Illustrator CS shuts down when I open a file

I've had Illustrator (CS 11.0.0) on my desktop machine for a while but not used it much. I am now intending to switch all my work from Creature House Expression3 to Illustrator (can't face upgrading to the MS product) and loaded Illustrator on my laptop so I can work away from home.

It loaded OK but if I try to open an existing Illustrator file or start a new project the application shuts down immediately. There's no fuss, and no messages, it just shuts down.

I just uninstalled and reinstalled Illustrator but the problem is still there. It runs OK on my desktop PC.

My laptop is a new high spec Dell XPS with not much on it so there's no question of lack of room or power. It's running windows XP.

Brenda,

First try to Move the folder <http://www.bugge.com/Family-and-friends/Illy/illy.html>

If that does not help, we shall have to ponder more, or refresh our memories.

It might be a settings folder that is causing the issue. Can you
launch AI without double clicking on a file? If not, search google for
resetting AI user settings. On a mac I know you just delete the folder
and it will ask to reinstall the default settings when it relaunches.

Hi Jacob

Thanks for that, I would never have thought of it. I tried to find the Adobe Illustrator CS settings file - so I can follow the instructions you pointed out and move it, but I don't have that file! I moved some other Illustrator settings files (output and web) as per the instructions, and restarted illustrator but that didn't work. I didn't have this "settings" file on my desktop either (and that version works).

I've just got through to a tech support person and discovered that CS isn't supported (I don't seem to have had the software very long!). He suggested a web site folder to have a look at but I suspect my best option is to upgrade to CS3, then it will probably work, but I'll have access to support too.

If you have another idea Jacob I'm up for trying it, but if it's not obvious what's going on I don't want to waste people's time - I should probably just upgrade.

Thanks again, Bren

Bren,

Did you set the search to include hidden files and folders?

You can also make a search for the aiprefs file; it is in that folder.

Hi Jacob

Thanks for persevering. I found it and I've experimented with creating a subfolder and moving the folder there, and moving the whole thing to the desktop. Still the same problem, Illustrator shuts down if I attempt to open a file. I tried rebooting too.

Eventually I removed Illustrator (using a wizard) then searched for illustrator files and deleted a few more things I found lying around. I removed the Illustrator tutorial stuff I had on there too. there was one font file that I couldn't delete though - it said I didn'thave authorisation - strange. Then I reinstalled Illustrator and tried again (and skipped when it said it had problems with this file as it was in use) - same problem.

There is a difference between the contents of the settings file on my laptop and on my desktop - I don't know if this is a useful diagnostic or not. On the laptop I have one folder: Plugins (with nothing in it) and two files: AI Color Settings, and AIMenuFaceCache.

On the desktop (where Illustrator works) I have the folder Plugins (again empty) and files: AI Color Settings, AIAppResources, AIMenuFaceCache, AIprefs, PDF Presets, Plug-in Cache.ARTZ, Print Presets, Transparencey Flattener Presets.

I just searched for aiprefs on the laptop (on the C drive using hidden files - it isn't there).

I'm stuck again now :-) Does this mean anything to you?

Bren,

I'm stuck again now :-) Does this mean anything to you?




Certainly. It is most distressing.

What happens if you copy the files from the desktop to the labtop?

I am not sure which influence the non deletable font file has. Which font?

Hi Jacob, sorry I didn't reply sooner, I missed your post.

I had someone else look at my machine (he was more computer savvy than me but had no knowledge of Illustrator). He managed to get the Illustrator CD stuck in the machine and thought that a mismatch between Illustrator and a driver on the machine might be to blame. Rebooting freed the mechanism.

I bypassed the problem in the end. I bought an upgrade to CS3 and it works fine on both machines. As I'm moving all my work to Illustrator I would have had to do this sometime anyway.

I really appreciate your help. After a short holiday I'll start to learn Illustrator in earnest and I'm sure I'll be hanging out here absorbing wisdom. It's a bit of a scary move.

Cheers, Bren

Good to hear, Bren. And there is much to gain from this forum.