GIMP Version: 2.8.4
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: Windows 7
GIMP Experience: Beginner Level

List any relevant plug-ins or scripts:
none

List any ERROR messages you received:
Standard "the program stopped working" Windows message.

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Hello. I think that I've searched for a solution to my problem for so long that its OK to ask someone who is more experienced.

So, let's not waste any time!

As I've already stated, the program doesn't open. It freezes right after loading window shows the information which comes after the one about loading fonts. It is not the first time the program was run at this workstation, I used it the day before and it worked just fine.

These are the things I've already tried:

At first I reinstalled the program. Didn't help, despite the fact that I've got a newer version, (when the problem started, I was using the 2.6-something), which didn't use the old user folder (the one in the C:/users/.../ directory). I also tried installing GIMP on another partition.

I deleted the mentioned user folder, so that the program would create a new one. Well, it did, of course, but the problem persisted. I tried to change its read/write settings, and also started GIMP as an administrator. Didn't help.

I learned that a problem with fonts may show similar symptoms. I've tried to run GIMP from a cmd using "-f" suffix, but the program still wouldn't open. Then, I uninstalled all the fonts that Windows would let me delete (of course, after creating a proper backup), but GIMP still didn't work.

So... I'm kind of baffled? It is possible that I didn't introduce the mentioned solutions properly (I am not much of a computer expert). But, if anybody here could give me a hand, I'd be obliged.

Thank you in advance.

It is possible that you are trying to load too many fonts.
If you have overloaded your windows/fonts folder or gimp-2.8/fonts folder you probably need to lighten it up a bit.

64 bit.

OK, following your advice, I just deleted everything that had a word "GIMP" from the registry and then reinstalled the program. Is that what you meant, or should I delete something else? Unfortunately, the problem persist.



Previously, I deleted all my fonts and ran it, but without positive effect.

By the way, I also tried to disable my firewall and antivirus, but that didn't help either.

Disabling antivirus software was going to be my next suggestion.
One more thing you can try without un installing the software.
MOVE - Don't delete it just move your user/.gimp-2.8.4 folder to your desktop and restart Gimp.That should set Gimp at all it's defaults and Gimp will create another .gimp-2.8 folder in the user directory.Once Gimp has started shut it down and MOVE ONLY the folders under the .gimp-2.8 folder (just the sub folders that contain your resources), back to the newly created .gimp-2.8 directory.This way you keep the newly created rc files and your old resources you added to user.
Now restart Gimp and it should be good to go.Just set your Gimp back up the way you want it ie... Edit>Preferences , single window mode ..ect...ect.

If Gimp started AFTER you removed the folders but won't start AFTER you move them back, it's something in your resources folders that is causing the problem.Remove them again and add the plugins back slowly until you catch the one Gimp doesn't like.

On a side note you could be trying to load Gimp without a interface font if you have altered the gimprc or gtkrc-2.0 files and added a font style and you no longer have that font Gimp will try and load the font and crash.
But it sounds like you are actually getting an splash screen with font so that is probably not the problem.

I am thinking it is your rc files causing the problem and one, or more are probably corrupted.

Did that. I moved the user folder, deleted it, and well, reinstalled the program multiple times (it's not a big deal for me, I used vanilla version anyway), while deleting everything related to this program. So, this may not be an issue with custom settings and content.

Also, if that could be any help, here is the screenshot of the crashed loading window. http img16.imageshack.us/img16/3760/przechwytywanieti.png
The text above the loading bar says "Looking for data files, updating tag cache"

I suspected that it is something related to the program not being able to create or use proper file structure due to problems with windows firewall, antivirus or authorization, but then I disabled these and ran it as an administrator, still with no change.

Also I tried to reinstall it but this time, unchecking all the optional content. Still didn't work.

BTW, it seems that Photoshop doesn't start as well (although it already didn't at the time when GIMP was still working properly, so this may just be a coincidence).

Okay 1 - Are you running Portable Gimp-2.8.4 or the Installed version.
2 - When you are uninstalling are you removing any remnants left behind.Like a program files/gimp-2.8 folder with contents that you added yourself? Because the uninstall script only records what the Gimp installer installed and leaves the rest if it was added after install.Like plugins or something of that nature.
3 - What error did you get trying to load Photoshop?

If you were running the installed version try the portable.

4 - Where did you dl Gimp-2.8.4 from?
Have you tried the version at Parth.com website? This is the one i always use (mine is 32 bit though).
Partha has 32 and 64 bit available there.
If you have Parthas version then contact him via PM and relate your problem including all errors.

I have seen this happen before and only on Windows 7 64 bit.Gimp will run for a week or so and stop working altogether.

5- Did you check to see if your windows malware software has NOT allowed Gimp to run?
Normally a window will pop up for that though telling you it shut down the program so no harm can come to your machine.So this most probably isn't it.

