Color calibration issue in Windows 7?

By wiggly1uk2000
in The Fast Ring (Insider Previews)

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wiggly1uk2000

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I'd noticed a number of people in various forums saying that the Windows 7 Photo Viewer was slow to display images (compared to Vista and XP). I too found that performance, especially when manually flicking though a folder full of photos, was poorer than one might expect.

It turns out that the problem (for me at least) was caused by using the "Calibrate Color" applet built in to Windows 7. It generates a custom ICC profile and sets it as the default for the display. Once the custom profile is created and applied Windows Photo Viewer slows to a crawl. Delete the profile and performance is restored to normal.

Not exactly a major problem since most display drivers have their own controls for display calibration but I thought it worth mentioning in case the slow photo viewer is bothering others as it did me.

Just to be clear, if you haven't used the Calibrate Color applet and saved a new profile then as far as I know you won't encounter this problem.

A minor issue but one I hope is addressed in due course.

P.S. I use an ATI Radeon HD 4870. It did occur to me that the issue might only affect certain graphics cards. Anyone with nVidia hardware experiencing the same problem after running Color Calibration?

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https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/808104-color-calibration-issue-in-windows-7/
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wiggly1uk2000

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Just one more thing...

For those who can't tell any difference in Windows Photo Viewer performance with and without Color Calibration, try running the photo viewer windowed and using the left cursor key to flick backwards through a folder of photos. That's where the performance difference is most evident.

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wiggly1uk2000

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Information here is spot on, I was annoyed with the picture viewer performance, so much so I had to install Irfanview. I deleted the profile generated by the Color Calibration tool and picture viewer opened pics instantly.

Thanks for the feedback. May I ask what graphics card you're using? It would be helpful to know for sure if this problem is in any way influenced by graphics hardware.

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wiggly1uk2000

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I'm using a NVIDIA 8800GT (512mb) with 190.38 Win 7 drivers (x64).

Since I'm using a Radeon HD 4870 that points to it being a probable bug in Windows 7 rather than a driver issue.

Talking of bugs, anyone noticed another annoying one where icons for Removable Storage Devices (DVD-RW, etc) don't always refresh in the Computer window? I often have to eject my drives twice to get it to refresh.

Oh well, roll on SP1. :rolleyes:

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wiggly1uk2000

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Maybe this is a topic for another thread but I wonder how many of you favour Microsoft perfecting Windows 7 before even starting work on Windows 8?

Maybe it's middle age catching up with me but I wish we could get off the "new is best" merry-go-round and actually concentrate instead on making things (software and hardware) that work perfectly before they become obsolete! :(

  • 2 weeks later...
Experienced

Another Canuck

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So that's what's causing it! I'm encountering the same problem, using Intel GMA 4500MHD. This is definitely a bug in Windows 7, unless all three hardware manufacturers are equally incompetent.

On a somewhat related matter, is anyone else having an issue where your color profile is not loaded after rebooting/resuming your system?

Every time, the stock color profile loads up. I go to the Color Management settings, and my custom profile is still selected. I have to select the stock profile and then my profile again in order to make it load up. After every boot.

Grand Master

Julius Caro

Posted
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It also happened in windows vista. Wait, maybe not, that was another bug. But I remember having a custom color profile caused photo viewer to go all iffy even if the rest of the windows looked okay. Same when you have 'enhacements' on in your sound options, windows media player profile is affected.

Neowinian

winsev

Posted
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just wanted to tell how I stopped losing the gamma when I restart the computer.

I learned from this blog to uncheck igfxpers.exe from the autorun. (Start > Run... > msconfig > Startup)

http://neosmart.net/blog/2007/windows-vist...amma-table-bug/

Intel GMA 4500HMD (Drivers - 15.15.0.64.1808 6/5/2009)

Windows 7x64 (RC1)

Neowinian

CURaven

Posted
Posted
just wanted to tell how I stopped losing the gamma when I restart the computer.

I learned from this blog to uncheck igfxpers.exe from the autorun. (Start > Run... > msconfig > Startup)

http://neosmart.net/blog/2007/windows-vist...amma-table-bug/

Intel GMA 4500HMD (Drivers - 15.15.0.64.1808 6/5/2009)

Windows 7x64 (RC1)

Can someone tell me where to find the files you're talking about deleting?

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wiggly1uk2000

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There's probably a quicker method but here's how I do it...

Go to Display Settings (where you change screen resolution, etc) and click on Advanced Settings. From there open up Color Management, click on the Advanced Tab and then Change System Defaults. In the windows that appears delete any entries that start with the filename CalibratedDisplayProfile. Close all open windows and try Photo Viewer again. It should be much quicker.

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wiggly1uk2000

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Great ... unless you use calibration for a reason ... I'm a designer and I have used calibration to match my screen to the best possible color I can.

Me too and I'm reluctantly putting up with the slow Photo Viewer so I can keep my custom calibration. Fingers crossed it gets fixed before SP1.

  • 1 month later...
Proficient

nullie

Posted
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RTM still has the problem - bummer I just discovered this feature. I can't replicate the functionality with nVidia control panel, I'm amazed at how much detail I've been missing from having an over "bright" or "gamma" laptop display. I toned gamma down all the way. Settings won't stick after a reboot, I have to manually re-apply the profile.

Veteran

max84

Posted
Posted
Great ... unless you use calibration for a reason ... I'm a designer and I have used calibration to match my screen to the best possible color I can.

I hope you don't rely on Windows 7 calibration as the standard. I have a hardware-calibrated monitor; it's the only real thing for any designer or photographer, like me.

Grand Master

Fraud OS 11

Posted
Posted

Install the WAVE 2 version of Windows Live Photo Gallery on Windows 7 (the one that looks like the Vista versions and has toolbar icons) and there won't be any slowdowns. Note that only Wave 3 is currently offered by Microsoft.

  • 3 months later...
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