Luminar 4 hangs on the splash screen after the update: solutions
AnsweredHello Everyone,
We're currently investigating this issue and we will do our best to provide a solution.
Please, kindly try the solutions listed below if you're facing this issue:
First, please try the following solution:
- Turn off Windows Defender Firewall: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028544/windows-10-turn-windows-defender-firewall-on-or-off
- Either turn off your anti-virus or add Luminar to its list of exclusions. Consult your anti-virus manual for help.
Please make sure to do that for all the security software you have on your computer.
If you have the Avast firewall, try switching it to private mode additionally.
Besides, please download Process Explorer via the link below and kill all processes related to your antivirus software:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer
If none of these help, please perform the following steps that may help resolve the issue:
1. Reboot your PC.
2. Uninstall Luminar.
How to uninstall an app on Windows 7 (click this text to open link).
How to uninstall an app on Windows 8 (click this text to open link).
How to uninstall an app on Windows 10 (click this text to open link).
3. Clear your registry:
- Visit https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/download?pc
- Scroll down to the bottom of the table and click Download from CCleaner.com in the first column.
- Once the download has finished, launch the file and install CCleaner on your computer.
- Launch CCleaner.
- Click Registry on the left.
- Click Scan for Issues in the lower left. Wait for the scan to finish.
- After the scan has finished, click Fix Selected Issues in the lower right.
- Close CCleaner.
4. Type %appdata% in Search (folder Roaming should open).
Find the folder “Luminar 4” and rename it to "Luminar 4 old". Please note that this folder contains your license for Luminar 4, as well as your Custom and downloaded Looks. You will be later to access them later if necessary.
5. Go to Pictures folder and rename the folder called "Luminar 4 Catalog" (if you have your Catalog anywhere else, find it and rename it to "Luminar 4 Catalog old").
Open the folder and locate the file with .luminar file extension. Change the name of this file to "Luminar 4 Catalog old" as well.
6. Reboot your PC.
7. Download the latest version of Luminar from here: https://downloads.skylum.com/luminar4/win/Luminar4Setup_offline.exe
- Right-click on the Luminar icon.
- Go to Properties > Compatibility.
- Enable 'Run this program in compatibility mode for: Windows 8' checkbox.
- Press 'Ok'.
If the steps above don't help, could you please let us know your hardware configuration and send it via https://skylum.com/support?
- Press the Windows logo key + R.
- Type msinfo32 in the dialog box that opens and hit Enter on your keyboard.
- In the window that opens, make sure you have System Summary highlighted on the left.
- Click File > Export.
- Type the name of the file (you can choose any you like), save it somewhere where you can easily find it and attach this text file to your reply to the contact form.
N.B. The links are clickable and show the screenshots that can guide you, if necessary.
Here is the video tutorial on how to retrieve your system info: https://www.loom.com/share/97aff7951ee3412daa020f1d88eb36e8
Besides, please send us event logs:
- Reproduce the issue.
- Press the Windows logo key + R.
- Type eventvwr in the dialog box that opens and hit Enter on your keyboard.
- In the window that opens click the triangle next to Windows Logs on the left. A directory tree should open.
- Click Application in the directory tree.
- In the main part of the window find the two topmost entries marked with Error named Application Error and .NET Runtime.
- Hold CTRL and click your left mouse button on each entry to select them both.
- Right-click on any of the two selected entries and click Save Selected Events.
- Name the file, save it, and attach it to your reply to the contact form https://skylum.com/support
If nothing helps, you can install Luminar 4.2.0 following the link below.
https://downloads.skylum.com/luminar4/win/Luminar4Setup_offline_420.exe
We will do our best to fix this issue asap.
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It is a strange issue. On my Dell laptop (W10 v2004, 32GB ram, SSD and integrated graphics) I initially had no issues running Luminar 4.3. Then a few days ago it began to hang on the splash screen. Reboot, work once and then hang on the splash screen. Rinse and repeat. Starting just the other day, no more hang on the splash screen. I did nothing except perhaps remove an image or two from single image edits. Do not believe there were any Windows updates in the time frame of this issue. It just started working again. Strange issue. As a side note, I do not use the catalog and only do single image edits.
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SeIf I were the skylum, I'd open my game. If I were Skylum, I would not treat my clients like idiots. If I were Skylum, I would act with maturity and professionalism, in a more and more competitive market. If i were Skylum, it wouldn't allow me to lose customers. If I were Skylum, I wouldn't have released a test, fake update to use my clients as lab mice.
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If I were the skylum, I'd open my game. If I were Skylum, I would not treat my clients like idiots. If I were Skylum, I would act with maturity and professionalism, in a more and more competitive market. If i were Skylum, it wouldn't allow me to lose customers. If I were Skylum, I wouldn't have released a test, fake update to use my customers as lab mice.
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Wouldn't you like to see something honest and forthcoming - such as:
Dear customers,
We want you to know that we have made significat progress on solving the "splash screen hang."
We hope to issue a fix within nnn weeks.or
Dear Customers,
We have to admit that we don't have a clue as to why some of you have the "splash screen hang."
