How to run software that is incompatible with Windows Vista

Posted on January 1, 2008 at 7:18 am

Unfortunately, as many Windows Vista users know, there are still many applications out there that are simple incompatible with the Vista operating system! Either it’s a lack of drivers from the manufacturer or the program simply needs to be re-written because of the new code in the Vista OS.

After an upgrade, you might get a popup from Windows Vista stating that the application is missing .dll files that are needed to run or the application is incompatible and needs to be updated. So can you run these “incompatible” apps in Windows Vista? Actually, there’s a really simple way to tell Vista that the program should run like it would have run on Windows XP, or Windows 2000, etc using the Compatibility Tab.

If you have a program that is not compatible with Vista, right-click the shortcut on the desktop or on the .EXE file and click on Properties.

properties

Now click on the Compatibility Tab to set your options. There are a couple of options here and we’ll go through them.

compatability

Check of the Run this program in compatibility mode for: and choose which operating system the program used to run on. The options above are for a computer running Windows XP, if you’re on Vista, you’ll see something like this:

compatibility2

You’ll notice that there are more options in the drop down menu and there are also a couple of different check box options for Display Settings.

Vista has all of the options of Windows XP plus two more.

  • Run in 256 colors - Uses a limited set of colors for the program. Some older programs are designed to use fewer colors.

  • Run in 640 × 480 screen resolution - Runs the program in a smaller-sized window. Try this setting if the graphical user interface appears jagged or is rendered on the screen improperly.

  • Disable visual themes - Disables themes on the program. Try this if you notice problems with the menus and/or buttons on the title bar of the program.

  • Disable desktop composition - Turns off transparency and other advanced display features. Choose this setting if window movement appears erratic or you notice other kinds of display problems.

  • Disable display scaling on high DPI settings - Turns off automatic resizing of programs if large-scale font size is in use. Try this setting if large-scale fonts are interfering with the appearance of the program.

  • Privilege level - Runs the program as an administrator. Some programs require administrator privileges to run properly. If you are not currently logged on as an administrator, this option is not available.

You can use the Compatiblity option for most applications, but make sure you do not use the Program Compatibility tab on older anti-virus programs, disk utilities, or other system programs because it might cause data loss or create a security risk. Since those applications access lower-level functions in the OS, trying to run them can cause more problems! It’s better to simply get a newer anti-virus or disk utility program than take a chance.

If you are planning on upgrading to Vista and you’re not sure if a program is going to be compatible with Vista, you can download the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor, a free program that will advise you on which programs will work or will not work with Vista. Enjoy!

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3 Responses to “How to run software that is incompatible with Windows Vista”

  1. ram said on : January 1st, 2008 at 10:29 am

    Happy New Year Kishore


  2. Pedram said on : January 29th, 2008 at 12:57 am

    Hi, I found this article really useful, Thanks


  3. akishore said on : January 31st, 2008 at 5:53 pm

    Hi Pedram,

    I’m glad you were able to find it useful! I have had a lot of problems with software being incompatible with Windows and so I thought I would write it up!


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