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This thread is locked, if you have any installation queries please make a new thread in the Questions forum

 

During the installation of the Affinity range on Windows, the following issues can be flagged. Please see below the descriptions and possible mitigations available.

  • Unable to upgrade applications - "There is a problem with this Windows Installer Package."

This is a known issue with MSI based installers on Windows. Microsoft have a tool to repair corrupted install databases

- Please see https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17588/fix-problems-that-block-programs-from-being-installed-or-removed

  • How do I know if my PC is running a 64-bit or 32-bit Operating system

Affinity on Windows requires a 64-bit Operating System. Some PCs and laptops run 32-bit OS.

- Please see https://support.microsoft.com/help/13443 Which Windows operating system am I running?

  • Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or higher not found

Affinity requires Windows 7 Service pack 1 - this can be installed through Windows Update.

  • DirectX 11 not found

Affinity uses DirectX 11 acceleration to achieve smooth panning and zooming of the design canvas.

- Please see https://support.microsoft.com/kb/179113 for how to install DirectX 11.

  • Platform Update for Windows 7 not found

Affinity requires the platform update for Windows 7.

- Please see www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?id=36805

 

  • 64-bit CPU not found

Your PC only has a 32-bit CPU. Unfortunately Affinity will not run on your PC unless it has a 64-bit CPU.

  • 64-bit Windows not found (but CPU is 64-bit)

Your PC has a 64-bit CPU but you are currently running a 32-bit version of Windows.

- Please install a 64-bit version of Windows.

  • Aero requirement to run the Software

We require Desktop Windows Management Composition, rather than native Graphics drivers. This is natively on for Windows 8 and 10, but on Windows 7 this is most easily achieved by turning Aero ON. If you are not willing to turn the Aero theme on there is a work around described in this post, but any issues when running the software won't be logged unless they've been verified as still occurring with DWM Composition enabled.

 

A more general FAQ regarding the Affinity range including Affinity Designer can be found here in the Questions forum.

 

This thread is locked, if you have any installation queries please make a new thread in the Questions forum

Patrick Connor
Serif Europe Ltd

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility lies in being superior to your previous self."  W. L. Sheldon

 

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  • 1 year later...

Still can't get this aero thing functioning. I'm attaching to screen captures that might be helpful. I cannot find any way to "turn on" the aero features.  It seems like everything that should be in place is. Any additional help would be appreciated. As of now both programs are no longer functional.

dave

trouble.jpg

win exper.jpg

personalize.jpg

performance.jpg

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Have you tried choosing one of the Aero themes on that Personalization screen?

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

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Yes I have, and just to be sure, I selected again, this time a different theme. No luck.  The "C:\Program Files\Affinity\Affinity Photo\Photo.exe" "--no-dwm-warning" approach allows the program to run, but that's not my desired way to work. Up until the last two updates the both programs ran fine, now I get the error.

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Some ideas, in the order I'd try them :

 

1- Yes, the first one I'd try would be to directly apply for example the "Windows 7" theme (or any of  the others, you can reduce effects manually later on) . And reboot, just in case. But you mentioned "aero does not work".....A bit surprised, as you have rounded stuff and UI things that are not classic UI. It's obviously loading all, and you have the full entire list of features checked... even much more than I have, and I load my A. Designer no problems with just the very basic of Aero that Affinity needs (ie, I don't actually notice Aero is ON other than the UI being a bit more modern, when hovering cursor over tasks and some other different Aero features, but I have the glass effect disabled, also sounds, cursor's shadow, desktop icon text shadows, etc, etc) . It seems the Affinity installation is what is not recognizing it, even while Aero IS ON, clearly.... (sounds as an install/registry thing on a particular scenario. Windows has this issue often. )

 

2- If that doesn't work (seems it does not) , go and try by manually check just the "adjust for best appearance"  , but NOT the "let windows decide" that you have now ON, neither adjust for best performance or custom. That one probably has some possibilities. Then reboot as with other options.  Heck, if that doesn't work, I'd first would try all options, so, also setting them custom and the performance one.  

I don't know the A. installation internals, so who knows what can trigger or disable the registry flag or whatever is avoiding the thing to happen.

