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dantdavis
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How do I open a VERY old (1991) photoshop file?

Feb 4, 2013 9:57 PM

Probably ancient to most, but still pertinent to me.

 

I used Photoshop (on the mac) WAY back in the day. Can't remember the version, but back then, Macs had resource forks, finder.dat and stuff like that. I have a file that was amazingly 8mb in size (gigantic back then) - it had layers! And yes, I still have the resource fork files and so on.

 

Still, I cannot figure out how to open it.

 

I have other files from that era - photoshop says it does not recognize them, but irfanview (god bless it) opens the simple ones. But it has a header error with this one.

 

Any idea on how to open ancient files like this? Any resources? I googled, of course, and the standard answer is "photoshop opens all psd files from any version" - well, this is before the mac put "psd" on these files.

 

Help? Thoughts?

 

Thanks.

 

P.S. I was able to open it only a few years ago. 5? 7? Time flies, doesn't it. Yes, should have resaved it in a newer format. I know.

355 Views   5 Replies   Latest reply: R_Kelly, Feb 5, 2013 12:24 AM
 
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  • Silkrooster
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    1. Silkrooster,
    Feb 4, 2013 10:11 PM   in reply to dantdavis
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    Hmm, from what I read, back in the day, how ever long ago that was, Mac's opened files according to the header file for determining the file format. From what I gather new Mac's support file extensions and maybe file headers as well.

     

    So, going by that and knowing that windows psd files have both a header and the file extension and uses only the file extension, my guess is mac can do the same. Try creating a copy of the file and add the .psd extension to the end of the filename. If it works, it works.  If not, at least you tried something.

     
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  • dantdavis
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    2. dantdavis,
    Feb 4, 2013 11:28 PM   in reply to Silkrooster
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    Good thought - I did try copying the resource fork folder and the file to a mac, but didn't rename the file to a .psd, thinking the resource fork file would handle that. I'll give it another try. I DID rename the file to .psd on a windows machine but that did no good. Were there other .xxx extensions back then it might have been?

     

    I tried opening the files as text, but didn't see anything obvious to help in this search to open older files.

     
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  • Silkrooster
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    3. Silkrooster,
    Feb 5, 2013 12:10 AM   in reply to dantdavis
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    Its possible the mac and pc versions were not compatible back then.

     
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  • R_Kelly
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    4. R_Kelly,
    Feb 5, 2013 12:25 AM   in reply to dantdavis
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    If the file is a layered file from photoshop, then it would have to be a psd (photoshop) file as versions before 6 wouldn't save layered files

    in anything but the psd (photoshop) format.

     

    On a windows machine if your adding the file extension or using File>OpenAs>PSD that should work on a good photoshop (psd) file, even one from photoshop 3 on an vintage mac, but

    since infraview can't even open it, it may well be the file has been corrupted somehow.

     

    On a later mac you should be able to use File>Open, highlight the file in the open dialog and then choose psd.

     
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  • R_Kelly
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    5. R_Kelly,
    Feb 5, 2013 12:24 AM   in reply to dantdavis
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    It might help if we knew what versions of photoshop you have now.

     
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