Opening old PDN files

[Emilee Weir]

I have several files from version 2.0 (the last change I made on one file was dated back in December 2018). I have the latest version installed but when I try to open those old files in the latest version, it tells me "There was an unspecified error while opening the file." These are files that I am still working on; is there any way to fix this? I've debated about reinstalling the old version but I want to know if there is a way to open them in the current version before doing that.

Edited January 29, 2020 by Ego Eram Reputo
Added descriptive thread title

[BoltBait]

In 2018, the current version of Paint.NET was 4.0.10 (up to version 4.1).  So, I'm not sure what you're talking about with "version 2.0"...

 

Maybe you have used the wrong extension when saving the file.  Use this plugin to figure out what type of file you have:

 

https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/31715-whats-it-tools-effect-plugin/

 

[Emilee Weir]

I know I had an old version on my laptop when I first made them, I'm not sure which (I thought it was 2. something, but I could be wrong). I have 3.36 now.

 

The files are all native Paint.NET (.pdn) files. Would old .pdn files not be compatible with the newer version?

Edited January 29, 2020 by Emilee Weir
Missed a word

[Rick Brewster]

3.36 is EXTREMELY old, from 2008 (12 years ago!). You'll need to install the latest version ASAP.

 

Old files will not be incompatible with new versions. 

[IHaveNoName]

It would be a good idea to find out first what OS she is currently using.

 

She has also started this thread to find out how she can open those old PDN files. The last thing she'll want to do is install a new version which, as you said, won't be able to open them.

 

If v3.36 won't open them either and the latest version can not be persuaded to then there are three obvious thing to try:-

 

1). Online converter: I found one quite easily that says it will convert .pdn files to other graphics formats. No idea if it will work with older .pdn files but worth a go. Of course if the image is layered all that will be lost and may itself affect the success of the conversion. But worth trying.

 

2). Uninstall the current version being used with a proper uninstaller like Revo not just the inadequate Add/Remove Programs facility which is known to leave PDN leftovers which can interfere with new installs.

 

Then install an older version from the time those problem PDN files were actual created. Check Properties and it should show you when it was first created*. Now find an old PDN installer for that time from somewhere like FileHippo, FileHorse etc. Earliest genuine download installer version I've found is v2.1 from 2005.

 

However there is a question: did Emilee Weir actually open those PDN files back in 2018 because if she did then there must be some other issue with them not opening.

 

*If they were copied files from the old laptop, as seems likely, that date will be when they were copied not when the original files were first created. This brings up several new problems because if she is remembering correctly and it was PDN v2. something there are going to be system compatibility issues now. It might work if the compatibility settings are adjusted but I do not rate the chances of that highly.

 

3). Possible solution to all this is to install a Virtual Machine (VM) running Windows XP and install the old PDN version on that. This also means she would not have to uninstall PDN on the host machine at all and could update it as recommended**. Unless RB can come up with another solution this seems to me to be the best idea.

 

If she is running Win7 Pro, Ult or Enterprise then XPMode is a free to use install designed for just these sorts of reasons. You still need to install a VM first and that can problematic as the CPU used must support hardware virtualization.

 

**I say could not should because if she has more recent PDN files created by v3.36 those may not open on a newer version of PDN either.

 

I know for certain that PDN files I made using v3.53 (the last WinXP friendly PDN version) on my now dead WinXP laptop still open on v4.1.5 because I've just checked. Those files tested are from 2015 but since I was using the same set up and PDN version from 2010 onwards it should mean any PDN files I may have from then should still open correctly too.

 

But if a PDN version from 2008 can not open a PDN file made only three years earlier (v2.1) then using a VM may be the only solution if the online converter does not succeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by IHaveNoName

[Emilee Weir]

I am using 64-bit Windows 10 on a Dell Inspiron 3185 laptop. I created those old files on a different laptop (a Lenovo ThinkPad provided to me, which was running 2.(something) and that I no longer have access to) and am trying to open them on this one. As far as the version goes, 3.36 is the update that was installed the last time I updated Paint.NET (August 8, 2019). All of the problem files were created in 2018/2019, some on the laptop I am using now before my Paint.NET updated to 3.36.

