BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Problems with Photo Equipment - Tips & Tricks

Photography Question 

Erin Appelbaum
 

Can't open Photoshop


When I try to open an image in Photoshop 7 or try to open the program itself, I get the error message, Could not load default brushes because the scratch disks are full, photoshop will not open. I use Mac OS X 10.2.1. and have enough memory. What are scratch disks and how can I remedy this situation?


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May 01, 2007

 

Nobu Nagase
 
When physical memory runs out of space during the execution of a program like Photoshop, virtual memory is used to swap out the data. The virtual memory is often called a scratch disk.

By default, Photoshop uses the primary disk as a scratch disk.

The message means that there is not enough disk space to be used as a scratch disk.

To remedy this situation:
- delete (large) un-needed files to create free disk space, and defragment the disk
or,
- Install a secondary disk and disignate it as a scratch disk
or,
- If you have a secondary disk, designate the secondary disk to be used as a scratch disk.


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May 01, 2007

 
- Carolyn M. Fletcher

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  I also have PS7 and have had that happen a couple of times. Restarting Photoshop always made it go away, so I wasn't sure it was a real problem. I haven't seen it now for a really long time, like about a year, and nothing has changed about my setup, so who knows?


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May 01, 2007

 

Nobu Nagase
 
Memory leak may be possible.
Rebooting may take care of the problem for a while.


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May 01, 2007

 

Erin Appelbaum
  Nobi and Carloyn, thank you so much for responding. Nobi, thank you for explaining what scratch disk is. It helped a lot. Files were deleted and the problem has apparently been remedied. At least, so far. I knew I could count on the BetterPhoto community. Thanks again.

Peter


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May 01, 2007

 
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