Scratch disks full? How do I unfill ’em?

BB
Posted By
Bill Bichteman
Jul 22, 2003
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555
Replies
6
Status
Closed
I am working with a large file and sometimes when I try to transform a selection I am told that the command can’t be completed because the scratch disks are full. So far, I have been closing Photoshop down and re-opening the file, at which point I can perform the transformation. Eventually I get the message again and have to repeat the process. This is a drag because it takes a while to save and open the file again. Is there a way to clear my scratch disks without shutting down the program? In all honesty, I am not clear on the whole scratch disk thing in general and any insight into this mystical topic would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer!

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P
Phosphor
Jul 22, 2003
The real answer is to install an additional HD.

You want to set-up Photoshop’s Preferences to use an empty partition (perhaps 5GB in size) on a non-booting HD for your Scratch space.
DM
dave milbut
Jul 22, 2003
things to check.

keep an eye out for the ps scratch file in the root directory, not temp. that’s where my system keeps em.

clean out temp folder too!

also look in the windows directory for a Temp folder.

empty out your browser cache (ie’s is in tools> internet options). netscape and mozilla has it under edit> prefrences> advanced> cache.

uninstall any unneeded apps via control panel’s add remove program applet.

buy another hard drive, they’re cheap.
EI
Enrique Ivern
Jul 22, 2003
PS cleans up its own mess, unless it terminates abnormally. So every time your machine abends the used scratch space may grow.
It helps to define a separate logical disk for scratch, so you can check on its abnormal growth. Of course, the best thing would be a separate physical disk. For cleaning temp files, there’s a little program called window wiper that can automate the cleaning task.
PS
Phil Scarsbrook
Jul 22, 2003
Bill, as a temporary fix to the other ideas. Look under Edit/Purge/All. This will clear up the extra RAM used for Undo, History, and Clipboard. Be warned though, you will lose all of your history states when you do this!
L
LenHewitt
Jul 23, 2003
Bill,

I am not clear on the whole scratch disk thing in general and any insight
into this mystical topic would be greatly appreciated. <<

Photoshop uses the ‘scratch disk’ – an area of HDD space – as its prime memory. It uses the available RAM as a cache for this disk-based memory. It has used this method since version 3.0 because the Windows Virtual Memory model is particularly inefficient when used to swap application data rather than program code.

Photoshop can require up to maybe 10x the size of the image in memory as available disk space. (The books say 3-5x, but if using Layers and with History states this value can be easily exceeded). If you do not have sufficient free HDD space, then Photoshop will give you that warning.
LK
lisa kerner
Jul 23, 2003
I have my HD particionated but the disk c:, where i have the PS is full, so i have many problems to work…
Mast i use the secondary disk as an option?Sorry about my english… Lisa.

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