"Could not initialize Photoshop because the file is locked"

This message suddenly appeared when I tried to open Photoshop CS3 (Vista 64 bit) today together with advice to unlock the file using the 'properties' tab in windows explorer. Prior to today Photodshop was working fine and the only thing I've done since I last used it is to update Cammera Raw to 4.4 - reverting to to 4.3 makes no difference.

I can't see anything in Windows Explorer that does this. But ticking 'run this program as an administrator' in the 'compatibility' tab part resolves it - it allows the program to open but only after presenting me with a 'do you want this program to run?' dialog box each time it opens.

At least I can use it but is there a proper solution for this?

I searched the knowledge base but all I can find is reference to a similar problem with the Mac version.

Thanks

Jeff

Reset Prefs.

< http://photoshophelp.blogs.com/photoshophelp/2005/10/eileen_ writes_p.html>

Thanks Lawrence

That's sorted it.

In resetting the preferences after I realised the cause. I'd installed an eSATA MyBook external drive and in the process changed the designation of my existing scratch drive.

Jeff

:-)

Have just encountered the same problem on Vista 64bit Ultimate. What I have realized thanks to the post was that a scratch disk change caused it. When I finally got a chance to change scratch disks in Photoshop to RAID from system C:, PS3 stopped running. Having checked RAID disk D: security it showed that EVERYONE did not have any rights. I checked Read and Write, and problem went away. Why was it not an issue before have no idea. This is a home PC, with a single password protected account I guess it is just some kind of security logic bug - anyway my two grains of salt.