Layer Mask and Activation Help

[funktheory]

Hello, I downloaded a 30 day trial of Photoshop as I had heard so many good things just to see if it was preferable to lightroom. Anyway, I then bought the full boxed version from amazon and it all works ok until all of a sudden I go to retouch my pictures (im a photographer too). I duplicate the layer, click alt and the layer mask, i lower the opacity and the brush all of a sudden doesnt work. The ONLY way I can resolve the problem is to delete the photoshop file eg start the program and press ctrl, shift and alt. It happens every few days and cant understand why, any ideas?

(Everything else on the program works and its fully updated with updates. I am using CS3)

Secondly, I thought about uninstalling the software but it says make sure I have deactivated it already. There is no activate in the help section and I havent registered it yet because of this problem. I work in IT and was going to completely uninstall it and back up the registry then delete all sub keys too but I dont want to have to contact support at Adobe and not have it for a few days. Its a totally legal copy. Im stuck :-(

 

[JLBerry]

I don't get it; why would you buy Photoshop CS3 on Amazon, when you could have gotten CS4 for pretty much the same price?

 

[funktheory]

I don't get it; why would you buy Photoshop CS3 on Amazon, when you could have gotten CS4 for pretty much the same price?

cs3 was about £200 more and it doesnt really help my problem.

 

[JLBerry]

Seems to me that you bought it used (since I don't see a brand new Windows version of CS3 on Amazon.co.uk that comes directly from Amazon), in that case... cross fingers.

Anyway, which OS are you using?
Btw, make sure you update your video driver, hangs and crashes in cases like yours are mostly related to the driver.
Also a memory test with Memtest 86+ is also highly recommended: Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

 

[funktheory]

Seems to me that you bought it used (since I don't see a brand new Windows version of CS3 on Amazon.co.uk that comes directly from Amazon), in that case... cross fingers.

Anyway, which OS are you using?
Btw, make sure you update your video driver, hangs and crashes in cases like yours are mostly related to the driver.

It was brand new boxed, unopened bought from amazon.
Its also a new graphics card with up to date drivers as im running dual monitors, i make sure its always up to date. If I could of afforded nearly £600 for cs4 I would of bought it.
I think its just easier to call adobe for support.

 

[JLBerry]

I think its just easier to call adobe for support.

If that's the case, then explain to me why you don't call support. Because guess what...that's the reason why I asked those other questions, I just don't understand why someone who buys such an expensive product doesn't contact the manufacturer instead.

Anyway, you really need to check your system first. Even having the latest driver doesn't mean anything, because unless you uninstall the old driver with specialized software like drivercleaner.net, you'll often create more problems than solving them.

And I repeat again; run an extensive memory test for at least 6-12 hours.

Also make sure that ALL your other drivers are up-to-date, that you chipset drivers are up-to-date and the Windows driver verifier (Using Driver Verifier to identify issues with Windows drivers for advanced users) doesn't point out any issues with drivers. Also check your event logs and system manager.
You also still didn’t tell me which OS you are using. I would also like to know if this OS is an OS that was installed with a clean install and if it's the final version and not some beta product. If you installed on Vista or 7, did you run the setup with "Run as administrator"?

Where is your scratch disk located? If you have instructed your BIOS to use SMART on your hard drives, what's the status of SMART, does it show any problems with the drives? (try Hard Disk Sentinel downloads )

Another common cause of problems with Photoshop are software conflicts, only trial and error will point out if that’s the case.

Do you have problems with other programs, like crashes and hanging?

 

[KRF]

If that's the case, then explain to me why you don't call support. Because guess what...that's the reason why I asked those other questions, I just don't understand why someone who buys such an expensive product doesn't contact the manufacturer instead.

Way to go and be nice to some one

Anyway, you really need to check your system first. Even having the latest driver doesn't mean anything, because unless you uninstall the old driver with specialized software like drivercleaner.net, you'll often create more problems than solving them.

this is some what true, if your useing most big named companys like Nvidia, the the update driver will uninstall the old one for you with 99% of the time no problem

And I repeat again; run an extensive memory test for at least 6-12 hours.

why would you need to do this, every thing else is working, if not I'm sure he would have kinda let on that it's not, doing this will not solve the problem, if it will he may as well go out and buy new ram and bang the photoshop problem is fix, if you knew anything you would know doing this is not going to help nor is it the problem


[quote/Also make sure that ALL your other drivers are up-to-date, that you chipset drivers are up-to-date and the Windows driver verifier (Using Driver Verifier to identify issues with Windows drivers for advanced users) doesn't point out any issues with drivers. Also check your event logs and system manager.
You also still didn’t tell me which OS you are using. I would also like to know if this OS is an OS that was installed with a clean install and if it's the final version and not some beta product. If you installed on Vista or 7, did you run the setup with "Run as administrator"?[/quote]

A clean install dose not matter, it can be an upgrade, a BETA would give you truble but and upgrade wouldn't in 99% of the cases, you also do not need to run as admin to install PS

Where is your scratch disk located? If you have instructed your BIOS to use SMART on your hard drives, what's the status of SMART, does it show any problems with the drives? (try Hard Disk Sentinel downloads )

Another common cause of problems with Photoshop are software conflicts, only trial and error will point out if that’s the case.

Do you have problems with other programs, like crashes and hanging?

