Win 10 Affinity Photo 2 won't start

[PhilipPeake]

I think this has to be something to do with my system more than anything, but I am much more at home on Mac/Linux, so any help or suggestions appreciated.

Downloaded/installed all three products. Designer and Publisher work with no problem.

Trying to start Photo, I get the little spinning blue circle thing for a few seconds, then ... nothing.
Tried uninstall/re-install - same result.
Tried "run as administrator" and it works.

Photo V1 works fine.

Ideas??

===============

A bit more info, using the event viewer, it looks like it failed trying to create a directory. Unfortunately, it doesn't give the directory path/name.

Log Name:      Application
Source:        .NET Runtime
Date:          11/11/2022 6:32:00 PM
Event ID:      1026
Task Category: None
Level:         Error
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      WIN10
Description:
Application: Photo.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.UnauthorizedAccessException
   at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32, System.String)
   at System.IO.Directory.InternalCreateDirectory(System.String, System.String, System.Object, Boolean)
   at System.IO.Directory.InternalCreateDirectoryHelper(System.String, Boolean)
   at Serif.Interop.Persona.Application.EnsureDirectoryExists(System.String)
   at Serif.Interop.Persona.Application.get_AppDataPathForAllUsers()
   at Serif.Interop.Persona.Application..ctor()
   at Serif.Affinity.Application..ctor()
   at Photo.Application.Main(System.String[])

Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name=".NET Runtime" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="0">1026</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>2</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2022-11-12T02:32:00.3510988Z" />
    <EventRecordID>476451</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>WIN10</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>Application: Photo.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.UnauthorizedAccessException
   at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32, System.String)
   at System.IO.Directory.InternalCreateDirectory(System.String, System.String, System.Object, Boolean)
   at System.IO.Directory.InternalCreateDirectoryHelper(System.String, Boolean)
   at Serif.Interop.Persona.Application.EnsureDirectoryExists(System.String)
   at Serif.Interop.Persona.Application.get_AppDataPathForAllUsers()
   at Serif.Interop.Persona.Application..ctor()
   at Serif.Affinity.Application..ctor()
   at Photo.Application.Main(System.String[])

</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

[SkyKan Company]

I have same problem
 

[PhilipPeake]

There seem to be a couple of other reports of this, so hopefully it will be somewhere high on the list of things to fix.

The stupid idea of wanting applications to be in a hidden and inaccessible folder really doesn't help. Dumb idea Microsoft!

[PhilipPeake]

For what it is worth, my problem doesn't seem to be directly tied to the install location.

I tried the trick of unpacking the distribution to a different location and running from there.
Same problem, won't start unless I run it as Administrator - I wish it actually logged any errors somewhere rather than just silently dying.

[PhilipPeake]

Can you (Serif) provide a list of locations where Photo 2 on Windows attempts to create folders? That would help me track down where this error is happening.

[RichardMH]

Could try in the FAQs. You need Windows 11 or Windows 10 May 2020 Update (2004, 20H1, build 19041).

 

[PhilipPeake]

Unfortunately, nothing there helps. There is no crash dump generated

 

Windows 10, all latest patches.

[RichardMH]

Anti virus?

[PhilipPeake]

Don't use it. Other than the default windows one.

[RichardMH]

Things are here. The second directory is the one that gets updated with patches etc. The first accesses that. The directory is protected. Be careful what you do.

C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\AffinityPhoto2.exe

C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\SerifEuropeLtd.AffinityPhoto2_3cqzy0nppv2rt\AffinityPhoto2.exe

 

Crash reports and logs are here

 

C:\Users\[username]\.affinity\Photo\2.0

 

 

 

[PhilipPeake]

First directory has ok permissions.

Second didn't exist - created it, tried running - same result. (deleted it)

Crash and log show nothing.

[TCEbourne]

I'm having the same problem. I purchased and downloaded Affinity Photo 2 yesterday. It launched immediately after installation and I tried out a few features successfully.  I then downloaded a couple of J Ritson's macros and closed it down.

I have not been able to start it up since. I click on the Affinity Photo 2 icon in the Windows 10 Start panel, the blue circle appears for a couple of seconds and then nothing. I've tried waiting for 5 minutes but still nothing.

As I still had Affinity Photo 1 installed, I thought that this may be interfering. So, I attempted to uninstall it (Photo 1) but this failed due to a missing component which I could not find anywhere. So, I deleted everything that I could find related to both Affinity Photo 1 and 2 and Serif. I then re-downloaded Affinity Photo 2 and reinstalled it. Same result - it will not start. I noticed that it shows up in Task Manager for a couple of seconds and then disappears. I tried the above suggestion of running it as an administrator. This does present the approval requests window but after clicking 'OK', still nothing happens.

I'm at a loss. I'm not really a Windows techie so I would really appreciate some User Forum and, especially, some Serif/Affinity assistance with this.

I was so impressed with Photo 1 and was looking forward to using v2. Now, I'm thinking of asking for a refund. I'm going to try re-installng Photo 1 while I wait for a solution to this problem that I and so many other users are experiencing. 

[PhilipPeake]

Your current symptoms sound similar to mine - process starts (visible in task manager) for a few seconds, then silently exits before even displaying the splash screen.

Not sure why yours won't run when run as administrator ... but then, I don't really understand why it won't run as me (or you).

I am hoping that the more traditional installer version (when we get it...) might fix these problems. ???

