TechNote

Troubleshoot system errors or freezes in Photoshop CS3 on Mac OS

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What's covered

Beginning troubleshooting
Intermediate troubleshooting
Advanced troubleshooting

This document can help you resolve system errors that occur while you use Adobe Photoshop CS3 on Mac OS. 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
An error such as, "The application 'Photoshop' has unexpectedly quit. The system and other applications have not been affected."

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 uses enough memory or processor cycles 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, if you need to call.

Beginning 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 CS3 PSD 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. Make sure that the system meets the minimum requirements for Photoshop.

Photoshop may not run correctly on a system that doesn't meet the following requirements:

PowerPC G4 or G5 or multicore Intel processor
Mac OS X v.10.4.8
512 MB of RAM
2 GB of available hard disk space (additional free space required during installation)
DVD-ROM drive
1024 x 768 monitor resolution with 16-bit or greater video card
Some 3D features in Photoshop Extended require an OpenGL 1.4 capable graphics card with at least 64 MB of VRAM

Note: To check how much RAM is installed, choose About This Mac from the Apple menu. The Memory value indicates the amount of installed RAM.

2. Troubleshoot serial number problems.

If the Adobe application installer returns the error "Invalid Serial Number" after you enter the serial number or during startup, then do one or more of the following:

Delete the serial number from the Serial Number text box, and then reenter it exactly as it appears on the back of the application CD case, in the registration e-mail, or on the registration website.
Reenter the serial number using different numeric keys. For example, use the numeric keys above the alpha characters instead of the numeric keys on the keypad.
Make sure you typed the number zero (0) correctly, not as the letter O.
Contact Customer Service: visit the Adobe website at www.adobe.com, select your region from the menu at the top of the page, and then click Contact Us.

3. Log in as a user with administrator access privileges.

If you lack administrator access privileges, then Photoshop may be unable to access necessary files. To determine if limited privileges cause the problem, log in as a user with access privileges, and try to re-create the problem. If the problem doesn't recur, then the account you were previously using lacks access privileges. Contact your system administrator to grant you access privileges.

To log in as a user with access privileges:

From the Apple menu, choose Log Out.
Click Log Out when the system returns the message "Are you sure you want to quit all applications and log out now?"
When the log in screen appears, select a user with access privileges, type the appropriate password, and then press Return.

4. Install current Mac OS X updates.

Updates to the Mac OS X operating system can improve its performance and compatibility with applications. You can obtain Mac OS X updates from the Apple website at www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/, or choose Software Update from the Apple menu. For assistance installing updates, contact Apple technical support.

Important: Before you install a system update, check the system requirements for Photoshop CS3 (and any third-party software or hardware you may use with Photoshop) to ensure compatibility. If the update isn't listed, then contact Adobe or the manufacturer of your third-party software or hardware.

5. Re-create the Photoshop preferences files.

Re-create the Photoshop preferences file to eliminate problems that a damaged preferences file might cause.

Note: Re-creating the Photoshop preferences file restores settings to their defaults.

To re-create the Photoshop preferences file:

Quit Photoshop.
Rename the Users\[username]\Library\Preferences\Adobe Photoshop CS3 Settings\Adobe Photoshop CS3 Prefs.psp folder to Adobe Photoshop CS3 Prefs.old.
Start Photoshop. Photoshop creates a new Adobe Photoshop CS3 Prefs.psp file.

If the problem continues, then the Photoshop preferences file isn't the cause. To restore custom settings, quit Photoshop, then delete the new Adobe Photoshop CS3 Prefs.psp file and restore the original name of the previous Adobe Photoshop CS3 Prefs.psp file.

6. Run Photoshop while no other applications are running.

To maximize available RAM and reduce the chance that another application may conflict with Photoshop, quit open applications, and then restart Photoshop.

If applications don't quit as expected, then force quit them.

To force quit open applications:

Choose Force Quit from the Apple menu.
In the Force Quit Applications dialog box, select an application, and then click Force Quit.

Note: Don't select the Finder, which is the core Mac OS component.
Click Force Quit again when Mac OS returns the alert "Do you want to force Photoshop to quit?"
Restart Photoshop, try to re-create the error, and continue as follows:
- If the error doesn't occur, then the application you selected in step 2 conflicts with Photoshop.
- If the error occurs, then repeat steps 3-4; or, if you've quit all open applications, then proceed to the next task.

7. Update the video card driver.

Many video card manufacturers frequently update their software drivers. If you haven't recently updated the video card driver, then contact the video card manufacturer for an updated driver, or download one from the manufacturer's website.

8. Run Photoshop with the Login Items disabled for the user account.

To disable nonessential extensions located in the user accounts Login Items folder, press Shift while you restart the computer. Pressing Shift disables any applications that are in the Login Items folder.

9. Use the Console utility to identify software conflicts.

If the problem causes Photoshop to freeze, the Console utility can identify software that causes the conflict.

