UPDATE...

I got news that leaving the file to just do its own thing and load like a slow ass in Gimp will at least get it open. I tried a few dozen times with no success as it crashed a lot (Gimp doesn't like huge psd's, that's a fact!). But after a 45 min load, it opened. It wont save as a layered tiff, but after hiding all the layers and saving a few separate tiffs with just a single layer showing, I now have my flats layer and colour hold layers back. It was taking almost 5mins to 'hide' a layer, a very frustrating program for its speed, but like a trusty mule, it got me there.

So very happy right now, oodles of reworking saved!!

Thanks to everyone for suggestions and advice though, all helped in some way or another

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Right! I had started, and completed flatting and prepping a huge multi-character (25+) commission the other day, and today, when I come to open the file, i'm getting this following message...

'Could no complete request as this file is not compatible with this version of photoshop'

I have not used another version of Photoshop in almost 3 years, the piece was started in and saved in CS4, a legitimate copy, with regular updates.

The file is within the parameters of a standard PSD size, which is limited to 2gb, the file in question is 1.2gb.

I have enough RAM (12Gb), my pagefile IS large enough (55%), and I have more than enough space left on my HDD (over 2TB's left to play around with). It was saved locally, not over a network (I know Adobe hates saving over Networks). Running Win 7 on PC!

The preview works.

I can throw it into Ifranview and bring up a composite, and save as Tiff, but alas, no layers (and this is a pointless composite as the flattened image has a texture over the top, negating the usefulness of the flats).

I've tried Datanumens Advanced PSD repair program... its shit, and doesn't do ANYTHING other than offer me yet another useless composite image.

I have larger files than this that load up fine, its just this one... and its killing me, as flatting it took me ages, and I had all the colour holds already prepped.

Does anyone know of a way to recover the layers?

And yes, I can roll back the file to a few days before the final save, only, its pointless as this older save has almost no work done to it.

I am in the process of sending it to a few mates to check if they can open it... oh, and Illustrator won't open it either (not that it would help much either way!)

I get the feeling its properly corrupted, but before I restart it, i'd like to at least try and find a way to rescue the work done already.

Never had this problem before on this machine, and before the Mac lovers all chime in, I have seen it happen on a Mac too!

Help!