major cs3 problems! need professional help

[C_C...@adobeforums.com]

have a brand-spankin' new vista install. (reformatted a while ago) - but that's not the issue. what is though is that i have a cs3 install which worked fine. a few days ago i was forced to use system restore as my video driver began giving me problems. all's fine now but cs3 doesn't work. it starts up but on opening any picture it crashes. on update i get "you are resuming downloading but the server file has changed." uninstall/reinstall only wastes time and comes back without change with the same problems.

used the cs3 cleaner i downloaded off adobe.com somewhere but still no go. same problems even after level 2 cleanup.

need help COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY uninstalling EVERY-bleeping-THING! that has to do with cs3. and then i will calmly reinstall it.

thank you.

[Silkr...@adobeforums.com]

Have you tried trashing the preference files?

[C_C...@adobeforums.com]

plz expand, Silkrooster!

[Buko]

Read the FAQs its covered there.

[C_C...@adobeforums.com]

no go - plz try finding a way to completely and utterly uninstall absolutely everything....

[Jim]

<C_C...@adobeforums.com> wrote in message
news:59b6f...@webcrossing.la2eafNXanI...

> no go - plz try finding a way to completely and utterly uninstall
> absolutely everything....

The first step in solving PS problems is to delete the preferences. You do
not need to have PS running to do this.
You will find the preferences in \Documents &
Settings\<username>\Application Data\Adobe]Adobe Photoshop CS3\Adobe
Photoship CS3 Settings\
The file extension is psp.
While this is the location for CS3, it is highly likely that CS4 settings
are located in a similar place.
Removing PS does not remove these files.
Jim

[En...@adobeforums.com]

What level did you run the clean script at?

[chris_...@adobeforums.com]

just do another re-format...

It will be faster than trying to source the issue and you'll be up and running in an hour or so.

[C_C...@adobeforums.com]

Ender, i ran level 2 and level one before that.

Chris, are you completely crazy? reformat?! i got office, documents, pictures, and video here! not to mention games and save files. again copy them all?! no freakin' way!

[Free...@adobeforums.com]

Yes, and so?

I think Chris' advice makes good sense. This thing seems like a mess. And you did say

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

C Craw, consider an external USB HD and copy all the pix and other important info to that, then reformat.

Do CHKDISK before reformatting to be sure there are no bad sectors on C drive.

[C_C...@adobeforums.com]

there are definitely no bad sectors. i will not reformat! and it worked fine before.

[dave_...@adobeforums.com]

there are definitely no bad sectors

and you know that how?

[C_C...@adobeforums.com]

im phsycic!

will not reformat!

and answer me this - say i reformat and reinstall ALL the progs/docs back. say i have another video (or any other) driver failure and have to use system restore. what then? the same thing? are you kidding mE?

p.s. what if i partion C: and install photoshop there. and then uninstall it. then reinstall to C:? or maybe even leave it there.

p.p.s. if i want to uninstall COMPLETELY what do i delete from registry (i know there's tons but plz help anyway)

[dave_...@adobeforums.com]

since you asked, how about you get an external drive, a backup util, do a full backup and then format? you can easily restore what you need of your data that way. reinstall programs fresh and apply all patches. once everything is working perfectly, do another backup and if you ever have problems like this again, you'll have that to fall back on. every now and then, while things are working correctly, take another backup.

it's up to you. i'm not telling you to do anything. i just jumped in to say you can not know you DON'T have bad sectors unless you're psychic.

and you did say you "need professional help". that's what a professional would (is) tell(ing) you.

[PECour...@adobeforums.com]

Did you get the "are you sure you want to delete your preferences" warning when you followed the procedure from the FAQ?
Using a registry cleaner might help.

Following the suggestion of getting an external drive could be a lifesaver for all your files and documents. Hard Drives do crash.

Also, you won't get italicised text here if you capitalize your "I"s

[C_C...@adobeforums.com]

dont u understand - i CANT reformat. not now. there must be someone out there who knows what im up against! plz i beg u answer me!!!

[dave_...@adobeforums.com]

oh, and good luck. sincerely.
dave

[dave_...@adobeforums.com]

ok... on to the 2nd best answer...

start with uninstalling ALL ADOBE APPS, if they're still on your system using add/remove programs from the control panel. including reader and flash, etc.

then delete the adobe folder in c:\program files. then delete the HIDDEN folder C:\Documents and Settings\yourUserName\Application Data\Adobe

(that's the xp path, you'll need to work out the vista path for user data)

again in xp, not sure how to do this in vista, but you can eitehr figure it out, or someone can post the procedure -- to view/access hidden/system files and folders, open windows explorer, click tool> folder options> view and UNCHECK hide protected os files and select "show hidden files and folders". that'll get you the ability to see the application data folder. delete it.

if you have a registry cleaner, now's the time to run it. pull everything "Adobe" and photoshop related from the registry. registry mechanic is 30 bux for 3 systems. might be a good investment (i'm not affiliated with them):
<http://www.pctools.com/registry-mechanic/?ref=google_1000&gclid=CPySirTf4ZYCFRoSFQodczCKOA>

then run check disk on your drive. right click the drive in explorer. select properties> tools. select "error checking". click "check now". CHECK THE BOXES FOR "auto fix file system errors" and "scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors".

that may require a reboot and could take a while if it starts to find problems on the disk. depending on disk size and health, a 250 gig, HEALTHY drive should take about an hour to run on a good core2duo (or similar amd) system.

once you're back up, go here and redownload the script:

<http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=kb402767&sliceId=2>

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR IT ON THAT PAGE FIRST!

especially:

Note: Level 3 is a hidden option and thus is not listed in the main interface.
To access Level 3 just type "3"( without quotes) when prompted for the
level.

given your problems, i'd run it at level 2 first, reboot and immediately run it at level 3.

again... READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND FOLLOW THEM FULLY BEFORE RUNNING THE SCRIPT.

then redownlaod the latest versions of flash and adobe reader from adobe.com. install them first. reboot if necessary.

THEN reinstall photoshop.

if all this doesn't work, you're looking at a reformat. sorry.

[En...@adobeforums.com]

Two suggestions:
First one is easy.... second one not so easy.

FIRST SUGGESTION:
Go into Control Panel>Printers
Set another printer as default (Preferably Microsoft XPS Document Writer or Adobe PDF.)
See if PS works now.

SECOND SUGGESTION

1) Use Programs and Features to delete all Adobe applications. If it has Adobe in it's name, it needs to be removed.

2) Delete the following Adobe folders:
C:\Program Files\Adobe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe
When you delete these not everything will come off (mostly things from Acrobat). When you run into a file that will not delete, just delete everything else instead.

4) Goto c:\ProgramData (This is a hidden folder) and delete the FlexNet folder.

3) Hit (Windows Key + R) to get your Run Command.
Type in RegEdit and press OK.
Expand HKEY_Local_Machine.
Expand Software.
Delete the folder that is plainly called "Adobe".

4) Run the clean script at level 4. When it says level 1 or 2, just type 4. When it is finished run it again at level 4 just to be sure.

5) Reinstall.