Windows 7: Can you convert a 32 bit software disk to operate on a 64 bit system

I have an old accounting program disk that will work on Windows 95 (32 bit). I now have a new Dell laptop with Windows 7 Professonal installed and it has a 64-bit operating system. Is there any way to make the program disk work on my 64 bit system.

Hi and welcome to sevenforums steve,
try installing it and then run it in compatibility mode . tutorial here...

Compatibility Mode

I have successfully installed older 32bit programs on my Windows 764bit system. Windows 7 is pretty about letting a person run older software. What I usually do is create a system image of my computer first, so then if the old program does create problems I can put my Windows installation back to the way it was.

Hi Boohbah
Thanks for your reply. I can't install it. When I put the disk in and then click on the setup file, a window pops up saying: "This version of this file is not compatable with the version of Windows you are running. Check your computer system information to see whether you need an x86(32-bit) or x64(64-bit) version of the program and then contact the software publisher". I have already checked with the publisher (COSMI). There is no newer version of this program, all they publish now are games.

I don't think is a bit issue, rather an issue with what type of OS is will run on. Some older software was specifically designed to work with one type of OS and just won't work with any modern OS. Which forces the user to buy the software for the next OS generation. It's cheaper for the company to do so.

That's the typical message that popups for 16 bits software, which runs properly on x86 but x64 versions of Windows refuse to run them. Most likely it's a 16 bits program really, and Windows has absolutely no support for it, or at least the installer is 16 bits, while the rest is 32 bits.
You may try a virtual machine, installing it there, and either running there or try to migrate to the real system.

Hi Alejandro85
Thank you for the info, but I am a novice! Can you tell me "what" a virtual machine is and "how/where" to get one?

A virtual machine is basicly a full-featured OS emulator, It can operate as an OS and has no interaction with the host computer unless you tell it to, The most popular and free Virtual machone is VirtualBox

https://www.virtualbox.org/

Could you also update your system specs for any issues in the future

Hi Pedroc1999
Thanks for the info. I will go there and check it out/give it a try. Thanks!

Baring in mind you will need an .ISO file to run the OS from. Just google the os you want and add a .iso to the end