Windows 7: 32 bit software on Win 7 Pro 64bit

How much trouble is it to install legacy apps on Windows 7 Professional 64 bit?. when I say legacy I mean apps like Quicken 99 or WordPerfect 2002. I just received this computer at the beginning of the week and just got it set up yesterday. I haven't begun to reinstall all my critical apps and probably won't until I can get the Internet connection up and running (need a router) but I wondered if there were going to be any problems and what to look out for?

thanks...

Go ahead and try. If you have problems, you could download and use Windows XP mode to install any problematic apps.

Hello DFWII Experimentation with the XP compatibility mode is one way to find out if any older programs will first install and then even run on the 64bit 7. It seems older 9X-XP pc games fair better then desktop apps in general for the 64bit 7 however.

For the new XP Mode the first thing to know is covered in the guide on this. Windows XP Mode - Install and Setup

If you decided to go for the XP Mode you first need to run the appropiate tool for Intel or AMD found at Windows Virtual PC: Configure BIOS This will show if your hardwares support virtualization.

Certain Intel model cpus do not offer support or the board itself may need a bios setting changed. For some old XP apps they are on the 32bit 7 while they simply won't run on the 64bit.

Hi DWFII,
running 32 bit apps isn't usually a problem, although some older programs may require you to use Compatibility Mode to run properly.
Much older 16 bit apps won't run on a 64 bit system, which also means that if a program uses a 16 bit installer, it won't be compatible, unless used in xp mode. Like p3jason said, the best way to tell is to give it a go ... if it doesn't work, it may be a good opportunity to update some old software, or to learn some new ones.

In the long run you want to consider a much newer Word 2007 to replace the 8yr. old 2002 version since that will simply go on without fuss. The home page for that is seen here. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/wo...487981033.aspx

As for Quicken the new 2010 version is available with full support for 7 seen at Quicken® Home & Business 2010 Software: Home Based & Small Business Management

One way to see if the 2002 version will even install would be right clicking on the setup or install executable and setting that to the XP compatibility. Once on do the same for the program's main executable there as well as the "run as admin" for both. If there's no go then you know!

Thanks for the help. Dell assured me that my cpu will support virtualization...in fact it was an upgrade (more $'s) from the basic configuration of the package. I believe my "system specs" indicate the cpu I'm running.

But my first question is what is the difference between XP mode and Virtual PC? Both seem to be additional pieces of software that must be downloaded and installed. I bought Win 7 Professional because I was told that it was needed to run legacy apps. Is either XP Mode Or Virtual PC already included in Professional, by any chance?

My next question is about right clicking on the setup executable when it is almost certain to be on a CD. Is right-clicking on it and setting it to run in XP mode telling Windows to do something or is it trying to alter the executable? (awkwardly expressed but maybe you get my drift?)

Thanks for the links, I have them bookmarked.

Virtual PC is app that creates the virtual machine in which Windows XP mode can run. They are not included with Windows 7, but Pro or Ultimate is required for installation.

What is the difference between compatibility mode and XP mode?

Windows Virtual PC: Home Page

XP Mode is XP that you get from the above link and install into Virtual PC (again from the above link). You then start Virtual PC (can auto start with 7, or run on demand), and install those apps that won't run in 7 x64, and use them from there.

As for Compatibility Mode,

Make older programs run in this version of Windows

When right clicking on the setup.exe or launcher.exe, etc. at the root of a software cd or dvd to set the compatibility mode there Windows will create a new registry value to set the mode for that particular software's installer. I found that one out fast when the beta builds were first on for getting some old XP apps running on 7.

Another tool seen with 7 added since Vista is the troubleshoot compatibility option in the right click menu. This is a new tool that first has you open a program's installer to work through any installation problems and prompts asking if the program installed correctly. This is another item that makes 7 better at backward compatibility before the need of the XP Mode or other VM ware to run an older version.