Would Photoshop 7 from 2002 be compatible with Windows 7?

Well, the W7 compatibility website says okay for Photoshop Elements 7, so that is a good sign for the full blown Photoshop 7... the Adobe website doesn't say one way or the other... they want you to drop a grand no matter what.

I would like to hear a little more from PooMan about the installation test if possible.

Thanks

digiday

Hi PooMan,

Thanks... I just clicked submit on my last post when your response came through... things look pretty good then.

I appreciate your home test lab environment and I'll follow your advice.

Thanks very much,

digiday

It should work just fine, but to the OP, if you really want to know...run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. That will answer all of your questions like this.

Yes it will work.

I personally am using Photoshop 4, which is 13 or 14 years old.

It will NOT install on 64 bit Windows without great difficulty if at all, but it installs and functions completely normally on 32 bit.

If you have a 64 bit version of Windows, I think you need something from the CS series----something newer than Photoshop 7. The CS series uses a 32 bit installer. Photoshop 7 and earlier have a 16 bit installer program that won't even run on 64 bit.

Hello everyone.. just joined and looking for a solution in regard to using Photoshop 7 with Windows 7 (Professional) as well.

I don't know if others' Photoshop 7 also installs with ImageReady 7, but mine does. Both "install" fine, but ImageReady works fine and Photoshop doesn't. When I try to open Photoshop 7, I keep getting "the scratch disk is full error".

I just purchased this computer and the "top" priority I "specifically" asked about, is whether I would be able to use all the programs that I am and was currently using with my Windows XP3 Home Edition, more specifically Photoshop '7'. I was told with the "professional" version I would be able to with "no" problem. However, even with the tech support which I also purchased, I am still unable to use Photoshop 7 and so, I have a new computer that is virtually useless to me if I can't use Photoshop 7. After spending over $1700.00, I'm not in a position financially to run out and now re-purchase Photoshop at about yet, another grand.

I'm desperately hoping for some "magic" solution. Help please!? I would sooooo appreciate it! Thank you ever so much!

Hi Artsieladie,

I'm not sure if this applies to your situation, and I ended up installing an even older version of Photoshop 5.5 on this Windows 7 machine, and the Photoshop works but the ImageReady would not... just the opposite problem from yours with an even older version of Photoshop.

And I get an "Unknown Error" when I try to open the old ImageReady 2 that came with the PS 5.5 installer... but this is how I get it open.

On the application icon in the program folder or on a desktop shortcut icon for your Photoshop 7, right-click and select, "Run as administrator"... that opens up ImageReady for me... not sure if that will work for your PS 7.

There are other options like changing the compatibility mode setting so it can run older apps too... but otherwise others on this forum, namely "PooMan UK" installed PS 7 and it works on his Windows 7 machine.

Microsoft support or others on this forum may be able to advise you better than me on how to do use compatibility mode, but here is a link to this forum's info on that subject.

Compatibility Mode

I hope this info is somewhat helpful... let me know if you do or don't have success.

Good luck Artsieladie,

digi

Thank you kindly, Digi. :) I tried what you just suggested and I followed through with all three options on Compatibility Mode as well, and still no luck. The little window pops up and still says "the scratch disk is full..". :/ What is a "scratch disk"? I've never heard this term before having Windows 7.

*still sad* ;_;
/ Artsieladie

Hi Artsieladie,

Scratch disk is the amount of hard drive used as temporary memory, sort of like hard drive space used as RAM... I think that is the best way to describe it... that's on any computer, Mac, PC, or any other type.

Windows 7 has a setting for scratch disk that allows it to handle the amount of scratch disk memory automatically under "Control Panel>System>Advanced Tab>Performance>Settings>Advanced Tab (again)>Virtual Memory"... but Windows handles that allocation automatically and I don't like to change those allocations.

Scratch disk is the same thing as "Virtual Memory". Below is a link to an article about setting scratch disk settings within Photoshop, but that is on the premise that one is first able to get Photoshop to open...

Photoshop Scratch Disk - What to do About the Scratch Disk is Full Error Message

I'm figuring that you have enough RAM to run Photoshop, but that might be something to check... if you spent $1700 on that PC, then it probably came with allot of RAM.

The Adobe forum is also a good place where there are allot of PS experts just waiting to answer questions about all kinds of Photoshop problems. There is a guy named Noel who is a real Photoshop expert... here is a link to his public profile on the Adobe forum... he helped me open some broken Photoshop files one time and he is a real ace at everything Photoshop... he may be able to figure it out...
Adobe Forums: Noel Carboni's Profile

I'll write back if I can think of anything else, but Noel may have the solution.

Let me know if you are still having no luck, or if you do have success!

Bye for now,

digi