Several users have reported an issue in which Adobe Photoshop CS3 and other CS3 apps fail to launch properly under Mac OS X 10.6.3. In some cases, the application launches then immediately quits; in others the dock bounces in the icon and proceeds no further.
Possible solutions
- Turn off Rosetta mode. Photoshop CS3 may fail to launch under Mac OS X 10.6.3 if Rosetta mode is enabled. To disable Rosetta mode, select the Photoshop application icon in the Finder, then go to the File menu and choose Get Info. Deselect the checkbox called “Open using Rosetta.”
- Clear caches with AppleJack. Some users have reported success with clearing system and user caches via the indispensable utility AppleJack. Download AppleJack and install it, then restart your Mac in single-user mode by holding down the command and S keys at startup. At the prompt, type “applejack auto restart” (with no quotation marks) and press return. [note that while AppleJack 1.5 is technically incompatible with Snow Leopard, only the “repair permissions” function fails, which is not necessary for this process. If you’d like, you can use an alternative cache clearing tool such as YASU.]
- Revert to Mac OS X 10.6.2. As a last resort, you can downgrade to an earlier version of Snow Leopard using the “Archive and Install” feature from your Mac OS X installation disc as described here.
Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the original editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.
In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.
Applejack is not currently compatible with Snow Leopard.
Had a similar problem when the automatic software download error on me that I hit retry; it seemed to work I repaired permissions. Most programs worked until I tried iWeb it would crash. I hit the option key for iweb and tried a new site until I picked a theme it would crash. It would do it on just starting. Crash log just spit out a whole bunch of stuff. I tried trashing the preferences that would not help. I did single user mode and fsck then rebooted still no go! Finally I remembered if thing like that happen manually re download the update or combo. i chose the combo 700+MB and re-installed, repaired permissions on a re-boot and everything is working fine now.
Whew!!