http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/6db2.htm
Troubleshooting System Errors or Freezes in Photoshop 6.0 or Later for Mac OS 9.x and Earlier
What's Covered
Beginning and Intermediate Troubleshooting
Advanced Troubleshooting
This document can help you resolve system errors that occur while you use Adobe Photoshop 6.0 or later in Mac OS 9.x or earlier. System errors can manifest themselves in many different ways, including (but not limited to) the following:
-- A blank or flickering dialog box
-- A frozen cursor or screen
-- A bomb icon appears on-screen
-- An error such as:
- "Type 1," "Type 3," "Type 11," "Type 28."
- "The application 'unknown' has unexpectedly quit."
- "Floating Point Coprocessor not installed."
- "The default monitor setting is invalid."
Different factors can cause system errors, including conflicts among device drivers, software, and hardware, and corrupt elements in specific files. Although a system error may occur only when you work with Photoshop, Photoshop may not necessarily be the cause--it may be the only application that is memory- or processor-intensive enough to expose the problem.
To benefit most from this document, perform the tasks in order. Keep track of the tasks you perform and the results of each task, including errors or problematic behavior. Adobe Technical Support can use this information to better assist you, should you need to call.
Beginning and Intermediate Troubleshooting
The tasks in this section can help you resolve the most common system errors. Before performing any of these tasks, back up all personal files (for example, Photoshop files you created). Always restart the computer after a system error occurs to refresh its memory. Continuing to work without restarting the computer may compound the problem.
1. Check system requirements.
Photoshop may not run correctly if the system doesn't meet the following requirements:
Note: Adobe Photoshop was neither designed for nor tested on systems with clock-chip accelerators (for example, Newer Technology's PowerClip).
Photoshop 7.0
-- PowerPC processor (G3, G4, or G4 dual)
-- Mac OS software version 9.1, 9.2, or Mac OS X version 10.1.3
-- 128 MB of RAM (192 MB recommended)*
-- 320 MB of available hard-disk space
-- CD-ROM drive
-- 800x600 color monitor with 16-bit color or greater video card
Photoshop 6.x
-- PowerPC processor
-- Mac OS software version 8.5, 8.6, 9.0 9.0.2, 9.0.4, 9.1
-- 64 MB of RAM with virtual memory on (128 MB recommended)*
-- 125 MB of available hard-disk space
-- CD-ROM drive
-- 800x600 color monitor with 8-bit color or greater video card
* To check how much RAM is installed, at the Finder, choose About This Computer from the Apple menu. The Built-in Memory value indicates the amount of installed RAM.
2. Re-create the Photoshop preferences file.
You can re-create the Photoshop preferences file to eliminate problems caused by a damaged preferences file.
Note: After you re-create the preferences file, you need to respecify any custom settings.
To re-create the Photoshop preferences file:
1. Quit Photoshop.
2. Delete the Adobe Photoshop [version] Prefs file in the System Folder: Preferences: Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings folder.
3. Restart Photoshop. Photoshop creates a new preferences file.
3. Install the latest version of Photoshop.
The operating system and hardware drivers may be more compatible with the latest version of Photoshop than with an earlier version. Before you install an update or upgrade, make sure that the system meets the requirements.
The free Photoshop 6.0.1 update is available from Adobe's Web site at www.adobe.com/support/downloads/main.html. An upgrade to Photoshop 7.0, however, may solve a wider range of problems. (You may prefer to try the tasks in the rest of this document before upgrading.) You can purchase upgrades from Adobe Authorized Resellers and from Adobe directly:
-- To locate an Authorized Reseller, visit Adobe's Web site at www.adobe.com/store/#dealer or call Customer Services at 800-492-3623.
-- To purchase an upgrade from Adobe, visit the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/store/products/photoshop.html or call Customer Services at 800-492-3623.
4. Troubleshoot extensions.
System errors can occur if an extension is damaged or conflicts with another extension, an application, or the operating system. You can troubleshoot extensions to determine if they cause the problem.
To troubleshoot extensions:
1. Restart the computer, and hold down the Shift key until you receive the message "Welcome to Macintosh. Extensions Off."
Note: Non-Apple keyboards may require a different method to disable extensions. For information about how to disable extensions using a non-Apple keyboard, contact the keyboard manufacturer.
2. Restart Photoshop, and try to re-create the problem. If the problem doesn't recur, isolate the extension conflict by following the instructions in document 311687, "Disabling Extensions and Isolating Extension Conflicts in Mac OS 9.x or 8.x."
