PS CC 2021 freezes>SOLUTION FINALLY Plus: show transform/resizing handles

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

Just in case this helps anyone...I was having trouble with Photoshop CC freezing up right after i started working on a project. I have to use task manager to close the program. I tried all the usual stuff, including updating PS, removing a secondary older version from 2020, ran virus and maintenance programs, soft booted and hard booted. Unchecked the graphics processor, and everything else i could find on these forums. Even tried five other versions, uninstalling and reinstalling each time. Nothing worked.
Had a support chat, and solved that problem, as well as the issue of no longer being able to see the transform/resizing handles on certain images (on a separate layer).
So, first, Photoshop freezing:

He guided me to reset preferences...To reset, Photoshop and hold control+alt+shift keys together as you open Photoshop. You will see a dialog box to delete settings. Click on Yes to reset preferences and then check if it helps. (I did this through my creative cloud app). Hold the keys even before you open the app and please hold the keys until you see the dialog box.

Now go back to preferences>performance and increase the memory usage to 80%.  (see image) Click OK and restart Photoshop again to check if it works.
For me, it did.
He said this was happening because the preferences were corrupted. Hence, we reset them.

I will repost this next part in the appropriate area, too, but just as an extra, he managed to help me get my transform/resizing handles back. I wanted them to appear when I clicked on a layer, so I could resize on the working screen. Go to your preferences again under performance: make sure the legacy compositing box is ticked. (see image).  In Workspace, he also UNTICKED the Enable Narrow Options Bar which allows you to see the Show Transform Controls tick box. (see image).

I saw so many posts about these two issues, and i hope this will solve the problem for someone else, too. I know how it feels to need to get work done, and be halted by this sort of thing.
Best,
Kelli Jae Baeli