Late 2013 15" Retina & Photoshop CC - Nvidia Issues?

[macbook-dan]

I am running a one week old 15" MBP and have noticed (2) issues with Adobe Photoshop CC. The first is when combined with Nik Software - after applying a Nik filter (ColorFX Pro), all layers and even other open images are a blank, black canvas. I need to close and reopen - very annoying issue.

The second is seemingly unrelated to Nik - just Photoshop CC - random squares are missing in the image, and sometimes a square is placed elsewhere in the image. This is not actually an alteration of the image, simply a rendering issue, thus I am suspect of the discrete NVidia graphics.

Has anyone else run into similar issues with their new MBP's? My primary use of this system is image editing, so this is a very big deal for me.

See attached images for system details and an example of the issue.

Details:
2.6Ghz, 16GB, 1TB, Mavericks

 

[yjchua95]

I am running a one week old 15" MBP and have noticed (2) issues with Adobe Photoshop CC. The first is when combined with Nik Software - after applying a Nik filter (ColorFX Pro), all layers and even other open images are a blank, black canvas. I need to close and reopen - very annoying issue.

The second is seemingly unrelated to Nik - just Photoshop CC - random squares are missing in the image, and sometimes a square is placed elsewhere in the image. This is not actually an alteration of the image, simply a rendering issue, thus I am suspect of the discrete NVidia graphics.

Has anyone else run into similar issues with their new MBP's? My primary use of this system is image editing, so this is a very big deal for me.

See attached images for system details and an example of the issue.

Details:
2.6Ghz, 16GB, 1TB, Mavericks

From your System Info window, looks like your Mac is on the Iris rather than using the NVIDIA. I'd say it's an Iris problem.

Try using GFXcardstatus to force it into NVIDIA and duplicate your situation again to see whether it happens on NVIDIA or not.

 

[macbook-dan]

From your System Info window, looks like your Mac is on the Iris rather than using the NVIDIA. I'd say it's an Iris problem.

Try using GFXcardstatus to force it into NVIDIA and duplicate your situation again to see whether it happens on NVIDIA or not.

The Iris was in use when I grabbed the screenshot - but I think this was a good call to try as a troubleshooting measure. I have gfxStatus installed - so I forced it to use discrete only, then launched PS CC (it was completely closed), ran a filter in Nik, and the same issue occurred (the one with the missing block, similar to the screenshot from my original post).

I know the next suggestion might be to run Photoshop CC in 'Low Resolution' mode, I have tried this and the issue is still present.

Thanks!

 

[macbook-dan]

One more image of the 'blank / black' photo issue in PS CC.

The repro steps are:

open an image, almost always a full resolution 24MP, TIFF (pretty large file, perhaps 200MB); Run Nik Color EFEX Pro v4, apply any filter and press 'OK'. The Nik plugin churns away, and the next screen shows either the blank / black image, or a square missing or swapped with another square.

 

[yjchua95]

The Iris was in use when I grabbed the screenshot - but I think this was a good call to try as a troubleshooting measure. I have gfxStatus installed - so I forced it to use discrete only, then launched PS CC (it was completely closed), ran a filter in Nik, and the same issue occurred (the one with the missing block, similar to the screenshot from my original post).

I know the next suggestion might be to run Photoshop CC in 'Low Resolution' mode, I have tried this and the issue is still present.

Thanks!

What about putting your rMBP into clamshell mode and connect it to a regular external display?

It may be a HiDPI issue.

 

[macbook-dan]

What about putting your rMBP into clamshell mode and connect it to a regular external display?

It may be a HiDPI issue.

I don't feel like clamshell mode w/ an external monitor is a viable solution. I travel frequently and often do not have the luxury of an external monitor. Although it might allow me to work on my photos in a pinch, I am hoping to resolve this matter - as it's a deal breaker for me using this system. If I am the only one out there having this problem, maybe I have a defective unit?

 

[raybies]

I am running a one week old 15" MBP and have noticed (2) issues with Adobe Photoshop CC. The first is when combined with Nik Software - after applying a Nik filter (ColorFX Pro), all layers and even other open images are a blank, black canvas. I need to close and reopen - very annoying issue.

The second is seemingly unrelated to Nik - just Photoshop CC - random squares are missing in the image, and sometimes a square is placed elsewhere in the image. This is not actually an alteration of the image, simply a rendering issue, thus I am suspect of the discrete NVidia graphics.

Details:
2.6Ghz, 16GB, 1TB, Mavericks

I have the same setup except PS CS6... and that randomly crashes my whole Mac, forcing a hard reset.

When I get back in to PS is says there was an error detected with the display driver and GPU has been disabled.

Is there anyway to recover from this without keeping the "Power" button pressed?

It's EXTREMELY annoying.

I also once had a blank layer, but dis/enabling it made it draw.

It's not going to be a HW issue, it's Adobe.

Have you tried with jpg's? I seem to remember the issue I had was with tiff too, export from LR and using Sharpener Pro.

I also get another annoying issue with images rendered in PS... in the attached image you can see a green line on the right and bottom, and red on the right... it's only visible in PS CS6 on the Mac... Windows is fine.

 

[yjchua95]

I have the same setup except PS CS6... and that randomly crashes my whole Mac, forcing a hard reset.

When I get back in to PS is says there was an error detected with the display driver and GPU has been disabled.

Is there anyway to recover from this without keeping the "Power" button pressed?

It's EXTREMELY annoying.

I also once had a blank layer, but dis/enabling it made it draw.

It's not going to be a HW issue, it's Adobe.

Have you tried with jpg's? I seem to remember the issue I had was with tiff too, export from LR and using Sharpener Pro.

It's Adobe all right. It happens every time I use my retina's display and only goes away once I put into clamshell mode and into a Thunderbolt display. I think it's a HiDPI issue.

 

[raybies]

It's Adobe all right. It happens every time I use my retina's display and only goes away once I put into clamshell mode and into a Thunderbolt display. I think it's a HiDPI issue.

Which the crash? I can't recover from it.

 

[yjchua95]

Which the crash? I can't recover from it.

About the only solution is to do a forced restart by holding down the power button.

Now, every time I need to open Photoshop CC, I put my rMBP into clamshell mode first to an external display before opening it, lest it crashes.

 

[sabbyp]

same model, no issues here with cc

 

[macbook-dan]

Possible Fix

I did some reading on Adobe's forums, and while did not find the exact issue, I found a lot of reports of font issues and a couple mentions of 'white boxes' which is pretty close IMO.

In these threads, there were many suggestions, most unacceptable as the performance / experience is significantly compromised - however one suggestion of setting the 'Drawing Mode' from 'Advanced' to 'Normal' did not impact the experience or alter performance much if any.

This settings change has worked through a couple hours of image editing without the problem, so I am very optimistic about this fix as prior to making this change, artifacts of some form appeared every single time I came out of the Nik software package and back into PS CC.

If anything changes in a negative way, I'll update this thread, but if it stays in this state, it's safe to assume this has been a long term fix.

Thanks to all those who have replied!

Dan