Trying to run an old (possibly 16 bit) program in 64-bit windows 7

Britton30 said:

I don't really know how to tell if it's a 16bit. The file was created on 2/14/1996.
It is bioplume III and says Version 1 on the splash screen.

Edit: My bad, what I installed in on is a pre-beta version of Win 8, but Win 7 should be the same.

Well considering the OP said it can't, and if it's a 16-bit app well.....

However if my understanding is correct, there is no 64-bit version of Win 8 floating about yet? Meaning that if the system is 32-bit, than yeah, I can see it installing on a 32-bit OS.

Anyway I don't feel like attempting an install on my Win 7 machine so I'll have to take his word that it won't install.

Maguscreed said:

the installer is a 16-bit DOS level app.
If someone has managed to install it, I believe if they just rezipped and uploaded the install folder this person could run the application without trouble.
I don't know why an installer is even included with it as it's win 95/pre-registry level software it's basically just a collection of files that need to be dropped in one folder in c:\programname

I would do it myself but I was using a virtual environment when I ran it so there was nothing left when I closed out to work with.

I went to my old computer and installed the program, (it works on there, windows xp), then I made the zip file of the program folder and then unzipped it to my current system. When I try to run the application (Eisbiop.exe in the RELEASE folder), I get the same "this version is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running" error. I tried the different compatibility modes, no success.

Thank you though for your suggestion. At least it runs on the older computer.

I got it to work!

I downloaded VirtualBox, and I happened to have a Windows 7 32-bit upgrade disk that I purchased from microsoft last year.

Using VirtualBox I installed Windows 7 32 bit as a virtual machine using the "custom" option on the windows install disk.

Everything worked! And I was able to successfully install and run the bioplume program. I have to activate windows in 30 days but I should be done by then. I have my product key from the purchase, but I have no idea what will happen if I use it, so I'm not sure I want to do that now since I won't really need it after the 30 days.

What an interesting solution!

Yeah it'll work on a 32-bit system, even if you didn't use Virtual Box, It just won't install on a 64-bit system.

Glad to see you got it installed.

Peace