Photoshop crash

limey · 02-24-2002, 01:14 AM

Hi all , I like the look of the new web site Mark it has been awhile since I was here so I kind of panicked when I couldn't get on the old web site. However Stu came through and put me on the right path again.
My latest problem is with Photoshop 6.0.1 crashing. It occurs when I try to work with a photo that was scanned at 1200dpi. I have Mac G4 DP 450mhz computer and whenever I try to adjust the image either automatically or manually I get this clicking and whirring noise coming from my computer that sounds like a broken record.
After less than a minute of this repititious noise PS freezes up.
BTW it doesn't do it if I scan at 800dpi
I have the memory allocation set at 100megs the suggested size is around 45megs. I'm using system 9.2.2 OS
Thanks for any suggestions.

Blinky2004 · 02-24-2002, 02:14 AM

Hiya Limme, glad you found your way back. [righton]

I can't be of much help here i'm afraid. I don't use a Mac.

But my first guess was going to be that it sounds more like a system problem than a PS problem.

I'm thinking either bad ram, or bad sectors on the hard drive. When PS needs to use those resources, it runs into problems because of that. And that would also explain (kind of) why you don't get the problem when working on a smaller file -- those 'bad' areas are not being accessed by PS until you need more resources.

That's my guess.

Maybe Stu can help... he's a Mac-head too. Hey Stu?! Get over here will ya buddy!? [confused]

jpfitness · 02-24-2002, 02:46 AM

HI ya Limey
try to locate the sound a lil closer even take the cover off
make sure the fan over the heatsink of your CPU is spinning, check the power supply fan is still spinning and any fans on your video cards - make sure nothing is hitting these fans

now if the sound is actually comming from your hard drive then that is bad news [saywhat] and I would suggest backing up everything and get another, once the hard drive is scratched you can not repair it and it becomes a bad sector a couple is okay in a hard drive but more than 2 or 3 and I would start to look for another before you use loose the lot for your hard drive don't forget to check the maker of it as you never know it may still be under manufacturers warranty (loads of people forget this).

I hope that the noise is just a cable hitting a fan but if it is causing your program to crash then I feel your pain [confused]
sfm

kiwi · 02-24-2002, 02:52 AM

Pant pant pant...whooo let me catch my breath,damn you can yell Mark

Hi Limey

Do you have virtual memory activated?,the other thing do you have a reasonable size scratch disk alotted to PS?,I might be wrong but I think it sounds like PS does not have enough memory to do what you want at the higher res,although it could still be something like Mark described,but I find it bizarre that it doesnt do it at the lower res?

Set your virtual memory to 1m over your total ram, ie I have 512 and mine is set at 513.Virtual memory did use to slow down PS but it no longer does now

Those noises I am really not sure about,have you tried running Norton Disk Doctor?,I cant remember exactly where it hangs out but there is a copy of NDD on your software restore cd in utilities

Let us know how you get on bud

Stu.

kiwi · 02-24-2002, 03:05 AM

Just had another thought 1200dpi is pretty big,so how many meg is the image at 1200dpi and how much at 800dpi?

Stu.

limey · 02-24-2002, 06:32 AM

Thanks guys for all of the suggestions.
Stu I didn't have VM selected or a scratch disk so I corrected that oversight and tried working with the 1200dpi photo and this time it was ok didn't get the noise or the crash.
So thanks a lot for your help.
From what I could find out about the scratch disk in 6.0 you select your hard drive or drives if you have more than one. I read somewhere that once you shut down you have to reselect, is that a fact do you know.
Also when you look at the scratch sizes on the bottom of the image it gives 2 sets of numbers could you tell me what they mean, ie my big photo had 455/93.1M at the bottom.
I couldn't find any information about them in the help section.
I think you are correct about it being pretty large I think I'm going to stick with 800 dpi from now on.

kiwi · 02-24-2002, 07:54 AM

Youre welcome

If you set up a scratch disk in the PS edit prefs you should not have to reselect it again as it should be saved with the prefs

About the numbers.I think one is the scratch disk size being used,and the other is the size of your image,but I might be wrong there

Limey generally 300dpi is all you need for scanning.What I do is scan at 600dpi and then reduce to 300 dpi in PS itself and then print at 1440 dpi it seems to work fine for me

,even though you are generally meant to scan at twice what you eventually want to print at ,but I dont have any desire to be working with 2880 dpi images thats for sure [confused] ,so I just use as I explained above.

This link also has about scanning and color setup

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/

Cheers

Stu.

limey · 02-25-2002, 01:21 AM

OK Stu, I've set up the scratch disk in Preferences and I agree with you about not scanning at so high a resolution. Been there , done that, didn't like it.
I will check out the link you gave me
Thanks for the help.