Memory Usage in Photoshop - DPChallenge Forums

10/18/2014 12:57:13 PM · #1

Quick question:

I'm currently running 16GB on my Windows 7 PC. However, when I open Photoshop > Preferences > Performance, it tells me under the Memory Usage tab that Available RAM is 3255MB.

Why is only 3GB available to PS when I know I have a lot more than that?

10/18/2014 01:02:50 PM · #2

Are you running a 32-bit version of the OS? That would limit the entire system to about that amount.

ETA: Open "My Computer," right-click and choose Properties. If you don't see "64" in the OS description, you are running the 32-bit version...

Message edited by author 2014-10-18 13:04:33.

10/18/2014 01:04:22 PM · #3

Originally posted by kirbic:

Are you running a 32-bit version of the OS? That would limit the entire system to about that amount.

Nope, 64-bit OS.

10/18/2014 01:05:29 PM · #4

OK, then next thing to do is to check the Photoshop preferences and look at the performance settings which includes the RAM usage. How is that set?

Edit: From your original post, I see that the top line "Available RaAM" is reporting the 3.2 GB, so, under Help>About Photoshop, what is reported for version? Does it include the "x64" descriptor?

Message edited by author 2014-10-18 13:13:16.

10/18/2014 01:11:58 PM · #5

Figured it out (I think), for some odd reason I was running 32-bit Photoshop. Seems at installation both 32-bit and 64-bit were installed, but the 32-bit became the default desktop icon.

Now running the 64-bit version, and currently downloading updates...but I think this should solve the problem.

10/18/2014 01:14:21 PM · #6

Originally posted by Garry:

Yup, there you go. I know I ran into this as well, with both installed, the desktop icon for some reason pointed to the 32-bit version.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/18/2014 01:33:33 PM · #7

Yup, solved the problem. Available RAM is now up from 3GB to 14GB.

(side note...the 64-bit version takes significantly longer to load for some reason).

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

10/18/2014 01:35:49 PM · #8

Originally posted by kirbic:

... the desktop icon for some reason pointed to the 32-bit version.

This would probably be so that the default launched would be the most likely to run regardless of current OS, RAM, or competing applications ...

10/18/2014 01:39:44 PM · #9

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by kirbic:
... the desktop icon for some reason pointed to the 32-bit version.

This would probably be so that the default launched would be the most likely to run regardless of current OS, RAM, or competing applications ...

That would seem to make sense, but if the app is installing the 64-bit version, that means that the OS and system is capable of running it, and certainly the 64-bit app is preferred from a performance standpoint, so defaulting to the 32-bit version, without cuing in the user, seems weird. FWIW, I don't know if this behavior is still relevant to CC, or if it is specific to the now-obsolete CS6.

10/18/2014 05:14:36 PM · #10

Will be interesting to see how the performance differs with the 64-bit and available RAM.

Can't believe I have been using CS6 for 10 months now and only noticed this now.