Getting PaintShop Pro 6 Compatible with Windows 10

XP, Pleez

 

The About screen for PaintShop Pro v6

I've been using PaintShop Pro as my go-to raster editing software since version 4. Version 6 produced a mature program that does everything I need of it; I did get version 8, but it lost an important feature: the ability to resize an image without losing quality. So, v6 it is.

Here's the thing: PaintShop Pro v6 came out in 2000. Yep, it's 22 years old. But being that old has for me three big advantages that no recent version can boast (it's now owned by Corel or whatever that company changed its name to):

• Being ancient, it was designed to run on computers much slower than today. This means on today's computers it opens in about a second -- two seconds, if the computer is really busy. I want that kind of responsiveness.
• It isn't overladen with functions I don't need nor with innovative user interfaces that hinder, rather than help.
• It has a permanent license. Hurrah for user independence!

It was fine through to Windows 7. With Windows 8 and onwards, the operating system's internal code changed to the point that when now I install PaintShop Pro 6 on a new computer, it complains about the registry. Worse, it displays the dialog box twice. 

After putting up with this for a few years, I finally hunted the Interwebs for a solution. It was fun reading Microsoft support blandly advising frustrated PaintShop Pro v6 users to contact the software vendor for an update. Anyhow, thank you to Jeff A. Davis who persisted and clicked enough times to get the problem fixed. Here are the steps he took, and which I took, and which worked:

 

1. Install the software.

2. Navigate in File Explorer to Psp.exe (in Program Files (x86) > Paint Shop Pro 6 folder).

3. Right-click Psp.exe and then choose TROUBLESHOOT COMPATIBILITY from the shortcut menu.

4, In the dialog box, click TROUBLESHOOT PROGRAM.

5. Uncheck all options and then turn on the I DON'T SEE MY PROBLEM LISTED option.

6. Next choose I DON'T KNOW.

 

7. And then choose I DON'T SEE MY PROBLEM LISTED, again. 

8. Click Next and Windows mulls things over for a bit,  and then returns with its report:     

    Settings Applied to PSP

    - Windows Compatibility Mode: Windows XP (Service Pack 3)
    - User Account Control: Run as Administrator

9. Click TEST THE PROGRAM to find it works correctly.

No more annoying warning about the registry!

 

Comments

[Anne]

Sinds begin februari heb ik een nieuwe laptop met Windows 11 en Ik had hier hetzelfde probleem, dat u beschrijft. In Windows 10 had ik met Paintshop pro 6 geen probleem. Nu heb ik de stappen ondernomen die u aangeeft in Windows 11. En ... het werkt. Fantastisch. Hier word ik echt blij van. Dus heel erg bedankt voor uw artikel.

[Ralph Grabowski]

(Translated from Dutch)

Since the beginning of February I have a new laptop with Windows 11 and I had the same problem here, which you describe.

In Windows 10 I had no problem with Paintshop pro 6.

Now I have taken the steps you indicate in Windows 11. And ... it works.

Fantastic. This makes me really happy. So thank you very much for your article.

[Karel Vais]

Hello people

I have similar problem PSP 6.00 on win10 Pro. PSP went to install and went to boot for some time. After this time, it cannot be started. I have a trial version that is cracked. It has been running in win XP for several years without a problem. In win 10 the crack does not work because Anim.com and Psp.com files cannot be run. Win says: This application cannot run on your computer. To find the version for your computer, contact the software publisher. I have a legit Win10Pro (64bit haraware and software). Why do some *.com files run and others not?
Is it still possible to get the full version of PSP 6.00 somewhere?
Thanks for any reply. Karel.

[Ralph Grabowski]

You can get older versions of PaintShop Pro at no charge from http://www.oldversion.com/windows/paint-shop-pro/, going all the way back to v2.0 (1993).