Before I pay $39 does anyone here know the answer?

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

02/25/2009 01:26:23 PM · #1

I called Adobe technical support and told them my problem. They kindly said they could help me but first I needed to give them my cc # so they could charge me $39.00 for the answer. Can someone here help me before I have to pay them.

Here's what I have

I have adobe Photoshop CS3 and Bridge running on Windows XP(sp2) Home.
My computer has a Intel Core 2 CPU 6400 @2.13GHz with 2GB of Ram and my main HD is 250GB and over half is still free.
My video card is a Radeon X1900GT
I've had my computer checkout at the local store where I purchase it and test showed all devices were preforming normally.
I have uninstalled and re-installed with no success.

Here's the Problem

When I go to use bridge it takes about 20 to 30 seconds to load from the time I click on the icon to when it shows up on my screen. But the main problem is in Photoshop CS3.
In Photoshop if I try to open a new or existing file it will take about 20 to 30 seconds before the blank background or photo will show up. If I try to click anything thing while this is going on the palettes will go white along with my quick launch toolbar within Photoshop. If I try to click Ctrl+Alt+delete during this time it will say that Photoshop is not responding but will still load after 20 or 30 seconds if I don't end task.

Please if anyone can help I would be grateful. Thanks in advance.
Scott

Message edited by author 2009-02-25 13:27:30.

Joker1114

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

02/25/2009 01:31:40 PM · #2

is it only those two programs or are other programs on you cpu acting
?

bfox2

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/25/2009 01:32:05 PM · #3

Do you have your harddrive partitioned at all?

Paul

Leica SL

Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f/1.7 Aspherical MF Wide Angle - Black

02/25/2009 01:34:13 PM · #4

Also, I'm not clear - was this set-up ever working or is CS3 new to your machine?

ralph

Nikon Z9

02/25/2009 01:37:39 PM · #5

check edit->preferences->cache settings
remove anything set & Try again ;)

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

02/25/2009 01:37:49 PM · #6

Originally posted by Joker1114:

is it only those two programs or are other programs on you cpu acting
?

Yes, I can open up the same photographs, large or small in size, in any other program and it loads quickly.

Originally posted by bfox2:

Do you have your harddrive partitioned at all?

No. But I do have an external drive.

Originally posted by paulbtlw:

Also, I'm not clear - was this set-up ever working or is CS3 new to your machine?

Yes. It was very efficient. Before this started it would take about 2 to 3 seconds to load a new file or existing photograph.

02/25/2009 01:39:28 PM · #7

open the task manager - and see what else is running ( applications ).

then click the 'performance' tab, and check how much physical memory is available.

there is also a graph that shows CPU usage, and memory usage.

while task manager is open load up photoshop, and see if either the memory gets entirely eaten up, or the CPU usage maxes out.

could be bad RAM, could be a bad CPU chip, could be a scratch disk issue with PS, could be all the adware and antivirus crap you potentially have running.... among other things.

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

02/25/2009 01:41:43 PM · #8

Originally posted by ralph:

check edit->preferences->cache settings
remove anything set & Try again ;)

I don't see anywhere to remove cache settings.

02/25/2009 01:44:17 PM · #9

it's edit>preferances>performance

but i don't see that fixing the issue.

ETA ; ralph is reffering to the bridge settings... my guess he means 'purge' the cache

Message edited by author 2009-02-25 13:46:46.

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

02/25/2009 01:47:45 PM · #10

Originally posted by soup:

CPU usage around 50 to 51%
When loading up PS it jumped to 80% but then goes back down to 50%. While loading an image it stays at 50% but if I click back to the applications tab it says that Photoshop is not responding then it loads and the status changes to running.

ETA: I have 58 processes running and the Commit Charge is 614M/3939M.

I have no idea what all the 58 processes are....

Message edited by author 2009-02-25 13:49:54.

bfox2

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/25/2009 01:49:38 PM · #11

Can you check whether your scratch disk is set to your internal or external drive?

Whichever is set to, try the opposite and see if that makes any difference.

I don't have photoshop here to know where exactly that's located in the preferences but you can find info on google if you don't know how to do it.

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

02/25/2009 01:52:59 PM · #12

Originally posted by bfox2:

Scratch disk is located on the C:\ drive.
Memory Usage:
Available RAM: 1703MB
Ideal Range: 936-1226MB
Set at 1004 (59%)- within range.

History & Cache
History States is set to 10
Cache Level is set to 8

02/25/2009 01:55:10 PM · #13

FWIW i wouldn't pay adobe a dime to troubleshoot the $600 plus software you bought from them...

at the very least ( and this is me thinking how someone else might ) i would make them resolve the issue before committing to payment. i would do so by explaining that you spent a fair bit on the software, and don't feel it fair that you spend $39 for a solution you aren't even sure will work. if that didn't work, i'd let them know that it will be the last piece of software you're going to purchase from them, and are hanging up now to download GIMP...

