Pics won't open from Desktop anymore

Hi all,

I can no longer open any pic file (jpg, gif, png, etc.) from the Desktop. However, if the pic is in a folder, it opens perfectly.

The only thing I've done is install SeaMonkey 2.0 (not set as default browser) to try it out.

Ideas?

 

Hi Steve,

When I click, there appears to be a window or something that flashes for a nano second then disappears. When I right-click on the pic and select to open in Win Pic & Fax Viewer, the WP&FV opens but it says "image not available" (or something like that). Yet if I right-click and select to open in Paint, it's opens right away.

As I said, this only happens on the Desktop — all pic files open perfectly if they're in a folder.

 

The type of file says: "JPEG Image. Opens with: Windows Picture & Fax Viewer." And the icon looks like the normal one. And, they aren't shortcut files — they're picture files.

 

Hi Arie,

Rather than having to creating a new User Account, isn't there a way to repair it as I'm Administrator?

 

Here is one to try.

Do you have any internet shortcuts on your desktop at all?

If you do create a folder called test and copy all of them into it.

Now try and open your jpeg file again. Hopefully it should now open.

Drag the icons back 1 by 1 until you find the offender.

Tom

 

@Arie,

OK. I created a new user account and there's no problem with any pic file.

@tom,

I've only had one net shortcut on my DT and that's been there for years; it's the Live365 site. All other sites I keep in a folder on my DT called, oddly enough, WebSites.

As I said, the only thing I've done is install SM 2.0 recently. Everything else hasn't been touched.

 

Did you at least try and move it just to see if it makes a difference?

 

Hi Arie,

Well, we're getting closer. I uninstalled SM2 and now when I click the pic, WP&F Viewer comes up and says "Generating Image" before the window disappears.

Now, after uninstalling SM2, there's a ton of stuff leftover and I have a feeling that whatever is left over is causing the problem. In AppData there's the profile and all attendant folders in there; Local Settings = ditto. How do I weed-out SM2 stuff from SM 1.1.18?

Or, am I going to have to completely uninstall everything SeaMonkey related and start over?

As far as another "new" profile goes: I'm Administrator. I can't create a new Administrator Account.

@Tom, Yes, I tried it and it made no difference.

EDIT: I just did some scrounging around and I found in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Mozilla.org\GRE. All files in there date from 2001 to 2006. Does this mean anything?

 

Because when I go to create a new account, it says "Administrator Account already exists ". Unless you're talking about a new user account and completely forgetting about the Administrator Account I'm using?

As far as SeaMonkey goes, I'll go to the Mozilla Board because I've noticed quite a few things that have gotten munged by the SM2 install.

 

Hello again.

Could you try renaming your desktop folder in your user profile desktopold and creating a new folder called desktop and then try to place a jpg in there and open it just as a test.

I know you probably don't want to but im certain that there is a problem in there somewhere as I have had this problem before.

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

I tried to rename the folder, but it wouldn't let me. I'm the only one on the computer and when I change to Guest or another account I've created, there's no problem opening anything from the Desktop. It's only from the Administrator account I have the problem.

I've tried the "regsvr32 %systemroot%\system32\shimgvw.dll" fix, but even though I get the "successful" box, nothing has changed.

You mentioned you had the same problem, what fix did you find?

 

I have had it twice once where a hyperlink was preventing it from opening and another time where I just renamed the desktop folder and created a new one and voila it worked.

Your best bet would be to boot from a windows xp recovery disk. This would then allow you to rename your desktop folder.

Do you need detailed instructions as if you do I can provide them.

Tom

 

Yes, please. And, what will it do?

Also, ". . . a hyperlink was preventing it from opening . . . ". What hyperlink? Everytime I drag a SeaMonkey URL to the Desktop, it's an IE icon and it won't open in SM; and IE opens to a blank page when I click on a link.

 

I have found an easier way.

If you go into control panel and then into user accounts.

Create a new user with administrator privileges not a limited user.

Log off the user name you are using don't switch users make sure you log off.

Go into C:\documents and settings\whichever user is having the issue.

Rename desktop - desktop.old

Log off again.

Choose the user that was having troubles.

You should now log on and windows will create a new desktop folder.

Copy a picture there and test.

Tom