Image opens as noise or "not enough memory"

JG
Posted By
John_G._Kaiser
Jan 30, 2004
Views
605
Replies
21
Status
Closed
I have some images that I created a few years back, which open fine with Photoshop 5.5, but not with 7.0.1. When I try to open them with 7, they open either as mostly noise or I get a box that says there is not enough memory (RAM). They are small files (53MB)and I think I have sufficient RAM (I can open 500MB files with no problem, and have about740MB of RAM. I’m using Windows XP Home edition, and have 23GB free on my scratch disk. If I open the file (the only files I have this problem with are TIFF’s) in 5.5 and save it as a Photoshop file, it opens without a problem in 7. I’ve opened them with no problem on another person’s Mac (transported there via CD) using Photoshop 6, but when I used their newer Mac with OS X and Photoshop 7, I got the noisy files again. I also get the noisy files if I open them on that newer Mac by double clicking, so that they open using the default Quicktime viewer. Someone suggested turning off color management (didn’t help). I noticed that in my 5.5 preferences, where I assume I created these files, I have "maximum compatibility" checked, but may not have when I created the files. Would that be applicable to TIFF files anyway? Any suggestions? My main concern is that files created only a year or two ago have become unusable unless I use older software.

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JG
John_G._Kaiser
Jan 30, 2004
I forgot to mention that I have deleted preferences for Photoshop, reinstalled Photoshop, and tested the RAM using the testing procedure in Windows.
L
LenHewitt
Jan 31, 2004
John,

Firstly, there is no reliable way to check RAM with any software solution. Without expensive hardware, the only reliable way is by substitution. Additionally as you are seeing the same problem on another machine (and platform) it is most unlikely to be due to any hardware problems on your machine.

Now, I really have no idea what the cause of your problem may be, but as re-saving as PSD apparently solves your problem, why not run a batch action to re-save the TIFFs as PSD’s?
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Jan 31, 2004
Len,
Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll do that. Meanwhile the problem itself troubles me, because I’m wondering if someday in the future I’ll have to run a batch action to resave PSD’s as layered TIFF’s, and so on. It worries me that files that are only a year or two old, created in Photoshop, can’t be opened in the second-from-newest version of Photoshop. Will everyone be required to keep an ancient computer with old software to be able to open files they created? I plan to re-archive files as the methods and materials for archiving change, but unless I reopen every file, how can I know I won’t have this problem in the future?
L
LenHewitt
Jan 31, 2004
John,

As it isn’t something I have ever come across, I really can’t offer any constructive comments, but this isn’t something I can remember ever having been brought up here on the forums.

I’m fairly confident that if it was a general problem with the application(s) we would have heard about it before now.
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Jan 31, 2004
Len,
I tried opening on another friend’s PC that has XP and Photoshop 7, and the files opened normally. One new clue that emerged in that exercise was the fact that I’d scanned them as 16 bit, if that would have any bearing on it.
To see what the images look like, open any file and apply the noise filter at full strength, then apply it again.
Since it opened normally on my friend’s PC, it does seem to be a problem limited to certain computers.
DM
dave_milbut
Jan 31, 2004
does the noise change when you zoom in or out? is it monochrome noise or colored?
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Feb 1, 2004
Dave,
The noise remains the same (other than size) when I zoom in or out, and at high magnification it’s beautifully colorful. In some of these images, areas that would have been nearly white on the image have colored noise; for example in one such image where a blue shirt had a burnt out highlight on the Photoshop file, on the noisy TIFF file that file had predominantly blue noise in that area, while the rest of the image was random noise that looks gray overall. Likewise,in an area where red had gone to 255 (it’s an RGB file), there was a reddish patch of noise.
DM
dave_milbut
Feb 1, 2004
that’s very strange. I was leaning towards thinking a memory problem (bad ram) but not if it doesn’t change when you zoom. and you say that the images look fine when opened on another machine? do you have problems with all images or just these old ones?
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Feb 1, 2004
Dave,
So far the problem seems to be limited to TIFFs created about a year ago. As I mentioned in the initial post, sometimes instead of opening the files as noise, I get a message that there isn’t enough memory (RAM), but I can open Photoshop files 10 times the size of these TIFFs without a problem.
DM
dave_milbut
Feb 1, 2004
these same noisy tiff files open fine on another machine?
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Feb 1, 2004
Dave,
The files opened fine on another PC with Photoshop 7/XP Home and a Mac with 6/OS 9.?, but opened with noise on a Mac with OS X and Photoshop 7. Mine’s a PC with XP and 7. My laptop with XP Pro and Photoshop Elements 2 opens them, but only after I get a box asking if it’s ok to convert from 16 bit to 8 bit.
DM
dave_milbut
Feb 1, 2004
too wierd. only thing I can think of is something with the video. are all machines set for true color (16+ million)? finally update the video drivers on the boxen where they’re showing with problems.

