CS4 Keeps Crashing, Need help

[Cardsbynikki]

You must enjoy bucking the trends

Sounds like you do a lot of interesting work. Post some pics when you have time, I'm sure everyone would love to see them.

I've never been one to go with the trends I started web design in 97, when it was still a novelty. Come 2002 I took awhile off, then in 2004 switched focus in a totally different direction. I still get itchy fingers now and then and have to go script something or another, and then I'm good again

I will post some pics after I get these projects done. I got one book done last night, don't ask me how. I couldn't have slept much even if I had wanted to, my mind was moving too fast!:redface:

My work is girly, though, beware! My target audience are all girls, and I've yet to have a guy ask me to make something that wasn't for their girlfriend/wife/fiancee/mother/sister, etc. So it's all pretty and cute and makes most guys roll their eyes (Mission Accomplished!)

Photoshop is working like a dream IF I reset my preferences upon starting it each time. That's slightly annoying because I'm very particular about where I like my tools, where I like my layers, what setting I want upon opening a new document (always transparent. Always 300.) etc. So it has taken some getting used to, having to set all those after I open it. I'm a little too worried to try and fix it, however. Besides right now I don't have TIME to fix it! Come September 2 I might be back here making ya all crazy again with my bizarre Photoshop issues that come out of nowhere.

I guess 12 years of Photoshop working perfectly meant my time was up and it was my turn to :banghead:.

 

[Gaussian]

What happens if you don't delete preferences on startup? Does it crash again?

Does it delete all saved workspaces?

 

[Cardsbynikki]

It just crashes. I can get it open, but as soon as I try to open an image, start a new project, whatever, it just crashes immediately. If I reset the preferences, then it works like a dream, but I have to go move everything to where I want it. Which isn't all horrible, it's just a little annoying but considering where I was just yesterday, I'll take it.

 

[KRF]

It just crashes. I can get it open, but as soon as I try to open an image, start a new project, whatever, it just crashes immediately. If I reset the preferences, then it works like a dream, but I have to go move everything to where I want it. Which isn't all horrible, it's just a little annoying but considering where I was just yesterday, I'll take it.

Right then, after you have your work done, maybe it's time to do a clean install and start again.

Do you know how to install an operating system like windows XP? and then do all updates and so on?

Also do you know how to back up all your files and so on, cos some times it really is just best to start again.

Let me know if you are up for doing this, you may not be, but remember to back every thing up first, other wise you will loos every thing

 

[Gaussian]

I think a small investment in another stick of ram would be worth a shot. Unless you are just going to upgrade your whole computer soon it would be worth doing just to see if it helps.

I don't know what type of memory your computer takes, but an extra 1GB stick is less than $25 in most cases.

If you need help ordering the right kind and installing it I would be happy to help.

 

[Cardsbynikki]

I think a small investment in another stick of ram would be worth a shot. Unless you are just going to upgrade your whole computer soon it would be worth doing just to see if it helps.

I don't know what type of memory your computer takes, but an extra 1GB stick is less than $25 in most cases.

If you need help ordering the right kind and installing it I would be happy to help.

I am planning on upgrading but probably not for another 6 months or so. Unless I find a crazy-good deal that is too good to pass up, then I will put it on the credit card. I was going to earlier, but decided to get my digital die cutter instead (it was needed more than a new system).

So another stick of ram - I can totally do $25. That's not a big deal at all.

I'm honestly quite close to just putting a new system on my credit card and paying it off. This thing is driving me CRAZY.

I found two trojans last night during my daily scan. I got them cleaned out and they aren't showing up on any more scans (I've run 4 since then, just in case). So I think those are gone and I don't think they were causing the issues, because well, the issues are back.

 

[Cardsbynikki]

Right then, after you have your work done, maybe it's time to do a clean install and start again.

Do you know how to install an operating system like windows XP? and then do all updates and so on?

Also do you know how to back up all your files and so on, cos some times it really is just best to start again.

Let me know if you are up for doing this, you may not be, but remember to back every thing up first, other wise you will loos every thing

Yeah I know how to do a total clean out and reinstall of a system - done it quite a few times with different systems over the years. I know I really do need to do that, my system today is just wacky - it's been getting worse day by day. I defragged a couple weeks ago and that helped but not enough.

I've got most of my stuff on an external hard drive. I've got another external that I can borrow from my dad, to put everything else on (about 60 more gig) while I do a total system clean out.

Today Photoshop started up with the same issues, but I got my projects done so now I've got some die-cutting I need to do tonight. I don't know what the hell is wrong with Photoshop. I very nearly ordered CS5. I found out I can get it with the teacher discount for $200 from JourneyEd and came quite close to ordering it, but I'm not sure it would fix anything as I think my system is going wonky. Today my Illustrator took forever to MOVE and do anything, and then my die-cut software is moving like molasses as well. So either I have a hidden bug/trojan/virus/whatever, or my system is tanking on me. I figured it would this year - it's 5 years old now and as hard as I run my computers, 5 years is about what I get out of them.

Any suggestions for a new system? I've always gone Dell but not sure I will again. I'm not a Mac kind of girl plus my die-cutter has major issues working on Macs, even on the Window OS on a Mac, so Mac is pretty much out window. The Gazelle (die cutter) is critical to getting the things done that I need to get done.

I've got other stuff in Illustrator and in the Gazelle that HAS to get done this week but after that I'm probably going to take it down and totally go clean it and get it going again. I'm beginning to think its just my system has about had it. I know on the new one I need at least 1 Gig Ram, preferably 2. At least 200 GIG hard drive. Windows 7 - will it work with CS4? I love XP PRO but will probably have a hard time finding a laptop with it on there. I really do want it to be a laptop, portable, so I can work on the run if I need to. Right now my laptop is only good for emails and simple designing within the Gazelle software. Once I load anything else it trudges along. It'd be nice to not be tethered to the desktop. Honestly, though, this particular system just never worked quite right. I've had problems with it from the get-go. All my other Dells, I had much better experiences. I just got a bad one this time around.