How to Support Legacy Software in Windows Vista (Program Compatibility Wizard)
Open the feature: Click “Start button.” Hit “Control Panel.” Click “Programs.” (Figure I.1) Choose the “Use an older program with this version of Windows” under the “Programs and Features” heading., There are 2 options available: Click “Next” button...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Open the feature: Click “Start button.” Hit “Control Panel.” Click “Programs.” (Figure I.1) Choose the “Use an older program with this version of Windows” under the “Programs and Features” heading.
(Figure I.2) At this time, the “Start Application in Compatibility Mode” window appears with the “Program Compatibility Wizard” inside -
Step 2: There are 2 options available: Click “Next” button to begin the wizard.
Click “Cancel” button to quit.
In this case, we click “Next” to continue. , It asks you which way you want to locate your program.
There are 3 options:
I want to choose from a list of programs.
Search your primary partition (Usually C: drive) and list all programs that are stored in it or are installed directly to your computer.
I want to use the program in the CD-ROM drive. , I want to locate the program manually.
By selecting this option, you will have to browse the application yourself (use this option when you can’t find your target program using option 1) In this case, I choose option 1; then click “Next.” , Choose your target program; then click “Next.” (Figure I.3) Note:
This step will be skipped if you choose option 3 in step
3. , Microsoft Windows NT
4.0 (Service Package 5).
Microsoft Windows 98/ Windows Me.
Microsoft Windows
2000.
Microsoft Windows XP (Service Package 2).
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (Service Package 1).
Do not apply a compatibility mode.
For the first six options, choose the one that are recommended for your program or that you had previously run your program successfully on.
Choose the last option only if you know that with some changes, your program will work in Vista as well.
Then click “Next.” , Most old games only support this much colors. 640 x 480 screen solution.
Disable visual themes.
Try this option if you are experiencing problems with menus or buttons on the title bar of the program.
Disable desktop composition.
Try this option if you are experiencing problems with the display when running the program. , Try this option if you are experiencing problems with the program display on high DPI settings.
Then click “Next.” , Note: choose this option only if you are administrator and your program requires administrative rights to perform itself (such as, installer and system utilities, and older programs created for Windows 98 or earlier) Click “Next.” , (Figure I.6) Click “Next” to test the program.
Note: if Windows asks you for permission, allow it.
After running the program, go back to the wizard to perform step
9. , You satisfy and want to apply the changes, you have made so far, to your program.
No, try different compatibility settings.
You want to try different settings.
Note: by taking this option, the program will bring you back to step
5.
No, I am finished trying compatibility settings.
You want to quit the wizard without applying any changes. ,, Click “Finish” to quit and apply all your settings so far.
Click “Cancel” to quit without any changes.
Click “Back” if you want to change some of your settings. -
Step 3: Now the program takes another step.
-
Step 4: Search your CD-ROM drive only and list all applications it would find inside.
-
Step 5: At this point
-
Step 6: the wizard comes up with a box that contains all the programs it has found.
-
Step 7: At this step
-
Step 8: the wizard provides you a list of Windows version: (Figure I.4) Microsoft Windows 95.
-
Step 9: There are 5 settings (you can select as many as you want) (Figure I.5) 256 colors.
-
Step 10: Disable display scaling on high DPI settings.
-
Step 11: There is only one option provided in this step: Run this program as an administrator.
-
Step 12: The wizard now prompts you a list of changes that you have made.
-
Step 13: the wizard will ask you: “Did the program work correctly?” Yes
-
Step 14: set this program to always use these compatibility settings.
-
Step 15: Choose “Yes” if you want to send the information about your experiment to Microsoft; otherwise
-
Step 16: choose “No”.
-
Step 17: The wizard again prompts you for details and confirmation.
Detailed Guide
(Figure I.2) At this time, the “Start Application in Compatibility Mode” window appears with the “Program Compatibility Wizard” inside
Click “Cancel” button to quit.
In this case, we click “Next” to continue. , It asks you which way you want to locate your program.
There are 3 options:
I want to choose from a list of programs.
Search your primary partition (Usually C: drive) and list all programs that are stored in it or are installed directly to your computer.
I want to use the program in the CD-ROM drive. , I want to locate the program manually.
By selecting this option, you will have to browse the application yourself (use this option when you can’t find your target program using option 1) In this case, I choose option 1; then click “Next.” , Choose your target program; then click “Next.” (Figure I.3) Note:
This step will be skipped if you choose option 3 in step
3. , Microsoft Windows NT
4.0 (Service Package 5).
Microsoft Windows 98/ Windows Me.
Microsoft Windows
2000.
Microsoft Windows XP (Service Package 2).
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (Service Package 1).
Do not apply a compatibility mode.
For the first six options, choose the one that are recommended for your program or that you had previously run your program successfully on.
Choose the last option only if you know that with some changes, your program will work in Vista as well.
Then click “Next.” , Most old games only support this much colors. 640 x 480 screen solution.
Disable visual themes.
Try this option if you are experiencing problems with menus or buttons on the title bar of the program.
Disable desktop composition.
Try this option if you are experiencing problems with the display when running the program. , Try this option if you are experiencing problems with the program display on high DPI settings.
Then click “Next.” , Note: choose this option only if you are administrator and your program requires administrative rights to perform itself (such as, installer and system utilities, and older programs created for Windows 98 or earlier) Click “Next.” , (Figure I.6) Click “Next” to test the program.
Note: if Windows asks you for permission, allow it.
After running the program, go back to the wizard to perform step
9. , You satisfy and want to apply the changes, you have made so far, to your program.
No, try different compatibility settings.
You want to try different settings.
Note: by taking this option, the program will bring you back to step
5.
No, I am finished trying compatibility settings.
You want to quit the wizard without applying any changes. ,, Click “Finish” to quit and apply all your settings so far.
Click “Cancel” to quit without any changes.
Click “Back” if you want to change some of your settings.
About the Author
Deborah Clark
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
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