PC locking up editing templates.

MS
Posted By
Mark_Something
Jul 27, 2008
Views
664
Replies
14
Status
Closed
My pc, a P4 with plenty of ram is locking up using PSD CS3 occasionally. I am editing some premade website templates and that’s when it’s doing it. Clean boot…no browser running but AVG is running. Is that a problem?
It was doing it with one template, but then stopped. Now, with a new temp it’s doing the same thing.
Any thoughts??
Thanks!
Mark
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F
Freeagent
Jul 28, 2008
P4 would indicate a not quite current machine, and plenty of ram is a very relative term.

The symptom you describe sounds very much like "disk thrashing". That happens in low ram situations where large amounts of data overflow to scratch disk, but the scratch disk happens to be on the same physical drive as your operating system. The os will also try to remedy the situation by swapping out to its own page file, and the two get into fierce competition over the read/write head of your HD. Everything goes into deep freeze.

But I’m only guessing. More specifics would help.
MS
Mark_Something
Jul 28, 2008
Hey, thanks for that insight!
It is a system I built about myself about 4 years ago and has served me well. I have only recently started using it for PSD and more graphic things.
I KNOW there is at least 1GB DDR in it, I think it’s more,but currently at work, I can’t tell until later.
Please tell me what "specifics" and I’ll try to find the answers. I have found THIS to read about "scratch disc";http://www.easyelements.com/scratch-disk.html <http://www.easyelements.com/scratch-disk.html>
I will use his instructions on there to change that. I have two hard drives. I will see if that helps. It’s funny to me it only happens with a few templates. Nothing else locks up my machine.
Thank you for your help,
Mark
F
Freeagent
Jul 28, 2008
The easyelements article is brief, but to the point and very good. The main thing is to keep the scratch disk on a separate physical drive (partitions don’t count) from the operating system and its page file.

1 GB RAM definitely put you in the avant-garde four years ago (I know; I was there), but things have changed. The general consensus today is that 2 GB is the absolute minimum for any reasonable performance with Photoshop CS3. 3 is better. Some would say 4, but a 32-bit operating system can’t use more than about 3.25 anyway. I have 8 (on a 64-bit os), but I wish I had more. So there you go…

When you say "nothing else locks up my machine", well, that’s just it. Photoshop is a vast drain on hardware resources; nothing else can bring a system to its knees the way Photoshop can. That’s why you keep hearing people say "there’s nothing wrong with my system; it only happens in Photoshop".

So if you’re serious with Photoshop, I’m afraid it’s upgrade time. But four years is pretty good. I had my last system for two.
DM
dave_milbut
Jul 28, 2008
locking up as in requiring a reboot? that’s probably a hardware problem. or just ps locking up, requiring "end task".
MS
Mark_Something
Jul 28, 2008
Yes, it is locking up as in requiring a reboot. I hate to comment on it while at work and not knowing what the RAM is..but I’ll know more later.
Yea, it is time for an upgrade. I have been, today, looking at new mobos + dual core processors,just in case. I built it, I think it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to upgrade. The one I looked at is
here:
< http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Det ails.asp?EdpNo=3981671&sku=MCM-M2NSLI-5000&srkey=MCM -M2NSLI-5000>

But, first thing I’m gonna do tonite is do a thorough cleaning: I like Window washer a lot for that. I have been doing a LOT of PSD and DW work lately and I’m sure the cache is full.
Then, if it still does it, I’m gonna set the prefs to send the temp files to that second hd. Then, if it still does it, I’m gonna get a new temp for that customer. LOL. It could be a bad file. FYI..This is the temp: < http://templates.hostgator.com/show/Website_Templates/Automo tive/Homer/1306>
I was just commenting the other day on how smoothly it was running with PS/DW. But did a lot of work after that and that was when it did the lockups. But, as I said, it’s ONLY on that temp. I opened my other temps and it didn’t lockup.
But eventually, I’ll upgrade. Maybe sooner than I thought. 🙂 So, thanks for all your help out there.
Mark
MS
Mark_Something
Jul 29, 2008
It is P4 , 2.4 GHZ,
1 GB Ram (DDR if I remember)
150 GB C drive with 69 GB free

