Photoshop CS3 can't open filesSolved/Closed

Question

Hi everyone!
 
I'm pretty new to this kind of site and forum and in desperate need of help...

I edit images in Photoshop CS3, until last night every function performed beautifully... Here is my problem, step by step:

I launch Photoshop CS3 successfully
I click "File"
I then click "Open"

The open windows pops up for a sec but then immediately closes! I don't even have time to see my files in the window, and of course to select anything!)

The Photoshop CS3 title bar then "mutes" and I can't make it active again
and just have to shut down Photoshop and restart it again.

The weird thing is that the other commands (New, Browse, etc.) work properly!
 
I'm a graphist designer and I'm used to work with Photoshop a lot, so this is a very serious issue for me. If there's anyone out there who can keep me from becoming really crazy with this issue, I would really appreciate.

Thanks.

oshimagun · Accepted Answer

I had a co-worker with this problem and it was solved by doing this:

-press ESC after attempting to open a file
-pressing CTRL+SHIFT+S (save-as) supposedly resizes the window to it's default size. 

Let me know if that works or not. This is just what I heard.

JudySis · Answer

Hello,

I can think to several solutions to solve your Photoshop problem.

First, how did you set up your scratch disk? Did you put it on a separate drive than the one of the windows scratch disk? You'd need two different physical drives to do this, so if you only have one, then don't worry about it.

Also, how many fonts do you have loaded into windows? This might impacts Photshop too.

You can try trashing your preferences first (hold down ctrl, alt and shift when you start Photoshop) and see if that helps.

HERE's a link to some useful information from the Adobe website (http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.ef4a07f

Hope one of these solutions will work for you!

Let's keep in touch.

crazy_devil · Answer

I hope its not a cracked version that can retreive updates from the site.. It will get corrupted automatically...

kevin · Answer

I'm running into this EXACT issue. I have a non-cracked version of Photoshop CS3 Extended.

I just installed it at the beginning of the week, and it was running perfectly until yesterday evening. Now it doesn't let the open file dialog box open. (Well, it pops up then disappears just as described above.)

I have it installed on the same drive as Windows, I don't have too many fonts installed, and trashing my preferences doesn't fix the problem.

Any other guesses?

Thanks for the help!

Kazeohin · Answer

I'm getting this issue as well, please help!

Mike · Answer

Did anyone try contacting Adobe....Or Microsoft? I know it can be painful trying to contact a large company....I just bought Photoshop cs3 last week and have no problems. I hope I dont run into this type problem.. I wish you all the best. Mike/ezdate123

Dan · Answer

There is an article on Adobe about this.

My solution was to create a new user account. It has something to do with your settings going corrupt when incorrectly shutting photoshop down

mrslash · Answer

Hi, is it a full version of cs3?

noir · Answer

all you need to do is create a new account in the control panel and your photoshop will function normally

gyruhd · Answer

I had the same issue - per adobe it has to do with the dialouge opening in a place where it was previous -- this would be unavalable under certain conditions as it is restoring it to the previous - now unavailable - location. Mine was missing cause I had swapped the window to screen 2 in my setup - then returned it -- it can also happen if you change reolutins and the window is opening out of screen --- up the res and find the window and return it

bellie · Answer

Same here, I have just installed the adobe creative suite 3 master collection, and am not able to choose photoshop Cs3 extended, as the default program, nor does it allow me to open the files from abode bridge or use photoshop to edit from dreamweaver...does anyone have any advice? and by the way I am running off of Vista Home edition...

Dale · Answer

Hi, Im new to this help and advise site. I bought "CS3 Creative Suite-Standard Edition". I started  to get error message with CS3, For a whole week I phone Adobe technical support dept and tried to get help, but all in vein, no email address for support either. I deactivated the programs 1st and than I uninstall it from control panel. I still could not re-installed CS3. there was no setup exe file.  Last way out, I format my hard drive, install XP. 

This time I manage to install CS3. Only problem is I cannot open "Photoshop program". The error message is as follow:

"The specified module could not be found. C/program files/commonfiles/Adobe Version Cue CS3/Client?3.0,0/VersionCueUI.DLL" After pressing enter the followwing errror message comes up:
The instruction at "0x5ad71531" referenced memory at "0x00000014". The memory could not be "read, click on "OK" to terminate the program.

Im busy with my graphic design course and I really, really need to have my CS3 up and running.

Please, THIS is my only help.

Your help and advised will be appreciated. thank you inadvanced.

-Dale

jazz · Answer

Hello, I am a graphic designer..and like everyone else. having problems with photoshop CS3.

