Photoshop :: Corrupt Preferences File - Why?

I wondered why/how ones preferences ever get corrupted. Ive use PS, since 2.5 on all sorts of PCs, sometimes with it running around the clock for days. Never once had I encountered a corrupted preferences file until now, that is.

What I encountered can only be listed as an observation. Im sure that it is but one possible cause. Still, I thought that Id share my experience.

Up at 4:00AM to start a rush scan job. Everything boots up fine, and I start PS CS2. As its loading the plug-ins, etc., I notice that Sun Microsystems Java wants an update and its icon has appeared in the Tasktray of my XP-Pro SP3. I open it, and click Update Later, or whatever the exact dialog is. It drops back to the Tasktray. PS seems to be taking a long time to load on my workstation, but I give it a few moments. Nothing. Its hung at Reading Text Global Resources. I check Task Manager PS is shown as Not Responding. Odd, this has NEVER happened before in all those years. Not so much as once.

I remembered that there was an update for Extend Script, that I told PS to hold off on. I go to Updates, via Bridge and its still there waiting. I End Task for PS and look for something usable from MS. Of course theres nothing. Event Viewer shows an Application Hang, with no useful info. I install the Extend Script Update, and try PS again. It gets to the same spot and hangs.

OK, I allow Java to update (making sure to NOT allow the installation of the MSN Search Toolbar - sheezh! I try PS yet again. Hang at the same spot.

Re-boot and hang. Though I have said it a thousand times, trash your prefs, it takes a moment for it to sink in. I trash my prefs and all is good with PS. Luckily, I had my dual-monitor Workspace saved, and it only takes a minute to change the default preferences back to what I want.

Normally, I have everything, and I mean everything, set to NOT auto-update. I turn this feature off for every program that I install. I use Premiere a lot, and do not want Norton, or anybody, waking up and phoning home. Ill tell em when to update. Well, I missed Java.

I can only guess that it did its update thing, just at a critical time for PSs loading and blew up the prefs file. Had it popped up a second later, or maybe a second earlier, I doubt that Id have had to trash my prefs. After all these years (decades really), I had a corrupt preferences file.

Im sure there are a myriad things that can corrupt a preferences file, and I am only guessing at what caused mine. However, the timing is perfect, so Java gets the blame.