Like the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer found in Windows XP, Vista's own Windows Photo Gallery application is not easy to get rid of. You can install a new application that makes itself the default for your image files, and in some cases, the Windows Photo Gallery will still appear when you double-click image files.
If you want to use another image viewer without making any changes to your system, there are ways to open images other than double-clicking. For instance, you can drag-drop an image file onto the window of any viewer to open it, or even right-click an image file and select Open With to choose another program.
To choose a different application as the default for photos, you may have to disable the Windows Photo Gallery:
1) Open the Registry Editor.
2) Expand the branches to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.ico\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\ShellImagePreview.
3) Highlight the ShellImagePreview key, select File → Export, type a filename, and click Save to back up this Registry key.
4) Delete the ShellImagePreview key and close the Registry Editor when you're done.
If you don't want to mess around in the Registry, you can also do this with Creative Element Power Tools (http://www.creativelement.com/powertools/):
1. Open the Creative Element Power Tools Control Panel, turn on the Edit file type associations option, click Accept, and then close the Control Panel.
2. Right-click any image file and select Edit File Type.
3. On the right side, right-click Windows Photo Gallery Viewer Image Verbs, and select Open Registry Editor here.
4. In the Registry Editor, select File → Export, type a filename, and then click Save to back up this Registry key. Close the Registry Editor to return to File Type Doctor.
5. With Windows Photo Gallery Viewer Image Verbs still highlighted, click the Remove button.
To re-enable the Windows Photo Gallery at any time, just double-click the Registry patch you created.
How to Remove the Windows Photo Gallery in Vista
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