[Chris Tecno]

I've been having problems getting version 1 to load up for a while now.  So, I thought I would try out version 2 to see if it worked.  It would not load up as myself, but saw the tip to run as administrator, and it did actually get it up and running.  I was able to register my free trial and then tried to open a RAW file to play around with.  This crashed version 2 and it no longer loads up, even as admin.  Funnily enough, I tried to see if version 1 would run as an admin, and it did.  But, now when I try to re launch it as an admin it gets no further than the splash screen.  My fan whirrs away like billy-o so something is going on.. So, neither version launches even when opening as an admin. 

I'm running Win10 version 21H2 on a Dell Inspiron 7506 2n1.

 

[TCEbourne]

My attempt to revert to and reinstall Version 1 failed miserably - the .exe downloaded from my Affinity account history page refused to install. I'm now left with no Affinity Photo at all.

For the record, I'm running a HP Pavilion Desktop 590 on Windows 10 Home 19045.2311 21H2.  In fact, I now have 22H2 awaiting the next system restart.

I have to admit, my PC is now in a bit of a mess having attempted a number of fixes (e.g: .NET repairs; hardwareacceleration and; other tweeks), suggested in other similar and related Affinity Forums' conversations.  I'm not sure how I can get back to how the PC was configured before I downloaded and installed Affinity Photo 2. But for now, I'm well and truly stuck.

[ashf]

Some say deleting this works
C:\Users\[username]\.affinity\Photo\2.0

[TCEbourne]

I checked that I had deleted that folder when I deleted everything File Explorer could find with "affinity" and/or "serif" in the pathname. Though, I didn't take the risk of 'playing' with the Registry - I have left that as it was.  Since then, I dug out and installed, from a very old CD-Rom, Serif Photo Plus 9. This installed and runs succussfully - although in comparison with Affinity Photo 1, it looks awfully basic.

I'm quite disappointed that we have not had an announcement from Serif/Affinity as to, at least, their acknowlegdement that there is a problem and that (hopefully) they are looking into it. Because of the nature of the problem, it is impossible for me/us to provide screenshots and/or event logs. So, fixing this one may not be easy for them.

There doesn't seem to be a similar problem being experienced with MacOS users - well there haven't been any postings about such a problem in the forums related to Affinity Photo 2 on MacOS.

[RichardMH]

Have you tried a clean reinstall of your graphics drivers? Fairly easy for Nvidia

[PhilipPeake]

4 hours ago, RichardMH said:

Have you tried a clean reinstall of your graphics drivers? Fairly easy for Nvidia

You would have to convince me that they spent time and money doing different graphics code for designer and publisher first - both run fine.

[PhilipPeake]

6 hours ago, RichardMH said:

Have you tried a clean reinstall of your graphics drivers? Fairly easy for Nvidia

Since it runs when started as Administrator, I doubt that it is graphics related. It seems to be related to permissions.

The event log looks like it dies when trying to create a director - of course, it doesn't say which - typical Microsoft.

[SkyKan Company]

I report same problem November 13 and still nothing 👿

 

[PhilipPeake]

Just now, Skykan said:

I report same problem November 13 and still nothing 👿

 

Well, at least yours started the first time. Mine never started.

I am trying to be generous, and assuming that all the effort is concentrated on the real installer rather than this app-crap and that will fix he problem.

[leotch]

I have windows 10 pro Version 22H2 and cannot get Photo v2 to work at all.

My general specs are AMD Ryzen Threadriper 1950X. RTX 3080 & RTX 2070, Version 526.98 nvidia driver. 

V1 & every other app is working fine on the machine. 

After many failed attempts with the awful new installer, i finally managed to get Photo v2 to install, but it's useless. I cant do anything without it crashing. No error messages. Try editing a simple jpeg or other bitmap and it just crashes. What the heck is going on with this release ?

 

[TCEbourne]

It took drastic action but, at last, Affinity Photo 2 (AP2) is now working.  I reinstalled Windows 10 from scratch.  I kept all of my data but lost all of my apps. As a result, I spent all of yesterday and the last two hours this evening reinstalling all of my apps.

After I reinstalled Windows and applied a couple of updates - notably one was for .Net Framework (KB5020694)- I reinstalled my anti-malware software and did a full system scan. As this didn't find any issues, I re-downloaded, installed and launched AP2. It actually started up.  So, I tried a couple of photo alterations to check that it was working.  I also shut it down and restarted it a couple of times (including a full system power-down and power-up) to see that it continued to work.  All was OK.

I then downloaded and re-installed each of my apps - one at a time.  After the download, install and launch of each app, I started AP2 to see if it was still working. Hence, it took me all day yesterday and this evening to get my PC back to how it was.  AP2 still works!

However, I have to admit I still have no idea why AP2 would not start.  So, I apologise that I cannot provide any helpful advice, easy fixes or suggest other potential solutions for those of you who still cannot get AP2 to start.

I wish you all the best of luck and hope that Serif/Affinity soon finds a solution and/or provides advice as to how to fix the problem. 

[PhilipPeake]

Unfortunately, that has been a standard answer to getting things to work on Windows since Windows 3 😞

Windows is a secondary platform for me, and I can most definitely live without it and it's continual headaches.
That, of course is no consolation for those that use Windows as their primary platform ... I think all that it really shows is that keeping Windows up to date via patches, really doesn't ...