Susan, Owbist is great, knowledgeable, and always helpful, so please don't take my response as disputing his obliging and useful advice to you. I have no doubt there is a memory issue that correcting will prove beneficial. What you describe sounds like an overloaded cache directory. This may also be referred to by some programs as the program's scratchpad (or whatever Photoshop Elements calls it). Any program that works with graphics (most programs, actually, whether they work with graphics or not, especially Word), utilizes this area for temporary storage used by your computer's memory. Everything you do in PE creates these temp files, which are an integral part of forming/creating/modifying while in the program. Just opening a graphic in PE prompts the program to automatically generate these cache/scratch/temp files to help it remember the graphic and everything you do to it (such as lightening, sharpening, applying effects, etc.). In other words, PE is creating and storing copies of the information it needs and makes easily retrievable while you task. It is one reason undo is possible, for example, but has many other uses. The program automatically created this area/directory on your hard drive during installation, and some programs build them more heavily and more rapidly than others. That would depend on the size of these files and how many it builds for each individual graphic. Some build only one, but some build quite a few. I have no idea how many PE creates or how big they are. Additionally, there are other temp files the program may be creating. Even though it's finished with those files and has discarded them to the cache/scratchpad directory or to your Temp directory in Windows, it still accesses them. Or, in the very least, they are sitting there in the way, interferring with the program's functionability (is that a word? LOL). This explains your sudden decrease in efficiency. Therefore, adding memory will certainly help but only for the length of time it takes the cached/scratched files to build beyond RAM's ability to manage - which is what actually just happened. Now, your task is finding its location so you can clean it out and be able to clean it periodically. I'm sorry I cannot help with that because I don't have PE. I do have Photoshop but couldn't find its scratch folder doing a quick look. Once you delete all the *junk* in there, PE will resume normal function at a maximum rate of tasking speed that your amount of memory will accommodate. As Owbist indicated, the more the merrier. :) Start another thread for someone with PE to help you find that folder. Incidentally, clean out your Temp directory. C > Windows > Temp Bet you find a bunch of stuff with a .tmp extension. You will likely find files with other extensions, but I wouldn't touch those. Good luck

I recently upgraded from Adobe 4.0 to Adobe 6.0 and did not have any problems with my cd/dvd drive. My CD/DVD program was installed when I bought my Dell laptop and its by Sonic. I burn a lot of both CD's and DVD's. Heres a link where you can also ask questions from computer geeks if you don't get a satisfactory answer here. Here is a link that might be useful: Tech support guy

I'm not a pro but once I had been using adobe Photoshop cs6 and had to temporarily use elements I found photo tampering no longer fun. IâÂÂm not saying Elements is a bad program; Elements is a great program. But CS6 is an awe inspiring program with endless capabilities! Yup the catch is itâÂÂs also $800+ Most of us incl. myself can't afford. The good news is they have what is called the student / teacher edition thatâÂÂs identical in every way but the price tag. So if you (or family member) are currently enrolled or employed (not just teachers) at any university just follow my link or give them a call they are very nice. Also its through adobe not a university-program so if you go to Adobe's main site they have the info there too. Here is a link that might be useful: adobe info

"One of the versions"? You mean an older version as opposed to the current version? Well, I use Photoshop a lot and it's my favorite, but I also use it in the work I do for a living. If you can't (or don't want to) buy Photoshop, then you might be better off going for a program like Paint Shop Pro. I am a little out of the loop as to what PSP will do vs. Photoshop Elements will do, but last I knew, PSP would do more. Elements is a sort of lite version of Photoshop, with many things either missing or disabled. There are fans for both pieces of software out there, though, which means you'd be able to find work-arounds to get everything you want to do, done. Have fun whatever you decide!