Troubleshoot Windows system errors, freezes | Adobe software

The latest version of the Adobe software can be more compatible with the operating system and drivers. Before you install an update, make sure that your system meets the requirements.

Visit the Adobe Product Updates page to see updates available for your product.

Updates to the Windows operating system improve its performance and compatibility with applications.

To obtain Windows service packs and updates, visit www.windowsupdate.com. For help with installing service packs and updates, contact Microsoft technical support.

Re-create the Adobe application preferences file to eliminate problems that a damaged preferences file can cause.

The main preferences file is called "Adobe [Product Name] [Product Version] Prefs.psp".

On Windows Vista, 7, 8, or 10 the preference file is found at:

Users\[User name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe [Product Name] [Product Version]\Adobe [Product Name] [Product Version] Settings\Adobe [Product Name] [Product Version]Prefs.psp

If you need a quick way to reset your preferences, you can do it in many Adobe applications using a keyboard shortcut while launching the product. Hold CTRL-SHIFT-ALT immediately after you double-click the application icon.

See this video for a walkthrough on resetting Photoshop's preferences: How to Reset Photoshop CS6's Preferences File

For additional instructions, search your product's Help system for "restore preferences."

Some applications or services cause system errors or freezes when running at the same time as Adobe applications. Services are specialized programs that perform functions to support other programs.

Before you start your Adobe application, disable other applications and services using Selective Startup.

For more information, search for these topics in the Microsoft Windows Help system:

• Windows Vista "How to use the System Configuration utility to troubleshoot configuration errors in Windows Vista" (Article ID: 950093)
• Windows 7, 8, and 10  "Run Selective Startup using System Configuration" 

To disable startup items and services, do the following:

Reinstall from the desktop

Some system components—for example, device drivers and virus protection utilities—can conflict with the installer and result in an incomplete or failed installation. To prevent these conflicts, install the application from the desktop or in simplified mode.

Reinstall in simplified mode

If reinstalling from the desktop or in simplified mode doesn't solve the problem, try installing and running the Adobe application on a different hard drive.

Remove third-party plug-ins

Reduce the number of active fonts

Fonts installed with Windows can sometimes cause problems with Adobe applications.

For instructions, see:

• Reduce number of active fonts | Windows 7, Windows Vista
• Reduce the number of active fonts (Windows XP)
  

The Fonts folder in Windows 7

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Update or reinstall QuickTime

An outdated or damaged version of Apple QuickTime can prevent Adobe digital audio or video applications from starting or operating correctly. 

Update QuickTime: To update QuickTime, install the latest version from www.apple.com/quicktime/download.

Reinstall QuickTime: Remove QuickTime, delete any QuickTime files or folders remaining on the system, and then reinstall QuickTime. For assistance, see Removing and reinstalling iTunes and other software components for Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8.

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Disable or remove extensions

Extensions enhance the functionality of the Adobe applications listed above. For more information about extensions, see Adobe Extension Manager Help. 

Disable extensions to eliminate problems that a damaged or incompatible extension can cause.

Optimize scratch disks

When insufficient RAM is available for image editing, these applications use a scratch disk file. A scratch disk file is temporary disk space used for storing data and performing computations.

Maximizing scratch disk performance can resolve system errors and freezes. Search for "scratch disk" in your Adobe application's Help system for more information.

Scratch disk settings in Photoshop CS6

Troubleshoot codecs

Codecs that are incompatible with your operating system or applications cause startup problems and application freezes. Troubleshoot codec problems by removing recently installed codecs or by temporarily disabling one codec at a time and attempting to re-create the problem.

Note: Removing a codec can cause video or audio files to become unreadable, or can cause applications to stop working. Use caution when removing codecs. If you're not certain which codecs to keep on your system, select the Chat Now option at the bottom of this page to talk with an Adobe agent.

For instructions, see:

• Windows Vista, 7: Temporarily disable a codec (Windows 7 and Vista)  

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Update your video card driver

You can determine if the video driver is outdated by changing the color depth and resolution of the video card.  If your Adobe application continues to work as expected after changing the color depth and resolution, it's not necessary to update the video driver.