a test for the vid driver problem is to turn down video acceleration in desktop> properties> settings> advanced> troubleshooting and see if the image open ok.
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Feb 1, 2004
Hi Dave,
I turned down the video acceleration, with no change in results. I’m currently downloading the video driver updates to see if that changes anything. I’ll try that as soon as the download finishes.
Thanks for all your help.

John
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Feb 2, 2004
Hi again Dave,
I downloaded the updated drivers for my videocard, and it didn’t help. In fact, it discarded my monitor profile and rendered me unable to create a new profile. The box said something about the video card being unable to be adjusted, while previously I could do hardware calibrations/characterizations.
The only fly in the ointment I can think of is that I recently installed Adobe Acrobat 5 and upgraded to Acrobat 6 professional. It seems that’s about when this started, but I can’t be sure. That’s the only thing I’ve installed on this computer recently. But that wouldn’t explain why that Mac had the same problem with the files.
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Feb 4, 2004
Another possible clue is that the computer barks at me occasionally with no apparent provocation, and it sometimes plays a 2 second snippet of music out of nowhere. Could be a problem with the computer, though it shouldn’t be a virus since I’ve been checking that frequently.
MM
Mick_Murphy
Feb 4, 2004
There is a VBS.bark virus. Couldn’t find out any more info.
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Feb 4, 2004
Mick,
Thanks for the virus info. I’ll see if I can find anything more.
MM
Mick_Murphy
Feb 4, 2004
I’m glad to say I’ve never had my computer bark at me (the fan does sometimes sound like a lost kitten) but this does sound virus-like, especially with the music. Check out the Symantec site.
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Feb 5, 2004
Hi Mick,
I’ve updated my virus protection as much as possible–I’m using Norton Virus 2004 and have all the most recent updates, so I’m assuming it’s not a virus. It could be a dog is inside my computer, or possibly a person with a bad cough. I saw another thread in which there is mention of TIFF problems if Photoshop 7 isn’t updated, but mine is. And the friend with the PC who could open the files normally didn’t have the update, so I’m still confused.

John
MM
Mick_Murphy
Feb 5, 2004
John

I wasn’t suggesting that the two were related. The fact that you get the same effect on a Mac clearly demonstrates that this is not a problem specific to your machine and is very unlikely to have anything to do with hardware at all. I have no idea to be honest.

The all-singing all-barking computeris a mystery as well but this did sound like a possible virus. However, one would hope that NAV would not let this slip though. Scratching my head!
JG
John_G._Kaiser
Feb 15, 2004
I’ve found the solution to the noise/memory problem. At some point over a month ago, I had a problem with Photoshop and reinstalled to correct the problem. When I reinstalled, I either didn’t fully uninstall Photoshop, or I didn’t remove a copy of preferences or something that I’d saved on another hard drive. Or possibly when I reinstalled I had the antivirus software on. So by thoroughly uninstalling, turning off the antivirus software, and deleting whatever I could from other places, it cleared it up. When I had the problem, I had two choices for TIFF files, two unsharp masks, two pattern makers, etc., and those are all gone now.

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