Opening PSD, going to the preferences shows
Ideal Range 424-555
Available Ram 771
Scratch is set to C
let photoshop use 424 mb or 55%

FYI…found in a cleanup by Tuneup cleaner:
87MB IE files
630 MB in recycle
10 MB in temp

So, I will clean all of that up with Tuneup cleaner. Then defrag… I will get some more RAM..(three slots, one left open. I guess find one stick of DDR 1GB)

My question is with just a little less than 1/2 of the c drive free, do I need to move the scratch files to another drive??
Thanks!
Mark
MS
Mark_Something
Jul 29, 2008
Still locks up when working on some of the temps,…moved the scratch file to the second hd. Does this sound like a low RAM issue? Or in need of a faster processor. I hate to go out and buy a stick when I would just be better off to replace the mobo/proc with a dual core.
I’d really be whacked if I upgraded the mobo and proc, and this still occured. Thanks,
Mark
DM
dave_milbut
Jul 29, 2008
Does this sound like a low RAM issue?

complete lockups under xp indicate a hardware problem. usually ram, mobo or cpu.
MS
Mark_Something
Jul 29, 2008
Well, that’s what I thought, but seeing as it only happens with editing a few templates in PSD, I was thrown as to what was causing it. Nothing else locks it up totally. But, I’ve not used PSD before so I’ve not taxed my system like this. Most other templates don’t lock it up, smaller or larger files. Just a few. But seeing as I’m publishing more and I really enjoy using the templates, I need to make some changes.

I’m gonna get a new mobo/dual core proc combo/2 or 3 GB DDR2 Ram and surely that will correct this problem.
Based on what I’ve said, do you folks think this is a good solution, or am I wasting money. Of course, upgrades like that are not a "waste". I just want it fixed and move on.
Mark
DM
dave_milbut
Jul 29, 2008
I’m gonna get a new mobo/dual core proc combo/2 or 3 GB DDR2 Ram and surely that will correct this problem.

that would seem to cover it. the only thing else that might be an issue would be the power supply, but i think you’d see other issues besides lockup on a couple files. good luck. i remember when i went from a p4 to a core2duo (e6600). man it was like heaven!!!

dual core proc

go core2duo, not coreduo. quad if you can afford it – to future proof. but right now it won’t buy you much (most estimates put the core2quad 10-15% over the core2duo w/current software)…
MS
Mark_Something
Jul 29, 2008
THANKS! I’ll look at that.
I guess I was mostly wondering, also, if any of you had experienced a smiliar problem in the past and this type hardware action would have corrected it.
For instance, last nite, I downloaded a nice looking temp, a new one, and it locked up after about 30 secs of random text/layer edits.
Then, this am after a reboot, I downloaded a different one, just picked one, and it did fine. Edited, saved, did anything.
Then reopened the previous one and it locked up again.
Don’t get me wrong here, I am sezing the moment to upgrade. 🙂 I need to anyway.
BUt,I guess I don’t understand how one file can be "bad" and lockup the pc and another of the same format, PSD, locks up the pc. If that’s the case, it doesnt’ matter what your hardware is, it’s a software issue. But, as another said, this "appears" like a hardware issue.
Thanks,
Mark
DM
dave_milbut
Jul 29, 2008
if any of you had experienced a smiliar problem in the past and this type hardware action would have corrected it.

yup.

post the problem psd in question, give us some steps to try, and let us see if we can open it.
MS
Mark_Something
Jul 29, 2008
< http://templates.hostgator.com/show/Website_Templates/Automo tive/Homer/1306> I would think the file would be ok or it wouldn’t be posted on their site. That’s it…please let me know if it doesn’t work.
I just can’t figure why some do and some don’t on mine.
THANKS!
Mark
MS
Mark_Something
Jul 30, 2008
I want to thank everyone for helping. This is a bad file. All there is to it. I’ve opened several files and they all work fine.
I’m doing most of the edits in DW anyway.
But, I’ve learned a lot.
Will upgrade pc too.
Thanks!
Mark

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