Windows 10 and 11 | Photoshop opens but throws error on multiple systems.

[Martin26868066ds3m]

Hey there,

im on Win10desktop and Win11 laptop.
For weeks now, PS is starting once in a while but most of the time refuses with this window

"Sorry, Photoshop has encountered an error and needs to close."
I googled it obviously and tried all the different solutions from restarting to running the cleaner tool to clearing licenses

Does anyone know a reliable permanent solution or do i have to consider other options because im seriously tired of this.

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

<"moved from cc desktop bugs">

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

This page specifically addresses error 205 - most likely an overzealous anti-virus update:

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/troubleshoot-download-install-logs.html#error205

[Martin26868066ds3m]

Thanks for googling the error screenshot and providing me with the first result that i found myself as explained in the post it did nothing. Maybe you want to send me the second result that you google too?

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Thanks for the snark reply. This is a pretty common error not a Googled search result. You must have obviously turned off your antivirus to confirm it was not the issue. There also should not be any licenses to clear as Photoshop is a subscription. I'll move on and let someone else try to help you.

[Martin26868066ds3m]

FYI: https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/adobe-license-issues-keychain-credential-mgr.html

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

I am familiar with that page Martin thank you - again Photoshop and Creative Cloud do not use licenses per se, they use certificates for ID verification. Licensing was used in Acrobat stand alone and other applications. The title of the page is all-encompassing but if you read further it discusses how to manage your keychains (mac os) or credentials (win) to edit or remove your certificates.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Let's start over - what specifically have you attempted to resolve the error?

1. Disable anti-virus?

2. Check Windows Defender for any blockers?

3. Changed networks completely?

The commonality between your two machines is the network. Can you try to move your laptop to another wifi connection and see if it resolves? That would isolate the cause of the issue.

[Martin26868066ds3m]

Hey there Kevin.
I went through 1-3, no dice.
I put the desktop through vpn and mobile hotspot, same as the laptop.
The commonality is also that its not working reliably on both.
I also tried:
everything the official help post (https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/fix-licensing-error-205.html) said (cleared out my Credential Store, restarted Windows, logged out and logged back in etc.)
tried out a lot of the things that were said in similar forum posts (restarting Windows, logging out and logging back in etc., restarting the Credential Manager service, removing the Adobe credentials both through the Control Panel for Credential Manager and the command line) but to no avail.

Sorry for being snappy before but i obviously dont come asking for help without trying to find a solution myself.
There is enough posts over the net for this with people who cant solve it by logging in and out and all of the above is not helping.

I got stuff to finish and im pretty frustrated that everywhere i go i just get chuckled at that thats what you get if you pay for PS.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Weapon of last resort would be a clean install. Use the CC Cleaner tool on one of the systems to remove all traces of Adobe apps and resources then try a new install to see if 205 still pops up. The fact that its not consistent is odd. Still makes me suspect of the network connection. If it was Anti-virus or the firewall it would consistently be blocked.

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

[Martin26868066ds3m]

Did that already twice. CC installs fine, authenticates fine, installs PS fine and when i try and launch PS error. I also removed all the keys/certificates/licenses whatever you want to call it from credentials manager, deleted appdata folders from local, local low and roaming.
I mean im fine investigating network but what exactly is supposed to be in network that allows for everything right up to the point of starting the application.
I can see the app and everything it just kills me out of using it.

[Martin26868066ds3m]

On another note:
Community experts drumming up their postcounts by spamming links into conversations they barely read only adds injury to insult and is certainly not helping. And yes, that thread has all the information that is in here too.
Would it help to actually complain about the nonexistent help that is seemingly not incentivized to help solving the actual problems?

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@Martin26868066ds3m I totally get it and appreciate that you are going above and beyond what most users will do to try and troubleshoot.

Firewalls can block certain authentication or startup protocols that reach out to the web preventing an app from opening. This is a list of whitelist URLs for Adobe. Normally when it comes to Defender you dont have to go that deep, it's mainly allowing adobe.com, photoshop, etc.

https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/kb/network-endpoints.html

We went through a rash of Windows Defender updates earlier this year that blocked a lot of Adobe urls due to the inclusion of AI/Firefly in the products.

[Martin26868066ds3m]

I whitelisted all adobe apps/components and disabled windows firewall to no avail.
And before you ask, the host file is unaltered with no entries in it and neither isp nor alternative dns seems to make a difference.