.2 that impacted Mindy's file.

    In 14.1.2 and previous versions of Photoshop, it was possible to save a document in the PSD format which would incorrectly push it beyond the formats 2 GB limit (pasted vector data with Max compatibility On). We had a report from someone who inadvertantly was generating 300+ GB files (http://forums.adobe.com/message/5666971#5666971). With 14.2, we now do a couple more checks during the save and issue the file size limit warning. One of those checks is for pixel dimensions of big data (image data that's greater then 30K pixels).

    Even though MIndy's file didn't exceed the 2GB limit, it was triggering the big data pixel dimension check. There is a smart object layer that's scaled 6000%.

    So if you're getting the 2GB limit warning, and didn't in previous versions, take a look at scaling values on smart object layers and note the layers bounding box pixel values in the Info panel, and check vector data (guides pasted in from Illustrator).

    regards,

    steve

    7 replies

    Zeroghost
    Zeroghost
    Known Participant
    June 20, 2017

    I got that error for the first time, using Photoshop for over 15 years as as a graphic artist Illustrator Photographer.

    I'm doing a restoration for a certificate from the 1800's and had to do it in 6 scans. Dropping the tif scans in made the sections Smart Objects. Once I got the error I rasterized the layers and the file could reduce enough to save. I was afraid I would need to break up and add each section in separate documents. I also do large format printing, so when I got this error I was at first confused. Now I know the limits.

    Making it Real
    I
    ImranAnwar
    Participating Frequently
    November 16, 2016

    Sad to say I just had this problem in Photoshop CC 2017 the first time I have tried to create a panorama on the Windows i7 32GB laptop instead of the MacBook Pro i7 I always use. I just used the large file format save as mentioned above but it makes no sense to get a 2GB file from 26 iPhone photos that the MacOS version did not have a problem with and there was nothing near 2GB created. I am posting just to let people know the problem still happens in the latest greatest version of CC.

    Imran

    http://imran.tv

    SG...
    Adobe Employee
    SG...
    Adobe Employee
    November 16, 2016

    Hi,

    What is the overall dimension of the resulting file? What steps did you take for creating the panorama?

    The latest version hasn't changed the format limit for PSD files; so if something in the document makes the file size over 2 GB (or a single side is larger than 30,000 pixels) you need to save it as PSB.

    thx,

    steve

    I
    ImranAnwar
    Participating Frequently
    November 22, 2016

    That is probably what it is in my case with panoramas. In all these years they have not fixed their clunky wrong error message as the resulting file is not even 1GB much less 2GB.

    Min E
    Min E
    Known Participant
    September 27, 2016

    My problem is that Adobe doesn't accurately tell me file size in Photoshop. Seems nuts that this file is, at least according to Bridge, 2.82gb when if I don't use Smart Objects it would be about 1.25gb.

    The problem with using PSB's is that Lightroom can't deal with them. I have to make flattened copies so I can view, upload, print etc from Lightroom. Really disappointing.

    gunnars16684781
    gunnars16684781
    Participant
    January 6, 2016

    When I have tried to save a file, no matter the format, and get the memory error...this has worked for me (if it's an imported file):

    Go to the original file, right click and choose Properties.  Under the General tab click on the box that says "Unblock". 

    Once I've done this, my file saves no problem.

    K
    KingDingbat
    Participant
    April 18, 2015

    I am running into this issue with Photoshop CC 14.2.2 but there are no smart objects or layers involved. It's a flat file.

    I can save the PSD just fine. It is 1.19 GB.

    I have tried saving as PDF, PSB, EPS - All of those, it always comes back with the files size being over 2GB. Yes, the PSB refuses to save larger than 2GB.

    I'm ripping my hair out over this. I specifically signed up for Adobe Creative Cloud to get the new Photoshop CC because it was supposed not have this problem.

    Chris Cox
    Chris Cox
    Legend
    April 18, 2015

    Are you saving to a disk which is formatted in a way that limits files to 2 GB (ie: FAT, like on some USB flash drives)?

    K
    KingDingbat
    Participant
    April 18, 2015

    Well, I am saving to a network drive (a real 5TB hard drive, not USB or anything.) , but I never thought that it might be the formatting on the disk. I will check, but I don't think it is. We produce lots of video and multimedia files that are well over 2GB which are stored on that drive, but maybe saving a file from a program would be different than just transferring the data from disk to disk.

    H
    Handsy
    Participant
    April 1, 2015

    I know this isn't a new issue but I've only experienced this once or twice... 

    This time I can't get it to save after checking all values for the 30k pixel limit, and rasterizing all smart objects and shapes...  If I understand correctly there's a 30k pixel limit (x or y) and also a 2GB ceiling on file size? 

    What if I need a file size that's between 2-3GB? 

    Not that it matters much but this is a 1/3 scale vehicle wrap that I'm hoping I don't have to rescale 50+ layers...


    Thanks,

    Shawn

    Chris Cox
    Chris Cox
    Legend
    April 1, 2015

    Then you save as the large document format PSB (which can go to several Exabytes in size).

      JJMack
      Community Expert
      JJMackCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      January 23, 2014

      Photoshop is not a file editor it save image file for your document.  You can not show file sizes for a file that does not exist windows explorer is not god there is no PSD file backing the current document state you made changes. Photoshop message states if you save your current docment as a PSD file it would exceed 2GB it the case you must use large file format Photoshop native file format PSB.  Any size information Photoshop shows is not any file size.  Most Image file formats support compression.  File size is unknown till the document is encoded for a particular file format.

      Did you increase document size convert to 16bit mode or  32bit mode use image size add layers etc.

      JJMack
      M
      mindyallenAuthor
      Participant
      January 23, 2014

      I can open my 600MB file on my old computer and do an immediate Save As without any issues. On my new computer, when I open the 600MB file and do an immediate Save As, I get the error saying Photoshop can't save files over 2GB.

      If I've been able to work on this file for months on my old computer without file size-related issues, why am I now unable to save this file on my new, faster computer?

      ~ Mindy Allen

        SG...
        Adobe Employee
        SG...
        Adobe Employee
        January 24, 2014

        Hi Mindy,

        Any chance you could provide a file that exhibits this behavior? I can send you a direct message so we can coordinate; let me know if that's OK.

        And tangentially, what stability problems are you having with the x64 bit version?

        regards,

        steve

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