Somewhere in the bowels of Windows, there is something that changes the video settings to run an app in a compatible mode. It has been a while since I ran anything that did that, and I can't remember what it was, but I did see it.
I read somewhere, some people saying it was possible in Vista. I have never used Vista, so I ask: were they wrong?
I have no idea. I trust what logicearth has posted. I am simply sharing my experience. Just because Windows can do a particular thing does not mean that there is a way to hack it out through the GUI.