Installing XP apps in W 7

I am using pre-installed W 7 Home Premium 64 bit running as the "administrator" user that W 7 set me up as. I'm new to W 7 coming from XP where I did not deal with file permissions. After installing some older xp applications that installed themselves in Program Files (x86) in W7 I've run into some problems due to access and write permission. Some of these programs apparently need to write their settings into their program folders and (I think) cannot do so because they do not have write permission to do so. I've discovered that the problem may be due to access permission problems because they often will work correctly if I make the executable file "run as admin" (which certainly makes it insecure!) though not always. So my questions are: 1. When installing an older XP program in W 7, should I somehow switch to higher administrator powers before installing it? Would that make a difference 2. What is the best way to handle this problem with older Windows programs. 3. Where can I learn more about W 7 permissions. Thanks.

This is a perfect need for XP mode. You can get it from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/vir.../download.aspx. Hopefully this should help with your older applications.

I believe you need W7 professional for xp mode. My W7 is home premium. Jeff

How about just right-clicking the application and selecting to run it in XP compatibility mode? This is not the XP Mode that requires the Pro or Ultimate versions. The only exception for this is 16-bit applications, support for those has been dropped totally, even when trying to install with XP compatibility.

Thanx for the links I was looking for this!

mlevy said:

How about just right-clicking the application and selecting to run it in XP compatibility mode? This is not the XP Mode that requires the Pro or Ultimate versions. The only exception for this is 16-bit applications, support for those has been dropped totally, even when trying to install with XP compatibility.

I have done this on some. As I am still learning my way around W 7 I was checking to see the various solutions available. Thanks.

If they are that old, and you have access to the old program files folder try copying the folder to a flash drive and run the exe from there. If it works you can maybe skip any installation problems on 7. That's how I run an older version of PsP 7 for some photo editing.

Installing programs to a different folder or partition will sometime solve the permission problems when installing in compatibility mode doesn't work.

madtownidiot said:

Installing programs to a different folder or partition will sometime solve the permission problems when installing in compatibility mode doesn't work.

That is correct. I have such a program that recommends installing to C:\programename\ instead of program files (x86) for that very reason, but it seems to me that would have some security risk, plus polluting the root folder with unnecessary items. There has to be a reason why program files (x86) is the default installation folder and why it is write protected.

Anderson2 said:

That is correct. I have such a program that recommends installing to C:\programename\ instead of program files (x86) for that very reason, but it seems to me that would have some security risk, plus polluting the root folder with unnecessary items. There has to be a reason why program files (x86) is the default installation folder and why it is write protected.

the reason the program files folder is write protected is to help keep malware, viruses, trojans and the like from infecting the entire system. if you trust the application you are trying to install, and it's necessary to install in a non-default folder, then you have to be willing to take that risk.. but I tell a lot of people, if you aren't really sure about something, don't do it... especially with computers