Dreamweaver 8 & CS4 problem: Initializing Extension Data
Some stressing hour today: my Dreamweaver 8 (and CS4) stops working while loading “Initializing extension data”-screen
While reinstall is not an option, registry edit is the last (and working!) trial-and-error from the Macromedia help-page:
- The Dreamweaver 8.0.1 Updater resolved this issue for most users.
Install the Dreamweaver 8.0.2 Updater as it includes all of the fixes in the 8.0.1 update, plus additional recommended fixes. - Try renaming the Dreamweaver user configuration folder, so that Dreamweaver will automatically generate a new user configuration folder the next time Dreamweaver launches.
The Configuration folder is located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 8\Configuration - Recreate your Dreamweaver user settings in the registry as follows:
Warning: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require reinstalling your operating system. Adobe does not guarantee that problems caused by editing the registry incorrectly can be resolved. Edit the registry at your own risk.- Launch the Registry Editor by clicking the Start button, choose Run, then type “regedit”. In the Registry Editor, navigate to this folder:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 8 - Rename the “Dreamweaver 8″ key to “DreamweaverOLD”, so that Dreamweaver will automatically generate a new user settings key the next time you launch it.
- Launch the Registry Editor by clicking the Start button, choose Run, then type “regedit”. In the Registry Editor, navigate to this folder:
- Recreate your Dreamweaver site definitions in the registry as follows. The steps below will delete your site definitions in Dreamweaver.
- Launch the Registry Editor by clicking the Start button, choose Run, then type “regedit”. In the Registry Editor, navigate to this folder:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Common\8\Sites - Rename the “Sites” key to “SitesOLD”, so that Dreamweaver will automatically generate a new Sites key the next time you launch it.
- Launch the Registry Editor by clicking the Start button, choose Run, then type “regedit”. In the Registry Editor, navigate to this folder:
The guide no.4 fixed my problem:
- went to registry, renamed the Sites to SitesOLD
- restarted Dreamweaver, no problems there, but all sites are gone :-SS
- Closed Dreamweaver, deleted the newly created key Sites
- Renamed SitesOLD back to Sites
- on the sub-key “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Common\8\Sites\-Summary”, emptied the entry “Current Site”
- Restarted Dreamweaver, goes well (yaay!!)
- Clicked on Manage sites, disabled the cache on the culprit-site-definition
- Posted this blog
I can guess some of the culprit here:
- the files I’m working on are stored via a network mapped drive –> network is not running smoothly due some crappy streaming radio being played on some other computers
- the site defined contains >3000 files, and DW8′s cache setting is switched on –> I cannot reduce the number of files, so the other thing to ‘speed up’ the work is to disable the cache-setting (Manage sites, on teh General tab, tick off the ‘Enable Caching’ option)
Comments and submission to ReddIt, Stumbleupon, Delicious, Twitter, Facebook, etc are welcomed 
Edit: 14 jan 2010 – Today I also have this problem with Dreamweaver CS4, and solved it just the same way as above.
thank you very much! It made me mad!
I had this same problem…when I read your ideas for the culprit I had an idea. If I don’t connect to my network drive before starting Dreamweaver, it works…then I can connect and bring up my files. Good quick fix if you’re too lazy to do all the steps above right away, like I am
had this problem in dreamweaver cs3
#2 did the job for me
1 remamed configuration
2 started ab=nd shut down dreamweaver
3 copied Extensions.txt from the new config file to the old one
4 returned the old config file to its original name
5 restarted dreamweaver
when this happen on dreamweaver cs3, it’s #2 that works, its a corruption of a file, the site cache is corrupt so it cant load, it will remake it.
but beware if your like me, it took 1h to get my 328 000 file in the site cache…
Olivier Labbé’s last blog post..Sondages!
Dave, Olivier,
thanks for your positive confirmations
This was a great solution! I looked around and this one worked! Thank you!
I found one other way to do things. It’s related to #4. Simply go into HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Common\8\Sites\-Summary and then edit “CurrentSite”.
CurrentSite holds the value of the site that DreamWeaver tries to load when it starts. When I changed it to a different site, the problem fixed itself immediately.
I love your article… ok may not love but I like your article a lot thank you
I could kiss you! I have been beating my head against the wall forever trying to get Dreamweaver to load after I had to restore my site from backup. Thank you for taking the time to post this…you’ve saved my sanity
Genius – thanks so much for posting! Saved me a lot of grief. Incidentally, I used No.4 and it worked a treat.
My DW8 was choking on loading the site cache. Intrigued by method #4, I:
- changed the root folder name via Windows Explorer.
- Restarted DW8, whereupon it complained of being unable to find the root folder and demanded that I Manage Sites. This happily gave me the opportunity to disable the caching of the offending site.
- Closed DW8, back to WinExplorer. Removed empty copy of the root folder, renamed the root folder back to its original name.
- Restarted DW8 and all is well again.
Thank you for the inspiration!
i cant find step 4 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Common\8\Sites\-Summary
i have there just dreamweawerold but not commom can you help me?
Hi!
I’ve found this article, but my problem isn’t with the DW8, but the CS3. This is the second time that this happens, and at the last time, only solution was formatting my computer! Believe, this was only solution, because I could not reinstall, many errors occurred and was not possible do something…
Anybody help me? Or better, anybody knows the same solution to CS3? I don’t want try this steps without be sure to avoid that something disastrous could happen…
Thanks!
Good solution. Thank you very much!:D
Hi guys, sorry for the very very late reaction. Have been away from computer the past months.
@srso: you should have it somewhere. Can you post me a screenshot ?
@Paulo: you can try solution #2 as it has been confirmed by Olivier Labbé (scroll up for his comment)
Ha! Finally an answer to my problem!!!!! Thanks guys, Dreamweaver is up and running!!!
Awesome!!!
Thanks so much – this fixed it – thought I was done for!
many many thanks!
you’re welcome. i hope you solved your problem
Thanks for the post Marcel, managed to fix my CS4 installation that was stalling by changing the ‘CurrentSite’ key.
One little tip that may catch people out, as it did me (especially if they have Dreamweaver 8 AND CS4 installed) but CS4 is an Adobe product, so you need to be looking in the registry here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Common\10\Sites
Hope that helps someone.
Thanks again!
Ta,
Chris
I still not solved this problem, nothing posted around here worked.
Any chance that a reinstall could solve my problem?