Edited February 1, 2020 by Emilee Weir
Added in update date

[Pixey]

@Emilee Weir can you attach one of your PDN files, so that we may try to open one please.

 

Also, when you say you updated Paint.NET on August 8, 2019, how did you update it and from where? 

[IHaveNoName]

My concern too was that they might be corrupted for some reason rather than simply incompatible with later PDN versions.

 

Attaching one or more of them here is indeed a good idea.

 

If PDN was updated in 2019 as described it could not have been from the official source and must be suspect. PDN v3.36 was released in August 2008 as RB said earlier. On 8th August 2019 it should have been v4.2.1.   

[HyReZ]

@BoltBait

I just looked at the Roadmap / Change Log and found that there was a Paint.NET version 2.0 released: December 17th, 2004

Maybe the OP is still running XP or even Vista.

I still have bootable drives containing those operating systems for running older apps.

Edited February 2, 2020 by HyReZ

[Emilee Weir]

@Pixey Is there a way to link you to a ZIP file containing multiple files I cannot open? Any one of them are too large to include here (all at least a few thousand KB). Unless it had something to do with my most recent update, I sincerely doubt they corrupted as I continued to open and edit all of them until then. As far as an update goes, there was a window popup that said "A new update is available" and I clicked the option to update. 3.36 happened to be the version it updated to, and the version I had prior was exactly the same as the version that was on my other laptop.

 

@IHaveNoName I downloaded it from the following website: https://www.getpaint.net/download.html. Is this the official download website?

 

@BoltBait I purchased my current laptop as brand-new in the summer of 2018 - it is running Windows 10, currently version 1903. The other laptop I referenced ran Windows 8 and (I believe) was brand new when I received it: a Lenovo e11 Thinkpad. I cannot see how either wold have had XP or Vista.

[HyReZ]

The developer of Paint.NET has assured us that older PDN files are compatible with the newer version,
so it is highly probable that you have corrupted files or incorrect file extensions. Getting an error message is evidence of that!
I remember seeing somewhere that Rick wrote a fix for that in version 4.2.1.

BTW:
It was never stated if you are running the current 4.2.9 version of Paint.NET?

 

If the file has an improper file extension try this plugin:

If you want to test your PDN file with another program I would highly recommend trying Chasys Draw IES.
It can open PDN files with layers intact. It cannot write to PDN format, however!

 

Chasys Draw IES can be found here:
https://www.jpchacha.com/chasysdraw/

Edited February 7, 2020 by HyReZ

[IHaveNoName]

I'm really confused now as to where the problem might be. There must be some misunderstanding going on here because nothing makes sense.

 

Emilee Weir does still appear to be saying that she has PDN v3.36 installed but states that it came from the official download site.

 

That I just can't understand. If you go there it clearly states the latest version is 4.2.9 so how v3.36 was installed..............................I won't even guess. I've not installed PDN on a PC with an older than Win7 OS for some time but if I remember correctly the installer won't even run if the OS is incompatible ie. Windows XP with anything later than v3.5.3. Even if it does install it will not work.

 

The question to ask is indeed what HyReZ has just posted about confirming if v4.2.9 is installed or not. If not has she actually tried to update whatever her PDN installation version is to v4.2.9?

 

We should also ask EW to post a screenshot of her PDN version running just to be certain along with one or more of those old problem PDN files, as Pixey suggested almost a week ago, so they can be tested to see if they are corrupt or not.

 

 

[Pixey]

11 hours ago, Emilee Weir said:

Is there a way to link you to a ZIP file containing multiple files I cannot open?

 

If you have Drop Box you can post them there and use the Share option to copy a 'link' that you can then post on here

[HyReZ]

16 hours ago, Emilee Weir said:

Is there a way to link you to a ZIP file containing multiple files I cannot open?

