Help! my photoshop freezes!!

[flondo]

could someone PLEASE tell me how to unfreeze my computer when I'm in the middle of a photoshop project?

I have cs2, but it ddid the same when i was using 7.

somewhere in the depths of my addled brain, I seem to remember that there is a combination of keys that will do it.

[down2earth2]

If you have a mac, hold down command + option and hit the esc key. This brings up a dialog box where you can force quit any progams.

[flondo]

windows - XP

[Chris49]

Ctrl, Alt, Delete

also know as the three finger salute :)

[Dave]

What Chris said ... but it shouldn't happen often ....

(in the early days of desk top computers it was known as "BRS" .... Big Red Switch)

[flondo]

I think i've tried that but will remember for next time.

it happens if I'm going too fast or magic erase click on a huge space, etc.

we'll see

Thanks
i'll let you know next time - (probably later today)

[Tao]

I'm sure you realise that this will terminate the session you are having with Photoshop without saving the work you have done so far. I just want to mention it in case you don't.
If I know I am going to be working on large files I close every unnesessary programme before I fire up PS. Then I save often.
It is also helpful to have your scratch disk on another volume or better still another separate disk, if you have one.
In this way you may be able to reduce your PS freezes to a minimum. :)
Here is some information on the subject.
Adode Support (http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/320005.html)

[flondo]

thanks - I'll wade trhough that when I'm REALLY awake.



But is there a way not toshut it down and keep on going?

[jrutherchevy]

I know mine freezes up when I try to do something that exceeds the memory capabilities of the Lappy. If I just let it sit for a few, it usually comes back, good to go. Running XP and CS.

[flondo]

I thought that might be the case - maybe I can change some settings or something

[Dave]

More RAM ... better CPU ... best graphice card you can afford .... lots of patience.

When a programme crashes there's no going back .... so save as often as you can.

[jrutherchevy]

*nods sagely at Dave*

Indeed. RAM is on the wish list right now, and hubby's been nagging me to just let him build me another computer. I don't want to be a 3 computer household! :hair:

I just make sure to run PS while not running other programs, and I seem to do ok.

[Tao]

I am running PS7 on XP with a 1.9 P4 processor with 512mb SD RAM. I have two hard drives 1x40 gig and 1x80 gig partitioned into four separate drives.
I have PS installed on the 80 gig and set the scratch disk to the other 40 gig drive, with a further allotment of virtual memory on one of the unused partitioned drives.
I have found that this type of set up (scratch disk allotment) has reduced my freeze ups to a minimum.
flondo, what is your set up like, and how do you allocate you virtual memory? I hope you don't mind me asking (I've shown you mine, now you show me yours Heh ;) ) You might not have enough virtual memory allocated to Photoshop.
As jrutherchevy has mentioned, often PS can freeze and then recover after leaving it for a couple of minutes. This often happens with certain filters or with the erase tool on a large canvas, but I personally do not like to take the chance that it will recover. more often than not, in my experience, it does not.

[flondo]

I have the same 80 - 40 split as you, I think I have less RAM - I'm not good at the technical stuff - but i think that somewhere I can up the photoshop allottment - i've seen it , i just can't remember where it is at the moment, but i'll find it.

one thing I have learned is to save at almost every step - most of the time.

But... It's good to know that this happens to other folk, that I'm not a complete incompetant - (well not totally)

thanks - I'll get this sorted - I think - youve all been very helpful.

[jrutherchevy]

The memory settings in PS are under Edit > Preferences(it's at the very bottom) > Memory & Image Cache. At least they are in CS ;)

[Ez2bFish]

Good advice from all. There's little else I can say to add to this thread.....but from a technical side, the quickest / cheapest fix for this situation would be (besides proper memory cache allotment for PS) to add more memory. Flondo, if you are running XP and do have less than 512KB RAM then your PC isn't even reaching the minimum requirement for that operating system! I suggest 1GB or more if your board can handle it. The more, the better...at least for window based PC's. Good Luck!

[flondo]

I'm probably wrong about that - I think it's approx 250mb if that makes sense -
(i don't know a k from an m )

[Dave]

[QUOTE=flondo]I'm probably wrong about that - I think it's approx 250mb if that makes sense -
(i don't know a k from an m )[/QUOTE]Right click on the "MY Computer" icon and select "properties". The General tab will tell you what you've got .....

[flondo]

110GHz256 MB RAM
Intel Celeron Processor

[Dave]

I think that puts you below the min. requirement for Photoshop CS ....

checking .....

please wait (cheesy music playing)

sorry to keep you ....

System Requirements Details: Microsoft Windows XP SP1 or later - Pentium III - RAM 320 MB - HD 650 MB

So your computer fails on two counts your proccessor and your RAM, I'd assume you have 650Mb+ Hard drive space available ....