5. Allocate more memory to Photoshop.
Photoshop may behave unexpectedly if insufficient memory is allocated to it.
To allocate more memory to Photoshop:
1. Quit Photoshop.
2. Start any applications you want to run simultaneously with Photoshop.
3. At the Finder, choose About This Computer from the Apple menu.
4. Note the value for Largest Unused Block, which indicates the total amount of available memory.
5. Select the Photoshop application icon and choose File > Get Info > Memory.
6. In the Photoshop Info window, enter a larger value in the Preferred Size field but do not exceed 90% of the value you noted in step 4.
7. Close the Photoshop Info window.
6. Remove third-party plug-ins from the Photoshop Plug-ins folder.
Remove third-party plug-ins from the Photoshop Plug-ins folder, and then restart Photoshop. If the problem doesn't occur after removing third-party plug-ins, contact the manufacturer of the plug-ins for information about updates.
7. Rebuild the desktop.
The desktop database catalogs disk contents, file locations, and file icons. If this hidden file is damaged, applications and files may become corrupt, icons may not appear as expected, and errors may occur. When you rebuild the desktop, the system repairs the desktop database and updates it with current disk information.
To rebuild the desktop:
1. Restart the computer while holding down the Command+Option keys.
2. Click OK when you see the message, "Are you sure you want to rebuild the desktop file on the disk '[diskname]'?"
3. Click OK for each mounted volume (i.e., each internal and external disk drive or disk partition).
8. Remove Photoshop, and then reinstall it with extensions disabled.
Extensions that load automatically in Mac OS can conflict with the Photoshop installer and affect the installation. As a result, errors can occur when you work in Photoshop. Reinstalling Photoshop with extensions disabled can eliminate these errors.
To reinstall Photoshop with extensions disabled:
1. Move any personal files from the Photoshop folder to another folder.
2. Delete the Photoshop folder.
3. Locate the Photoshop folder on the Photoshop application CD, and copy it to the desktop.
4. Restart the computer, and hold down the Shift key until you receive the message "Welcome to Macintosh. Extensions Off."
5. Double-click the Install Adobe Photoshop file in the Photoshop folder on the desktop, and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
6. Delete the Photoshop folder on the desktop.
Note: If you previously installed an update to Photoshop, reinstall the update after you reinstall Photoshop.
9. Optimize scratch disks.
Photoshop uses a scratch disk file--temporary disk space for storing data and performing computations--when insufficient RAM is available for image editing. Photoshop 7.0 can create unlimited scratch disk space on up to four hard disk partitions; Photoshop 6.x can create 200 GB of scratch disk space on up to four hard disk partitions.
The partition you specify as the first scratch disk should have free space equal to three to five times the size of the average image file; specify a second, third, and fourth scratch disk if you have additional hard disk partitions. If disk space is insufficient, remove unnecessary files from your hard disk(s).
To specify a scratch disk in Photoshop, choose Edit > Preferences > Plug-ins & Scratch Disks.
Note: If the Efficiency Indicator is less than 100 percent, Photoshop is using scratch disk space. To check efficiency, choose Efficiency from the pop-up menu in the lower-left corner of the document window.
10. Check the hard disk for damage.
Check the hard disk by doing one or more of the following:
-- Use a disk utility, such as Apple Disk First Aid, Norton Disk Doctor, or TechTool Pro.
Disclaimer: Adobe provides the following instructions as a courtesy. Contact the developer of the disk utility for support.
To use Disk First Aid (included on the Mac OS system CD):
1. Start the computer from the system CD.
2. Double-click the Disk First Aid application in the Utilities folder on the Mac OS system CD.
3. Select the disks to be verified or repaired.
4. Click Repair to verify and repair selected disks.
-- Update the disk driver to ensure that it isn't damaged or incompatible with the system:
1. Start the computer from the system CD.
2. Double-click the Drive Setup application icon on the system CD.
3. Select the disk.
Note: If the drive was formatted with a third-party disk utility, such as Symantec Norton Utilities or MacTools, you may receive the message "Drive selection failed." Click Continue to quit Drive Setup. You must then use the third-party disk utility for this procedure. For instructions, refer to the utility's documentation.
4. Choose Functions > Update Driver.
-- Use a disk utility to ensure that damaged sectors are marked unusable. For instructions, refer to the utility's documentation.
-- Defragment and optimize the hard disk using a disk utility. For instructions, refer to the utility's documentation.
