Can't open Photoshop Elements 6 for mac

[artsygirl511]

I've had Photoshop Elements 6 for mac for over a year and it was working fine although RAW was never able to update.  About a week ago I went to open it and it would not open.  I've tried daily, have done all Apple updates and all Adobe updates and it still wouldn't open.  Then I uninstalled it and reinstalled it and it still won't open.  Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Bob_Leahy]

Exactly what happens when it doesn't open?  Does it just try to open, and then fail?  Or does it display an error message of some sort?

I don't think a new Apple update is causing the problem.  I have Elements 6 and 8 on my Mac running 10.6.3.  Since I bought Elements 8, I haven't opened Elements 6.  I just opened Elements 6, and it opened without incident.

When Elements 6 starts up, a large electric-blue circle appears on the screen.  About a third of the way down the circle, Elements displays exactly what it is doing as the start up progresses.  Watch that status carefully to see what it completes successfully - and exactly where it comes to a screeching halt.  That will tell you - and us - where the hang up is.

[artsygirl511]

Bob, I think you are right.  It seems this all started when I did an Apple update a couple of weeks ago.  To answer your question, the big blue Photoshop circle appears and all it says is initializing and then disappears.  Then I get an Apple message "The application Photoshop Elements quit unexpectedly"... and I can Ignore, Report or Relaunch.  Relaunch does nothing. 

[Rhonda_adnohr]

I am having the same problem. I reverted to a backup before the update to 10.6.3 and it worked fine.  When I reinstalled the updates that came up, it again caused the problem with PSE 6.  I don't know if it's specifically the 10.6.3 update, or one of the other things that went with it (itunes, imovie and iphoto updated at the same time).

So, I'm going to have to roll back again (sigh). 

I'll subscribe to this thread to see if anyone else finds out anything new, so please post back if you do!

[Bob_Leahy]

Over the decades, I've found that HOW you start an application can make a difference.  Applications that refused to run when started one way would work very well when started another way.  Speaking as an ex-programmer, this shouldn't happen.  But someone once said that in theory, there's no difference between theory and practice - but in practice, there is.

You might try to start Elements in different ways to see what happens.

Try to start Elements by going into the Applications folder and actually clicking on the Elements icon.

Try to start Elements by double-clicking on a picture.

Try to start Elements by going into iPhoto, selecting a picture, and clicking on the "Edit" button at the bottom of the screen.  I assume you have told iPhoto to open Elements to edit your pictures.  I've also told iPhoto to open a picture in iPhoto when I double-click on a picture in iPhoto.  I didn't specify that above because I wasn't sure you had done the same.

At some point, you should realize that you're spending a lot of time trying to get an old version of an application to run.  Elements 8 is out and is running very well on 10.6.3. 

How much time are you willing to spend to get Elements 6 to work?  I'm not trying to be a salesman for Adobe, but at some point, you should think of paying the money and buying a copy of Elements 8.

[Barbara_B_]

Just out of curiosity, does the serial number thing mentioned here apply to your computer?

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/834/cpsid_83499.html

[Bob_Leahy]

My MacBook's system serial number is 11 digits long.  It's a 17" MacBook Pro.  I bought it on 9/26/06.

[Barbara_B_]

You repaired permissions after the update?

[Rhonda_adnohr]

In my case, it did apply.  I wonder how I go about getting my Serial Number repaired?? sheesh.

[Bob_Leahy]

Go to Version Tracker - www.versiontracker.com - and see if someone has created a utility that allows you to re-write the system serial number so it contains one fewer digits.  It's an odd enough thing, so you should be able to search for it very quickly.  I have absolutely no idea of someone has created such a utility.  Until this came up, it never occurred to me that there were such things as system serial numbers. 

If you do re-write that serial number, make sure you keep a record - off the computer - of what your original serial number was. 

That serial number may be more than just a collection of digits.  The last digit may be a check digit that lets the operating system know that it has read the serial number correctly.  If that check digit doesn't make sense to the computer, then it may do something unexpected - like refuse to boot.  At that point, you might have to tell the computer what the "real" serial number was.  That's why you should keep a record of this serial number off of the computer.

All this is me speculating - but it's better to be paranoid than sorry.

[Barbara_B_]

I don't know for sure that this also affects PSE. Adobe hasn't said so yet, but I thought it would be worthwhile to find out if the people who are suddenly having problems have this same situation. You could always try going back to 10.6.2, but that seems kind of drastic.

[Rhonda_adnohr]

I installed 10.6.3 and it caused PSE 6 to fail in the same way as the OP.

Since I had just swapped out my hard drive, I had a fresh backup, and so I restored it and PSE worked fine.

I then let the 10.6.3 update install again, and again PSE failed.  (The Console utility also failed with the same errors as PSE!)

So I again restored from my backup and now I am just waiting to see what can be done to update my serial number without me losing my machine for a few days.

Maybe Adobe doesn't test previous versions so they have no statement about it, but it's clearly happening in my case.

I think it's really Apple's fault for not putting my serial number back after my logic board was replaced.  Why PSE didn't have an issue in 10.6.2 is a mystery though - PSE hasn't changed, the OS has, so I'm persuing it as an Apple issue, but wanted to post back here in case others have the same problem.  At least it gives you a clue to what might be wrong.

[Bob_Leahy]

Don't forget to go into your System Preferences > Software Update > Scheduled Check and to turn off the automatic updating feature. Otherwise, the next time Apple issues any sort of update, your computer will bring in and install that 10.6.3 version again.

Remember that computers make your life easier. It says so on the box.

Bob Leahy

Chief Executive Loafer

E-mail: Moi@BobLeahy.com

[Barbara_B_]

Are you running 10.6.3, by any chance?

Raw never auto updates for PSE, incidentally. You need to download and manually install the updates.

I would try this. Go to your username>library>preferences and delete:

com.adobe.Photoshop.Elements.plist

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 paths

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 settings

Opera Preferences

Repair permissions and try again. If it still crashes, go to applications>PSE 6>plug-ins>import/export and delete the adobe TWAIN driver. (Note that if you have an Epson scanner it may not work right after doing this.)