We will work to ensure that it will not occur in LuminarAI.
Remember, you can try the trial version before puchasing.
If you have pre-ordered LuminarAI and you have problems after you receive it, we will gladly issue a refund.or
Dear Customers,
We have decided to blow off Luminar 4 and focus on LuminarAI. Sorry, tough darts, but we are doing the profitable thing. -
It's been mentioned by a few that having all Windows updates installed got their Luminar 4.3 working again. My Windows 10 Pro was up-to-date before this issue started and is still fully updated. v4.3 still is not working. I had to uninstall it and install the full version of 4.2 available in this thread. v4.2 is working without any issues so far.
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Barry Buehler - #1 would be nice. I don't think many companies are brave enough for #2 or #3 😀
Steven Webb - I don't think it is so much that you need the latest OS update, but that the update may reset something that makes Luminar 4.3 work again. For a little while anyway. I'm waiting for the next Patch Tuesday to test it out. Not holding out too much hope though.
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Fall of those who still can't get past the splash screen, have you tried defaulting Luminar 4.3 to run as administrator? That worked for me. And to use the plugin, I had to do the same for photoshop. Been using L4.3 happily again for the past couple of weeks since setting this up. [There are a few inconveniences, like 'open with photoshop' no longer working in explorer, but I can live around that].
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Why wait for a solution of the Luminar 4.3 problem?
There will be no successor for Luminar 4 anyway and Luminar AI cannot use the image database created with Luminar 3 and 4.In the next weeks until the end of the year there will be upgrades for most image processing programs. Mostly with cheap starter offers. And then there is Black Friday.
So why still ride the dying horse Luminar 4 :(
Saying goodbye to Skylum is not difficult for me because of the lack of efforts to solve the Luminar 4.3 problem quickly and the perspective that there is no real successor for Luminar 4.
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I have defended Skylum on this forum since the beginning of the issue because I managed a lot of software development and know that hiccups happens, but now it is far more than time to have a solution, even if it is to abandon the release.
I don't want to speculate why this is happening, if it is the lack of resources applied since a new and most complete version is around the corner (Luminar AI) or anything else but I would give Skylum a "not asked" tip:
Part of your customer base is in shambles right now and every day of a solution delay will make it worse so, give it up. We are a month or two from the scheduled release of Luminar AI. Why not giving anyone with 4.3 issues a free Luminar AI or a full refund? This would also freed the involved in looking for a solution to work and test better the Luminar AI...
I hope Luminar AI won't have the same issues and will be a far more powerful software and this being true, it can erase all hard feelings developed from the incident. On the contrary if you release 4.3 revision 01, any small flaw will just be amplified and bring back all the bad stuff that happened.
I'm one that would accept the substitution of my licenses of 4.3 for licenses of AI. I'm not using 4.3 at all and I can wait a couple of months more without it.
Hope this can happen.
Cheers
Speed -
I totally agree with Luiz Paulo. Any kind or form of understanding is long gone. I'm not using 4.3 and had to revert back to 4.2 shortly after the first unsuccessful boots. Skylum should issue either a refund for Luminar 4 or an upgrade for Luminar AI. Anything less is a disservice to the loyal customers. Whe didn't pay for software that doesn't fully commit to its promises.
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I have tried all solutions offered - some with trepidation - but no fix has consistently worked. I sent my set up to skylum as requested and followed their advice - now have at best an unstable version that if the wind blows in the right direction it might work. I am fortunate to have adobe photoshop and Lightroom, On-one, Boris Fx and numerous topaz programmes - they all work with whatever setup my windows system is! I just want to leave a public comment - that no information is poor customer service. I have not continued posting - just waited to give reasonable time for their bods to get their heads around the issue - but agree with latest comments -to basically expect AI version to be their priority. I have taken to commenting on various media platforms demonstrating ( advertising) the new AI, my discontent - as sadly it seems the only way to try and influence the market base they are seeking to draw in. Hopefully someone will offer us discontents some options/compensation/solution ...something!
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A month ago, in this thread I invited comment from the CEO of Skylum on this issue. No response! 17 days ago I tried again with a new post "Luminar 4.3 upgrade - the farce continues" which resulted in the offer of a refund or complimentary items from the Marketplace but still no response from the CEO. I accepted the offer of the items from the Marketplace because, frustrating as it is, I still like Luminar for quick edits.
Having said that I certainly don't feel that I have been bought off and I would still like a response, from someone in a position of authority, to my questions.
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Me siento bastante engañado. Compré Luminar porque lo probe y me pareció un gran programa para edicion rápida y como complemento de Adobe, pero actualmente no puedo trabajar con él, se me para, es lento, las imagenes se borran, la base de fotos si es grande, se queda en negro.... En definitiva una pena de programa, espero que al menos pudiésemos actualizar a AI como buena voluntad de Skylum, aunque creo que prima mas el dinero que la voluntad.
De momento han perdido un cliente, a no ser que arreglen este problema y den un margen de confianza para seguir confiando en sus productos.
