this file format is unsupported or the file is damaged error message after Windows RT 8.1 upgrade

Anonymous
2013-10-18T23:14:42+00:00

After I upgraded my Surface RT 64/gb to Windows RT 8.1, the photo app no longer recognizes the file format of jpegs!  You CAN see the photos within the photo app, and browse thru them. The photo app tile, however, will not display any pics whatsoever (it did just great BEFORE the upgrade).  If you try to set a static tile photo, it tells you that "this file format is unsupported or the file is damaged"!  THIS EVEN HAPPENS IF YOU TAKE A PIC WITH THE BUILT-IN CAMERA AND TRY TO USE IT FROM THE CAMERA ROLL -  It still says that the photo format is unsupported or damaged!

Interestingly, even though you cannot assign a photo to the Photo tile, you CAN set that photo as a lock screen photo.  So, therefore, it seems that this issue is only with the Photo App.

Also, after the upgrade, the "Turn Live Tiles On/Off" option is now missing.  You can only resize the photo app tile or "unpin" from start menu.

Mircrosoft PLEASE FIX THIS

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

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Anonymous
2013-10-21T18:20:45+00:00

Hi Lyle,

The issue you are hitting with file is an unsupported format is a known issue.  We are working to get a fix out to windows update.  It tends to be intermittent, if you shut down and restart the app it sometimes goes away.  Try doing this from Task Manager -> select Photos -> End Task

The ability to set as static tile is also available in 8.1.  You can either find a picture and click on "set as" -> "photos tile".  Alternatively, you can also swipe the right side->click "settings"->"options"->"shuffle photos on the photos tile" ->"off".

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-10-24T23:17:17+00:00

    Cary - thanks, and I DO appreciate your communicating with us on this issue.  At least I know someone up there is aware of this.

    Lyle

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-10-24T22:32:43+00:00

    Hi Stef,

    As I just replied to Lyle, it also sounds like the problems you're experiencing due to the known issue causing the "unsupported format" error Karen mentioned earlier in this forum. I apologize for the bad experience you're having for now - we're working on a fix to get out to Windows Update.

    -Cary

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-10-24T22:26:09+00:00

    Hi Lyle,

    It sounds like your problems are all due to the known issue causing the "unsupported format" error Karen mentioned earlier in this thread.  We're working on getting a fix pushed out for this on Windows Update. In the mean time, I apologize for the bad experience you're having with Photos on your Surface.

    -Cary

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-10-24T20:20:35+00:00

    I'm now thinking it was probably a big mistake that I sold my iPad for this Surface Rt.  I had the iPad since it was introduced several years ago and NEVER had a basic problem like this.

    I was really hoping the Surface RT would be a good replacement, but if this is the kind of software Microsoft puts out to "upgrade" it's OWN hardware - it's pretty sad.

    I sure hope they do something soon about this, otherwise I'm gonna sell this on ebay and get me another iPad. lol

    Lyle

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