Windows 7: windows 7 compatibility with dated programs

does anyone have any knowledge about windowss 7 compatibility with old programs? i have an old sony music program i was going to try to install, and after first checking the sony website for updates and drivers for Windows 7, they said it was a legacy program and that there was no support for it anymore because of its age. there was one resource called knowledge base on sonys website but it didnt contain anything relevant. just wondering if anyone else has the program and figured something out.

In most cases with the branded OEM softwares after a certain point you can simply hang them up! I found that to be the case for others like the Sony version of Cyberlink's PowerDVD or the form of Nero Essentials that comes on a disk with a particular drive. The product keys are not valid once the drive is replaced for some.

The old Sony Music program was likely part of a bundle and wouldn't be supported at this time having been an old Legacy version. You would need to look for a newer updated and totally different music program supplied through Sony or simply(and far better) opt to browse for one not tied to one OEM manufacturer in particular where you go direct to the software company itself for support.

As far as which Legacy version it was originally written for can also make a difference when trying the compatibility mode on the 32bit 7 there which tends to offer a bit more backward compatibility for the old stuff in that sense. But if it was totally 9X only(possibly ME at best) and never saw any NT support(2000, XP) leave it behind since it's days are over. Old 98-XP games(compatible upto XP) fair much better even on the 64bit 7!

Your system specs say you're using Windows 7, but you don't specify which version.

What you might want to try is Windows XP Mode, which as far as I know, is available for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions.

It worked for my old scanner on Windows 7 Ultimate x64.

The trouble was that Canon did not provide x64 drivers for my perfectly working scanner, so I loaded up Windows XP Mode, installed the XP driver there, attached it using the Attach USB Device, and presto, I can use my scanner again.

With your Sony Music program, you might have some luck too?

If it was strictly 9X-ME it may not even compatible for the XP Mode. If it was cross version like many old pc games some still running here on the 64bit 7 you would have a better chance at getting it going on the XP Mode as the alternative Dzomlija suggested.

As for not having 7 Pro, Ultimate, or even the Enterprise edition but Home Premium instead the latest release of the VM Lite Workstation for XP Mode would be one alternative to try out. That was just as of late tried out on an old Socket A single core cpu build 6yrs.+ old and worked there without the hardware support for virtualization required for the Virtual PC.

I did have 98SE running briefly on the Oracle Virtual box as another alternative. That took a little bit of work however to get the old version there installed having a floppy drive in a drive bay adapter at the time and managing to copy a few of the setup files over to the VHD just enough to get the main setup working from the original disk.

That was since the old Legacy disks were not bootable media requiring a startup floppy or cd image of floppy. Of you would still have to have an original 9x disk to work with to see that tried out.

looks like ill just have to donate it to salvation army. no big deal. i bought it a few years ago and never even used it, so i wont be missing anything.
thanks for all the replies

I wouldn't mind seeing some old Legacy titles running on a VM if you could get them installed and they could use the newer hardwares(shared resources). But that won't be the case for any old 9x glories unfortunately. Find an old beater case no one wants and slap a Legacy version on!

ive got an old dell dimension l800cxe, but unfortunately the hard drive failed and its running on linux which isnt compatible with most software. ill keep my eye out for an old case at some secondhand stores.

Once the newer boards were coming back in the 2004-05 time frame companies stopped supporting 98 where you would need something like an older Socket A board even old sound card and be able to locate the old Legacy drivers somewhere as well to make that work out for you.

In fact I sitll one old case here where 98 can still go on except for sound! The Audigy 2 model card is still too new. The onboard sound however still saw drivers however.

As for the old Dell model simply replace the drive and drop 98 on that if you can find the drivers! That could still work out for you. Or bid on the same! http://auctions.overstock.com/dell-d.../item/43269133

i should look into how to build a computer and just build like a supercomputer that has all the components necessary to run any program ever made. ha. i wonder how much space that would take up.

I have a feeling that would easily leave someone like B.Gates "pennyless" as well as needing a large team of engineers!

You would need to see one massive super computer likely made up of several sub pcs! Be sure to toss in a few tape drives along with it for all that early pre-8086 programming.