Photoshop 5.5 won't open at all & can't reinstall

I have Photoshop 5.5 and 1 gig of RAM. For some reason, lately, I cannot open the program. The window opens, but it is blank, none of the tools load, and there is just the hourglass there. It stays like this. I have to eventually close it (I have to go through the non-responsive bit). When it's locked up like this, I can't even reinstall it. It will just not execute the setup file.

I have tried deleting the preferences file and the .ini file in my settings. I tried rebooting. I have plenty of RAM and harddisk space. I also tried shutting down all other programs, yet still it won't open.

If someone can offer any advice, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

Were you successful at resetting preferences? Have you added, or updated any programs lately that may have resulted in this problem?

Resetting preferences did not work. I'm not sure about your question regarding the programs. I do know that I had this same problem before I had my harddrive replaced. And now that my harddrive is new, I still have the same problem. Sometimes it will eventually open, after I reboot and/or continue to force PS to shut down via the task manager.

Thank you for your help.

You need to keep trying to get the reset dialog box. You have to be really quick at holding down the keys when starting program. Hold down the shift and ctrl keys before clicking on PS icon and then immediately hold down the alt key.

Sometimes if you add a program, like Quicktime, it can create conflicts so PS will not work properly.

Hmmm. I just tried that but it did not work. I don't actually get a dialog box, I just get the grey window that opens in the very beginning (before the tools load), and then it stays at an hourglass. The "end now" box only comes up if I try to close it. Then it asks me if I want to end the unresponsive program, and I click yes.

Thank you.

You should get the reset dialog box before PS loads. Read the "reset preferences" in the knowledgebase search to make sure you have it right.

If Evelyn deleted the photos55.ini file herself, that is the preferences in PS 5.5.

Messing around with the keys will not help.

It sounds like, having tried everything, the only answer is a re-install. Since this doesn't seem to work with the computer in its present state, I guess an un-install followed by a manual removal of any remaining Photoshop files and a fresh re-install (maybe in Safe mode) is the only way.

That's a pretty old version (Released February 1999 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Photoshop_release_history>).

Depending on what version of Windows you're using (you haven't said), it may simply not work. Since I'm not a Windows user, you'll have to wait for further info on that.

And for future reference, Evelyn, it's ALWAYS a good thing to mention which OS version you're using, and to recall what, if anything you might have updated or installed between the time something works, and when it doesn't. Even something you think might be insignificant—like a new video driver—might have an effect.

Thanks for the advice. I will try it. Regarding the earlier reply, what specific programs might interfere with Photoshop? Are there certain ones that may cause interference or can it be any program?

If you are using Vista OS, as Phos says, it may not work. Only CS3 is fully compatible with Vista.

You say "lately, I cannot open the program".

What changed between "previously" (when it did work) and "lately" when it doesn't?