Microsoft KB Archive/930097

Knowledge Base

You experience slow system performance when you view several multipage TIFF files by using Windows Photo Gallery in Windows Vista

Article ID: 930097

Article Last Modified on 3/15/2007

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APPLIES TO

• Windows Vista Ultimate
• Windows Vista Enterprise
• Windows Vista Business
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• Windows Vista Home Basic
• Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition
• Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition
• Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition
• Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition
• Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition

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Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry

SYMPTOMS

When you view several multipage TIFF files in a row by using Windows Photo Gallery in Windows Vista, you may experience slow system performance. Additionally, memory usage increases significantly.

CAUSE

Windows Photo Gallery starts to load the next image immediately after the first image has finished rendering on the screen. This process is also known as precaching. If the next image is a multipage TIFF file, Windows Photo Gallery processes the complete file. This process may take awhile, and depends on the size of the TIFF file. Because of an issue with how precaching is implemented, too many system resources are used in this scenario. This behavior causes the symptoms that are mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

RESOLUTION

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To resolve this problem, disable precaching in Windows Photo Gallery.

Note When you disable precaching, moving through images in Windows Photo Gallery is slower. However, you do not experience the symptoms that are mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

To disable precaching in Windows Photo Gallery, follow these steps:

1. Click Start , type regedit in the Start Search box, and then click regedit in the Programs list.
   
   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Photo Gallery\Viewer

3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. In the New Value #1 box, type CacheSize, and then press ENTER.
5. Right-click CacheSize, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. Close Registry Editor.

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