Running Older Programs in Windows

Written by Barry Dysert (last updated October 8, 2018)

1

Gina just updated her system to Windows 10, and one of the programs she was using on her old system doesn't seem to work right any more. She suspects it is because the program hasn't been updated in a long time (she was using Windows XP before), but the software company is out of business so she can't get an update. Gina wonders if there is anything she can do to use the program.

Fortunately, Windows does provide one feature, called the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter, that you can try. It allows Windows to operate as if it is an older version of Windows in order to provide an environment in which older programs can run. The only thing (typically) that it won't work for is device drivers and anti-virus software; those have to be updated to run in whatever Windows environment you are using.

How you start the troubleshooter depends on the version of Windows you are using. If you are using Windows 7, click the Start button, type "compatibility" (without the quotes), and press Enter. If you are using Windows 8, press Win+S, type "compatibility" (without the quotes), and choose the first option found (Run Programs Made for Previous Versions of Windows). If you are using Windows 10, click the Start button, type "compatibility" (without the quotes) and choose the first option found (Run Programs Made for Previous Versions of Windows). Windows starts the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Compatibility Troubleshooter starting step.

The first step is to click the Next button. The troubleshooter scans for programs that may have compatibility issues. When done, just select the program you're having problems with, and click the Next button to proceed to the next step. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. The Compatibility Troubleshooter troubleshooting step.

It is best to click the Try Recommended Settings button. This causes the troubleshooter to try running the program using the recommended compatibility settings. Based upon the needs of the program you specified, the troubleshooter applies whatever settings it feels are correct and prompts you to start the program (Windows 7) or test the program (Windows 8 and Windows 10). (See Figure 3.)

Figure 3. The Compatibility Troubleshooter start program step.

Click the Start the Program button (Windows 7) or the Test the Program button (Windows 8 and Windows 10) and the program is loaded and started. You can then test to see if the program is running properly. When satisfied, come back to the troubleshooter and click the Next button. This takes you to the troubleshooter's final step. (See Figure 4.)

Figure 4. The Compatibility Troubleshooter final step.

If the program is working properly, click the top link of the screen. If it's not working properly and you want to try it again with different compatibility settings, click the second link. If it's not working properly and you want to search for a solution online, click the third link. Depending upon what you click, the troubleshooter will either exit or enter a troubleshooting sequence whereupon you can answer a variety of questions determined by what particular problems you're having. At the end, settings appropriate to the program will either have been established, or it's likely that the program simply cannot be made to run properly under your version of Windows.

 This tip (10113) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.

Author Bio

Barry Dysert

Barry has been a computer professional for over 35 years, working in different positions such as technical team leader, project manager, and software developer. He is currently a software engineer with an emphasis on developing custom applications under Microsoft Windows. When not working with Windows or writing Tips, Barry is an amateur writer. His first non-fiction book is titled "A Chronological Commentary of Revelation." ...

MORE FROM BARRY

Changing a Program's Compatibility Settings

If an older program no longer runs under Windows, you may still be able to get some life out of it by changing its ...

Discover More

Deleting Events in Your Event Logs

You don't need to worry about event logs filling up your disk, but you still may want to clean them out eventually. This ...

Discover More

Changing Font Size in a Command Prompt Window

If you work at the command level very much, you may want to change the fonts that are used. You can control what ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Disabling Automatic Updates

If you don't like that Windows automatically downloads and applies updates in the middle of the night, you can gain some ...

Discover More

Listening with One Ear

If you use a single speaker to listen to your computer audio, you may be missing out on some sounds. Two quick changes to ...

Discover More

Adjusting How Quickly Your Keyboard Responds

Does your keyboard seem a bit sluggish or a bit too quick when you hold down keys? You can adjust how the keyboard ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is four more than 5?

2018-10-08 09:42:19

Henry Noble

As Barry notes, some old games, programs, and utilities are incompatible with Win10, and compatibility setting won't save the day. In those cases, another solution may be needed:

1. Hang on to an old PC or laptop running XP and use it as long as it will keep going. For safety, don't connect it to the Internet because there are no more updates to be had.

2. Set up a virtual machine (HyperV, VirtualBox, VMWare, etc.) within Win10, install an older OS, and see if the old software runs properly in the virtual environment. This may keep alive XP-era programs you don't want to upgrade.

3. Install DOSBox on Win10 and see if it will run the old software properly. For example, DOSBox runs the old Castle Wolfenstein 3D (1992) on one of my Win10 laptops. It will waste as much time now as it did when new.


Newest Tips