Unable to launch Photoshop Elements 13 [was 11] on Windows 7

[juergenb64035506]

Hello everyone,

I recently discovered that Photoshop Elements 11 won't launch anymore on all our Windows 7 workstations.

When clicking on the Photoshop Elements icon the launcher appears, leaving the option to launch the Organizer or Editor.

Clicking on any of those results in a progress bar appearing below the selection. This progress bar disappears a few seconds later and nothing happens.

Sadly there's no error message or anything hinting to what the problem might be.

The application has been reinstalled several times. I tried installing over an exisiting installation, removing the app before installing again..

I also tried to delete all folders left behind (as good as possible).

The machines are all Windows 7, latest patches installed. Nothing really changed (besides Windows Updates) before Photoshop stopped working, since nobody can tell me when the issue actually started appearing, it might be up to two months since the last successfull launch.

The app was installed from an ISO and is of course supplied with a valid license.

[99jon]

Try making a new desktop shortcut directly to the Editor – bypassing the welcome screen.

Right-click anywhere on the desktop and choose

New >> Shortcut

Click the browse button and navigate to:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 11

Inside the Photoshop Elements 11 folder scroll to the files beginning with P and find the application.

Choose (highlight) PhotoshopElementsEditor

Click Next and then Finish

You should be able to use the new desktop icon in future to launch the PSE11 Editor directly.

[juergenb64035506]

This results in an error, the system cannot find the specified file.

It's pretty similar to my Photoshop CS6 problem which is still unanswered:

Adobe Photoshop CS6 - Error on launch (Windows 7)

[99jon]

If you can’t find the executable, then it got uninstalled or lost somehow.

I suggest you download and install again from the link below.

Download Photoshop Elements | 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10 

[juergenb64035506]

I can find the executable, the installation is fine. As mentioned I installed the software again (at least on two of the affected machines) already.

One thing I missed in the first post: I'm actually talking about Elements 13

This is what I get on running the .exe directly.

That's what I get from the launcher, nothing more than this loading bar which vanishes after a few seconds.

[99jon]

What happens if you right-click on PhotoshopElementsEditor (application) and choose "Run as administrator"

[juergenb64035506]

Hi 99jon,

same error.

I also tried a fresh user profile (local admin). No success.

[99jon]

Are you selecting the correct executable for PSE13 Editor?

Your screenshot shows an error message for Phtotoshop which I assume is the CS6 executable?

To be honest i'm not really sure what is happening. I'm guessing it is something to do with your joined domains or permissions.

How many machines is the software installed on? How many are activated (signed-in) under the help menu?

[juergenb64035506]

Hi 99jon,

the screenshot shows the executable for the PSE13 Editor, I'm pretty sure the CS6 executable has a different name.

The application is installed on about 10 machines, can't tell you how many are activated as I cannot access a menu.

[juergenb64035506 · Accepted solution]

Coming from my other thread about a similar issue with CS6 someone found a solution:

There's a configuration option in the registry called PreferExternalManifest, which causes this problem. I have no idea why this value was suddenly set to 1 for me, maybe in a Windows Update, or by another program. But anyway, changing it from 1 to 0 solved the problem for me and the 64bit version can now be opened again.

You can change the value with regedit.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SideBySide\PreferExternalMani fest

Set it to 0.