Low Memory Error

[websquad]

I have a machine with 8 GB RAM, about 40GB of free space on my system/program drive (a SSD unit), and have Photoshop CS 6 set up to page on drive C (although I have 4 rotating drives available with lots of free space).

I tried to load a small Photoshop file and got an error message that I was low on memory -- it would not let me process that file. So I rebooted. That didn't help. Next I went to Preferences menu and changed the memory from 50% to 75%. BIG MISTAKE: now I can't even load Photoshop.

Short of reinstalling, is there any way I can recover from this?

[websquad]

PS: Forgot to say I'm running under Windows 7 Pro, 64-bit.

[MikeMc]

You need PS on a different disk than the one used as your "scratch disk"...if they are on the same drive...not enough memory available

[websquad]

You need PS on a different disk than the one used as your "scratch disk"...if they are on the same drive...not enough memory available

I will do that --- IF I can start PhotoShop again. My problem now is that when I attempt to launch Photoshop, I get the "low memory" error. Do I need to reinstall, or is there a way I can start Photoshop and NOT get that memory error.

[Steve]

Try resetting the preferences file.
It cures a lot of strange behavior in PS.


Start Photoshop and immediately hold down Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows)
or Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS X).


Then, click Yes to the message, "Delete the Adobe Photoshop Settings file?"

[websquad]

Try resetting the preferences file. It cures a lot of strange behavior in PS. Start Photoshop and immediately hold down Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS X). Then, click Yes to the message, "Delete the Adobe Photoshop Settings file?"

Outstanding! That solved the inability to load Photoshop because of apparent low memory. The "Used by Photoshop" value is back to the default value, 50%.

Now, back to the problem that started this: After setting the defaults, when I try to open a file, I get the message "Could not open {file name] because there is not enough memory. I then moved the swap/page file to drive "G", a 10,000 rpm Raptor drive, and closed and reloaded Photoshop -- but got the same message (G: has only 34.7GB free). So next I moved the swap/page file go E:, a 7,200 rpm 1 TB drive with 732 GB free memory. Closed and reloaded Photoshop, but am still getting the same message. For what it is worth, my main system/program drive, C: (programs/data only) has only 36.5 GB free.

PS: For what it is worth, I can open jpg and gif files; just not psd files. Yikes !!

What should I do next?

[Remote-Medic]

Do you have many brushes installed and also how much ram does your machine have as it may be referring to this memory and not hard drive space. Recently upped mine to 8gb and it made a hell of a lot of difference.

[websquad]

No brushes installed. 8 GB RAM; running Windows Pro 64-bit.

[MikeMc]

Where is your scratch disk ? I suspect this is jammed full.

[websquad]

Where is your scratch disk ? I suspect this is jammed full.

See my 12-04-2012, 12:12 AM post (above); last attempt was with the scratch drive on a 1TB volume with 700+ GB free space. Of course, I closed and restarted Photoshop after re-designating the scratch drive. Alas, no joy: problem remains.