Resolving memory issue when using filters (Photoshop CS/CS2/CS3/CS4)

Filters take up a lot of memory, especially when you apply them to large files. If you’ve found that Photoshop gets a bit choked up when you apply filters, there are a couple of ways to help things run more smoothly. First, try to apply the Purge command by choosing Edit > Purge > All. If that doesn’t help, try just applying the filter to a small selected portion of your image to preview the results before actually applying it to the entire image. Finally, as a last resort, try applying the filter to individual channels, rather than the composite channel.