GIMP 2.6.11 i686 fails to start on WinXP SP3 Toshiba laptop

[jybravo70]

Hi all, I have searched GIMP.org site, Google, and GIMP groups on Flickr along with the boards here and haven't found anything on GIMP for WinXP 32bit ver related to what I am experiencing.

Opened gimp.org/windows/ in Firefox 5.0 and downloaded the gimp-2.6.11-i686-setup-1 and gimp-help-2-2.6.0-en-setup files. Launched the setup file first, went with default install option and did not run after install, then installed the help file and rebooted my PC. Tried to Open GIMP on after restart and only got 1/2 second splash screen and nothing. I have downloaded the file from the GIMP.org site again (under a different name) and re-installed from the new file, same results. No errors or error messages experienced, no popups or anything. Monitoring Task Manager during program execution and the file shows up for 1/2 second and goes away, system memory and CPU activity do not abnormally spike and no system performance impacts were observed. Opening CMD and opening GIMP-2.6 results in the same, opening GIMP-console-2.6 and the command CMD window hangs, can't type anything after that the cursor just blinks under the command line. GIMP path is as follows: C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\bin

PC set up is as follows, Toshiba Satellite M55-S139 (5 or 6 years old), New Samsung HM160 150Gb HDD formatted in NTFS with 77.3GB free space. Intel Celeron M 1.6Gb CPU with 2GB RAM installed, 256Mb RAM shared with ATI video card, and 3.84Gb page file defined under Advanced Performance Options Tab in Virtual Mem Option (CPU and Mem usages set to program priority). Video is an ATI Radeon Xpress 200M with latest drivers and ATI software installed, no conflicts or issues in Device Manager. Windows XP Pro SP3 with all hotfixes and updates installed. System is running McAfee AV plus updated and current. Other software running is Smart Defrag 2, Windows Desktop search, and Logitech wireless mouse utility.

I have seen issues with Win 7 for both 32 bit and 64 bit but am not sure if the same resolution, downloading and overwriting some dll files, will apply to an XP 32bit environment. I have used GIMP before in college on Linux (Suse) boxes but that was 10 years ago. What would cause GIMP to shut down 1/2 second after exe is executed? If there were missing files wouldn't I get an error message or program error pop up? I have tried rebooting, reinstalling, and command line options for starting the program and it still acts the same. What solution is available and should I try the unstable 2.7 version on such an old PC and Windows platform?

[Rod]

First off if you decide to try 2.7 go with http://www.partha.com/ and his newest 2.7.3 compile.
You can either choose the portable or regular version. (32 bit and 64 bit versions are available there)
This version will give you a working single window mode.

Also i would try and see if Gimp-2.6.11 portable works.If it does it is most likely a GTK issue with your regular setup version.
Just install it to a folder called Gimp on your desktop instead of a flash drive.

Parthas portable 2.7.3 is already equipped with Python enabled and runs pretty nicely.Give that a try.

[jybravo70]

Sorry, the partha.com website is blocked by China, seems it has some socially disruptive content on it... Still no dice on getting 2.6 to work, as its not giving any error messages or indication where it is failing I might try an older version to see if that works. Thanks for the quick reply.

[David Wood]

Uninstall the help files and gimp. Then reinstall only Gimp and try booting it.

[jybravo70]

I uninstalled GIMP, Help files, cleaned registry, rebooted, reinstalled just GIMP, rebooted and tried again, same results, but initial splash screen, just a gray rectangle, lasted almost a full second and I noticed GIMP2.6 in task manager under aps, but it quickly went away and acted the same.

Got a hint to modify the registry to add a key to the H_Key_Local Machine Explorer folder but it didn't do any good either, same results.

Did some digging and will try my fonts folder next, found some issues on Win7 and its worth a try. I have added Asian fonts but that is about it, outside of MS Office I can't think of any program adding fonts but its something to check.

[Rod]

I uploaded portable-2.7.3 with Python-27 embedded for you here.
http://download941.mediafire.com/vtiib6 ... e32bit.exe
Install it wherever you wish - i have a Gimp-2.6.11 portable installed in a GIMP folder on my desktop for instance.
Some extra plugins for it here. (install after installing Gimp-2.7.3
http://download1267.mediafire.com/xxaie ... install.7z
You will need 7zip or RAR too decompress it.
- this PLUGIN setup is an executable and will need to be installed in the plugins folder
Resynthesizer
Liquid-rescale
All the wavelet plugins are included in this one setup executable...pretty nice.

