image upload/edit is broken: “Image data does not exist. Please re-upload the image.”

OK, if I waited 90 more minutes I could have avoided this post… I solved it…

The problem was the **WP Smush.it** plugin. Deactivate this plugin and all works well.

I’ve had problems with this plugin before in different ways…very finnicky.

I had already increased my memory limits, and the file size was only about 200k. That wasn’t my particular issue.