11. Reset Parameter RAM.
Reset Parameter RAM (PRAM) to return all system preferences (for example, clock settings, network settings) to their defaults. To reset PRAM, press Command+Option+P+R while restarting the computer. Release these keys after you hear two startup chimes. For more information about PRAM, see document 315344 , "PRAM General Information."
12. Perform a clean install of the system software.
To determine whether damaged system software is causing the problem, perform a clean install of the system software. A clean installation replaces existing system software with new system software in a new System Folder. If the problem does not recur after you perform a clean installation, damaged system software was the cause. For more information about performing a clean installation, see document 323966, "Reinstalling Mac OS 8.0-9.0.".
Note: To completely replace existing system software, you must perform a clean install. Updating or installing over existing system software doesn't completely replace it.
13. Reformat the hard disk and reinstall only Mac OS and Photoshop.
Reformat the hard disk, and then install only Mac OS and Photoshop from the original installation media. Reformatting a disk erases all files it contains, so be sure to back up all personal files. Also make sure that you have all application and system disks.
Note: Do not install additional software until you are sure that the problem is resolved. Do not back up the hard disk and restore Mac OS and Photoshop instead of reinstalling them; if the problem is caused by an application or Mac OS, and either is restored instead of reinstalled, the problem may recur.
After you reformat the hard disk and reinstall Mac OS, try to re-create the problem:
-- If the problem no longer occurs, install other applications one at a time and try to re-create the error after each installation. If the problem occurs after an installation, the recently installed application may be the cause. Contact its developer for information about an update.
-- If the problem persists when only Mac OS and Photoshop are installed, the cause is hardware-related, and you should contact the hardware manufacturer or an authorized reseller for assistance. Before contacting the manufacturer or reseller, however, you may want to try one or more tasks in the following section.
Advanced Troubleshooting
If the tasks listed in the previous section don't resolve the problem, hardware may be conflicting with Photoshop.
Disclaimer: Adobe doesn't support hardware and provides these tasks as a courtesy only. For further assistance, contact the hardware manufacturer or an authorized reseller. If you troubleshoot hardware problems yourself, you may void the warranty for your computer.
Note: Before you remove or rearrange hardware, turn off the power to the computer and any peripherals.
1. Check for SCSI problems.
If you have a SCSI card for internal or external SCSI devices, verify that the settings for the card are correct, ensure that the SCSI chain is properly connected and terminated, update SCSI drivers, and check for hardware or cable damage. For instructions, contact the SCSI card manufacturer.
2. Check for damaged expansion cards.
Damaged or incompatible expansion cards can cause system errors. To check expansion cards, turn off your computer, remove any processor accelerator, cache, or other expansion cards installed in the computer, and then restart the computer.
Note: Some NuBus-based computers require a video card in the Processor Direct Slot (PDS).
3. Check for problems with RAM SIMMs or DIMMs.
Ensure that the RAM SIMMs or DIMMs are installed properly and aren't the cause by doing one or more of the following:
-- Change the order of the installed SIMMs or DIMMs.
-- Remove all but the minimum number of SIMMs or DIMMs needed to run Mac OS and Photoshop, and test to see if the problem persists. If it does, replace the SIMMs or DIMMs you removed, and remove the others, testing again to see if the problem recurs. If it doesn't, one or more of the removed SIMMs or DIMMs are the cause. For assistance, contact the RAM SIMM or DIMM manufacturer.
4. Use a different hard drive or computer.
Run Photoshop from a different hard drive installed in the same computer or the same hard drive installed in a different computer. If the problem doesn't recur, the hard drive or the motherboard you were using previously may be the cause. For assistance, contact the manufacturer.
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Related Records
311687: Disabling Extensions and Isolating Conflicts in Mac OS 8.x
314385: Disabling Extensions and Isolating Conflicts in System 7.x
310447: Maintaining Macintosh Software and Hard Disk General Information
312917: Photoshop Preferences File General Information
315344: PRAM General Information
314702: Troubleshooting System Errors on the Macintosh
323966: Reinstalling Mac OS 8.0-9.0
314980: Reinstalling System 7.6.x, 7.5.x, 7.1.x, or 7.0.x Software
316381: SCSI Chain Troubleshooting Guide
310233: Files Appear with Generic Icons in the Finder Troubleshooting Guide
320748: Photoshop 4.0.x or 5.x Freezes While Editing an Image in Mac OS
322102: Tool Does Not Work in Photoshop 6.0 for Mac OS