Microsoft Picture It incompatability with Windows 7 and alternatives for .mix files.

Anonymous
2009-12-18T06:22:35+00:00

I have been using Microsoft Picture It for years to design tons of graphics for my business and now I have purchased a new pc loaded with Windows 7 and find that my true love Picture It! is not compatable.  I never dreamed this would be the case for a software that isn't even a decade old or that new pc I just spent thousands on would be sitting right back at the store it came from.  I really feel that Microsoft has cheated me out of something I paid for and invested so much work in by making it unusable and it has brought my small business to a standstill.  What other program is available that is compatable with Windows 7 that will allow me to edit and view existing .mix and other Picture It! format files and contain all the capabilities of Picture It?  I would be willing to purchase additional software from Microsoft to make Picture It compatable to Windows 7 if necessary.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Apps

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Anonymous
2011-03-14T18:21:06+00:00

Hello all,

I know that you are all disappointed that Microsoft Picture It is not compatible with Windows 7. 

Your feedback would be better heard if you send it to the Windows 7 Feedback site.

http://mymfe.microsoft.com/Windows%207/Feedback.aspx?formID=195

These are your options when software is not compatible:

If the program is not compatible, then you may try to install and run the program in compatibility mode.

Use the following steps:

1)      Right click on the Program

2)      Click on Properties

3)      Click on Compatibility tab

4)      Select Run this program in compatibility mode and select Windows XP, Windows Vista or whatever operating system the program was running successfully.

Refer to the link here: Make older programs run in this version of Windows

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Make-older-programs-run-in-this-version-of-Windows

If you run Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate version, install Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP mode (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/default.aspx) and execute your software in Windows XP.

If you run Windows 7 Home Premium, try VirtualBox (www.virtualbox.org) or VMware Player

(www.vmware.com) or any other 3party virtualization software and install a separate copy of Windows XP (either Home Edition or Professional) for that purpose. You can find virtualization software free of charge that will run on Windows 7 Home Premium. 

Sincerely,

Marilyn

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-08-20T15:48:20+00:00

    mgarr76

    I just wanted to mention that I installed the same printer I use for Window's 7 in XP.  As for the scanner, I find I can get all my pictures from Windows 7 (both the uploaded ones and the scanned ones) into XP as I need them.  The reason I needed the printer in XP is that when I would make a greeting card, I didn't have a program in 7 to print it from.  When I make collages, I can always print them from 7 using Window's Live.  It's a little more monkey business, but I am just happy to have IT back.  Thanks for the tip on Photo Explosion.  I certainly will be on the look out for other picture programs.  STILL wish I had gone to Apple, and will recommend that to anyone who uses their pictures and  are looking for a new computer.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-08-20T15:34:04+00:00

    Elle 66,

    Thanks, since I wrote this I have done some reading and you are right it needs to be enabled for the virtual copy.

    I had not even considered my printers and scanners needing to be installed on the XP Virtual in addition to having them on the windows 7, but it makes sense.  Thanks, you have been a big help.

    As a side note, I doubt Microsoft will ever upgrade the program, but in addition to this Picture IT, I have been using Photo Explosion by Nova Development, it is as easy to use as Picture It with some additional features.  However, I still prefer Picture IT, but it is a good alternative if others would like to switch.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-08-14T17:52:59+00:00

    OK, in looking over your question again, MGARR, I believe that the virtual support has to be enabled for the virtual copy of XP.  Hope this was helpful.  :  /

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-08-14T17:49:44+00:00

    MGARR 76

    Before I did any upgrading, I had to make sure that my virtual support was enabled in the bios.  As I mentioned earlier, mine was NOT.  There were two choices, mine was on disabled, so I just clicked Enable.   I then went back to Window 7 desktop, got on the internet and upgraded to Windows 7 Professional.  Once that was installed, I downloaded the virtual cope of Windows XP.  Once that was installed, and while the copy of XP was running, I installed Picture It into XP.  I have found that I also needed to install my printer in XP so that I can print from Picture It.  I have been happily using this program again since I went thru this process. 

    I still would like to see MICROSOFT update this program so that we could run it on Windows 7, but for now, this is much better than nothing!

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