 

3- Third scenario, nothing of that works, then I'd just fully uninstall, and I mean ensuring quite that the software apps are totally uninstalled, both Affinity Photo and Designer.  And I mean, also the customer betas, all, everything from Affinity. (once done, at this point I am the kind of guy that I search the registry, see what was left, but please don't do that if you are not a registry expert... I'm almost certain 9 times out 10 when a user not knowing how to deal with Windows Registry gives it a try, wrecks something...anyway, having a look doesn't wreck anything...changing keys or values does....) Then, REBOOT, then, being very sure a full Aero theme is fully ON, install the 2 apps (if you have both) again . Even reboot again after that, just in case.

 

If in third case it does not either work, I know how to deal the stuff in registry, but wont say any more here, that's sth that Serif's support might want to give you advice about, through a private channel: by forum PMs or better, direct email (write them at their email support's address).

 

I hope it helps somehow. I'm just a Windows/Affinity user. 

 

 

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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THANKS SrPx. I've just assumed Aero isn't working due to what the Affinity products have been telling me. Perhaps they are a bit confused.

I'll play with your 3 level approach tomorrow and report back.  I'm quite comfortable mess'n with the Registry so registry manipulations don't bother me. Been building win and Linux boxes since '84. Lots of fun even when all doesn't go according to Hoyle.

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It often goes more according to Murphy....

 

Ah, okidoki. Then... I wont suggest it, as you know what's needed to be done if nothing works, to entirely "uninstall" apps from registry when they do not want to go... :)

But as you already know, then, is best if it goes well with the previous methods, instead (a mere full uninstall).  :) 

 

IMO is just an install not fully gone away, so is not recognizing the new system status... That's just what I suspect.  I'll track this thread (well, I track all threads where I post in, and check many I don't track...) to see if it solved it...just out of curiosity.  :) 

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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Being basically lazy I opted to start with option 3 but just did the Photo part. That didn't work. So started all over uninstalling everything, cleaning the Registry of everything Affinity, rebooting, checking Aero by trying a new theme and then back, reinstalling both Photo and Designer, and finally rebooting. No difference. Still get the Aero error. Added the --no-dwm-warning switch to both programs and they run fine that way, but take 90 -120 seconds to load. Machine specs below. Still would like to have them run "natively."

Windows 7 64-bit;  Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601; BIOS Version/Date  American Megatrends Inc. 2501, 4/7/2014;  AMD FX(tm)-4100 Quad-Core Processor, 3600 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s); 32GB RAM; NVIDIA GeForce GTX Ti (5CU640SP SM5.0 1GHz/1.33GHz,2MBl2, 4gb 5.4ghZ 128BIT)  GLDriverVersion="22.21.13.8541; AMD CPU Family:15, Model:1, Stepping:2 with MMX, SSE Integer, SSE FP, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVXLogical processor count: 4 Processor speed: 3612 MHz  Built-in memory: 32668 MB;  Open GL 6.14.10.13417;  Samsung C27F398FWN  and Wacom Cintiq 21UX Spyder color calibrated monitors.

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IMPORTANT TIp : have you tried just setting in "performance" tall window you show up there, as you did before, but as CUSTOM (not appearance, not performance) but ensuring  "Enable desktop composition"  is checked ?  This would be super important. 

 

Windows what flavor ?  Aero is supported  in Ultimate, Home Premium, Business editions.

Have you checked if the program folders' files (and the ones in subfolders, etc) get actually deleted ?

Seems is a 750 ti 4gb, outdated, but a nice card. Sth to keep while the card prices start to go down thanks to new specific cards for the miners arriving...

I just put that weird v. card code in google , and popped immediately  a thread at topaz studios forums where you (something johan + the specs....just can be you... ) posted, where they pointed that you could have an issue with your card. But then changed it by this one. So, IMO surely is sth system related, not video card related....they said the "database on your side" was messed up. This can be a sign of sth going not too well in your system... Windows corrupts itself easily in certain intensive scenarios...

 

And well, after -edited- 7 minutes search, as i was curious about it.... :You can try this : in the themes windows, in Windows Color & Appearance, ensure that Enable Transparency is checked.

 

Your graphics card supports WDDM.... it'd be super weird that one of the most sold v. cards from nvidia wouldn't run in Windows with Aero.,

 

Services Manager. Ensure that ‘Desktop Windows Manager’ Service is set on Automatic. [  I'll add: You in a PC cleaning moment, or caused by a software during install, which might have set it as manual and stopped]

 

if all fails, you can try to execute this line in the cmd, in command line (you come from Linux, sure you know how to handle that (you can even set a direct icon or access at the Windows task bar, below)) :

 

rundll32.exe Dwmapi.dll,DwmEnableComposition

 

Which seems forces the thing to work.