If you have or setup a Microsoft account you can also do file sharing; with an individual or group (such as the forum here); via its OneDrive service.
(OneDrive is Microsoft's alternative to DropBox)

 

BTW:
There is also Google Drive!

Edited February 7, 2020 by HyReZ

[Emilee Weir]

I have Google Drive and OneDrive; the fact that you can link share through either frankly slipped my mind. The link has both the screenshot of my Paint.NET (which I also included a couple other screenshots of my OS and the Paint.NET version from Control Panel) and several PDN files I can't open. I also want to note that my RAM is different from the normal Dell Inspiron 3185 specs as I had an upgraded part put in place of the original after I purchased the laptop.

 

I have not tried to update Paint.NET to the current version. I'm frankly a bit afraid to know what will happen if I do; I do not want to lose months worth of work, some of which is not yet finished.

 

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AnmPze0lW-YyjMcUpcDjjNfU-0SK7w?e=hDA7q9

Edited February 8, 2020 by Emilee Weir

[Emilee Weir]

To note, I did just try opening several of the PDN files in Draw IES and they all opened without errors. I cannot imagine they would have opened at all if they were corrupted, or without errors.

Edited February 8, 2020 by Emilee Weir

[BoltBait]

I'm running the latest version of Paint.NET 4.2.9 and I was able to open your pdn files just fine... no errors... all layers intact.

 

 

[Emilee Weir]

I finally got them to open on 4.2.9 after forcing it to update - thank you!

 

I still don't know why it was't opening before but I guess I shouldn't be too concerned now.

 

 

[Ego Eram Reputo]

33 minutes ago, BoltBait said:

I'm running the latest version of Paint.NET 4.2.9 and I was able to open your pdn files just fine... no errors... all layers intact.

 

Yup. Me too.

 

3 minutes ago, Emilee Weir said:

I finally got them to open on 4.2.9 after forcing it to update - thank you!

 

This is why we are always telling people to update to the latest version

 

[Emilee Weir]

4 minutes ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

 

This is why we are always telling people to update to the latest version

 

 

Figures. I wasn't even aware of what the current version was - I just assumed it would have updated to the most recent version automatically, but I'm sure you know what they say about assuming!

Edited February 8, 2020 by Emilee Weir

[IHaveNoName]

A bit late to the party but I had no problems with opening them either (PDN 4.1.5).

 

I'll test them on a WinXP VM running PDN v3.5.3 for personal interest as much as anything.

 

Can anyone explain how using the official download web site PDN v3.36 could have been installed? Is it possible there was a download re-direction because her PC has some type of malware on it?

 

If it were me I'd be doing a full set of anti-virus/malware/adware scans just to be sure.  

[Pixey]

Yay @Emilee Weir I'm so pleased you were able to open them finally   

 

[HyReZ]

9 hours ago, IHaveNoName said:

Can anyone explain how using the official download web site PDN v3.36 could have been installed? Is it possible there was a download re-direction because her PC has some type of malware on it?

We know that the PDN v3.36 was not available at the official PDN web site in recent years, but it is available at some legacy, archive, and foreign web sites even today. I may even have some early versions stored on one of backup drives somewhere.  The import thing is to keep current with software updates and to supply as much helpful information as you can when seeking assistance! 🙂

Edited February 9, 2020 by HyReZ

[Rick Brewster]

Older versions will no longer check for updates because they would stop checking after awhile, assuming either 1) the app is no longer being updated, or 2) it's been so long that you don't care. These have proven to be false! The timeout used to be just 2 years, but now I've got it set to 15 years. I also did this so that if someone's using PDN in the far distant future that it won't flood the website with traffic, like if domains have changed hands, been renamed, or whatever.

[IHaveNoName]

I tested the PDN files on the XP VM mentioned earlier, which is actually using PDN v3.5.11, and they all opened correctly too.

 

Wherever that v3.36 came from it was clearly not from the official source and how that could have happened accidentally is a cause for concern is it not?

 

A user download mistake IS the most likely thing but if EW is certain it was downloaded from what she thought was the official site then either the download was re-directed from somewhere else or there may be a spoof PDN download web site out there.