[jmolin8808]

Hello,

I have a Duel 2.0 PowerMac G5, that takes F..O..R..E..V..E..R.. to open 500mb files in Adobe Illustrator CS2 and wont even open in Photoshop CS2 (tells me I don't have enough memory)

These are flattened PDF files with all the art embedded and I am currently running 512x4 of ram.

Is it just me or don't you think with 2gigs on a native PPC chip I should be able to open these files with no problem?! Is there something else I can do to speed this up?

[MichiganRich]

Get ready for the flood of people who will say you can't do ANYTHING without at least 4 times as much RAM as you have, no matter how much you have. I don't usually listen to them.

Is your hard drive filled to bursting? With virtual memory, there should be no 'don't have enough memory'. What version of X are you running? More info is needed to start a meaningful dialogue here.

This is not to imply that any dialogue started here will be meaningful in the least.

[jmolin8808]

Ha, classic.. Yes I have read many a thread in here stating that processing power is not as important in photoshop as the RAM is. Usually in those post though, these designers are running multiple applications at one time. For me all we need to do is run CS2 in an efficient and cost effective manner. We don't play with Aperture or any other Final Cut Pro type products.


I am running 10.3.9 on there with most my storage on the server (an older g4 PowerMac, with 10.3 server installed) there are about 20gigs left on the internal HD.

With the Dialog box stating not enough memory, do you think there is a problem with the actual computer? What would you recommend?


I am about to put another 2x1gig of ram in and I can report back what I find out.

[jmolin8808]

I am officially up to 4gigs of RAM and still having both problems.

Think this is still hardware related?

[BigBadBiologist]

Your storage is on a server meaning that you're loading these 500meg files from the server? If so, that's the source of your slowdown right there.

[jmolin8808]

Hey bigbadbiologist: I use the server to store old projects, all current projects are stored in a folder on the desktop. but that shouldn't be the slow down, my entire network is on a gigabit ethernet router.

[BigBadBiologist]

How much RAM and CPU time is in use with just Illustrator or Photoshop open (use Activity Monitor)?

[sknapp351]

I do all the printing for my department at school. We are using a Dual 500mhz G4 with 1Gb of ram and an Epson Pro 9800 printer. I was printing 400mb files all day today in Photoshop CS. It is not the ideal solution, and is slow but it works. I don't think the hardware you use is inadequate in any way.
SAm

[Todd Madson]

The issue is the server.

The server is an older, slower architecture.
Slower processor, bus isn't as wide or fast.

So the bottleneck is there.

Idea would be to use the G5 with a larger second internal
drive to save files to temporarily, then back up to the
server at the end of the day or project as the case may
be.

The additional ram on the G5 gives you more headroom but
the problem is sort of like...

Imagine the G5 like a set of high performance low
profile wheels you'd install on a Jaguar XKE and the
car you're attaching them to (the server) is sort of
like a Chevy Baretta.

[sknapp351]

Originally Posted by Todd Madson 

The issue is the server.

The server is an older, slower architecture.
Slower processor, bus isn't as wide or fast.

So you're saying that a Dual processor 2.0 G5 with 4 gigs of ram is insufficient to open a 500mb file in Photoshop CS2?
Are you serious?
SAm

[skew]

Exactly how long does it take to open? One mans l o o o n n n n n n n g wait is anothers normal expectation.

Do you have anything to compare it too that is sufficiently fast?

SKEW

[skew]

Originally Posted by jmolin8808 

These are flattened PDF files with all the art embedded and I am currently running 512x4 of ram.

Aaaah. Are these vector heavy files you're opening or simple files with big images in them? Is photoshop trying to rasterize them as it opens them?

We deal with extremely complex vector patterns in AI and it struggles on the same setup. Trying to open them in Photoshop (even as flattened PDF) is painful.

SKEW

[Todd Madson]

sknapp351: I'm saying the Dual 2.0 G5 is HOBBLED by the slowness and
inefficiency of the old G4 server you're using.

G4 = 100 mhz bus versus 1000+ mhz bus on the G5.

-The G4 is running IDE drives. SATA are faster in my experience.
-The G4 is trying to shove 500 meg files over gigabit ethernet.
-Not every G4s can run gigabit - is it actually running 100baseT?
That would explain part of the slowness.
-The G4 only has 1 gig of ram. It's trying to move over half of the available
ram thru memory at any given time then, especially if serving to more user.

My point: the G4 is not suitable as a FAST server for your users who require
speed and throughput. It doesn't have the bus width or memory to handle
the tasks you want at speed.

Try the same files on the G5 copied to the fastest local SATA drive. You
should notice a difference, if not, something is wrong.

The G4 will be an adequate server for data backup at the end of the day.

[sknapp351]

Originally Posted by Todd Madson 

sknapp351: I'm saying the Dual 2.0 G5 is HOBBLED by the slowness and
inefficiency of the old G4 server you're using.

EDITED: Just read things a little closer. I'm gonna go pry my head from my rear. Be back later......


Sam

[sknapp351]

But the OP said that he only uses the G4 server to store old projects and that all print jobs are done from files stored locally on the G5's SATA drives, right?
SAm

[jmolin8808]

Thanks for all the input guys but like I stated before:

I have a G4 server, which stores all my old work.

My current work (including this file) are stored on my local computer (duel 2.0 4gig ram). The original file was created in CS2 on a windows machine, and the file will read in illustrator all the way up to about 95%. From there it just stalls for about 20 minutes or so then finally renders on the screen.

I can upload the file to yousendit.com if anyone wants to take a shot at it. Adobe tech support was a tool and told me it was bc I was trying to open a windows file on a mac

Also, here is a screen shot from when I try to send it over to photoshop, including proof of my hardware specs.

[peeb]

Originally Posted by jmolin8808 

Hello,

I have a Duel 2.0 PowerMac G5,

I think the problem is that your processors are dueling. Dual processors sometimes do this...

[OreoCookie]

It's a software bug, moving … 

[jmolin8808]

Originally Posted by peeb 

I think the problem is that your processors are dueling. Dual processors sometimes do this...

PEEB your a Genus!! I separated those two little trouble makers and everything now works great.. I can't b/l i didn't notice that before

But really... When sending EPS files should they be zipped to make sure there is no data leakage? I just tried opening a 1gig file we built onsite and it loaded right away. I wonder if all the transferring back and forth is somehow corrupting the data. Just a wild guess,

(For all those grammar nazi's yes I know it's spelt genius.. Sarcasm ladies and gentleman).

[glypht]

Opening a 500mb file and rasterizing a 500 mb file are not the same thing. Depending on the contents of the vector file it could take an enormous amount of time to rasterize that file. It also depends on the resolution settings you're asking Photoshop to rasterize at. Can you post a screen of Photoshop's 'Rasterize Generic EPS' window (the one that should appear when you try and open the file)?

You said the file is a PDF? If so 500mb is truly gargantuan. Where did this file come from? What does it contain? What are the artwork's physical dimensions? What program was it created in?

Need more info…

[jmolin8808]

glypht:

The file was saved as an embedded PDF. It was created in Windows XP under CS2 Photoshop. I can upload the file to yousendit.com if you want to take a look at it. Also, the file size is actually 280mb upon further inspection.