Can't open images or create new projects

[Oddvar Ashborn]

Hello there folks,

since it seems impossible to contact Adobe directly for assistance, i'm here asking for your knowledge and wisdom!

95% of the times i am unable to open images or create new projects, like literally blank ones. I just click Create and... nothing, nothing happens at all.

Right-click on an image, Open With - Photoshop? Nothing.

Drag and drop an image in Photoshop? Nothing.

In the rare occasions that it works, there could be some extras, like if i drag and drop an image into the existing project, you guessed it, nothing happens.

Or even worse, i'm unable to export my project, or save the project! So basically everything is lost and you don't know when that's gonna happen.

I've uninstalled it multiple times, resetted all the settings, obliterated Photoshop from the Windows register, restarted my PC, i really don't know what else to do.

The files are fine, they are compatble and not corrupted.

Specs: i9 9900KS - RTX 2080S - 32GB RAM

[Derek Cross]

Which version of Photoshop?

You have sufficient RAM, how much spare disk capacity do you have?

The next thing to try is to reset the Photoshop preferences back to the factory defaults. You can do that under the General tab in Photoshop preferences, then close and reopen the application.

[Oddvar Ashborn]

I'm using both PS2023 24.7 and PS2024 (Beta).

I did reaett that already more than once, to no avail.

[Derek Cross]

And how much spare hard disk capacity do you have?

[Oddvar Ashborn]

Right I forgot, like 180GB.

[Derek Cross]

How old is your computer? I ask because nowadays Photoshop needs a powerful computer to run efficiently. I'm a Mac user myself so I don't know much about Windows specs. The other thing you might consider, assuming no-one else comes up with a better suggestion, would be to use the Adobe Cleaner Tool to remove all versions of Photoshop and install a clean version.

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

[Oddvar Ashborn]

I might try that tool then, cause I assure you my PC is not nearly old enough to justify PS not working properly.

[Derek Cross]

You might have a faulty component, it might be worth you getting your system checked out.

[Oddvar Ashborn]

I did, checked it myself cause it's my job xD

I've also spent 30-40 minutes on the phone with Adobe and no dice, we went through a bunch of stuff and nothing worked.

[Derek Cross]

So the new Photoshop installation, after using the Cleaner Tool,  hasn't worked either?

[Oddvar Ashborn]

Negative, I have also manually deleted every trace of every Adobe software, and then reinstalled everything.

Still nothing.

[Alex31852832dgfx]

So what did you do in the end? I am in the same situation as yours, it just stopped working overnight and it's driving me insane! I've tried so many solutions, reinstallations and preference resets... Please tell us how you fixed it! Thanks!

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@Oddvar Ashborn manual deletion is never completely clean and can exasperate the issue. Use the Cleaner Tool as @Derek Cross suggested.

Go to Photoshop Help Menu/System Info and copy/paste details in a reply. Post only once as the system takes time to process the large amount of data.

[Alex31852832dgfx]

I will run CC Cleaner right now and get back here with the report as well. But how can the software break from one day to the next. I shut it down after a day's work, I shut the PC down, then come back the next day and it no longer works!

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

No reason to shout. It would help to see your system info to try and troubleshoot - Go to Photoshop Help Menu/System Info and copy/paste details in a reply. Post only once as the system takes time to process the large amount of data. 

[Alex31852832dgfx]

I'm sorry, you're right. I'm just overly frustrated. I used the Cleaner app, but it's not that thorough... because after re-installing PS, all my preferences were there.

When I uninstall from Windows, I also go and delete the contents of these folders:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\SLCache
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\SLStore

Anyway, I'll be right back with the System info.

[Alex31852832dgfx]

Here is my System info. I chose pastebin so that it's easier to read than the forums: https://pastebin.com/raw/fx2PDHnG

[Alex31852832dgfx]

@Kevin Stohlmeyercan you see anything in the System info that might help me fix this? Thanks!

[jeoffrey318381617uu7]

Hey everybody ! I have the same issue, and I'm starting to act crazy. Did you find a solution ? I did EVERYTHING that is possible to fix it. 3 days without working...

[Derek Cross]

Have you trashed the Photoshop preferences?

[Alex31852832dgfx]

I did everything, including clearing out all preferences, everything. But it happening to so many people, it must mean there is a particular issue, right?

[Derek Cross]

Have you tried installing an earlier version of Photoshop to see if that resolves the issue?

[Alex31852832dgfx]

Yes, I tried 24.5, 24.6 and 24.7. The weird thing is that it happened out of the blue, I absolutely did not change any hardware or software.

[Derek Cross]

You've used the Adobe Cleaner Tool to remove all versions before reinstalling 
Photoshop? 

[Alex31852832dgfx]

Yes, I've done it with and without the Cleaner, multiple times.