It started randomly a few weeks ago or so, and I cant find out the problem, id open photoshop, go to open a new file.click on the file, and as soon as it is suppose to open a command error box comes up saying that no photoshop files can be opend because there is to many files open at once. 

but theres none at all.
After this box is closed..i cannot close photoshop...x out ur even  CTRL ALT DEL out..i litrally have to restart the whole pc 

its becoming a very serious issue as I need it for my work and do not expect to have to sit and spend the time creating a new account or reloading the software all over again when I havent had it that long. 

this is a fault that needs to be fixed from design softwares.
there valuable..and important..and luckily I have not lost work from it. 

although this is affecting my buisness and am finding it difficult or impossible to work from home at all.

what is the solution? Please tell me u have one!!

mikey · Answer

I purchased cs3 on disk, loaded it up no problem it works fine, then we realised that we needed to use cs3 extended for some of the extras for stitching large tiff files, so we purchased the upgrade from adobe, tried downloading it.  All we get is cs3 downloading and not the extended version.  We have deleted photoshop cs3 as advised by adobe,and then tried downloading cs3 extended from the website, no joy.

Does anyone have any suggestions?  We know it is fairly easy to download cs3 extended from other sources but that really would cause major problems for us if we had illegal copies on our computer etc, does anyone have an answer please.

Either way many thanks.

Don · Answer

I have the EXACT same problem on my laptop.  I have CS3 installed on my desktop (that was a pain - took a lot of screwing around to get it to work) - I then installed it on my laptop and still can't get it to work.  The first error was something about licensing - I found a solution - now I can't open files - I am getting the same error as you.  I will be calling ADOBE tomorrow.  If anyone has a solution, please post

Don

Tany · Answer

Hi,
Well after all the pain in the neck...I decided to format my hard drive and did a re-install. So far adobe CS3 is not giving me any trouble...and does works wonders!

There isn't enough info out there yet, so if you have the time and knowledge I would re-install it on a fresh hard drive.

That's what worked for me.

pscs3 · Answer

I need help here:

- When I Open an image in Adobe Photoshop CS3, the Open box opens and when I select an Image and click the Open button, an error comes out and says that it could not open because one or more files were selected for opening at once. So I've clicked OK and my photoshop just locks up! I mean I couldn't press any buttons in Photoshop even the Maximize, Minimize, and Close button.

- When I Save, I also get the same problem from above ^!

Mayj · Answer

hi,

i have a solution for Dale's problem.

when you have several adobe softwares installed, most of them share the same components. most Components are left behind in the directory even if you uninstall the software that's why when you decide to reinstall the same software, in doesn't really overwrites the existing component and skips it during installation resulting to other components not being installed and skipped.(ex. VersionCue.dll, VersionCueUI.dll etc.)

the solution :

before installing (say, Photoshop CS3) check if you still have a folder named "Adobe" in your C: directory.
if you have one, then you should rename it temporarily with a new name.
- install the new adobe software.
- after installation, copy the new files from the new Adobe directory generated by the installation to the old Adobe  folder you just renamed.overwrite any old files there.
-rename it back to Adobe

it worked for me. hope it does for you guys

MayJ

designer · Answer

-press ESC after attempting to open a file 
-pressing CTRL+SHIFT+S (save-as) supposedly resizes the window to it's default size. 

Thank you for this solution. It worked for me! 

I was having the same issue with Photoshop and all other programs in the CS3 suite. Did this in Photoshop and it fixed them all. 

Your are a life-saver!

kt366 · Answer

I have got the answer at last!!!
http://www.planetphotoshop.com/forum/showthread.php?t=494
In my case, I solved problem completely this way:

In the registry, went to:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Aplications\Photoshop.exe\shell\ open\command

Guess what, the data still contained the folder name of my previous
installation of Photoshop 7. I changed the folders name to the present "Adobe Photoshop CS3".

It worked :)

korean · Answer

this is my experience and solution.
you possibly using PDF-Print?
Then change the default print to another print.

yadda · Answer

Nothing helped, then I pressed CTRL-ALT-SHIFT while starting PS. I was asked if my pref-file should be deleted and I confirmed. HOT DOG! 

Btw: no effect on the workingspace setting, these remain and can be loaded (if saved before) so it's no big deal.

cb · Answer

When did Adobe start to put such lousy products out on the market? I've never seen a product with so many FUNDAMENTAL issues ('cept maybe the first version of Netscape) as Photoshop/CS3.

