Compatibility Mode

How to Run a Program in Compatibility Mode in Windows 7​

   Information

Compatibility mode allows a older program written for an earlier versions of Windows to possibly run in Windows 7. You can also use Compatibility mode to always have a program to Run as an administrator.

   Note

32 bit Windows has emulation for 16 bit programs built in. 64-bit Windows only has emulation for 32 bit programs. If the program ran on 32-bit Windows 7 and not 64 bit, then chances are it's a 16 bit program and you may have to use something like DosBox or XP Mode to be able to run it in 64-bit Windows.

   Tip

If changing the Compatibility settings does not fix the problem, go to the program manufacturer's website to see if there is an update for the program.

To see if your software is compatible with Windows 7, check it here: Windows 7 Compatibility Center home

   Warning

Do not use Compatibility mode on antivirus programs, firewall programs, disk utilities, or other system programs because it could cause data loss or create a security risk.

You only want to use these type of programs for the Windows listed in their system requirements.

OPTION ONE

To Set Compatibility Mode of Application in Properties Page

1. Right click on the program's shortcut (LNK file), .EXE file, BAT file, CMD file, or MSI file.

2. Click on Properties.

3. Click on the Compatibility tab. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If the Compatiblity options are grayed out, then it is a 64 bit program and cannot be changed.

4. To Run a Program in Compatibility Mode in Only your User Account
NOTE: Runs the program using settings from a previous version of Windows. Try this setting if you know the program is designed for (or worked in) a specific previous version of Windows.A) Check the Run this program in compatibility mode for box. (see screenshot below)

B) Click on the drop down menu arrow and select which version of Windows the program was made for. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Always pick the latest Windows version the program was written for to have a better chance of it running properly in Windows 7.

   Warning

MSI files (right screenshot below) will only have the Previous version of Windows option available for it. This option will allow Windows 7 to automatically use the previous version compatibility mode it thinks is best for the MSI file to run properly as. You will not be able to do steps 5 and 6 below.

5. To Change the Settings for a Program in Only your User Account
NOTE: These settings will be grayed out and not available for 64-bit programs.A) Check or uncheck the settings you want for the program. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: See the table below the screenshot for a description of each setting.

Setting	Description
Run in 256 colors	Uses a limited set of colors in the program. Some older programs are designed to use fewer colors.
Run in 640 × 480 screen resolution	Runs the program in a smaller-sized window. Try this setting if the graphical user interface appears jagged or is rendered improperly.
Disable visual themes	Disables themes on the program. Try this setting if you notice problems with the menus or buttons on the title bar of the program.
Disable desktop composition	Turns off transparency and other advanced display features. Choose this setting if window movement appears erratic or you notice other display problems.
Disable display scaling on high DPI settings	Turns off automatic resizing of programs if large-scale font size (DPI) is in use. Try this setting if large-scale fonts are interfering with the appearance of the program.

6. To Change the Privilege Level of a Program in Only your User Account
NOTE: Runs the program as an administrator. Some programs require administrator privileges to run properly. If you are not currently logged on as an administrator, this option is not available.A) Check or uncheck the Run this program as an administrator box to enable or disable this option. (see screenshot below)


7. To Change These Settings for All Users
NOTE: You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this step. A) Click on the Change settings for all users button. (See screenshot below)

B) Repeat steps 4, 5, and 6 in this new window to apply them to all users on the computer, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Changes made here will override and gray out the same setting in the window used in step 4, 5, or 6 above.


8. Click on OK to apply the changes. (see screenshot below step 3)

OPTION TWO

Set Compatibility Mode of Application using "Troubleshoot compatibility"

NOTE: This option opens the Program Compatibility Assistant wizard to let Windows 7 help decide what is best to try and make the program compatible.1. Right click on the program's shortcut (LNK file), .EXE file, BAT file, CMD file, or MSI file, and click on Troubleshoot compatibility. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You will not have the Troubleshoot compatibility option available for pinned items in the Start Menu or on the taskbar. You will only have the Troubleshoot compatibility option available for 3rd party programs in the Start Menu - All Programs area instead.

