Solved Can't view PNG files - where to find PNG codec?

[djeyewater]

Since installing the latest version of Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Explorer will no longer display thumbnails of PNG files. Windows Photo Viewer can no longer open PNGs either and gives the message:

Windows Photo Viewer can't open this picture because the file appears to be damaged, corrupted, or too large.

(The files aren't corrupted and any other PNG viewer can open them okay).

I've since uninstalled WLPG, but that didn't make any difference. I think that WLPG has deleted or corrupted the PNG codec that ships with Windows. So I would like to reinstall this codec. But I don't know where I would get it from?

A Windows repair would probably reinstall it, but when I've done a repair previously it's broken all installed programs (meaning they have to be reinstalled), so I'd rather not do that. I can't use a restore point as there are no points from before I installed WLPG.

Thanks

Dave

 

[marsmimar]

You may just need to associate the JPG file extension to open with a program you select by default.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9154-default-programs-associate-file-type-protocol.html

You could try to restore the Windows 7 default JPG registry entries and program associations with a clean copy from this list.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

You may have other damaged or corrupt system files that are preventing you from opening the JPG files. Try running a system file checker scan from an elevated command prompt (option two.) If problems are found, run the scan 3 times and reboot the computer immediately after each scan.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

 

[djeyewater]

You may just need to associate the JPG file extension to open with a program you select by default.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9154-default-programs-associate-file-type-protocol.html

I'm pretty sure it's not a filetype association problem as Windows Photo Viewer is set as the default program to open PNG files in (just it can't read them, presumably because the PNG codec has been corrupted or deleted).

You could try to restore the Windows 7 default JPG registry entries and program associations with a clean copy from this list.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

I tried that (for PNG, not JPG) and restarted my PC, but unfortunately it didn't make any difference.

You may have other damaged or corrupt system files that are preventing you from opening the JPG files. Try running a system file checker scan from an elevated command prompt (option two.) If problems are found, run the scan 3 times and reboot the computer immediately after each scan.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

Unfortunately it didn't find anything to fix, it says:

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

Do you know where I can get the PNG codec for windows as a missing / corrupted PNG codec seems to be the most likely culprit to me?

Thanks

Dave

 

[HammerHead]

MS Photo Viewer\Editor

If you would like to step up in functionality, there is another MS Photo viewer at this site. Just download and install.

Photo Gallery - Microsoft Windows

This will give you the ability to view your png files while you try to figure out the problem.

This next link is a no brainer but you might find some help in it.

http://support.microsoft.com/fixit/en-us

 

[djeyewater]

If you would like to step up in functionality, there is another MS Photo viewer at this site. Just download and install.

Photo Gallery - Microsoft Windows

This will give you the ability to view your png files while you try to figure out the problem.

This next link is a no brainer but you might find some help in it.

Microsoft Fix it Solution Center: troubleshooting software issues

Thanks for the suggestion, but WLPG is what caused the problem with PNGs not displaying in the first place. What I'm looking for really is how to get / install the PNG codec for windows?

 

[whs]

You are looking for the wrong thing. There is no such thing as a 'png codec'.

 

[djeyewater]

You are looking for the wrong thing. There is no such thing as a 'png codec'.

Are you sure? This MS page talks about the "native PNG codec": PNG Format Overview (Windows)

 

[whs]

Yeah, but that is a basic function that should be available with any picture viewer. I have never heard of anybody installing a codec for that.

 

[djeyewater]

Yeah, but that is a basic function that should be available with any picture viewer. I have never heard of anybody installing a codec for that.

Exactly, it should be available, but seems to have been corrupted or deleted. So I need to reinstall it. But I don't know where to get it from?

 

[Britton30]

Have you tried a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html#post4405 to before you first installed the WL picture viewer?

 

[djeyewater]

Have you tried a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html#post4405 to before you first installed the WL picture viewer?

Unfortunately there were no system restore points from before I installed WLPG for me to restore to.

 

[whs]

Yeah, but that is a basic function that should be available with any picture viewer. I have never heard of anybody installing a codec for that.

Exactly, it should be available, but seems to have been corrupted or deleted. So I need to reinstall it. But I don't know where to get it from?

I am pretty sure that it is an integral part of the component and that a download will not help.

You can try what Gary (Britton30) suggests or you can run a sfc /scannow in cmd and if all that does not help a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[djeyewater]

Yeah, but that is a basic function that should be available with any picture viewer. I have never heard of anybody installing a codec for that.

Exactly, it should be available, but seems to have been corrupted or deleted. So I need to reinstall it. But I don't know where to get it from?

I am pretty sure that it is an integral part of the component and that a download will not help.

You can try what Gary (Britton30) suggests or you can run a sfc /scannow in cmd and if all that does not help a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

Unfortunately there were no restore points before WLPG was installed for me to restore to. I also tried running sfc /scannow and it reported no problems:

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

I don't want to run a repair as when I have done that before it has made all installed programs stop working (and so need to be reinstalled). If it comes down to that I might as well do a full format.

I did find that the Windows Imaging Component has a download available, and the description states that it includes the PNG codecs: Download Windows Imaging Component from Official Microsoft Download Centre Unfortunately this doesn't work on Win 7 and I am unable to find a Win7 download of WIC. If the PNG codec is not available as a download, do you know if the WIC for Win 7 can be installed from anywhere?

Or is it possible to install the DLLs from the WIC package designed for older Windows builds? I unpacked it and noticed it contained files like windowscodecs.dll, windowscodecsext.dll, wwindowscodecs.dll, and wwindowscodecsext.dll

 

[djeyewater]

It seems I have managed to fix it now. I installed the latest version of the FastPictureViewer Codec pack ( FastPictureViewer Codec Pack: PSD, CR2, NEF, DNG RAW codecs (and more) for Windows 8 Desktop, Windows 7, Windows Vista and XP ), which doesn't list PNG as a codec it installs (either on the webpage or in the install options). But after restarting the computer when the install finished, I can now view PNG files again.

How strange! But at least I have the problem fixed.

 

[Britton30]

good you found a resolution. Now I think I would do some full security scans to be sure you didn't pick up some crapware.