Summary of issues I'v encountered:
1. If you have installed network printers, you will not e  able to open more than one image at a time. This just occurs randomly.
2. to get around Photoshop's tendency to randomly stop opening images (open dialogue flashes then disappears), press "Esc" after the first attempt to open.This just occurs randomly
3. DON'T DARE accept automatic updates from Adobe. If you do, you're on your own. Nothing random about how often the apps get hosed by accepting automatic updates.
4. Chronically blow away you preferences. This doesn't actually do anything except waste time, but its the first thing Adobe and anyone else tells you. You may as well just start your computer, blow away your prefs, and start working...just make it a matter of habit.
3. To get Adobe to address these issues, which are WELL REPORTED, stand on one leg while counting backwards in ancient aramaic and holding a dead chicken by the neck and juggling no less than three balls with the other hand. Then hold down ctrl-alt-shift-F2-shiftQ-1-5-=delete-insert-esc-bang head one keyboard-Prnt Scrn- and sing the theme for Wizard of Oz. Hold breath 'til blue. repeat.

and I thought Macromedia was bad...

Ben · Answer

I called tech support and the solution to this problem is related to version cue. Make sure you have version cue unchecked in your photoshop options wherever it is--i cannot remember. And uncheck version cue in the startup scripts in the Bridge options. 

The version cue option was under preferences > file handling.  

It works for me.

aleadni · Answer

I opened a psd by double clicking it, and now the problem is solved! PLOP!
Now I can open files form photoshop.

Ben · Answer

I called tech support and the solution to this problem is related to version cue. Make sure you have version cue unchecked in your photoshop options wherever it is--i cannot remember. And uncheck version cue in the startup scripts in the Bridge options. 

The version cue option was under preferences > file handling. 

It works for me.

superman · Answer

I created a new user account and it worked for me. I used it on a new account and do not get the message about not enough RAM.

tweetyfan70 · Answer

Oh thank you so much! I am a photographer and began having problems opening and saving files in photoshop CS3 last week and was really beginning to think I was DOOMED. But unchecking the version cue in the preferences under file handling worked!!

Can't say thanks enuf!

Derekm001 · Answer

Thank you KT366

I have been wracking my brain for about 4 hours trying to figure out why all my other image formats opened in CS3 but not .jpg. :)

Guru2us · Answer

Hi Kunwar,

Thanks It worked.

Barnsy · Answer

Hi,

I'm a graphic designer as well and I know how important it is to keep it working. Firstly, have you tried seeing if there are any faults in the program other than the open dialog closing, if not try just doing a clean reinstall.

Carni · Answer

The ctrl+alt+shift thing totally worked... what a weird bug!

Thanks a ton!!

JDPainson · Answer

Thanks Ben! Your solution worked for me ;)

1) Open Photoshop
2) Go to EDIT -> PREFERENCES -> FILE HANDLING... 
3) At the bottom section ---- VERSION  CUE --------
4) Uncheck ENABLE VERSION CUE
5) Now you can open a file.

Thanks to Ben ;)

fantomart · Answer

Hi to everybody,
I do not know if this issue is still a problem for some of you, what is sure is that it has been a BIG problem for me for the last couple of days. Eventually, after having tried all kind of things out, that's what I have simply done: I logged-off (start ==> log-off), opened Photoshop again and then, MAGIC! it would display again the "open" window properly without shutting down. The best part of it is that after restarting the PC eventually everything was back to normal life again. Hope that this will help some of you.

Good luck.

sirenlilly · Answer

I was having the same issue. I could open file but when I went to save (in a store bought version of CS3) the save dialog would flash and disappear and then CS3 wouldn't work anymore. This fix did help me and things are working again BUT does anyone know what made it do that to begin with and HOW I can keep it from happening again?

Thanks!

DaNy · Answer

SOLUTION:

Just rename your Photoshop executable to Photoshop.exe . It worked for me!

fantomart · Answer

I have had  the same problem again then I have uninstalled Matrox PowerDessk SE and EVERYTHING was back to normal life and for good!! So the problem must probably be seeked around the graphic card's cpplication.
Good luck to you all and happy new year 2009.

Tonya · Answer

My PhotoShop CS3 would NOT open my FILES either until I did what you guys said to do which was:

-press ESC after attempting to open a file 
-pressing CTRL+SHIFT+S (save-as) to re-size the window to its default size and it worked!!!!

I spent HOURS and HOURS yesterday and today uninstalling and re-installing Photo Shop CS3 and 
NOTHING was working!!!!! I finally found this forum and you guys are a God send!!!! Thank you so
much and please keep up the great work!!!!

Adobe wanted to charge me $39.95 for tech help today for my Photo Shop CS3 and I got 
tech help for FREE here!!!!!

Bless you all,
Tonya in Stafford, VA, USA

ultraviolet · Answer

HELP I didnt disable cs3  DIDNT KNOW HOW and now none of cs3 works

Nick · Answer

Thanks a lot For the ESCAPE through Ctrl+Shift+S .....

It works Dear.....

PokerFace · Answer

Thanks so much, (control+alt+shift) worked right away for me!