This sound like Photoshop is not remembering the perference file, or it's becoming corupt, some how, so you can run mem test's if you like, update the drivers as well but it's to do with the saving of the preference files and not your files, but the PS files, uninstall and reinstall it

 

[JLBerry]

Way to go and be nice to some one

...says he who obviously has the ultimate goal today to rip apart my post and leave again, without helping those today who actually need help....

if your useing most big named companys like Nvidia, the the update driver will uninstall the old one for you with 99% of the time no problem

An extremely popular program like drivercleaner doesn't exist because it has no use. I challenge you to go to any professional support forum and tell the members with the most posts what a useless program that is, but don’t blame me for the reactions you’re getting.

why would you need to do this, every thing else is working

How do you know what is working on his PC? Crystal ball?

if not I'm sure he would have kinda let on that it's not, doing this will not solve the problem, if it will he may as well go out and buy new ram and bang the photoshop problem is fix, if you knew anything you would know doing this is not going to help nor is it the problem

If I would know anything? Quite amusing, considering what I’ve been doing professionally for a long, long time hehe Btw, you can have a ram issue for months without even knowing it, trust me.
The hardware is the foundation of a system. Confusing errors like this with also no error message require an approach in which you follow the path hardware->drivers->OS->applications, but you seem to like your "Needle in a hay stack approach"...good luck!

A clean install dose not matter, it can be an upgrade, a BETA would give you truble but and upgrade wouldn't in 99% of the cases

99% of the cases? You make that up and if you deny that, then back it up with facts and I will be the first to apologize. Ask any IT professional what the most reliable install is; an upgrade or a clean install. All, and I mean ALL will tell you that a clean install is better, even the more skilled amateurs know this....sigh

you also do not need to run as admin to install PS

An administrator install increases the changes to have a correct install when there are file/folder permissions issues on the system

This sound like Photoshop is not remembering the perference file, or it's becoming corupt, some how, so you can run mem test's if you like, update the drivers as well but it's to do with the saving of the preference files and not your files, but the PS files, uninstall and reinstall it

If you think that a corrupted preference file can't be caused by failing hardware, failing drivers, software conflicts or the OS, then you have no clue who much everything in a system depends on one another....





KRF after discovering that he's on my ignore list from now on.......

..............................

 

[funktheory]

I found this forum expecting help and bearing in mind I work in IT, I dont anything you said helpful or relevant to my problem because EVERYTHING else on my pc works fine. It has 4gb ram and an extremely fast processor and the NVIDIA card is only two months old.

 

[Paul MR]

As you say something is wrong, when this happens again can you try right clicking on the brush (Under File) and select reset tool and see if you can then continue.
When Photoshop closes the preferences are written out so any corruption will show next time you open Photoshop, hence you have to delete the preference file. You could make it read only but defeats the object or keep a working copy of the preference file.
All anyone can do is quess at what's happening, Adobe will work through the process if you contact them.

 

[funktheory]

As you say something is wrong, when this happens again can you try right clicking on the brush (Under File) and select reset tool and see if you can then continue.
When Photoshop closes the preferences are written out so any corruption will show next time you open Photoshop, hence you have to delete the preference file. You could make it read only but defeats the object or keep a working copy of the preference file.
All anyone can do is quess at what's happening, Adobe will work through the process if you contact them.

Thanks I will try that

My other question about uninstalling it or why theres no activate photoshop. Does this only appear once you have registered it? I am registering it today as I want support on it

 

[KRF]

Thanks I will try that

My other question about uninstalling it or why theres no activate photoshop. Does this only appear once you have registered it? I am registering it today as I want support on it

If it's not been installed then no it shouldn't pop up, I hope you find the answer soon and just to add I am sorry for the bitch fight I had with JB in your thread it was rude or me.

 

[funktheory]

If it's not been installed then no it shouldn't pop up, I hope you find the answer soon and just to add I am sorry for the bitch fight I had with JB in your thread it was rude or me.

Thank you I appreciate that and I do agree.

I have installed photoshop and its all working apart from the problem, I just wondered why theres no activate or deactivate on the menus, bit odd!

 

[JLBerry]

I found this forum expecting help and bearing in mind I work in IT, I dont anything you said helpful or relevant to my problem because EVERYTHING else on my pc works fine. It has 4gb ram and an extremely fast processor and the NVIDIA card is only two months old.

Don't fool us, you don't work in the IT and even if you do, you're probably doing nothing more than just mopping the floor in the computer room, otherwise you would have already solved the problem yourself or at least contacted Adobe support, support which according to you was one of the major reason to spend that much money on Photoshop...duh
Just the fact that you mention how fast your processor is and that the Nvidia card is only two months old, just shows that you lack major computer skills, because explain to us what on earth a fast processor has to do with THIS problem, not mention that your video card is BRAND new? And you have a computer on which EVERYTHING runs fine? Congratulations, the first man made computer that has not a single error! We all bow for you.

You don't work in the IT, you said that to avoid that people are giving the kind of suggestions that I posted, because you only want an EASY solution, but oh boy... let's not get too busy and research from the ground up. You’re about 23 years old, next year I will be working in the IT for 23 years... just to put your so called "IT experience" in perspective.

You're dealing with a problem with your SYSTEM and not Photoshop, get used to it.

And if you wonder about the tone of my reply; I get a little tired of people ripping people posts apart or spoon fed demanding tantrum trolls like you who can’t appreciate for one moment the serious effort someone obviously puts in a post like I did, while others are mostly picking their nose.

I have installed photoshop and its all working apart from the problem, I just wondered why theres no activate or deactivate on the menus, bit odd!

Why do you think I said earlier in this thread "in that case... cross fingers" mr. know-it-all?

 

[JLBerry]

Btw, you're on my ignore list too hehe

 

[funktheory]

wow, im so glad i joined this forum to find someone as rude as you. Very childish and I wont dignify your rudeness with a response, i cannot have a constructive conversation with a child im afraid.

fao admin, please delete my account on this forum NOW