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I think not having a fix for almost three months is horrible. They need to take down the update so those of us forced back to Version 4.2 do not have to put up with the update dialog over and over. Each time I see it, I get more dissatisfied with the support. It is like a second slap in the face.
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Hi everyone,
First of all, please allow me to extend my sincere apologies for the fact that finding a permanent fix for this issue is taking so long. I understand how much frustration and inconvenience we've caused you, and we are truly and deeply sorry for that.
Our techs are still investigating this issue, and we believe we may be getting closer to the solution. I wish I could give you all a precise ETA for the fix, but we still don't have any information on this.
In the meantime, I can see that some of you would prefer a full refund - and we respect your decision. You can apply for a full refund at skylum.com/support. And our support team will issue it for you.
For those of you, who will continue waiting for a fix, I would like to say a big thank you for your patience. I hope we can deliver good news to you soon.
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Are you talking about a developer who GIVES OUT ITSELF, by it's own free will, THE ALARM, and apologizes to ALL of it's customer community THE VERY NEXT DAY? One who doesn't "thank you for your patience" two months later? One that works for the Asian market, which has very little patience and considers negligence a dishonor?
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Not sure if Miguel Fernandes is commenting on my post (I'd like to thank Margaret Bright and Skylum for the offer above.) and don't know what Clip Studio Paint has to do with Skylum but just in case it is directed to me, then I am talking about a company (Skylum) who gave me back my money some 11 whopping months after my purchase of Luminar 4.
Could Skylum have been more fair than that????
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Hi, Kym. My comment is about my posts, your post and most of the posts here. When Skylum gives us the supreme grace to do it's duty - refund a purchase that is known to be useless - we become happy. Don't you think there is something passive in our conduct? Something bovine? If Skylum didn't make it up to you, would we take any more firm action? No. We would not have done more than we did so far: whining, lamenting, collecting assumptions and dubious improvisational solutions. Yes, you are grateful that you managed to solve part of the problem - the refund. But you lost, as we all here lost. We lost confidence, we lost time, we lost sleepless nights trying to solve, we lost Luminar 4.3. Which I suspect is a mere test balloon for a technology that would be used in Luminar AI. I'm glad for your victory, even if partial. But while you receive your refund, dozens of consumers may, at the moment, be thinking about purchasing Luminar 4.3. This is not your fault. But it wasn't Skylum that we all wanted it to be. A company that, the very next day, alerted all its users about a minor failure, which may go unnoticed by 95% of users. We wanted a Skylum that thought more about that 5%, that didn't need two months of pressure to at least make a refund. We also, I guess, would like to be a different kind of user, ourselves. Users able to organize, write to blogs, post on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. Complaining, protesting, doing something other than locking ourselves in that cage and showing each other that we know how to fix something that we shouldn't try to fix. That’s all. Forgive me for making you feel uncomfortable. I'm really sorry, it wasn't intentional.
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Thanks Miguel,
No, you didn't make me feel uncomfortable :-)I've been investing in computer software for my computers for many years, in fact since before IBM sold their first PC.
I can't begin to tell you how many disappointments I've had with software over those 40+ years.Without going into further detail, I just wanted to say that I have never, ever, had an offer for money back even a month after using buggy software, plug-ins or add-ons and so I felt very happy having a refund offer after having access to that software for 11 months.
I never wrote to Skylum advising that Luminar 4 was no longer running on my PC's as I rarely use photographic software since retiring as a Glamour Photographer 5 years ago. As far as I know it was working a few months ago when I checked for updates but I did not do any editing. It was really purchased for my wife who plays "occasionally" whilst I still mainly use Photoshop as I'm old school and as I say, retired now.
Not having written and complained to Skylum until coming to this forum after searching for a solution, I have no idea as to whether or not the outcome would have been the same, but for now, I will happily purchase Luminar AI for my wife as a replacement for Luminar 4 when it is available having every confidence in a 30 day refund option if for some reason it does not work on her PC.
I know when we first purchased Luminar 4 she got some results which without my many years experience editing tens of thousands of images in Photoshop, she could not have achieved.
It felt a little buggy at first but seriously, what new packages don't these days?
The hardware and software differences between our PC's are infinite so how can any developer test their goods completely before release?I Beta test various software for a number of BIG companies and after a year of hundreds of testers submitting feedback and bug reports, software is still released full of bugs that some users experience and others do not, and so there are numerous updates day after day from even the largest of companies.
Sometimes, an update is released and everything is fine for most but we see a number of people are unable to run the software without a crash to desktop or any problems whatsoever - that is often simply due to the complexities and differences in our PC's, messy windows registries and all sort of other possibilities, none of which a developer is aware of until we tell them and provide them with fault logs etc.
OK, cheers to all, I have no need to come back to this thread.
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Help answer (can be seen on the first post on this thread)
https://downloads.skylum.com/luminar4/win/Luminar4Setup_offline_420.exe
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Hi. Please reach us via skylum.com/support so we can look into the issue with the refund.
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Margaret Bright, the test build works for me. Don't forget to add the instruction to right-mouse on the executable and unblock it in addition to setting it to run as administrator.
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