PicoChick · Answer

We just found the solution to this problem - forget everything everyone's told you and simply do this:
While Photoshop is open
Click on your ALT key
Now Click on the DOWN ARROW
Press your ENTER key to accept MENU
Now the window will be attached to your mouse and just move your mouse until you see the window.. and 
VOILÃ!!

the zwink · Answer

Hi niki iv had this same problem once before too I found that the open window dose not disappear it simply moves off screen...so all you need to do is search the areas of the screen for the open windows...its a pain to find usually but it is there still....

SniickerDoodle · Answer

-press ESC after attempting to open a file 
-pressing CTRL+SHIFT+S (save-as) supposedly resizes the window to it's default size. 

This worked for me. Thank you :)

owain177 · Answer

Hi,

Not sure if this has been said already but it's worth saying again anyway!..


Whenever you get the hand and are unable to use any tools ect just tap the spacebar a few times, that does it then your all back to normal.

Daniel · Answer

I found another answer for this!

neither deleting prefs nor "ESC, CTRL+SHIFT+S" worked for me!..

and I found this GREAT and weird answer in other forum, hope it helps someone else! it saved my day!

thanks for all other tricks!

http://forums.vr-zone.com/blogs/coldfusion/363-photoshop-cs3-vista-could-not-complete-your-request-because-program-error.html

Luisinho · Answer

Oshimagun: 
I Love You!. After days frustated with PS CS3, installing, uninstalling, trashing preference, praying, etc I was ready to kill my computer. How simple instructions can solve this problem.

-press ESC after attempting to open a file 
-pressing CTRL+SHIFT+S (save-as) supposedly resizes the window to it's default size. 

Oshi yo are my HERO! Thank you.

Jules · Answer

Did all of the above and none of them worked.

The solution for me was that my secondary scratch disk was on a drive (external) that was almost full.  Deleting some unwanted stuff thus creating my space on the drive worked a treat.

Dazle · Answer

SOLUTION!
I had the same problem. After many many hours of trolling forums, I found that this article helped, and solved my problems 
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/402/kb402704.html

TheCoffeeBear · Answer

Had the dll problem... 

My solution was after a winxp repair...
This may solve other simular issues...

1. I did a search for versionCueUI.dll -- other version dlls are versionCue.dll and VersionCueSDK.dll.
These were located for me in "%ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Adobe Version Cue CS3\Client\3.0.0"
-- for me it was C:\Programs\Adobe\Adobe Version Cue CS3\Client\3.0.0\
-- for most it will be C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Version Cue CS3\Client\3.0.0
Still lost (Click Start / RUN and type 
%ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Adobe Version Cue CS3\Client\3.0.0
and press enter.) This works for 2000/xp/vista -- possible 98, but dont think 98 or lower is CS3 comatible.

2. Copy those files to 
%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Version Cue CS3\Client\3.0.0
C:\Programs\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Version Cue CS3\Client\3.0.0
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Version Cue CS3\Client\3.0.0

I copied the whole Adobe Verion Cue folder to 
...common Files\Adobe.

If you need more help, send reply and someone can exsplain.

ALSO NOTE: read error and note location of missing file... again mine was VersionCueUI.dll, and I got the error when I tried to open a document.

good luck..
this may fix for some of you.

Oh the rest of my email is            @gmail.com

Good luck agaiin

umpqua · Answer

I have a similar, but different problem.  

I can open photo shop.  I can get 'New' and 'Open' dialogue boxes, and then get all the way through to click ok, and then........ NOTHING.
no new file.
no opened file.

I can then go to the location of the file i'd like to open, and double click it.  photoshop starts and brings up the big grey expanse of work space... and then... NOTHING AGAIN.

I can, on occasion, drag a file icon into the grey workspace and it will open. and then I can open new files just fine.  I can also drag images from the web into an active photoshop window and have them open.  But still cannot open files through the dialogue box.  

This is completely perplexing.  

please help.

dOOb · Answer

If you're using window, you can try restart pressing F8 and login to safe mode, launch photoshop and it will not allow you use it and it will close automatically. now you can restart you window go back to normal mode, your photoshop should work now. Good Luck!

John · Answer

Can't open Camera Raw into Photoshop CS3 after upgrading to Windows 7??

Bloem · Answer

Try this one!

https://photoshophelp.blogs.com/photoshophelp/2005/10/eileen_writes_p.html

babor · Answer

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nice Article and I got more info for this article and everybody visit my site and comments for my Article.www.adnpost.com

j040p3d20 · Answer

I got this error because my default printer was an inaccessible network printer. I set the default printer to microsoft xps writer and it just worked.

90301 · Answer

i have the same problem, but with my save file dialog box, and in flash, and other programs, this is annoying but it seems to happen randomly for me, I have no idea how to fix it too.

Photoshop CS3 can't open files

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