Adobe Photoshop CS3 Crashes when Opening new File

[pwds]

If anyone is experiencing this issue it appears to be related to the default printer in use and in particular incompatabilities with Ricoh PCL5 and PCL6 drivers. Updating the drivers for the default printer did not resolve the problem even after a spooler or computer restart, but changing the default printer in use had an immediate effect.

 

The problem was exacerbated on our site by the fact most computers default to a Ricoh Aficio MP C4500 printer in the library although thankfully Art (who are the most frequent users of Photoshop) default to a Ricoh photocopier using Postcript drivers to support Mac printing.

 

With the library printer as default, opening a second file in Photoshop (either creating a new file or opening an existing PSD or image) consistently caused photoshop to crash with-

 

Faulting application photoshop.exe, version 10.0.1.0, faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.1.2600.5755, fault address 0x0001b21a.

 

Changing the default printer to one with a PostScript driver or the Adobe PDF virtual printer immediately resolved this, even when you then print from photoshop to the original PCL printer and afterwards open a new file.

 

As default printers are often set for very good reason, rather than restructure our entire printing strategy around one product I have written the below VBS script-

 

Dim varChangePrinter

 

varChangePrinter = 0

strComputer = "."

Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _

& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set colDefaultPrinter = objWMIService.ExecQuery _

("Select * from Win32_Printer where Default = 'True'")

 

For Each objPrinter in colDefaultPrinter

If objPrinter.Name = "\\\" then varChangePrinter = 1

Next

 

If varChangePrinter = 1 then

Set colReplacementDefault = objWMIService.ExecQuery _

("Select * from Win32_Printer Where Name = 'Adobe PDF'")

For Each objPrinter in colReplacementDefault

objPrinter.SetDefaultPrinter()

Next

End If

 

Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

Command = "%PROGRAMFILES%\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS3\Photoshop.exe"

WshShell.Exec Command

 

I then changed the shortcut to Adobe Photoshop CS3 to point to the VBS script (must be located on the user's C: drive to avoid security warnings about running scripts from remote locations). I changed the VBS icon back to the original Photoshop icon so as far the EU is concerned nothing has changed.

 

The script runs silently and changes the default printer when Photoshop is run to a "Photoshop safe" printer. This printer could equally be a HP (we've been unable to replicate any problems with HP PCL drivers), another model you've found to be working or one with a Postscript driver.

 

Similarly the script could be adapted not to change the printer on your working printer, but change it on all others. Or variations of the theme.

 

In our case default printers are set by login scripts so on next login the original default printer is restored and all is well. Users simply need to be taught to select the printer for printing when working with Photoshop.

 

This problem has been replicated internally with both the originally shipped and latest drivers available on the Ricoh Support website for a limited range of Ricoh Multi-Function products on Windows XP SP3.

 

I have not been able to replicate it with HP PCL drivers. I am unable to comment on this problem with printing equipment from other vendors as we do not have it installed.

 

Any changes you make to your own network as a result of reading this post are at your own risk and neither I nor my employer can be responsible for any problems that may result.

[pwds]

FWIW The problem is related to the driver and not connecting the printers themselves as-

 

a) The problem happens immediately when opening or creating a new photoshop image.

b) Still happens when I changed the TCP/IP port on the server (using the same driver) to point to a HP printer in storage that has been switched off for weeks.

c) Does not happen when connecting to the same TCP/IP port using a Postscript driver.

[LoWang]

I have run into similar problems with CS3 crashing with XP. I can't remember how I stumbled onto this fix but it worked for me. This might sound a little twitty but I say again it worked. I uninstalled the white icon Adobe.com and crashing issues stopped.

 

LoWang

[googlemad]

Help!

 

We have just come across the same issue since our campus has recently changed all printing to divert to Ricoh MP2000 devices. We don't use AD etc at the moment so all workstations are local settings and while the VB script looks good it won't prevent the issue when someone opens a PhotoShop / DreamWeaver etc file by double clicking it in their area.

 

SURELY there is a better solution by now?!

[googlemad]

Ignore me - Looks like Ricoh have released an updated driver and it specifically states the Photoshop issue is one of the fixes. Luckily.