Is PSE 4.0 suppost to be slow?

[bas]

Whenever I want to start up PSE 4.0, I usually moan because it takes 60 seconds to load the interface for editing or anything else. I know that my computer was originally made for Win 98 and is currently running on XP, but is PSE 4.0 actually that slow? Or, is it just that my RAM isn't at a large quanity?

[Carbone]

Hello and welcome to the Forums, bas!

What are the specs of your computer ? Proccessor type (AMD or Pentium), Processor Speed (933MHz, 1.6 Ghz, etc.), total RAM installed (256MB, 512MB), total Hard Drive space free, etc.

The more you'll supply, the better Windows user will be able to help.

Ray

[bas]

I think I Have 256 mb, but I can't be too sure about anything else except the procceser(pentium) as this computer was "given"(actually, dumped:mad: ) to me by my grandparents, and probably has minimal ammounts of good stuff in it. Just so you get the idea, this computer doesn't even have USB 2.0:(

[Carbone]

Well... PSE4's system requirements :


System requirements

Windows


Intel® Pentium® III or 4 or Intel Centrino™ (or compatible) 800MHz processor
Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional, Home Edition, or Media Center Edition 2005 with Service Pack 2
256MB of RAM (512MB recommended)
900MB of available hard-disk space
Color monitor with 16-bit color video card
1,024x768 monitor resolution
Microsoft DirectX 9 compatible display driver
CD-ROM drive
For handhelds: Requires Palm OS® 4.0, 4.1, or 5.0 and Palm Desktop 4.0 or 4.01The one thing I see immediately is RAM. Minimum 256 but 512 is better. And Windows XP requires close to 120 MB of itself, so that leaves very little for Photoshop Elements, anti-virus and other anti-blabla software, MSN if running, etc.

There was a thread on removing or changing a few things in the registry to get PSE4 running faster. I didn't pay much attention because I'm on a Mac. If you run a search on the Forums, you'll find it.

Ray

[MikeH]

Hi bas,

Welcome to the Forums :)

I think I Have 256 mb, but I can't be too sure about anything else except the procceser(pentium)
If you want to find out exactly what is inside your tower, then run the Belarc Advisor. This is a free program that provides a detailed profile of your PC, hardware and software. The information about your PC stays on your PC and is not sent to any web server. This program is also completely adware free:

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

I think I Have 256 mb
While Adobe quote 256Mb as the minimum and recommend 512Mb, PSE4 really needs more than 512Mb.

Run the Belarc Advisor and let us know the full spec of your PC...

Regards

Mike

[Wendy]

Hi Bas ...

... and welcome to the forum :)

Wendy

[CarolLHB]

Hi Bas-welcome! Photoshop always opens slower that most programs, you can actually see each of the parts listed as they open. It was explained to me that Adobe did this intentionally, something having to to with the the compexity of the program and making it that way so that individual components can be worked on or upgraded-can't really remember the details. I have a combined 768 at the moment and it takes about 20 seconds or so for it to open.:)

[NMarti]

Bas -
Only a minute to open it? Wow - yours is fast! Just kidding - when I had a win98 PC last year with 512 it took at least that and often more. Just too much drain on the resources. When I bought my new PC I kept that in mind because I intended to use Elements a lot so I had 2gb of RAM installed. I have no problems now unless my project gets really large (like my 20x30 posters) then I can see a little slow down in saving files.

Memory is running fairly cheap right now and it might be worth upgrading if your system allows it - but 512 may be the max your system can support. I would try removing anything from start-up that you don't need open and it will probably help. Windows help file explains how to do that pretty easily. It did improve on my system.

[bnk1953]

Warning - tongue in cheek on the following:
It has been observed that many intel chips are slowing down in envy - because they are noticing that some fellow intel chips are now in macs. Because of this envy - bits and bites are being sent to other intel chips in other non-mac compters about a work slow down - something about wanting to be in a better environment.
Sorry - just had to slide that one in there.

[Grant]

Sorry - just had to slide that one in there.



You are not sorry at all ... :)

[Wendy]

Oh that is good one ...

... maybe they saw the advert :D :D

Wendy

[Carbone]

It would also appear that chips working in this non-mac environment now charge a premium because they're being constantly exposed to adversial working conditions and are facing danger all day long (virus, malware, adware, windows, spyware, etc.)

:D

Ray

[Grant]

BAS

I have Tested Elements on a number of computers and presently have it running on two computers .... They range from 330 mHz with 256KB all the way up to 3.20GHz, 800FSB with 2GB DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz- 4.

Elements does require lots of power and the more the better. The one thing that really seems to make the most difference is the memory. While Elements takes almost twice the time to load as any other of my Graphic programs, the time required to load is very machine dependent. On my fastest computer it takes under 8 seconds to load for the first time and on my slowest computer, I have time to make coffee and a sandwich before it is up and running. :)

[CarolLHB]

BNK!:D :D

Actually, I've heard they are trying to unionize...