You're not alone.

Apparently the display drivers provided with the OS are insufficient to support Photoshop's GPU usage well enough.

Have you tried visiting the AMD web site, seeking out the latest Catalyst driver release for your hardware and OS, and downloading/installing it?

Unfortunately, this is one good reason among many that you really should avoid upgrading to a brand new operating system on the first day of its release.  I know this doesn't help you, Zottwalker, but this is written for those who haven't upgraded  yet.

-Noel

Hm, maybe the manufacturers of the products ought to be the ones to "blaze through" the problems before the products are released.

Gee, what a concept - Microsoft, AMD, and Adobe all working together with the pre-release versions so that the released version actually works for users.

I believe that Chris Cox worked on trying to get AMD and Microsoft to include proper and working drivers for the Windows 8 release.  But apparently that input wasn't enough to get the job done, becuase in these modern times greedy businessmen always push to release software products before they're finished.  It can always be fixed later through the "cloud", right?  Sheesh.

But even beyond that, there has been an important shift:  Microsoft no longer considers it a high priority that you should actually be able to WORK with Windows.  Their focus has shifted from powering business to powering toys (consumer tablets, that sort of thing).  As such, they care most about the applications that they'll be selling in their shiny new App Store, and almost not at all whether you and your desktop applications work.  Thus the very basis for the philosophy "Microsoft released it, it must be worth having" is now suspect.

Some of that can be mitigated.  I've been running Windows 8 for a year now, and I've had my Windows 8 book done and on sale well before the public release.  Some folks have taken advantage of it and have had a much smoother experience, but I can't document around software that just doesn't work.

As it is, my best advice was and remains this:  Watch and wait while other poor users blaze through the problems.

I sound like a helluva skeptic, don't I?  But I'm really an early adopter technophile who has been around since before there ever was a Microsoft.  That should help you understand the weight of my statement above.

-Noel

have the same problem with HP Elitebook 8560W AMD

Bummer...

JJMack wrote:

 

You not warped after all.

Not quite sure how to take that. 

I enjoy scoping out new technology.  In fact, I have already tested Windows 8, mostly in virtual machines, but even on hardware.  In my case I tested on a workstation with a Radeon HD 5670 before I sold that machine.  It seemed to work, but I can't say I put much time at all into testing Photoshop on it.

I have been running Windows 8 in virtual machines since the day the first public preview was made available.

So I do like taking on the pain of a new OS release myself.  But as you say, I tend to post my findings here in hopes that I can save others some hassles.  In the case of display drivers, there's often not an easy way to roll back unless you really know the ins and outs of Windows.

One has to wonder why display driver writers don't do a better job of that, making it possible for users to install/uninstall versions at will.  Everybody does it!  Even gamers, to whom the hardware and software is targeted are continually trying different drivers to try to get the best looking blood spatter and highest frame rates.

But my particular recommendation here goes beyond just display drivers...  Windows 8 is the first release from Microsoft that actively takes a step DOWN in functionality.  Other than their new play-toy Metro interface, the desktop side of Windows 8 is LESS functional than Windows 7.  There's simply no compelling reason to upgrade!

-Noel

"Works like a charm" usually means that something provides all the functionality.  With Use Graphics Processor unchecked you have disabled a number of features some would consider critical.  That may be a workaround to having a working GPU driver, but it's not going to be an acceptable fix for most folks.

-Noel

This is Adobe's temporary solution until they can work things out with AMD: http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/image-background-transparent-or-fl ickers.html

Zottwalker, have you tried the ATI Catalyst 12.11 Beta 4 driver?  Just curious.

I put it in today (on my Windows 7 system) and I found it to solve several problems I was having with 12.10.

-Noel

Have you tried reinstalling with compatability mode set to windows 7?

Right click the installer setup.exe file

Go to properties

Go to compatibility

Select windows 7

Run the Setup.exe

Don't know whether this will help at all, but I am about to install windows 8 myself, would be very useful to know if this will help resolve/prevent any issues when i come to installing CS6.

Hi Zottwalker, My graphics processor was disabled by the latest display driver, this may be related to your problem . I searched and replaced it we an older driver, works fine now, hope this helps.

Carl

Further to my earlier post, have a look here http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/1086017-ati-radeons-and-windows-8- the-fix/

I just got a new computer which had windows8. I bought PS CS6 at the same time. I am happy to have found this post because I didn't understand why all the flickering and changing background screens was going on. It drives me nuts! Plus, it's very hard to edit photos when they are flickering or going completely black. I did the suggestion listed above from David and tried editing one photo....no flickering or changing backgrounds from white...to gray...to black....to checkerboard. So far, so good.

I have an issue with Windows 8 and Photoshop CS6 as well. I just installed Windows 8, then reinstalled CS6, but as soon as I open Photoshop, it locks up. Everytime. No matter what. I cannot change any settings because I cannot get to any menus in Photoshop. As SOON as the Workspace loads, the program hangs. Every time. What could be the problem?

Bmoag, there are a number of problems listed in this thread.  What goes wrong for you, specifically?

Have you tried all the Advanced GPU modes (e.g., specifically Basic mode, and remembering to restart Photoshop after making any change)?

-Noel

I mentioned the problems I am experiencing in a post listed above. Noel, the problem in changing to Basic GPU mode is that you lose the ability to use certain tools (for example, the blur tool is one of the tools that do not work for me in CS6/Windows 8 when I make the change to Basic mode.) I would like to have Photoshope set up in advanced mode, have the ability to use all the tools that are offered in CS6, and have it work correctly.

Chris, have you considered a secret key combination during startup (or a separate program) that would allow people to reconfigure GPU settings?  With my accelerated plug-ins I provide a configuration dialog that can be invoked separately.

I thought you already had some interlocks in place ("GPU Sniffer Crashed") to prevent GPU-based Catch-22 lockups.  Isn't there some path that should lead to [  ] Use Graphics Processor being disabled entirely?

-Noel

Podsnap....I have the same concerns as you. I changed GPU to Basic...which took care of wierd way that CS6 behaves...but, by changing to Basic mode I lost tools that are "suppose" to be available to use in CS6. I wonder the same thing as you....since I have never received any information from Adobe as to what to expect....as to if the issue will ever be resolved and if so when and....how will those that have CS6 be alerted to the problem being resolved.