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

02/25/2009 01:58:39 PM · #14

Originally posted by soup:

I know it sucks for them to ask someone to spend $39 for the answer and not sure if it will work. I tried to get him to go over it with me first be he wouldn't.

02/25/2009 01:58:49 PM · #15

you're running into the issue with bridge and PS running at the same time, or when you load either one by itself ?

i ask, because when i have lightroom running an export to PS it does take a few seconds, though i don't get a 'not responding' error.

Message edited by author 2009-02-25 13:59:49.

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

02/25/2009 02:02:00 PM · #16

Originally posted by soup:

Both ways. If I go to PS by its self it does the same thing. If I go to bridge it does the same thing. If I'm in bridge and double click to open in PS it does it also.

No other programs including canon editing software does this.

bfox2

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/25/2009 02:04:23 PM · #17

Originally posted by SDW:

Originally posted by bfox2:
Can you check whether your scratch disk is set to your internal or external drive?

Whichever is set to, try the opposite and see if that makes any difference.

I don't have photoshop here to know where exactly that's located in the preferences but you can find info on google if you don't know how to do it.

Scratch disk is located on the C:\ drive.
Memory Usage:
Available RAM: 1703MB
Ideal Range: 936-1226MB
Set at 1004 (59%)- within range.

History & Cache
History States is set to 10
Cache Level is set to 8

If you change the scratch disk from c:\ to your external drive does it make anything better/worse?

02/25/2009 02:04:26 PM · #18

maybe a bad/corrupted DLL file.

if you don't have a ton of custom layout/settings maybe try a reinstall... assuming you've got a legit copy...

i've run into issues once when adobe ran it's update thing. had to reinstall, and update again.

i don't know enough about bridge, and it;s cataloging to know if that would F things up...

Message edited by author 2009-02-25 14:06:55.

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

02/25/2009 02:11:50 PM · #19

Originally posted by bfox2:

Originally posted by SDW:

Originally posted by bfox2:
Can you check whether your scratch disk is set to your internal or external drive?

Whichever is set to, try the opposite and see if that makes any difference.

I don't have photoshop here to know where exactly that's located in the preferences but you can find info on google if you don't know how to do it.

Scratch disk is located on the C:\ drive.
Memory Usage:
Available RAM: 1703MB
Ideal Range: 936-1226MB
Set at 1004 (59%)- within range.

History & Cache
History States is set to 10
Cache Level is set to 8

If you change the scratch disk from c:\ to your external drive does it make anything better/worse?

does the same on both internal and external drives.

Originally posted by soup:

I have uninstalled and re-installed, yes it is a legit copy. It's an upgrade from Elements 3.

ETA: I just had a though!!!! When installing PS3 I didn't install Elements 3 first. I installed PS3 and it asked me for Elements 3 key after asking me for PS3 key. I wonder if I uninstall and reload elements 3 and then upgrade to PS3 would it work like it did when I first upgraded.....

Message edited by author 2009-02-25 14:15:52.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

02/25/2009 02:21:29 PM · #20

long shot, but will only take a few minutes. could be a shared DLL issue i suppose. if elements wasn't there. i dunno...

Ristyz

Apple iPhone 12 Pro

02/25/2009 02:24:40 PM · #21

I didn't read all the answers, but just in case, sometimes my computer will wait form my external hard drives to wake up. Of course my system is mac and completely different from your set up, but listen to see if your externals are merely booting up.

pointandshoot

Canon EOS-10D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

02/25/2009 02:34:44 PM · #22

Another possible solution.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

02/25/2009 02:38:54 PM · #23

Not related to your software issue, but I see Adobe does the same as Corel in charging for tech support. I had what I considered a specifications question, about if the 16 bit version of neatimage would work within PaintShop Pro, or if it would only function in 8 bit mode. I e-mailed their support and the answer was a request for payment before they would even think about it. I thought it was a pretty simple specs question. Apparently they only offer free support if you have installation issues after buying it.

I suppose it's a necessary way of doing things. Being in tech support myself, I know some customers will suck you dry with hand holding if you give it away.

Prash

Nikon D90

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

02/25/2009 03:16:32 PM · #24

Scott,

When you notice this slowness, goto the task manager, sort the CPU usage column in a descending order, and take a snapshot.

Is it only with photoshop/bridge that the slowness occurs, or do you also see other stuff slowing down? Like web browser etc.?

If it is explorer.exe that is jamming the CPU, it could be anything from bad sectors on your HDD to a virus to corrupted dlls.
If it is some other service that automatically launches, like a pop email client that checks email frequently, or a background process to back something up, or an antivirus, note down its name (exe's name) and do a google search on it.
If the hogging process looks strangely named to you, google for its name and see what comes up.

There are many things that can cause system slowness..most common being lack of swap space on HDD along with limited RAM.

Hope you find the solution soon...

ETA: Check in installed programs list if a new system update was installed recently.

Message edited by author 2009-02-25 15:18:00.