6- Try CCleaner. It's free and sometimes catches things in the registry other cleaners do not.

That and removing fonts and the rc folder is my extent of help that i can offer you.

Maybe CCleaner will help.

Windows 7 64 bit always seems to have a problem that involves windows/syswow64 because it used to be named system32 and some installers have trouble finding those needed files because they are moved into that directory now.
Another thing.This pertains to installed Gimp only.
Have you checked your env variables to see where your machine is pointing to gimps bin folder?

64 bit.

OK, following your advice, I just deleted everything that had a word "GIMP" from the registry and then reinstalled the program. Is that what you meant, or should I delete something else? Unfortunately, the problem persist.
[quote]

Nooooooooooooooo! Never do that again, never delete programs or registry entries manually. This entirely messes up your OS.
Like Rod said use Ccleaner or Eusing Cleaner. The more often you install and uninstall programs, the more often you need to cleanup the Registry.
It's operating system core which gets bloated and slows down your PC performance.
The reason I asked if your system 32- or 64-bit is that 32-bit RAM is limited to 3GB effective memory capacity but you seem to be OK in this department.
Then, after you uninstall GIMP look up User/AppData/Roaming[Local] directory (unhide it if it's hidden) for any gtk traces and delete them manually.
Fonts should not be a problem on properly tuned up Win7 OS unless you have insane number of fonts installed (>10K) because every font is the Reg entry too.
After reading more details on your problems I'm afraid you need to do a bit more and check Windows for system errors, disk errors, shortcut problems, etc.
and fix them too.
GIMP, BTW, does not change Win registry a lot, so at the end of the day, it's all about your OS performance.
Try to do what Rod and I suggested step by step and then we'll go from there.
Good luck!

You know K1TesseraEna i never thought of that.The gtkrc-2.0 file could be hidden.
Normally in Windows XP it is in the user folder.I am not sure where the gtkrc-2.0 file is for windows 7.
I use Windows Vista and i can't even find it.
However it seems the Gimp uninstaller script would remove that also.

I used installed, but now I tried portable. Both don't work. At least we've got valuable information! - I guess it is not a problem with file structure, since the portable seems to be using its own.



I found the leftover gtk, but removing it didn't solve the problem either.


None. It doesn't even launch the loading window it just computes for a while, and then it stops.



Tried it, there doesn't seem to be any difference.



But what if he is a busy person? Should I really impose myself?



I disabled both Windows Firewall and Windows Defender's real time protection, but it didn't really help.


I didn't think of that! I haven't run CCleaner in a while. But unfortunately nothing has changed when I did. I also tried the Eusing Cleaner, but that didn't help either.

Maybe the fonts are the problem after all, and I just failed to remove them in my previous attempt? How would you recommend to do that?
Also, is there a way to save debugging log of the program's launch? Maybe these could point in a less vague direction. I'll look for that in the meantime.

So, this is the output of the "C:\Program Files\Gimp-2.8.4\bin\gimp-2.8" --verbose command.
http img811.imageshack.us/img811/7256/reportoo.png

Maybe this will shed some light on this.

As far as asking Partha for help.
Partha doesn't have a problem with questions as far as i know.He is very willing to help if he can.He has a 64 bit system so you should start with talking to him.He is traveling at this time so you may have to wait a bit for an answer.

So this is your output?

With that output i am almost wondering what rc files you have.Can you list them?
They are in your gimp-2.8 folder.Specifically is there a pluginrc file there?
Please copy the contents of your pluginrc file in code blocks here
Also please copy the contents of your gimprc file in code blocks here.

Because it looks like Gimp isn't initializing them.So it quits loading.Therefore script-fu never starts.
I can barely read that output though.can you do it again except this time save the output as text and place it in code blocks here?

I am also very interested in seeing the rc files after you remove the resource folders (the newly generated ones).

The files that can be found in my user folder (C:\Users\cpx\.gimp-2.8 - this one?) are:

gtkrc

menurc

tags

themerc


And... that's it. No pluginrc or gimprc. This is from right after the installation and first (try of) program launch. And when it comes to the portable version, there are the same four files.

I am not sure how I could copy the output from the cmd window, but right after I wrote the previous post, I've edited it and put there an URL to a higher-quality image. The one that is here :http img811.imageshack.us/img811/7256/reportoo.png It is certainly of better quality than the previous one.

Partha.com, just like Rod advised.

Tap try this. - CLOSE GIMP first -
Go to your C:\Program Files\Gimp-2.8.4\etc\gimp\2.0 directory and see if there is a gimprc file there.If so copy it to your user/gimp-2.8 folder and try and start Gimp again.

If it isn't there unzip the attached file into your C:\Program Files\Gimp-2.8.4\etc\gimp\2.0 directory, and the user/gimp-2.8 directory
Restart Gimp.

IMPORTANT -
Do NOT open the file in a text editor or you could possibly save it as txt and then it will not work correctly.