Remember any Python and SCM files you run in Gimp-2.7 versions are going to be deprecated.They will work just keep your error dialog open and tabbed somewhere, and it won't bother you so much with pop up errors.They will all go into the dialog.
The developers of the extra scripts and plugins will not fix these until the newest Gimp-2.8 is released. (can't blame them)

This portable version has NO user docs folder so place all the SCM (scripts) and Python (plugins) in their respective folders in the actual portable directory where those folders are located.
I believe its
Scripts - Gimp_Portable\App\gimp\share\gimp\2.0
Plugins - Gimp_Portable\App\gimp\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins

Good luck!
If you can not get onto MediaFire let me know and i will upload it too my own site for you..

Screenshot


Yours probably will not look like this as i have themes added to mine also.

[jybravo70]

Thanks all, quick update. Removed 159 or so fonts, everything prior to 2000 though around 11 reappeared, and tried 2.6.11 again, same thing. Uninstalled and removed everything re-booted then reinstalled 2.6.11 and same result, nada.

Removed everything again, rebooted again, installed 2.7.3, and on opening I got the CLI box and startup box to display for around a second, show up in Task Manager, then gone, no text in the CLI debug box or any error messages or anything, just stopped. I think I can rule out the fonts issue as same behavior and all my fonts in the fonts folder are pre 2000 now and the newer fonts are not loaded, some web pages are now mostly symbols in Firefox now. I am back to square 1 on trying to find out why the program is shutting down less then a second after loading. Will try restarting in protected mode to see what happens with minimal applications and services loaded. Thanks again for the assistance and help in getting to the 2.7 file download as I have no idea why China blocked the download site.

[Rod]

Are you getting a memory access error?
The newest and brightest update for Windows includes a program called DEP - Data Execution Prevention.
This program will actually stop a program from running, and place it in a list under Start/Control Panel/System/Advanced - under performance select the settings tab - select the last tab on the right...see if Gimp is in the list.If it is remove it and restart.

Did you say that Gimp 2.7.3 portable will not even run?

[Maffe811]

Downloaded 2.7.3 gonna try it in a second

[Maffe811]

Rod:
I want to move my theme files.
Where do i find them and where do i put them ?
Im not sure what to move...

[Rod]

Rod:
I want to move my theme files.
Where do i find them and where do i put them ?
Im not sure what to move...

First copy and paste theme selector files in your Gimp-2.6.11 bin folder into Gimp-2.7.3 bin folder.
Now go to C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\lib and copy the gtk-2.0 folder into C:\Program Files\Gimp-2.7.3\lib.
Now go to C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\share and copy the themes folder and paste it in C:\Program Files\Gimp-2.7.3\share

One last thing you need to do is copy and paste ALL the rc files from your Documents and Settings/USER/gimp-2.6 folder into the
Documents and Settings/USER/gimp-2.7 folder (overwrite them all in there).

Now when you reload Gimp-2.7.3 it should start up with the theme and all your other settings exactly the same as your Gimp-2.6.
KEEP IN MIND that Gimp-2.7.3 has a different user interface slider widgets are much different.So the colors may change to reflect that.
For instance mine booted up with a red loader color. ... which looks kinda cool actually.

NOW if you have Gimp-2.7.3 portable than you will do the same thing just remember all the files are under the App directory.

That should be all you need to do.

[Rod]

Oh Partha included i believe another Python file in the install named Theme Changer or Change Themes.
Courtesy of Rob A.
You may be able to use that to switch themes also.I never tried it.

[Maffe811]

Btw, i hate that its all square now!
AND HOW DO I MOVE THE TOOLS TO THE RIGHT SIDE??? ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!
And my keyboard shortcuts does not wanna work, but imma fix this on my own

[Rod]

Hrmmmm... i can not seem to get the Change-Themes.py file to run gtk2_prefs.exe so i guess it doesn't work after all.I will talk to Rob and see what is wrong.

[Rod]

Btw, i hate that its all square now!
AND HOW DO I MOVE THE TOOLS TO THE RIGHT SIDE??? ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!
And my keyboard shortcuts does not wanna work, but imma fix this on my own

Tools is just a dialog you can dock stuff to.
Pull it off of the tool box and then add the other docks you want to it at the bottom.

Square?