To use the Console utility to identify software conflicts in Mac OS X v10.4.8:

Choose Go > Applications, open the Utilities folder, and then double-click Console.
Choose View > Show Log List.
Open ~/Library/Logs by clicking the triangle to the left of the line.
Open CrashReporter by clicking the triangle to the left of the line.
Choose Adobe Photoshop CS3.crash.log.
Restart Photoshop, and try to re-create the problem. If the problem recurs, reinstall or update the software identified in the crash log.

10. Install Photoshop from the desktop.

Some system components--for example, device drivers and virus protection utilities--can conflict with the Photoshop installer and result in an incomplete or failed installation. To prevent these conflicts, install Photoshop from the desktop.

Copy the Adobe Photoshop CS3 folder from the Photoshop CD-ROM to the desktop.
Open the Adobe Photoshop CS3 folder on the desktop.
Double-click Setup, and follow the on-screen instructions.

11. Verify that you are using the latest driver and PPD file for the printer.

If the problem occurs when printing, then verify that you are using the latest driver and PPD file for the printer: Download and install the latest driver and PPD file from the printer manufacturer's website.

12. Run Photoshop from within a new user account.

Occasionally, a user account can become corrupted and prevent the installer from accessing or creating the necessary files and folders. Create a new account, log in to the new account, and then try to install or run Photoshop.

To create a new user account in Mac OS X v10.4.8:

From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.
Click Accounts.
Click the plus sign at the bottom-left corner. (If the plus sign is inactive, click the Lock icon to make changes.)
Type a user name and a password that you'll remember, such as Test.
Select Allow User To Administer This Computer. This makes the test user an administrator.
Close the Accounts window.
Choose Log Out from the Apple menu.
When the log in screen displays, choose the test user.

Intermediate troubleshooting

If the tasks in the previous section don't solve the problem, then try the following intermediate troubleshooting tasks.

13. Reinstall Photoshop.

An incorrect installation can cause errors when you work in Photoshop. Reinstalling Photoshop can eliminate these errors.

To reinstall Photoshop:

Close all Adobe applications and web browsers.
Move any personal files from the Photoshop CS3 folder on the hard disk to another location.
In the Finder, go to Applications/Utilities/Adobe Installers/ and double-click Add or Remove Adobe Photoshop CS3 to launch the installer.
Choose Remove Adobe Photoshop CS3 Components, and then click Next through the Installer screens.
Complete task labeled "Run Photoshop while no other applications are running" in the Beginning Troubleshooting section above to force quit open applications.
Double-click Setup in the Adobe Photoshop CS3 folder on the application CD.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Note: If you previously installed an update to Photoshop, then reinstall the update after you reinstall Photoshop.

14. Repair disk permissions by running Disk Utility.

If you log into an account with administrator privileges, but are still unable to install or run Photoshop, then your disk permissions may be damaged.

To repair your permissions using the Disk Utility:

Choose Go > Applications, open the Utilities folder, and then double-click Disk Utility.
Select the volume on which you want to install Photoshop, and then click Repair Disk Permissions.
Click the First Aid tab.

15. Remove third-party plug-ins from the Photoshop plug-ins folder.

Remove third-party plug-ins from the Photoshop plug-ins folder, located in Adobe Photoshop CS3/Plug-Ins, and then restart Photoshop. If the problem doesn't occur after removing third-party plug-ins, then one or more of them conflicts with Photoshop.

Contact the manufacturer of the plug-ins for information about updates.

16. Troubleshoot fonts.

A system error can occur if Photoshop accesses a damaged font. You can troubleshoot fonts to determine if they cause the problem.

To troubleshoot fonts in Mac OS X v10.4.8:

Deactivate all font management utilities, such as Adobe Type Manager or Extensis Suitcase.
Start Font Book from the Applications folder.
In the Collection column, select Computer.
Choose Edit > Disable "Computer".
Run the Photoshop installer. Then do one of the following:
- If the problem recurs, then repeat steps 4-5 to disable the User and other collections.
- If the problem doesn't recur, then the problem font is in the collection you disabled. In Font Book, enable one font at a time in the collection and try to reproduce problem until you find the damaged font.

17. Optimize hard disks.

Installation or application errors can occur if the hard disk is very fragmented. Optimizing the hard disk rearranges files to minimize future fragmenting. It also restores fragmented files into single contiguous blocks, making hard disk space more accessible to the installer.

Use a disk-optimizing utility, such as Symantec Norton Utilities, to optimize (defragment) each hard disk. For instructions on using a utility, refer to the documentation included with the utility.

18. Check hard disks for damage.

A damaged hard disk can cause installation errors. Check hard disks using a disk utility, such as Apple Disk Utility, Symantec Norton Utilities, or Micromat Drive 10.

Disclaimer: Adobe doesn't support third-party disk utilities but provides the following instructions as a courtesy. For support, contact the developer of the disk utility.

