Old Drafting Software Won't Load

Windows 7 64 bit supports Microsoft XP Mode and Virtual PC. This is an excellent solution for me as the program I have to run this way is no longer supported. You will find the install very easy. You must download both elements from the M$ website using IE, as your browser (yuck). Install XP Mode first then Virtual PC. Once done you can install your Vellum package. To shut down the Virtual PC/XP Mode be sure to use Control+Alt+Delete as shown in the various articles about this online. Resource usage will remain minimal and you will have a fully functional and legal copy of XP.
Good Luck

To use XP mode you must be running Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate versions.

LMiller7- Thanks for correcting my oversight. I am simply used to using Pro and nothing else :)

I'm running Home Premium so it looks like XP Mode is out.

fireberd -- OK, compatibility mode isn't as complex as i thought. I changed compatibility to XP sp3 then clicked on the setup file and got the same popup as in my original post. Then I used the Troubleshooting wizard, and it recommended XP sp2 but when I tried to save the configuration it said it was incompatible. So no luck.

I looked at DosBox but haven't tried it yet. That may the way to go, probably try ti tomorrow.

fireberd -- I tried compatibility setings for 98, NT, 2000, XP sp2, and XP sp3. Each time I try to run setup I get the error popup I described at the beginning.

milesahead -- I tried Dosbox and it loaded fine. However I was not able to find a way to load my software. I pointed to the cdrom, it saw it along with the directory. But when I tried to run setup it gave me an error, something about it being windows (I forgot to write it down).

I think I'm left with my buddy's XP laptop. Not the end of the world, but not the most convenient. I'm not ready to try setting up a dual boot. That may be the only option. I'll have to do some reading about it.

Thanks for helping, learned quite a bit even if I didn't solve my problem, so a partial win.

It appears that the software is a 16 bit Windows application. DosBox will only run DOS applications, not Windows. There are no compatibility settings that will run a 16 bit application on a 64 bit OS.

Yes it does seem to be an almost fatal situation. I did some reading on dual booting and for an occasional use software it would be a bit cumbersome. So I guess I will begin exploring some of the freeware drawing programs. Until I change, I will use mine on an old XP laptop. It works fine and I can use wifi to send print jobs to my network. Still a glitch or 2, but workable.

Thanks all!