To change the color depth and resolution used for Adobe software, see these Windows Help topics:

• Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10  "Getting the best display on your monitor"

Note: Adobe software requires a screen resolution of at least 1024x768.

If necessary, contact the video card manufacturer for an updated driver, or download one from the manufacturer's website. (To determine the manufacturer of a video card, view the card's properties in Device Manager.)

Update your printer driver

To determine if the printer driver for your default printer conflicts with your Adobe software, install a printer that uses a PostScript printer driver and set that printer as the default. (You can install a printer that isn't a physical piece of hardware.)

If the problem doesn't recur, then the printer driver that you were using previously conflicts with the Adobe application. Contact the printer manufacturer for an updated driver.

For instructions, search for "add printer" in Windows Help. For details on setting a PostScript printer as the default, search for "change your default printer" in Windows Help.

Update device drivers

Device drivers are software files that allow Windows to communicate with devices such as scanners, mouse devices, and keyboards. Contact the device manufacturer to make sure that you are using the latest device driver.

For details, see these Windows Help topics:

• Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 "Open Device Manager" and "Get help with Device Manager errors"

You can experience system errors if your user account is damaged, or if your user account lacks rights to files and folders that your Adobe application requires.

Start the Adobe application in a new user account Create a user account that has the same permissions as the account that you use when the problem occurs. If the problem doesn't recur, then the original user account is probably damaged.

For instructions, search for these topics in the Microsoft Windows Help system:

• Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 "Create a user account"

Start the Adobe application in an administrator account Create a user account, and change the account type to administrator. (If you do not have rights to create an administrator account, contact your system administrator.) If the problem doesn't recur, your standard user account lacks access rights to files and folders that your Adobe application requires. 

For instructions, search for these topics in the Microsoft Windows Help system:

• Windows Vista "Change a user's account type"
• Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 "Change a user's account type"

User access control

For instructions, search for "Turn User Account Control on or off" in the Microsoft Windows Help system.

Windows Aero

Windows Aero affects the appearance of your desktop. Try disabling it and then see if the problem recurs when you start your Adobe application.

For instructions, search for "Troubleshoot problems with Windows Aero" in the Windows Help system.

Optimize handling of temporary files

Windows and applications store working data in temporary (.tmp) files that they create on the hard disk. Excessive or outdated temporary files can interfere with performance of Windows or applications.

For details, search for these topics in the Windows Help system:

• Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 "Delete files using Disk Cleanup"
  

Set the virtual memory paging file to the default size

For details, see these Windows Help topics:

• Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 "Change the size of virtual memory"

Repair and defragment hard disks

For instructions, see these Windows Help topics:

• Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 " Improve performance by defragmenting your hard disk"

Scan the system for viruses

Use current antivirus software (for example, Symantec Norton AntiVirus or McAfee Virus Scan) to check the system for viruses. Virus infections can damage software and cause system errors. For more information, see the documentation for the antivirus software.

ICC profiles help manage color spaces on your system. A system error can occur if your Adobe application accesses a damaged ICC profile. Troubleshoot ICC profiles to determine if they cause the problem:

If a file is damaged, reinstalling the application associated with the damaged file can correct the problem. Do one of the following:

• If the error indicates which file causes the problem, reinstall the application to which that file belongs.
  
• If the error indicates a Windows file, contact Microsoft for assistance with replacing that file.

Damaged expansion cards

Damaged or incompatible PCI or PCI-X expansion cards can cause system errors. To check these cards, turn off your computer, remove any processor accelerator cards, video cards, or other installed expansion cards, and then restart the computer.

RAM modules

Make sure that RAM modules are installed properly and are not the cause by doing one or both of the following:

• Change the order of the installed RAM modules.
• Remove all but the minimum number of RAM modules required to run Windows and the Adobe application and test to see if the problem recurs:
  • If the problem recurs, replace the RAM modules you removed and remove the others, testing again to see if the problem recurs.
    
  • If the problem does not recur, one or more of the removed RAM modules are the cause. For assistance, contact the RAM manufacturer.