convert tif with scale doesn't read when done with newer IM

[ibuicliu]

I converted with scale a file in 2 different UNIX servers:
. Server 1: Version: @(#)ImageMagick 5.4.7 07/01/02 Q:16 http://www.imagemagick.org
- Server 2: Version: ImageMagick 6.3.4 05/09/12 Q16 http://www.imagemagick.org

I coverted the same file in both servers with -scale 25%:
convert -scale 25% file.tif file_25.tif

The file needs to show in a Windows app. When I try to open file_25.tif created in Server 1 (old IM version) it works.
But when I try to open the same file created in Server 2 (newer IM version) it doesn't, with more than one program.

Server 1 is Solaris 9, Server 2 is Solaris 10.

[snibgo]

What error message does server 2 give you?

Your versions of IM are very old. A museum might accept 5.4.7.

[ibuicliu]

But 5.4.7 creates a file that works.
The file created with 6.3.4 opens by default in Windows with MS Office Document Imaging: the error message is: "The selected file is not a valid MS Office Document Imaging file."
Also, opening with MS Office Picture Manager creates a box with an X in it.

I looked at the properties of the 2 files in Windows: 5.4.7 creates a file with Bit Depth=8.
The file from 6.3.4 has BitDepth=16. The size is also different.

Since we are moving from the old servers onto the new ones (with Solaris 10 and IM 6.3.4), that's the server we'd like to see doing the job.
So why the convert -scale works when the file is created with the older version? Or - better said - why it is not working with a file coming from 6.3.4?

[fmw42]

6.3.4 is ancient -- over 500 versions old. I think you should try to upgrade. Many bugs and improvements have been made since that old version. It is not surprising that some things do not work in such an old version.

see http://www.imagemagick.org/script/changelog.php for the history of bug fixes and improvements

[ibuicliu]

Thank you - I asked our UNIX group to install a newer version - will let you know if it fixed our problem.

[snibgo]

It's difficult to diagnose problems from such old software. The oldest I have is v6.5.8. If you publish the files, someone might take a look at them, and a workaround (eg "-depth 8") might be possible.