Affinity Photo 1.7.3 doesn't open in Windows 7

[walt.farrell]

As you're on Windows 7, do you have aero enabled in your desktop/display settings? It's required for the Affinity applications, but is not enabled by default until Windows 8.

However, without aero you should get an error message, so that might not be the problem. You could also try the command-line switch: --no-dwm-warning which can be used to bypass the aero requirement for testing (not recommended for production).

[canuckcam]

3 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

As you're on Windows 7, do you have aero enabled in your desktop/display settings? It's required for the Affinity applications, but is not enabled by default until Windows 8.

However, without aero you should get an error message, so that might not be the problem. You could also try the command-line switch: --no-dwm-warning which can be used to bypass the aero requirement for testing (not recommended for production).

Yes I have Aero enabled - I verified it by going to Control Panel>Personalization>Aero Themes>Windows 7 to reset everything to the default Aero theme. Tried launching Photo 1.7.3... no joy. Tried the --no-dwm-warning from the command line, still nada.

Upgraded the Nvidia Quadro K1100M drivers from v25.21.14.1678 to v25.21.14.2632 with the R418 release from Nov 2019. No joy.

This is really a head scratcher... it's been months. I don't use Photo on daily basis (maybe once every two weeks or so?) but I've managed to get by with online tools. Certainly prefer using software I paid for though!

[v_kyr]

Which MS .Net framework 4.x version do you have installed under Win 7? - Check if a higher version .Net Framework 4.7/4.8 etc. is already installed on your Win 7 system.

[gilesnick59]

 Hi Dan

I have three monitors connected to my NVIDEA Geforce GTX 980 card.

I have recently - last 3 months - done a bit of reconfiguring monitors, in that I added a 32" Samsung 4K monitor for CAD purposes

All other apps seem to be working fine.

I don't use either of the appwindow apps you mentioned (AquaSnap or WindowsGrid).  I just run with Win10 Home 64bit and the NVIDEA drivers appropriate to my card - pretty boring really, but enough to be trouble for Designer it seems

 

Just checking, Affinity photo 1.7.3 opens on any of my screens

[Dan C]

@canuckcam - Many thanks for the files provided!

Your SetupUI shows me that the install worked as expected and completed successfully, as well as detecting .NET version 4.8. 

The latest 'link' I have found between yourself and gilesnick is that you both have a custom user DPI value set in Windows, could you please try the following -

Right click on AffinityPhoto.exe and select Properties. Navigate to the Compatibility tab, then select Change High DPI Settings. In the dialog the opens, tick Override High DPI Scaling Behaviour, and make sure the dropdown is set to Application, as follows -

Now press OK on this dialog, and OK on the Properties dialog to save your changes, now try loading the app - does this make any difference?

@gilesnick59 - Thanks for that, could you please try the above setting, and if no difference is seen please try disconnecting the 2 secondary monitors and log out of the user, then log back in and try launching again  - does this change the behaviour at all?

[canuckcam]

2 hours ago, Dan C said:

Right click on AffinityPhoto.exe and select Properties. Navigate to the Compatibility tab, then select Change High DPI Settings. In the dialog the opens, tick Override High DPI Scaling Behaviour, and make sure the dropdown is set to Application, as follows -

I don't get the 2nd properties window in Windows 7. So I checked the "disable scaling on high DPI settings," applied and OK. Didn't change anything. On a brighter note, we're supposed to be getting new laptops (finally) in the near future. Interpretation of "near" is up to us.

[gilesnick59]

Hi Dan

I followed your suggestion and overrode high DPI - had no effect.

I also did it for Designer - same.

Rather than unplug the other monitors, I turned them off using the NVIDEA Control Panel App.  Again, no difference.  I logged out, restarted and logged back in, but still it made no difference.  

I didn't physically unplug the other monitors, as due to a disability, II cant access the connections to unplug.

Using the App made no difference either, so I turned the monitors back on.  Everything else OK, but still no Designer.

Any more ideas?  There must be a solution surely.

[gilesnick59]

Hi again Dan

I just ran the Windows Compatibility trouble-shooter and it reckoned that Designer wasn't compatible with Windows 10

[Dan C]

On 1/21/2020 at 7:30 PM, canuckcam said:

I don't get the 2nd properties window in Windows 7. So I checked the "disable scaling on high DPI settings," applied and OK. Didn't change anything. On a brighter note, we're supposed to be getting new laptops (finally) in the near future. Interpretation of "near" is up to us.

My apologies for the delayed response, many thanks for trying this for me.

I'd like to try a more drastic option, as previous steps have not yet resolved this issue.

Could you please create a new Administrator user account for your computer, then sign into this account and install the Affinity app you're trying to open.

Does the app launch/behaviour differently on the new user account - or do you see the same results as before?

4 hours ago, gilesnick59 said:

I just ran the Windows Compatibility trouble-shooter and it reckoned that Designer wasn't compatible with Windows 10

This is certainly strange - could you please open Windows Run and type 'winver' then press OK and provide a screenshot of this dialog for me?

In addition, could you also try the new user account steps as above?

Many thanks to the both of you again, should this issue continue I will likely Direct Message each of you and setup a remote connection session so we can try and get to the bottom of this.

[gilesnick59]

OK Dan

Winver below

I will try the new account setup in the next day or so, but not now, as I'm very busy with work stuff.

 

[Dan C]

Thanks for your screenshot, no issue here as I'm running the same update on my home PC with Affinity installed.

Please do let me know how the new user operation goes, many thanks for your continued efforts here - we certainly appreciate it!

[gilesnick59]

Hi Dan

Sorry, been busy on other things recently and Affinity issues have taken back seat.

I noticed that there was a new 8.1 Affinity Designer out.  I loaded the demo version, but it was no better - still wouldn't open.

I'm not sure I know what to do to set up another new user. Please give me some pointers.

Still very keen to get Designer running and build my skills in it, but beginning to lose heart and am tempted to give up.

[Dan C]

@gilesnick59 it appears as though I missed your reply, my apologies.

Please use the following instructions to create a new user account, then install the app on this account like usual, and let me know if Designer works here for you. 

https://www.webucator.com/how-to/how-create-second-user-account-windows-7.cfm

Many thanks for your continued patience and understanding, I do appreciate this is a long standing issue for yourself and I am grateful for all your efforts thus far.

[canuckcam]

I've been upgraded to a Windows 10 laptop, so I'm back in the "hey nothing's wrong on my end I don't know about you I'm fine with it no problems" happy user category. 😀

[bchgor1959]

I just purchased the Affinity photo & designer. I have Windows 7 on my laptop & the Affinity photo & designer both do not open. I ran them, but they continue to come up to a 'Repair', so I repaired, but no help. Please help me. 

I saw your reply to another person & did what you advised & went into properties, compatibility & saved, but no help, still not working.

Thank you

Rebecca

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, bchgor1959 said:

I just purchased the Affinity photo & designer. I have Windows 7 on my laptop & the Affinity photo & designer both do not open. I ran them, but they continue to come up to a 'Repair', so I repaired, but no help. Please help me. 

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums.

Assuming you have 1.9.2, you need to make sure that your Windows 7 installation is fully up-to-date or the application might not run. In particular, you'll need Service Pack 1. You also need to have Aero enabled.

However, you only get the Repair option if you run the installer a second time. Once you've installed, you should be running the application from your Start menu, not using the installer again. So perhaps that is your problem?