NOTE: If you get "Unable to create new document" error while starting MS Paint after using this tutorial, make sure you have also replaced mspaint.exe.mui file as mentioned in steps 5 and 6. If you are using 64-bit Windows edition, make sure you read Step 7 carefully.
Recently we told you how can you get old Wordpad working in Windows 7:
How to Get the Good Old Wordpad (without Ribbons) Working in Windows 7
Now its turn of MS Paint.
Get Old Paint working in Windows 7:
If you have Windows Vista installed along with Windows 7, you can directly run the "mspaint.exe" file present in "%windir%\System32" folder and it'll run the old Paint without any problem.
You can also create a shortcut of this file at Desktop or in Startmenu so that you can easily access it.
But if you want to completely replace the new Paint in Windows 7 with the old Paint, then you can follow these simple and easy to use steps:
1. Open following folder:
%windir%\System32
You can open it by typing the path in RUN dialog box and press Enter.
2. Now take ownership of "mspaint.exe" file. To take ownership, please follow this tutorial:
Add Take Ownership Option in File / Folder Context Menu in Windows Vista and 7
3. Now rename the "mspaint.exe" file to "mspaint_backup.exe".
4. Now copy "mspaint.exe" file from Vista and paste it in "%windir%\System32" folder.
5. Now go to "en-US" folder and take ownership of "mspaint.exe.mui" file. After taking ownership rename the file to "mspaint_backup.exe.mui".
6. Now copy "mspaint.exe.mui" file from Vista and paste in "%windir%\System32\en-US" folder.
7. 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.
That's it. Now Windows 7 will start using the old Paint.
If you want to use the new Paint later, simply delete the new "mspaint.exe" and "mspaint.exe.mui" files and then rename the backup files to their default names.
NOTE: If you don't have Windows Vista installed, you can download the required "mspaint.exe" and "mspaint.exe.mui" files from following link:
This article was posted by VG in following section: Windows 7.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our RSS feed or free newsletter to get all new articles directly in your Inbox. Also check out our popular articles and archive to read other interesting articles.
heh
ribbons SUX!
sm0k3
to heh...
Windows itself sux (I use Linux)
Zam478
whenever i try to open paint it says "Cannot create new document" how do i fix this?
VG
^^ Have you also replaced .MUI file?
Zam478
nvmd, i fixed it, i didnt read it closely enough! i was copying the .mui file to ...system32, not ...system32/en-US
SCOTTBALL
if you are running x64 you have to repeat the process with the Windows/SysWOW64 folder
that will stop you from getting the error
Mike
I didn't have anything against the ribbons and I enjoyed the added functionality, but it was just the damned antialiasing. It ruined Paint. Pixellated spritework was impossible. Thank you so much, after days of searching this was the closest thing to a solution I could find and it should work until Microsoft gets their act together.
David Walker
I admit that I too wasn't a fan of the ribbon when it first came out, but after using it I do find that I am more productive. It didn't take as long as I thought at first either.
In fact, my 11 year old was able to produce things with Windows 7 paint and the quality was 100 times better and it took him a lot less time.
Mike
But the thing is, if you want a free ART program, there are dozens out there, including some that rival the functonality of higher-end purchased products like Photoshop. What Paint used to be is a wonderful program for working with PIXELS. Precise editing, zoomed-in, small bunches of pixels. It was the most widespread program for simple and somewhat high-quality work with pixellated objects, such as sprites for video games or webcomics.
The added functionality and the ribbon itself are no problem. The very worst they could lead to is an hour or so of getting-used-to. It's the ELIMINATED functionality that makes people switch back. What comes across as more smooth, brushlike artwork to you comes across as a smudgy, sloppy, gradiated mess that makes it impossible to do what used to be so easy. The paintcan tool is completely useless now. Sure, you can do whole backgrounds or fill in MOST of something, but there'll still be little pixels of grey fading into white that you'd might as well have just used the brush on instead.
Sanctum
Do you have the paint.exe from Vista because I'm just running 7.