Problems Starting Elements 12 Organizer

[Alucard (Dr.)]

I was using PSE12 to edit photos yesterday on my WIndows 10 laptop.

This morning I get the splashscreen, asking me if I want to start Editor or the Organizer.  The editor starts fine, but if I pick the Organizer it briefly opens the window, showing my current catalog but then silently closes.  No error message, nothing in the system event logs that I can find.

So I tried it on my other comptuer, which is a Windows 7 pro box and am getting exactly the same behavior.

So what has changed from yesterday to today?  Seeing the same thing on two different machines, each with different operating systems.  Is this an Adobe thing?

[Alucard (Dr.)]

Well, I got my answer....

Elements 12 is no longer supported and they have shut down the Elements 12 servers.

Solution: buy 2020 which won't work on my primary platform.

This is going to be an expensive "solution" for me - new computer....

[Greg_S.]

Thanks for reporting this.   Did you get the information about the servers from Adobe support chat?  Or did you get it from a private message which may be somebody trying to scam you.

[Alucard (Dr.)]

If someone is trying to scam me, they did a horrible job, because they didn't provide any links or anything  😉

[Greg_S.]

Thanks for responding. I haven't seen any information about the servers going down. 

[Alucard (Dr.)]

Well, if someone else has any other information, I'd like it.

I agree, I couldn't find any other information.

[Greg_S.]

I'm going to try to install Elements 12 on my computer (after I find the disk 🤞).  I will report back what happens.

[Alucard (Dr.)]

Awesome.  Thanks!

[Greg_S.]

As I suspected, you have been given some bad information.  I just installed Elements 12 on my new computer which has the latest version of Windows 10 Pro  (Version 2004).  During the installation and launch of the program, I was given the opportunity to sign into my Adobe.com account (which is for activation purposes).  The only glitch in the install was that I had to add (probably an earlier version of) Windows DirectPlay.

However, this does not answer your original question which is peculiar because the same unusual activity happened on two separate computers.  So, here are my speculative thoughts:

• Have you possibly installed the program on more than 2 computers?
• Are you using a network drive to access your catalog?
• Are you able to open the Editor?

Try pressing the Shift key as you launch the Organizer.  This should open the Manage Catalogs dialog.  Are you able to select your catalog in the box?  If so, click on the Repair and Optimize buttons and allow the repair and optimization to proceed even if no errors are found.  (This may take a while if you have a large catalog.)  Once these operations have completed, click the Open button.

If none of this works, try resetting the Organizer's preferences file.  Immediately after launching the program, press Alt+Shift+Ctrl. A message should pop up asking if you want to delete the Settings file. Answer OK.

[Alucard (Dr.)]

Thank you - I did what you suggested and it worked.  Looks like I have a damaged catalogue.

The person that messaged me has apparently nothing to do with Adobe and was trying to scam me....