Windows 8 How to Restore Classic Microsoft Paint on Windows 8.1 from Windows Vista

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Idellechi

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I'm an artist and Microsoft Paint for windows vista is my favourite program to use. I recently got a windows 8.1 and I hate how the new Microsoft Paint is! I went back on my vista and got out mspaint.exe from system32 and put it on my 8.1, but when I try to open the program I recieve an error 'unable to create new document'

How do I fix this and get the old paint back?
 
Solution
Easy fix to get Vista MSPAINT working on windows 7 or Windows 8
It is quite easy to get Vista Paint working on Windows 8 without taking any ownership or jumping through any hoops.
Find the 2 Vista paint files on your old computer or download the files, you can google for them.
Using Explorer In your Program Files (x86) Folder (64 bit for 32 bit use the Program Files Folder, If you don't have an x86 Folder you are running 32 bit), Create a New Folder (Right click, New, Folder) Rename it something you will recognize such as: "Paint-Vista".
Copy the Mspaint.exe File there.

In that same folder create a Subfolder named "en-US" spell it exactly that way (lowercase en dash UPPERCASE US) just leave out...
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Not a good answer but, for any help you may receive, what particular feature are you missing in the new Paint App.
 
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Hi

I know this isn't an answer to your problem but have you considered getting Adobe Photoshop Elements?
You can do so much more then you can in Paint, there just isn't any comparison.

I've been a graphic designer for 50 years and I can't imagine getting along without some version of Photoshop.
I use it both for photo manipulation and for illustration.

Check this link, it may have an answer, at least it's about getting the "You can not create a new document" error.

Link Removed

Mike
 
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It is your field of expertise, Mike. I am sure there are several free paint programs out there with better facilities than good old "MSPaint?"
I think his error message, however, was caused by trying to import an old MsPaint into Windows 8.1 - Not as simple as just copying over!
 
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I get the question, I'm suggesting that he stop beating a dead horse and get something that works and does a better job.

What format are the files you need to open in?

While Paint has a fairly limited ability to save to various formats, png, bmp, tiff, etc, it doesn't create anything that shouldn't be usable by any paint program.

Premiere Elements 12 only costs $75 and will open pretty much any kind of image file even .raw etc and has many times the options for creativity that Paint does.
 
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I do have Photoshop elements, however I like to use microsoft paint's curve tool for my lineart. The XP version only lets me undo up to three steps and only lets me zoom in not out.
 
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I have to admit I opened paint and looked at the curve tool and it's pretty neat.

I never tried that before, and there isn't anything exactly like it in Photoshop.
It's much simpler then using the pen tool in Photoshop though maybe harder to get exactly the curve you need.

Here's a video on how to draw curves with the pen tool in Photoshop if you aren't already familiar with it.


I don't have Elements so I don't know if there is any difference but I'd guess it's pretty much the same.
How long it takes to draw in Photoshop depends on how much you use it, it goes pretty fast once you get the hang of it.

Mike
 
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Easy fixed.

If you still have your Windows XP or Windows Vista computer you can copy the Mspaint file from Windows/System32 in Windows XP or Vista and place it in the Windows/System32 on Windows 8. Then send the shortcut to your desktop for quick access. So you then have both the Windows Vista Paint and Windows 8 Paint.

If you want to get rid of Windows 8 paint completely, you can delete it using Unlocker or Take Ownership,to delete Windows 8 Paint. I have got both the Windows XP Wordpad and Paint on both my Windows 7 and 8 computers. I don't like the Ribbon in Windows 7 and 8 Wordpad and Paint.So I have deleted them both and replaced it with the Windows XP Paint and Wordpad.
 
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I had done this, but it gives me an error message when I try opening mspaint.exe
 
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That's strange,as when I transferred the Wordpad and Paint exe from Windows XP to Windows 7 and 8,I never had that problem. In fact both windows XP/Vista Wordpad and paint work on Windows 7 and 8 and run alongside Windows 7 and 8 Paint/Wordpad.

If you choose to keep Windows 8 Paint the Windows XP or Vista Paint will be renamed as Mspaint2. What version of Windows 8 have you got,32 bit or 64 bit? If you have 64 bit you should still be able to copy the Paint exe from 32 bit Vista and place it in System32 on Windows 8.

Edit: According to that link Mike posted it's slightly different if you have 64 bit Windows-
Link Removed

From Askvg Website said:
If you are using 64-bit Windows edition, you'll also need to replace both mspaint.exe and mspaint.exe.mui files present in "Windows\sysWOW64" and "Windows\sysWOW64\en-US" folders using the same steps as mentioned above.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
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Hi

Did you look at this video, I notice that it demonstrates the Unable to Create New Document error in it.


I don't know if this differs in any way from what you are already doing but the general consensus seems to be that this works.

Mike
 
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Mike Hawthorn said:
Did you look at this video, I notice that it demonstrates the Unable to Create New Document error in it.
Click to expand...
No I don't have that problem. my Windows XP Wordpad and Paint does everything Windows 7 Paint does. Except you don't have that horrible Ribbon.
 
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MikeHawthorne said:
Hi

Did you look at this video, I notice that it demonstrates the Unable to Create New Document error in it.


I don't know if this differs in any way from what you are already doing but the general consensus seems to be that this works.

Mike
Click to expand...

I'm able to take ownership of the files but not rename them
 
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I am not an artist, so have had no reason to have a look at all the functions on Windows 8 Paint - until now. I see that it does, indeed, have a curve function, but have no idea if this is the thing under discussion?
 
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Idellechi, have you tried Unlocker here-
http://download.cnet.com/Unlocker/3000-2248_4-10493998.html
Which is what I use. What I did was, I unlocked the file using Unlocker once you have done that you can either rename or delete the Windows 8 Paint exe. Also when you copy the Windows XP Paint and Wordpad over to Windows 8,you don't have to put the exe in System 32. You can simply make a new folder for both exe's in Programs and run the exe from there.
 
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davehc said:
I am not an artist, so have had no reason to have a look at all the functions on Windows 8 Paint - until now. I see that it does, indeed, have a curve function, but have no idea if this is the thing under discussion?
Click to expand...

It does, but it's not as obvious as in classic. You have to search for it and doesnt display size options.
 
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I am sure that will only work with 32Bit. Which are you using, idellechi. But, with reference to my last post, is this going to be necessary?
But, what was the answer to my post (#2)
Maybe how different users perceive things, but the curve tool looks pretty obvious to me?


 
Last edited by a moderator:
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Easy fix to get Vista MSPAINT working on windows 7 or Windows 8
It is quite easy to get Vista Paint working on Windows 8 without taking any ownership or jumping through any hoops.
Find the 2 Vista paint files on your old computer or download the files, you can google for them.
Using Explorer In your Program Files (x86) Folder (64 bit for 32 bit use the Program Files Folder, If you don't have an x86 Folder you are running 32 bit), Create a New Folder (Right click, New, Folder) Rename it something you will recognize such as: "Paint-Vista".
Copy the Mspaint.exe File there.

In that same folder create a Subfolder named "en-US" spell it exactly that way (lowercase en dash UPPERCASE US) just leave out the quotes.
Copy the mspaint.exe.mui File there (into the "en-US" subfolder)
Then create a shortcut wherever you would like it to be desktop, start menu, taskbar. You now have both versions of paint running side by side.
I will try to post 2 screen shots for clarification. I don't usually post but I see many people frustrated by this issue and I seem to have found the perfect easy workaround.
 
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