Screen Capture for Windows Vista (32-bit)

[skeezix]

What is a decent and free screen capture app that I can use on my Windows Vista 32-bit system? I used to have Snagit version 8 but alas I lost it somewhere along the way.

 

[wither 3]

Don't you like the free snipping tool that comes with Windows? It's in Accessories.

 

[skeezix]

My Windows Vista (a.k.a. Windows 6) computer does not appear to have any kind of screen capture, or at least I can't find it in the Win6 Accessories folder or anything similar to it in the Programs folder or the System32 folder. And there's nothing on the Microsoft website that will support Windows 6.

I installed a Microsoft Ergonomic LXM-00001 keyboard that I bought from Amazon on the Vista computer. Pressing its PrtScn key doesn't do anything. I looked and there is no Microsoft label anywhere on that keyboard. There is a barcode label (albeit doesn't have "Microsoft" anywhere on it) on the box that it came in. I just plugged it into the Vista computer.

So what I'm looking for is a simple screen capture app that will run on a Windows 6 OS.

 

[wither 3]

Something wrong there- I use the classic view for the Start button. If I click on it and Programs, I can click on Accessories and select the Snipping Tool. If you're using the Start view for the Start button, click on Start Search and type in Snipping Tool. When it appears, right click on it and select Send To, Desktop to create a short cut. You can also find the SnippingTool.exe here- C:\Windows\System32 and create a shortcut for it on your desktop. For convenience, I put it on the taskbar.

 

[skeezix]

After reading your reply I used "everything.exe" to locate, and find, the snippingtool.exe file. It was in "C:\WINDOWS\winsxs\x86_microsoft..." but when I clicked it nothing happened.

The computer also a snippingtool.exe.mui file (configuration resource file from Microsoft). I couldn't open it, but then again that computer is not connected to the internet.

 

[Vistaar]

I suspect that skeezix wants something that can capture video? (Snipping Tool is only good for still screenshots.) It’s been many years since I attempted such a thing on Vista and I did not find a good free solution back then (audio and video were out of sync). I have seen discussion elsewhere of something called ShareX, but never used it myself. I believe that ShareX 12.0.0 was the last version to support Vista.

 

[skeezix]

Don't need to capture video, just need to capture images.

 

[Joadix100]

Don't need to capture video, just need to capture images.

You need to go to control panel and in the program manager you need to activate the Tablet PC accesories.

 

[skeezix]

I don't have any "Tablet PC accessories".

So I clicked "Control Panel>Programs>Programs and Features>Turn windows features on and off", found "Tablet PC Optional Components", placed a checkmark next to it, closed all windows. and finally pressed PrtScn. Nothing happened (except that a Tablet PC icon appeared at the right end of the System task bar).

One other thing - I just replaced the keyboard with an HP keyboard that plugs into the keyboard jack on the back of the computer rather than into a USB jack. Still no joy.

 

[wither 3]

Did you reboot after you made the change? Also, did you attempt to find the snipping tool in any of the three manners I described?

 

[Joadix100]

I don't have any "Tablet PC accessories".

So I clicked "Control Panel>Programs>Programs and Features>Turn windows features on and off", found "Tablet PC Optional Components", placed a checkmark next to it, closed all windows. and finally pressed PrtScn. Nothing happened (except that a Tablet PC icon appeared at the right end of the System task bar).

One other thing - I just replaced the keyboard with an HP keyboard that plugs into the keyboard jack on the back of the computer rather than into a USB jack. Still no joy.

you need to restart after you hit Accept and the tool installs, then you open it in the start menu, the PrtScrn button does not work with this app in Vista

 

[wither 3]

When you press the button to print the screen, the image is placed in memory, same as a Copy operation. If you open something like Paint and then go to Edit, Paste, the image will paste into the editing area.

 

[skeezix]

Yes, I've rebooted several times while trying to get the snipping tool to work.

I read your second reply in this thread but I only saw two ways to find the snipping tool. I tried both. I do have a snipping tool shortcut in place on the desktop and also in the task bar at the bottom of the screen. Clicking on either one does nothing.

I'm giving up on the snipping tool.

