Can you help me out please? (Tech problem)

[redjak6t4]

Hi there.

A few years ago I ran into an incompatibility problem on my laptop. I was notified that there were some Windows updates and I duly went through the motions, restarted my laptop and later discovered that the photomanipulation program I use (MGI PhotoSuite 4) had stopped working. Eventually I found out that there was an incompatibility issue between Windows and PhotoSuite. I was able to go into Settings and sort out the problem.

Yesterday the same thing happened and I've once again lost the use of PhotoSuite. This time things look worse. PhotoSuite seems convinced that there is a problem with my display settings. The following message keeps coming up.

DISPLAY SETTINGS CHECK

YOUR CURRENT DISPLAY SETTINGS DO NOT MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS THAT MGI PHOTOSUITE 4 NEEDS TO DISPLAY YOUR PHOTOS EFFECTIVELY

PLEASE CHANGE YOUR DISPLAY SETTINGS TO HIGH COLOR (16-BIT) OR MORE AND A DISPLAY AREA OF 800 X 600 OR MORE

I've checked and my computer is set on a display area of 1920 x 1080. This should meet the requirement. But when I go in to try and find what Color setting the machine is on I can't seem to find a drop down menu that allows me to select 16-bit or anything else. Here's the pathway.

SETTINGS - DISPLAY SETTINGS - ADVANCED DISPLAY - DISPLAY ADAPTOR PROPERTIES FOR DISPLAY 1

GENERIC PNP MONITOR AND INTEL(R) UHD GRAPHICS 610 PROPERTIES

MONITOR - MONITOR SETTINGS

The Monitor Settings box only gives me the option of selecting between a 60 hertz or 48 hertz screen refresh rate. There's nothing there about 16-bit or anything else. Also, the text in the Apply button is pale grey and not black, so I can't click on it.

Which seems to indicate that I can't make the changes that PhotoSuite wants me to.


I suspect that the root of the problem lies in the age of PhotoSuite. It's over 20 years old. I've used it for so long because of its ease and because I'm thoroughly familiar with all of its functions. But maybe there's too much of an incompatibility gap between the up to date versions of Windows and this aging program.

If anyone could help me out here I'd be very grateful.


Thanks,

Redjak.

[Fred588]

You might try a re-boot, but beyond that I have no idea.

[bogbud]

Change to a newer program. Or run it in some kind of virtual machine that can emulate Windows XP, Vista or the like....
I used that one: https://www.virtualbox.org/

You set-up a virtual HD and install an old OS on it (that you need to have...also a CD-Drive maybe a problem today)

[redjak6t4]

Thanks guys!


I've tried a simple reboot and the problem persists. To be totally honest I LOVE PhotoSuite 4 and would be very loathe to say goodbye to it. However, if push comes to shove I might just have to stop being a fossil and evolve. Before that becomes necessary I'm going to try this.

https://uk.pcmag.com/windows-xp-2/12778 ... -10-update

Or something along these lines. Apparently its possible to uninstall a recent update and my problem is definitely tied to my accepting two recent updates. If I can turn the clock back my computer might just accept that and revert to how it was before I accepted them. Then everything was just fine and PhotoSuite was working ok with all the other systems.

If I can't swing this then I'm just going to have to swallow the bitter pill and do as you suggest bogbud, use a different program to create qs fakes. Should that happen I'll let you all know what's happening because I won't be creating any new ones until I've found a program that I like and can use. I'll keep you all posted.


Thanks,

Redjak.

[Aiko]

There's nothing there about 16-bit or anything else.

HiColor 16bit has not been around for ages. Not sure which version of Windows/various display drivers stopped supporting that but you will not find that anymore. 24bit (8 bit per channel) has been the norm since and must have worked with Photosuite up until recently. Maybe your system now supports HDR which allows for even more bits per channel and that is confusing this old application. That's just a wild guess though.

[redjak6t4]

Thanks aiko.


I've sort of guessed that PhotoSuite's age was the root cause of my trouble.

Tomorrow I'll try to uninstall those new updates and see if I can coax my laptop into working as it used to before they happened.

If that fails then I think I'll have no choice but to move on to a new photomanipulation program.


Thank you,

Redjak.

[Aiko]

Best of luck then.

Now I do not know Photosuite's exact feature set, but my guess is that a free program like Gimp might cover your needs. If you do indeed move to a new program, maybe try that first before you purchase some commercial product.

[redjak6t4]

No, I paid money for PhotoSuite, aiko.


Btw, I've tried uninstalling those updates (successfully) but its made no difference, PhotoSuite is still sending me error messages before shutting itself down. I can only assume that its broken beyond repair. But I shouldn't complain, I've had twenty years of excellent service from it.

My next move is to look around for a new photomanipulation program. I'll do as you suggest and check out Gimp. But I think I'll also try and find some kind of photomanip advice forum and see if the folks there can help me out.

Thanks,


Redjak.

[Fred588]

No, I paid money for PhotoSuite, aiko.


Btw, I've tried uninstalling those updates (successfully) but its made no difference, PhotoSuite is still sending me error messages before shutting itself down. I can only assume that its broken beyond repair. But I shouldn't complain, I've had twenty years of excellent service from it.

My next move is to look around for a new photomanipulation program. I'll do as you suggest and check out Gimp. But I think I'll also try and find some kind of photomanip advice forum and see if the folks there can help me out.

Thanks,


Redjak.

It is expensive, with a monthly charge, but Photoshop does work and is maintained frequently.

[redjak6t4]

Thanks Fred,


I do use Photoshop. In fact my usual modus operandi was to use features from MS Paint, Adobe Photoshop Elements and MGI PhotoSuite 4. Where the last one scored over the others (for me, at least) was the ease with which I could use the Warp Function.

Let me explain. Warp allowed me to Enlarge, Shrink, Drag and Melt aspects of an image by dragging a cursor across it. So, when it came to a muddy surface I could Melt a selected area, causing it to sag downwards and inwards. If I then placed the image of a damsel in this melted area it looked as if she was sinking, with the mud being drawn down around her. Which is just what we see in real life.

It's that ease of use that I really miss. I daresay that I could learn how to do something similar with another program, but not so easily. Sometimes more functions and more options doesn't equal better. I'd rather stick with simple than go with too many bells and whistles, if you get what I mean.

Anyway, I'm checking out other options. So I may be down for now, but I'm not out.

Thanks,

Redjak.