Problem with PSE6

[mamapeter]

Hi, all. I joined recently and am taking this month's photography class. I do some digital work using PSE6, also.

I am having this problem. Every so often - and way too often!!! - the program will quit. Then, if I haven't saved, I lose whatever I've done. How often? Well, could be every 5 minutes. Not always as often, but it's a real pain.

When I first got the program it did not do this. Everything else seems to run fine.

My hubby says it's because I have way too much stuff stored on this computer - I do have a lot. Do you think that's it? Or some other thing?

We do run anti virus stuff daily and AdAware now and then. Doesn't seem to help.

Ideas, suggestions?

Thanks tons!

[britnkaysmemaw2]

I use PSE 6 and don't have problems on my main computer using Windows XP, but I have had the problem of it shutting down on me when using Vista on my laptop. I did read an article that advised to make sure you do a defrag often as PSE 6 uses a lot of memory.

Good luck, and hope someone can give you more technical support, lol.

[j_camargo6]

I've heard the same as Cathy, in fact plan on doing a defrag on my puter tonight. Andrea recommends it frequently (weekly, maybe). Try that and see if you get better results.

Good luck!!!

[Debra]

There does not seem to be an overall explanation for this issue. Unfortunately, I've just installed the 30 day free trial for Elements 7.0 and had just this issue as well after working with the text tool.

Best advice I can give would definitely be to save and save often while you're working in the program.

[mamapeter]

Thanks a bunch! I honestly don't know what it means to defrag but my DH does so he can do that. Maybe we are doing it from time to time and I just don't know about it. And believe me, I've learned to save a whole lot more than ever before! Like after only one or two functions, then save again! It's annoying, yes. Even more annoying, tho, is waiting to the program to reload again ... and again ... and again

I appreciate you taking a minute for my question!

[OneMemory]

The way PSE 6 is designed it uses a lot more RAM than previous versions. You may want to not only defrag often (and save often LOL) but check your Edit/Preferences/Performance. You'll want to see what kind of Available RAM you have along with how much you are allowing PSE to use. Then down below there is your scratch disk options. If you have a partitioned hard drive or even an external that is ALWAYS hooked up, you could set those a secondary scratch disk to your main C: drive.
Deb, if text is what's killing your PSE you may have too many fonts. Windows and fonts are not great at working together. I uninstalled 165 and my computer ran considerably better. In photoshop you have this cool thing where you can have a font that is NOT installed on your windows system show up in the list for just that one time. BEFORE opening PSE, open the font preview (The lazy brown fox... page that shows you what the font will look like), then keep it open while you open PSE. It will then show up on your list just until you are finished with that layout. I have a soccer font that is adorable but I only use 1 time a year so I created an index sheet with cute, but not needed fonts, uninstalled them and put them in a folder on my EHD and only use them when needed. Hope that helps!

[lazyscrapper]

This REALLY helps. Thanks. My problem is probably too many fonts.

Question? Where do you find the font preview page? I have PSE6 as well.

[candi1973]

Originally Posted by mamapeter

Thanks a bunch! I honestly don't know what it means to defrag but my DH does so he can do that. Maybe we are doing it from time to time and I just don't know about it. And believe me, I've learned to save a whole lot more than ever before! Like after only one or two functions, then save again! It's annoying, yes. Even more annoying, tho, is waiting to the program to reload again ... and again ... and again

I appreciate you taking a minute for my question!

I am a big time NEWBIE, but I also had someone tell me NOT to save any actions within PSE as it will slow the application down big-time and that it can lock up or "freeze on you often".....

Thanks to all who recommended the defrag, I definitely do not do that enough....I will start.

Great questions and great answers.... I love this place, as I learn soooo, sooo much!

[Debra]

Originally Posted by candi1973

I am a big time NEWBIE, but I also had someone tell me NOT to save any actions within PSE as it will slow the application down big-time and that it can lock up or "freeze on you often".....

Thanks to all who recommended the defrag, I definitely do not do that enough....I will start.

Great questions and great answers.... I love this place, as I learn soooo, sooo much!

Interesting... maybe this is more a question of RAM and hardware vs. the actual pse software. Yes, I have had issues with using text and had pse shut down unexpectedly. I have not had an issue with installing and using actions or plug ins creating sluggishness nor freezing up. I'd hate to see scrappers afraid to use thier plug ins or actions since they can be such fun

definitely save and save often is a good policy no matter what

[elenasworld]

Originally Posted by Debra

There does not seem to be an overall explanation for this issue. Unfortunately, I've just installed the 30 day free trial for Elements 7.0 and had just this issue as well after working with the text tool.

Best advice I can give would definitely be to save and save often while you're working in the program.

my problem is like Debra's
for some reason using the text tool can freeze my computer
i have learned to save before doing my journaling -- but there are plenty of times I forget