 

Another  tips : 

Start->Run->regedit->HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/Themes. Check "DependOnService". If the value is something like "IThemes5.dll", double click it, delete it from the value data, then restart your computer. Should be fixed. Also scanning for malware afterwards would be a good idea.

 

Again, these is advice from random ppl .

have you tried to run the Aero specific trouble shooter wizard by having checked "apply repairs automatically".Also, setting display aero settings as ON.

 

As a recollection of things, I'm reading also you can restart the Windows Manager just with 2 commands in console, in CMD : net stop uxsms and net start uxsms : be sure to  run all CMD terminals with admin rights (right click, (the shield icon) )  . These commands force a Desktop Window Manager Service restart.

 

 

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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First, a big THANKS. Both programs are now running without any switches being set. I'm running the Ultimate version of 7.

2 hours ago, SrPx said:

Services Manager. Ensure that ‘Desktop Windows Manager’ Service is set on Automatic. [  I'll add: You in a PC cleaning moment, or caused by a software during install, which might have set it as manual and stopped]

As you will observe in the attached image I don't have the option "Desktop Windows Manager" but instead a "Desktop Window Manager Session Manager" which WAS disabled; I switched that to Automatic.

 

2 hours ago, SrPx said:

rundll32.exe Dwmapi.dll,DwmEnableComposition

I did this immediately after changing the "Manager" option above. LOVE that command line!!!

2 hours ago, SrPx said:

Start->Run->regedit->HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/Themes. Check "DependOnService". If the value is something like "IThemes5.dll", double click it, delete it from the value data, then restart your computer. Should be fixed. Also scanning for malware afterwards would be a good idea.

I don't have the "DependOnService" option available.

That said, everything now appears to be operating according to Hoyle. 

Again, my sincere thanks for all your help!

dave

desktop window manager.jpg

themes.jpg

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YAY !

Outstanding news ! As this one was not an easy one..... Kudos to you !

Tho gotta be 100% sincere,here... Was expecting it....I detect fast the type of user... I knew you'd fix it sooner or later...

 

Quote

I did this immediately after changing the "Manager" option above. LOVE that command line!!!

 

Linux people love terminals so much ! Well, what the heck, I do love 'em too, I indeed disliked the jump from DOS to Windows, in its day... Not truly nostalgic about it , now.... ;) 

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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16 minutes ago, SrPx said:

I indeed disliked the jump from DOS to Windows, in its day..

Amen brother. IF only I could get a few specific graphics programs to run under Linux,  winders would be a thing of the past and NOT missed!!.

Again, my sincere thanks for sticking with me until we got it solved. Reminds me of my pure Linux days. ;)

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Edited by me (SrPx) : Removed as way irrelevant for the topic.

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, dcjohan said:

Amen brother. IF only I could get a few specific graphics programs to run under Linux,  winders would be a thing of the past and NOT missed!!.

Again, my sincere thanks for sticking with me until we got it solved. Reminds me of my pure Linux days. ;)

 

No problem ! Been 7 years working side by side with Linux freaks (in the best sense of the word).... I almost talk like them now.... :D:D:D

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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From the European State of Spain. xDDD

I mean, I'm from Spain, Europe. Quite in the south of it, it's pretty warm here.... (has its pros and cons (~114 F in summer, at times...but that's just one month in the summer...) ....)

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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I would have guessed central Europe, but I suppose Spain would not be considered central; just guessing. In the past, especially in my mostly pure Linux days, by far the best support came out of either Europe or Australia. I have no idea why, but such was the case.

We were touring in central Europe (Praha, Passau, Salzburg, Vienna, Bratislava, & Budapest) last fall on a music tour hosted by one of our local radio stations. While walking the banks of the Danube outside Vienna one day we encountered a gentleman fishing who had just caught a nice fish and held it up to show me. I took his photo and offered to send him a copy. We chatted for a few minutes during which he asked me where I lived. I told him across Puget Sound on the other side of Seattle. He replied that his to brothers lived in Seattle and worked for Boeing. Its a small world.

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Edited by me: Irrelevant/offtopic chat.... (it was a positive tone post, like the others, but too long and offtopic)

 

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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You are welcome ! Yupp ! Also, time to go to bed, hehe :D  [late hours in the night, sleepy]

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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