[Tao]

110GHz256 MB RAM
Intel Celeron Processor
There's the main reason, as Dave has pointed out.
BTW Dave I did not get cheesy music while I waited. I heard the Stones "I can't get no, smudge tool action". Perhaps it is a Time Zone thang ;)

So flondo, in short, I strongly recommend closing all extraneous programmes before firing up PS. I would also come offline and I mean disconnect if that is at all possible while in PS. I use Firefox and that can eat up a huge amount of memory on its own.

Also, while in PS, go to Edit>Preferences>Memory & Image Cache and check how much RAM you have allocated, I have mine set to 80%, perhaps you could set yours to 90% or even more, though I have not had experience of setting it higher than 90%, I think that would be OK

spelling

[flondo]

thanks folks

[Ez2bFish]

[QUOTE=flondo]I'm probably wrong about that - I think it's approx 250mb if that makes sense -
(i don't know a k from an m )[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that was my fualt...I was talking about MB's not KB's. Typo on me. ...but as you can see - memory deficient is a bad thing! Celeron is not at the top of the food chain either...but could do nicely with more memory. (although as you see Dave looked up the min req. for CS and the processor speed is too slow.)

[flondo]

well - touch wood - things are fine today -

I have 40GB on C drive (scratch here)
and 80 GB on D/E (CS2 here)
( I know that I need more RAM - but then I need $$ to get it - not high on my priority list at the moment.)

Other than the occasional freeze - all seems to be working well it seems.

Thanks for your concern guys.

[Happy]

flondo - until you are able to get more ram also try to keep your brush sizes on the small size especially when using the healing tool. That is when I would mostly freeze in bygone days. I would highly recommend saving before using the healing tool and filters.

[flondo]

thanks for the advice

[magic_fella]

Well.....you COULD do all this technical stuff. OR you could smack your computer REALLY hard...

Works for me.

.............Of course I buy a LOT of computers............


Hmmm...

[ismith]

[QUOTE=Ez2bFish]Flondo, if you are running XP and do have less than 512KB RAM then your PC isn't even reaching the minimum requirement for that operating system![/QUOTE]

Sorry, but that's not true. His system doesn't meet the minimum requirements for PhotoShop, but the minimum RAM for XP Pro is 128mb, therefore he has twice as much as the minimum. My husband's system has 256mb and runs XP just fine. Of course, all he does is word processing and Microsoft Money. I know it sounds like I'm nitpicking, but I'm a Virgo, I can't help myself. ;0)

[magic_fella]

Do "they" still make puters with 128? "They" need to reconsider the torture they are inflicting on humankind. RAM is cheap now...so there's no excuse for whining, given the bios can support more RAM.

And PHOTOSHOP???? Oh my God.

I have tried running some of the Xenoflex filters from Alien Skin on my old laptop, which had 512. And it would start running verrrrrryyyyy sllllooowwwwlllyyy....and I would think "Oh my God! WhenDIDISAVE???????" or words to that effect. So, while I agree that you CAN run PS on 256, you'd better take a sandwich and a what-the-hell attitude when you start using high level filters and brushes...or even trying to open high res pictures.

My spirit quivers at the very thought...or maybe it's just gas.

Anyway my new laptop has a gig of Ram (okay...a year and a half new)...and it still makes me nervous once in a while at the end of long sessions.

Just a thought.

[clickmaniac]

There's the problem, CS2 needs alot more from a puter, I've had no freeze ups since getting a P4 with 1gb of ram...the 256mb graphics card does'nt hurt either.

[flondo]

thanks
actually since I installed cs2, i haven't had any probs

[pdames]

Hi Flondo,
Just use the following link Here you will learn how to reduce your launch time, optimize preferences, make the most of your RAM, choose between 16-bits/channel and 8-bits/channel, streamline file saving, and switch between apps faster and a whole bunch of other useful info.


http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1910642,00.asp

[Ez2bFish]

[QUOTE=ismith]Sorry, but that's not true. His system doesn't meet the minimum requirements for PhotoShop, but the minimum RAM for XP Pro is 128mb, therefore he has twice as much as the minimum. My husband's system has 256mb and runs XP just fine. Of course, all he does is word processing and Microsoft Money. I know it sounds like I'm nitpicking, but I'm a Virgo, I can't help myself. ;0)[/QUOTE]


That's ok, I understand the Virgo thing - as much as we want to be perfect...;)

I guess I was talking about "real world" experience with XP and PS and not relying on Microsoft's disclaimer that they posted back in 2001 when they stated that XP Pro can run on a minimum of 64MB but 128MB is recommended. The difference is the magical words required vs. recommended. I'd really like to see anybody do some serious chopping with XP running 128MB on a P3! LOL ...I guess the important thing here is that Flondo fixed the issue and is enjoying some chopping!

ismith, thanks for setting me straight. :)