How to fix "Windows Photo Gallery has stopped working" ?

Anonymous
2008-12-26T16:44:42+00:00

Windows photo gallery is one of several programs I use while working with my photo files and I find it useful, is some instances more than the expensive programs. But it has stopped working and I'm looking for a fix, preferably without having to reinstall the operating system and having to reload everything on my hard drive. Anyone have any suggestions? I can still open files and edit them, just can't "go to the gallery".

Thanks

Windows for home | Other | Music, photos, and video

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Anonymous
2008-12-31T11:37:08+00:00

Hi Photofan,

Do you have another user account that you can try Windows Photo Gallery and see if you get the same error message?  If you do try it with another account and don't get the message try going through the following steps and see if it resolves your issue.

    1. Click the Start orb

    2. Type folder options in the Start Search box, and click the Folder Options program

    3. Select the View tab

    4. In the Advanced Settings window, underneath Hidden files and folders, select Show hidden files and folders

    5.  Click OK

    6.  Navigate to the following folder ( %user% is the name of the account having the problem):

    C:\Users%user%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Photo Gallery

    7.  Copy any files in here to another location as a back up and then delete them from the Windows Photo Gallery directory

Once the files are deleted, try to start Windows Photo Gallery.

After that go back in to folder options and select Do not show hidden files and folders

Let us know if you have any other problems.  Thank you

Shane

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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  1. Anonymous
    2009-10-16T13:04:38+00:00

    Hi Shane, i am trying to follow your instructions but sorry i get lost after 5. can you explain to me nom 6 onwards.ie how do i navigate to the folders to carry out your requirements? Shane im getting on a bit in life and have not been on the pc for long so i need idiot proof instrutions sorry to be a pain. Thank you Regards James.

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-04-21T14:00:43+00:00

    I have tried to do the above suggestion but nothing worked for me.  When I try to edit pictures I get a red X telling me an error is preventing photo gallery from saving this picture.  any suggestions?

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  3. Anonymous
    2009-04-08T23:16:39+00:00

    I have the same problem in Windows 7 beta and tried this fix but am still having the same error when I start Windows live Photo Gallery.  any other suggestions?

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  4. Anonymous
    2008-12-31T20:51:45+00:00

    Woo Hoo! It worked! Thanks Shane! But can you tell me why I found 4GB worth of photos in a folder "Original Images" in the Windows Photo Gallery Folder, all with long labels/names like: {0A1D39E0-2029-4613-9807-9418F1AB97FB}-MWW_0709 ? and they aren't all from the same date/folders in my pictures section.

    Thanks again! Work will be much easier now.

    Chris

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