While most of the relatively current programs that were developed during the prime time of Windows XP can be installed and do run under Windows Vista and Windows 7, there is a small number of them that my not install properly.
Furthermore, there are other programs that might have already been slightly outdated when Windows XP came on the market or they were costly programs or you want to stick with a particular version. Or upgrade eligibility might even have ceased.
So, other than staying with Windows XP, what options are there? First and foremost, the Compatibility Mode feature of both Windows Vista and Windows 7 comes to mind.
In Vista:
- Run the Program Compatibility Assistant (Start > Settings > Programs > Use an older program with this version of Windows), or
In Windows 7:
- Right-click the executable file and select Troubleshoot Compatibility.
The resulting tweak of the settings tends to get things going.
Alternatively, you can
- right-click the respective executable file and select Properties > Compatibility
to choose compatibility to a choice of several past flavors of Windows and you have the option to tweak some other settings that might prevent a program from installing and/or running.
For Windows 7 users who have the Professional or Ultimate version, there’s also the option to install a virtual copy of Windows XP on top of Windows 7 and run the so-called “Windows XP Mode“.
But given the necessary licenses, hard disk space and performance impact, this option should only be approached if all of the above have been exhausted without getting your non-compatible application to run with any of the earlier options.
More information as well as all necessary downloads are available at Microsoft’s website.
For help in handling you applications’ compatibility problems, contact us today.
