Want to highlight a helpful answer? Upvote!

Did someone help you, or did an answer or User Tip resolve your issue? Upvote by selecting the upvote arrow. Your feedback helps others! Learn more about when to upvote >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: Mitch
Mitch Author
User level: Level 4
1,346 points

Photoshop & Bridge constantly crashing on 27" iMac

Good afternoon,


Im just off the phone from my local Apple Repair people and I am at loss as to what to do next.


I have a 27" iMac in for it's second service to try and find a continuing issue which hardware tests say does not exist. The machine was 1 of about 10 I bought all with the same spec - iMac 27" 3.4GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7/8GB/2TB + 256SSD/AMD 6970M 2GB.


With this one machine I have rebuilt it probably 4 or 5 times since new. 1st time the machine went for service there was a problem with the video card and that was replaced and returned but when I put it back into a Photo studio for use I think we might have got an hour out of the machine before I had to take it out again ! Software being used is Photoshop CS5.5 and Bridge, and the camera's software which is Canon EOS Utility for image capture.


We shoot tethered ...


What we have found is that once a shoot starts and the iMac is capturing the shots (via the USB cable) the apps crash and are unable to be quit, need to be force quit if we can and the machine then also locks up. In fact when I had to do a change over I found the iMac sitting on the startup sprocket going no further. I had to "pull the plug" to get it to shutdown.


My initial thought was that the SSD was at fault so I installed a brand new downloaded copy of 10.7.5 installer and installed it on the second drive (the HDD) then reinstalled the Photoshop and other apps. I then asked another photographer to try it again and left the room, grabbed a coffee, and I didnt even get to have a mouthful when I got a call saying it had crashed straight away !


As I mentioned above I have just had a call from my local Apple store telling me that their Hardware tests say nothing can be found and that it is software related, but after doing the number of rebuilds I have on this machine, I dont think that another rebuild will make any difference !


Im thinking it's either ram or something on the logic board, but I dont think my friends at the store will be replacing either of those ...


Anyone with similar experience ?


Regards

Mitch


Message was edited by: Mitch - 'cause I cant spell !

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Aug 14, 2013 9:39 PM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply
User profile for user: baltwo
baltwo
User level: Level 9
62,362 points

Posted on Aug 15, 2013 12:06 PM

I'd start over, wiping the SSD and HD, then restoring using the recovery mode. Once back up, reinstall the apps. I have the same machine, sans the SSD, so I don't have to deal with those ecentriciies. If the problem persists, take it back to the store, along with the crash reports. An alternative solution would be to hook it up in target disk mode to one of the others that works and use something like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! to clone the good one to the borked one, after wiping it clean. I don't know how viable this is with one of those hybrid SSD/HDD machines.


Don't know how it plays out in Australia, but if you have AppleCare's protection plan and you're within 50 miles (80 KM) of an Apple repair station, you might be eligible for onsite repair since yours is a desktop machine. It's applicable in the USA. If available, then have them do an onsite repair, so you can demonstrate the weird behavior. BTW, the AppleCare Protection Plan's the best warranty policy available for desktop machines. Get it if you don't have it before contacting Apple.

View in context
3 replies
Question marked as Best reply
User profile for user: baltwo
baltwo
User level: Level 9
62,362 points

Aug 15, 2013 12:06 PM in response to Mitch

I'd start over, wiping the SSD and HD, then restoring using the recovery mode. Once back up, reinstall the apps. I have the same machine, sans the SSD, so I don't have to deal with those ecentriciies. If the problem persists, take it back to the store, along with the crash reports. An alternative solution would be to hook it up in target disk mode to one of the others that works and use something like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! to clone the good one to the borked one, after wiping it clean. I don't know how viable this is with one of those hybrid SSD/HDD machines.


Don't know how it plays out in Australia, but if you have AppleCare's protection plan and you're within 50 miles (80 KM) of an Apple repair station, you might be eligible for onsite repair since yours is a desktop machine. It's applicable in the USA. If available, then have them do an onsite repair, so you can demonstrate the weird behavior. BTW, the AppleCare Protection Plan's the best warranty policy available for desktop machines. Get it if you don't have it before contacting Apple.

Reply
User profile for user: Mitch
Mitch Author
User level: Level 4
1,346 points

Aug 15, 2013 5:41 PM in response to baltwo

Thanks baltwo,


I agree that the AppleCare is the way to go ... I get the extended warranty with every product I buy and over the years it has meant huge savings on repairs !


Im at the point where I will actually try a full wipe and re-install from scratch rather than from dmg's which is the way I usually go - (and have had very few issues).


Funny thing is the computer in question was the Master for the other 9 I purchased and CCC'd ... and none of the others are showing problems ...


Again, thank you for your input with my issue, and thank you for all the assistance you give others around these discussion boards!


Mitch

Reply

Photoshop & Bridge constantly crashing on 27" iMac

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.
Learn more Sign up