To check for damage by using Apple Disk Utility (included on the system CD):

Start the computer from the system CD.
Choose Installer > Open Disk Utility.
Select the disks to be checked, and then click the First Aid tab.
Click Repair to check and, if necessary, repair selected disks.

19. Optimize scratch disks.

When insufficient RAM is available for bitmap image editing, Photoshop uses a scratch disk file--temporary disk space used for storing data and performing computations. Photoshop can create 64 exabytes of scratch disk files on up to four hard disk partitions. An exabyte is 1.074 billion gigabytes.

The partitions you specify as the scratch disks should have enough free space to hold data several times the size of your image. A rule of thumb for good performance is to have free space at least equal to three to five times the size of the average image file. If disk space is insufficient, remove unnecessary files from your hard disk(s).

To specify a scratch disk in Photoshop, choose Photoshop > Preferences > Performance.

20. Scan for viruses.

Use current anti-virus software, such as McAfee Virex or Symantec Norton AntiVirus, to check the system for viruses. Make sure that you have the latest virus definitions for the anti-virus software you use. Although virus infections are rare, they can cause unexpected system behavior, including installation errors. Running virus-detection software regularly (for example, daily) prevents viruses from damaging software on the system. For instructions on running or obtaining the latest updates to the virus-detection software, refer to its documentation.

21. Set up a default printer in the Print Center.

See the printer's documentation for instructions on installing the printer driver. See Mac OS X Help for instructions on how to set up a default printer. If you don't have a printer connected to the computer, create a virtual PostScript printer that you can select as a default printer.

To create a virtual PostScript printer:

Start Print Center, and click Add Printer.
Choose Printer Type > LPR Printers.
In the Printer List dialog box, choose Using IP or IP Printing from the pop-up menu.
In the LPR Printer's Address box, type localhost.
Choose Generic PPD, or the PPD file for the printer to which you plan to print, from the Printer Model menu.
Click Add and disregard any No Valid Location warnings.

22. Troubleshoot ICC profiles.

A system error can occur if Photoshop accesses a damaged ICC profile. Troubleshoot ICC profiles to determine if they cause the problem:

Move all profiles from the following folders to the desktop:
- Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder
- Library/Application Support/Adobe/Color/Profiles
- System/Library/ColorSync/Profiles
Restart Photoshop, and try to re-create the problem:
- If the problem recurs, move the profiles to their original location.
- If the problem doesn't recur, move one profile at a time to its original location and then repeat step 2 until you identify the profile that causes the problem.

Advanced troubleshooting

If the tasks in the previous section don't resolve the problem, then you may be able to resolve the problem by reformatting your hard disk or by determining if hardware is 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, then you may void the computer's warranty.

Note: Before you remove or rearrange hardware, turn off and disconnect the power to the computer and any peripheral devices.

23. Use the Process Viewer to identify and quit processes that may be using large amounts of system resources.

To ensure that Photoshop has enough system resources, use the Process Viewer to quit processes that use more than 30% of the system resources.

Choose Go > Applications.
Open the Utilities folder, and then double-click Process Viewer.

Note: If the Process Listing window doesn't appear, then choose Window > Process Listing.
Set Sample Every to 5 seconds.
Select each process that uses more than 30% of the CPU, and choose Processes > Quit Process.

24. Install to a different hard disk that is designated as the startup disk.

Install the system software on a different hard disk (not a different partition on the same disk) and then specify that disk as the startup disk. Then, install Photoshop to the new hard disk.

To specify the startup disk:

Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
Select Startup Disk from the System selections.
Select the drive to which you reinstalled the system software.
Restart the computer.

25. Check for damaged PCI or PCX cards.

Damaged or incompatible PCI or PCX cards can cause system errors. To check PCI or PCX cards, turn off your computer, remove any processor accelerator cards, video cards, or other installed expansion cards, and then restart the computer.

26. Disconnect peripheral devices.

Disconnect peripheral devices one at a time. Peripheral devices include devices connected by FireWire, USB, Serial ATA, IDE, or SCSI. If an error doesn't occur when an external device is disconnected, then there may be a problem with the device, the cable, or the connection. Contact the manufacturer of the device for troubleshooting steps for the device.

27. Check for problems with RAM modules.

Ensure that the RAM modules are installed properly and are not the cause by doing one or more of the following:

Change the order of the installed RAM modules.
Remove all but the minimum number of RAM modules needed to run Mac OS and Photoshop, and test to see if the problem persists. If it does, then replace the RAM modules you removed and remove the others, testing again to see if the problem persists. If the problem does not recur, then one or more of the removed RAM modules are the cause. For assistance, contact the RAM manufacturer.

28. Run Photoshop on a different hard drive or computer.

Install and 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, then the hard drive or the motherboard you were using previously may be the cause. For assistance, contact the manufacturer.