BIG problem w/ corruption, need help - Bridge/ACR

[jetrim]

Not sure why this started happening, but need suggestions on a fix.
The day before leaving Alabama I started having a problem with files apparently getting corrupted on import to the computer. I suspected a faulty external drive (Toshiba 2t 3.5")
Last night I shot an Event in South Beach, and because of my suspicions I imported to two different drives (internal & external). Much to my surprise this didn't eliminate the problem, in fact, the anomolies showed up in different places on the different copies of the same image. Further, OLD images which were just fine a week ago, are now displaying the same characteristics when opened/viewed in Adobe Bridge/Adobe Camera Raw/ Photoshop CS4 & CS5. What appears to be happening is random stripes of 1 to 4 pixels wide by full length of the longest side of the image are being compressed, but not uniformly, where one could select the effected area and slide or stretch these areas and get them to realign. A very small number of frames show the RAF or NEF RAW icon but refuse to open at all. I've tested this today with 3 different bodies and 6 different CF cards of various makes (all freshly formatted in camera) all with the same result.

Mac OSX version 10.6.5
Bridge version 4.4.0.2
ACR version 6.2.0.29
CS4 version 11.0
CS5 version 12.0.1 x64

UPDATE: Just tested external on a windows laptop, opening images in Corel PSP X3, there is no damage to the files, they display perfectly in Corel, so it's definitely an Adobe issue.

Unlike Windows based OS, I don't see any option to uninstall, so I'm not sure how I'd go about reinstalling, which would have been the first option I'd have chosen on a PC. No idea if I'm doing any permanent damage to these files by opening or not, but I REALLY need to get this issue resolved ASAP, so even if your suggestion is to seek paid help, I'm open to it at this point...

Here's an example and a 100% crop:

[GB1]

Yikes... What OS are you using? Mac? Sounds like some library got updated and is incompatible/flawed (but what do I know?).

I'll shoot this thread's link to a friend who may have some ideas.

GB

[jetrim]

Update #2 Just tried importing these images into Aperture (which I don't use much anymore) and they appear perfect as they load (takes a short time in Aperture) but once loaded 100% these same random lines "pop" into the image. Since Aperture is an Apple product, not Adobe, perhaps this is an OSX issue?

[ksbryan0]

Jet, can you send a RAW file that you have imported to someone else who is using the same programs on a Mac to see if they have the same results?

[drg]

FWIW we had a Mac this summer that was doing something similar part of the time. I don't remember the exact details of all that was going on but I did see the striping.

It was faulty memory that needed replacing to fix the problem.

Curious as to why you are running two versions of Photoshop CS (4&5) on the same Mac? I'd dump 4 as fast as I could as it was problematic at best in the Mac version.

Corel will probably use less memory on an initial file display than the Adobe products and may not be hitting the potentially faulty locations.

Let us know and I'm interested as I've gone back to working in a dual environment out of necessity!!

Good luck!!

[jetrim]

Thanks DrG, was hoping you'd chime in, and that seems as plausible an explanation as I've heard so far (further testing revealed the problem shows itself in Aperture and Preview as well, so it's not an Adobe glitch afterall. It's system wide). Apple care offered the same help as always P-R-Cmd-Opt reboot and when that didn't work, suggested I reinstall the operating system (again). Have scheduled an appointment for Monday at the local store, so I'll post the results of that here.

[jetrim]

Jet, can you send a RAW file that you have imported to someone else who is using the same programs on a Mac to see if they have the same results?

Will be trying that this weekend on a buddy's MacBoook Pro, but expect the same result as the PSP X3 test on the windows laptop, it'll display fine... What DrG suspects would certainly cause that type of anomaly, and hadn't really thought of it until he mentioned it - web grafics and desktop display fine, but they don't tax the memory like editing software does. Since they do, it's probably not a video card issue.

[jetrim]

Curious as to why you are running two versions of Photoshop CS (4&5) on the same Mac? I'd dump 4 as fast as I could as it was problematic at best in the Mac version.

At the time I got CS-5, OnOne and Nik plug-in suites were not updated yet, and didn't want to go without until they updated, so I left CS-4 on the machine for that functionality and hadn't bothered to remove it, even though I use CS-5 for everything now.

Corel will probably use less memory on an initial file display than the Adobe products and may not be hitting the potentially faulty locations.

For sure it's not, because it was on a different machine. I've resisted the urge to go dual environment on this machine - so far. I have a Desktop & Laptop PC for times when compatability might become an issue, but do no photography stuff on those machines any more.

[GB1]

Jet ...

I shot a link to this thread to a friend. Below was his response:

----

Here are a few ideas.

Take files for the same images from both your external and internal drives (do this for several images that clearly display the problem effects when displayed on your computer with Adobe) and try them on another computer with Adobe or different apps, and on your own computer with Corel or another non-Adobe app. This should indicate clearly if the files are corrupted or not. If the images display correctly on another computer, then files are not corrupted. If they display correctly on your computer with another app, then it seems that all your computer hardware is working correctly.

Then, if the problem appears with the Adobe apps, possibly something in that area (display drivers, raw file processing, xxx) could be the problem. Perhaps uninstall and reinstall some things selectively and individually, see if that will help to narrow it down. You might also try different JPEG image resolutions and qualities, see if that has an effects or different file types (e.g, RAW, PSD, JPG, TIF) which might provide a clue as what and where the problem is.

[jetrim]

OK, went to local Apple store today, did lots of tests and re-installed operating system (again). Their prognosis is: It's a hardware problem. Either a $188 video card, or a $1082 logic board. Luckily, it's covered under warranty. The bad news is it's a 7 to 10 day wait for the parts

[jetrim]

Just to keep the thread updated...
Apple called last Tuesday night to tell me the parts were in, so I dropped the machine back off with them. Was feeling pretty good about life when the tech told me they should have it done in 4 days, instead of the originally quoted 7-9. When the phone rang yesterday evening, I thought to myself -WOW right on schedule, cool! But instead the news was less pleasant "Mr. E, we're calling to tell you that your parts came in and the repair should be complete in 7-10 more days". Don't know that words can express the frustration of being at the mercy of somebody else for computer repair after building your own machines for the past 12 years. Editing is piling up and the last thing I needed was to hear the "genius" tell me the same thing I heard nearly a week ago, in that tacky sweet Apple way, like the last 5 days of waiting were merely a figment of my imagination. More later, when the "geniuses" get around to providing their next assessment/update :mad2:

[jetrim]

Good news, bad news...
They replaced the video card, which fixed the problem *yay*

Now time-machine seems to be corrupted, as well as quicktime
itunes, iphoto, isync, and bridge no longer recognize the ipad when connected (I can get photos off the ipad using spotlight/image capture but can't sync anything.
"applecare" was helpful as ever: "Try reinstalling the operating system, and if that doesn't work, reinstall the OS on the ipad too. Or you could make another appointment..." :mad2:

[GB1]

Jet - Yeah, it's funny how dependent the digital age has made us photogs - even hobbyists like me - dependent on our computers. I noticed this when my machine was having blue screen of death problems a few months back (it was a root kit virus! Had to reinstall the OS).

I wish I could help on the corruption issue. Reinstall the OS? Aw, shoot.

G