 

[skeezix]

When you press the button to print the screen, the image is placed in memory, same as a Copy operation. If you open something like Paint and then go to Edit, Paste, the image will paste into the editing area.

Ah So-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!!!

That's how it works! Outstanding!!! Another problem solved by you. Thank you very much. I tried it in CorelDraw and also in Photoshop. Just the ticket. I was expecting the image to just appear after clicking the snippit icon.

Thank you very much for you help and your patience!!

 

[wither 3]

I'm glad I could clarify that for you. The memory it is saved in is called the "clipboard."

Would you run msinfo32, save the file as a .nfo and attach the file here?

 

[skeezix]

I attached the NFO file you requested but as a TXT file. After creating the NFO on my Vista system I copied it to my Win10 system on a memory card and from there to the Win10 desktop. For some reason Win10 would not let me attach the NFO file to this post so I had to change the file extension from NFO to TXT I was able to do so. I have not the foggiest notion why. Such strange problems lately...

 

[lmacri]

Hi skeezix:

Your msinfo32 file indicates you are using Vista Home Premium SP1 (i.e., not SP2), but users should note that the Snipping Tool is not available with Vista Home Basic. If you have Vista Home Basic the instructions in the groovyPost article How To Install or Enable the Windows Vista Snipping Tool will not work because the Tablet PC Optional Components (shown in Step # 4 of that tutorial) is not an available feature.

I don't believe that this VistaForums allows users to attach .NFO files to a post, but if you open System Information (i.e., enter msinfo32 in a Run dialog box) and go to File | Export you can save your system specs as a .TXT file that can be attached in most forums.

The 2019 MakeUseOf tutorial How to Edit and Enhance Screenshots Using MS Paint has a section called The Basics of Taking a Screenshot on Windows. That section explains how to use the PrtScn key to copy everything on your screen to your clipboard as wither 3 suggested in post # 12 and paste it into MS Paint (or whatever image editor you prefer) , but it also notes that if you have an open Window that doesn't take up your entire screen (e.g., like a minimized window or an error message that pops up on your screen) then pressing Alt + PrtScn will only copy the single Window. If Alt+PrtScn doesn't work as expected then click on the open window to select it (i.e., make it the active window) and then try Alt+PrtScn again .

I use the built-in MS Paint program for basic editing of screenshots on both my Vista SP2 and Win 10 machines. MS Paint is a "classic" program that was included with Win XP and the user interface is almost identical in every version of Windows. Even the "refurbished" Win 11 interface shown in TheWindowsClub article How to Use Microsoft Paint in Windows 11 is very similar to the interface of the Vista SP2 version. The wikiHow tutorial How to Use Microsoft Paint in Windows has more information on basic editing of images with the "classic" version of MS Paint.


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32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Malwarebytes Premium v3.5.1.2522-1.0.365
HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, 256 GB WD SATA HDD, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v21H2 build 19044.1466 * Firefox v96.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v.4.18.2111.5-1.1.18800.4 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.2.157-1.0.1562
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620

 

[wither 3]

Hi Imacri- I was reviewing the .nfo as you were posting. I saw the same thing in regards to SP1 and I don't know if SP2 had any effect on the Snipping Tool. Although not related to this issue, it also looks like he has 3 GB of RAM. Very unusual.

Since he does have the shortcut now, he should click on it in the taskbar and check in the Task Manager (CTRl-ALT-Delete), Applications to see if it's actually running. Only reason I suggest the Snipping Tool is that it allows you to select only a portion of the screen, if desired. I find that very useful.

 

[skeezix]

Yeah, 3 GB is all that the 32-bit version of Vista can handle. And I do have SP1 installed, not SP2 as I originally thought.

I'm okay now with getting screen shots. I found and installed version 9 of Snagit, entered my serial number, and it works okay.

On to the NEXT problem!!!

 

[wither 3]

I understand that you're off on the next problem, however, out of curiosity did you do the check I suggested in my last post?

You also might go here-

Vista ISO download

Yes. I only have English. Thank you! Got your message. English is perfect.

www.vistax64.com

and ask S1W2 if he will give you the ISO which contains all the Vista updates. I'm not sure if he's still doing that. You would need to give him the exact, e.g., home premium, 32 bit, etc.