Using Windows XP "Pictures ans Fax Viewer" in windows 7

[Xp4me]

Windows 7 Photo Viewer is useless so I searched for a way to run Windows XP Picture and Fax Viewer on Windows 7 and found this: Can I get the old Windows XP Picture Viewer on Windows 7? | The Tech Guy
I followed the instructions and when I right click on a photo I can see that I now have the option for both viewers. However, when I try to open a photo with the Windows XP Picture and Fax Viewer I get the attached error message.
Could it be that maybe I have to register the "shimgvw.dll" or maybe it needs to be placed in a different location? The site (Shimgvw.dll download - OriginalDLL.com) that I got the "shimgvw.dll" from did say it was the 64 Bit version.
Could it be that the Registry Editor is written for the 32 bit version?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

For the people who just want to bash and make comments about why I don't just use the Windows 7 Photo Viewer: Win7 Photo Viewer can't go forward and back more than 1 photo at a time, without exiting the slideshow.
It can't resume the slideshow from the photo that you stared the slideshow with.....like in
XP. The slideshow can't even show the photos in the order that you have them in.
It's too slow, can't read all TIFF photos and I won't even get into the printing issues. I could list a half dozen other reasons also but why bother.......bottom line, it's a downgrade from the XP version

 

[pbcopter]

The method from The Tech Guy will work fine in Windows 7 x64 (64 bit) if you get a copy of shimgvw.dll from Windows XP x64 (64 bit).
It is located in C:\Windows\SysWOW64 in Windows XP x64.

I believe the version he provided a link to, is for Windows XP x86 (32 bit) and will only work with Windows 7 x86 (32 bit).

 

[Xp4me]

The method from The Tech Guy will work fine in Windows 7 x64 (64 bit) if you get a copy of shimgvw.dll from Windows XP x64 (64 bit).
It is located in C:\Windows\SysWOW64 in Windows XP x64.

I believe the version he provided a link to, is for Windows XP x86 (32 bit) and will only work with Windows 7 x86 (32 bit).

I have Win7 64Bit so I got the shimgvw.dll from here: Shimgvw.dll download - OriginalDLL.com , which is suppose to be the 64 Bit version.
In the Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 that he provided it shows "system32" so I tried changing every instance of "system32" to "syswow64". I placed the shimgvw.dll in the C:\Windows folder like he stated, but still got the same error message listed at start of thread.
I also tried adding the shimgvw.dll to the actual C:\Windows\syswow64 folder as well, but it showed as shimgvw.dll(2), and gave me the same error message. Maybe I need to delete the original first so there's not 2 of the same file, even though technically they are different files with the same name.

 

[pbcopter]

I know what that site says, but that is not the 64 bit version of shimgvw.dll.

The 64 bit version is 477 KBs in size, dated 3/29/2006 and has a HASH of:

SHA-1 7fca6cd76d3df11f2478ed787762eeb3e923603d

Also, it is not necessary to alter the procedure given by The Tech Guy.

 

[carwiz]

If you have a Windows 64-bit version, System32 contains the 64-bit drivers, dlls and programs. 32-bit software will be in SysWOW64. You have it backward. Do a system restore to before your changes or your system will hosed.

Windows x-64 runs 32-bit software in a pseudo virtual machine called Windows On Windows (WOW) and gets the programs from SysWOW64. The 64-bit software is run from System32 to remain compatible with fixed-names that may be used in software.

Please don't modify the Registry unless you have assistance.

 

[Xp4me]

WOW! It actually works now! I followed the original procedure given by The Tech Guy, but instead of using a 64 bit shimgvw.dll, I pulled the shimgvw.dll file from my 32 Bit version of XP, (I'm running a dual boot of XP 32 bit & Win7 64 Bit). Thanks so much to the both of you and thanks for not telling me to just use 3rd party software like so many people from this forum usually do.
P.S. One big problem though, it doesn't play the slideshow in the order of the photos in the folder.
In Xp, I go to view - arrange icons by - modified, and then I drag the photos around in the order that I want them to play. All my photos are on a separate storage drive and already in the order that I want them in. Somehow Win 7 is controlling part of the Windows XP Picture and Fax Viewer.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yea 7 you can drag files around to sort them you'll need to ultimately rename them
You can disable auto sort but Libraries will ignore the sorting but it does make a lot easier to rename bulks of files after you drag sort them,
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/92758-windows-explorer-auto-arrange-disable.html

 

[Xp4me]

Hi,
Yea 7 you can drag files around to sort them you'll need to ultimately rename them
You can disable auto sort but Libraries will ignore the sorting but it does make a lot easier to rename bulks of files after you drag sort them,
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/92758-windows-explorer-auto-arrange-disable.html

Thanx, but there's actually an easier way for being able to drag photos where ever you want them ( Folder Options X Freeware - Trusted download and reviews from SnapFiles ) read what the second tweak does. It says (The custom sort order is applied each time you open the folder ) but hasn't been the case for me, win 7 automatically changes the arrange to sort by name, even though I don't have it selected.

 

[Xp4me]

I don't believe it, I spent all this time searching google and bothering people here for a way to run the XP Picture and Fax Viewer on Win 7 and still can't use it........correctly. This is a prime example, just one of many reasons why any OS after XP is actually a downgrade in so many ways. How sad is it that I have to constantly search for ways to fix what microsoft broke in Win 7. People should not have to create hacks in order to get Win 7 to do what XP has always been able to do.

I'm hoping that there is some kind of hack or tweak tool out there that will simply add the (Modified) option back to the arrange by setting.....that would be the easiest solution.

 

[ThrashZone]

I would disagree that x-p was better than 7 is,
Besides the sort deal which is frustrating but easily corrected by renaming files after using the disable auto sort

Libraries themselves :/ kind of hit and miss and it where the issue is sorting by Name is fine with me I've just gotten used to renaming or naming them to be an accurate description of what they are and not going by a default created name by a camera........
Cheers.

 

[Callender]

Well mostly I use Windows Photo Viewer but when I need more (and better) options I use Wildbit Image Viewer. I'd suggest trying the portable version. You can indeed arange by "modified" and a whole lot more. Just right click on "Name" and choose sorting options. As for the other options and settings there are too many to explain but I'll mention that it's possible to create your own thumbnail cache and load it for fast operation.

There are also lots of view settings to suit your needs.



It sounds like you know what you're doing with photo viewer / editor types of software but if you have any questions on Wildbit (if you test it) - I'll try to help.

Wildbit Image Viewer

Suggest getting (Portable Zip, w/o help)

 

[Xp4me]

Okaaaaaaaaay, I guess I'll have to start another thread to find out how to get the photo viewer to play the slideshow in the actual order of the photos.

 

[Callender]

Re: Slide Show problems.

I removed the slide show option from the navigation pane but get the option to start playing a slide show in Windows Photo Viewer. Ignore the look of it on my machine as I made it Metro Style but it's still Windows Photo Viewer.



Once it starts there's a right click option to choose "shuffle" or "loop". Trythe loop option. On my machine it plays in the same order as the images are ordered in an explorer window.



The only other thing I can think of is perhaps issues with "Folder Template Discovery" or "Auto Arrange" or changing the template for the folder. On my machine all folders are set to "General Items" and "Folder Template Discovery" is switched off.

I don't experience the problem that you are having!