2. You will see this for a moment while Windows 7 is detecting what the issues may be with the program. (see screenshot below)

3. The wizard will now give you a list of choices to choose from. Select the option you would like to try, then follow the rest of the onscreen instructions until you are through troubleshooting the compatibility issue with the program. (see screenshot below)

OPTION THREE

To Set Compatibility Mode of Application in Registry Editor

1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search box and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. In regedit, navigate to each location below one at a time and do the steps below for each location. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

4. To Run a Program in Compatibility ModeA) In the right pane of Layers, right click on a empty area and click on New, then on String Value. (see screenshot below)

B) Type in the full path of the program's exe file and press Enter, then right click on the full path and click on Modify. (see screenshot below)

C) Type in a single or combination of Data values (see tables below) for how you want to run the program as, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you use more than one Settings, then you must add them in the order they are in the table below.

[Compatibility Mode (only one)] + space + [Settings (one or more with a space inbetween)] + space + [Privilege Level]

   Tip

EXAMPLE ONE:
To run a program as if it was in Windows Vista SP2 (Compatibility Mode), and Run in 256 colors (Settings), and to run as administrator you would type:

VISTASP2 256Color RUNASADMIN

EXAMPLE TWO:
Say you also wanted to Run in 640 x 480 screen resolution (2nd Settings) with the above example, you would type:

VISTASP2 256Color 640x480 RUNASADMIN

Compatibility Mode	Data Value
Windows 95	WIN95
Windows 98 / Windows Me	WIN98
Windows NT 4.0 (Service Pack 5)	NT4SP5
Windows 2000	WIN2000
Windows XP (Service Pack 2)	WINXPSP2
Windows XP (Service Pack 3)	WINXPSP3
Windows Server 2003 (Service Pack 1)	WINSRV03SP1
Windows Server 2008 (Service Pack 1)	WINSRV08SP1
Windows Vista	VISTARTM
Windows Vista (Service Pack 1)	VISTASP1
Windows Vista (Service Pack 2)	VISTASP2
Windows 7	WIN7RTM

Settings	Data Value
Run in 256 colors	256Color
Run in 640 x 480 screen resolution	640x480
Disable visual themes	DISABLETHEMES
Disable desktop composition	DISABLEDWM
Disable display scaling on high DPI settings	HIGHDPIAWARE

Privilege Level	Data Value
Run this program as an Administrator	RUNASADMIN

5. To Stop a Program from Running in Compatibility ModeA) In the right pane of Layers, right click on the full path Name and click on Delete. (see screenshot below)

B) Click on Yes to confirm deletion. (see screenshot below)


6. Close regedit when done.
NOTE: Some programs may require you to restart the computer for this to be applied.



That's it,
Shawn Brink

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Turn Internet Explorer Compatibility View On or Off for a Website
• How to Display All Websites in Compatibility View in Internet Explorer
• How to Disable Desktop Composition for a Program
• How to Create a Program Compatibility Troubleshoot Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Program Compatibility Assistant
• How to Add or Remove "Troubleshoot compatibility" from the Context Menu in Windows 7
• How to Add "Run as administrator" to VBS File Context Menu
• How to Add "Run as administrator" to MSI File Context Menu
• How to Add or Remove "Compatibility" Tab in Properties Page in Windows

 

[MilesAhead]

I've found this forum good for HP product work-arounds and info:

HP Business Support Center

Even though it says business support, sounding like paid support, it is users of HP business class machines voluntarily trying to answer problems like on this board. Sometimes you can find info you won't get anywhere else. Someone may know a work-around for your printer situation.

edit: btw, It requires free registration, but they will accept a hotmail email address.

 

[PackJac]

Response to MilesAhead

Thanks, MilesAhead. I've already been on the business forum and there's lots of people there complaining about the same problem I have. Nobody has a solution short of changing over to Linux.

PJ

 

[MilesAhead]

Thanks, MilesAhead. I've already been on the business forum and there's lots of people there complaining about the same problem I have. Nobody has a solution short of changing over to Linux.

PJ

Sometimes you get lucky. Sometimes you don't. My old HPs with Pentium 4 CPUs, that was the only place I could find out about how to control fan speed in the bios. The CPU was constantly halting under load. Somebody there told me about the "Easter Egg" to open that page of bios settings. Not in the manual.

otoh when I asked how to find out what HD I have in my Vista64 PC with Raid controller, no luck. They kept telling me to use these SMART utilities when the Raid controller blocks access to the SMART info. It's hit and miss for sure. Still, it's good to bookmark.

 

[PackJac]

Response to MilesAhead

That's good advice, MilesAhead, and I'll keep checking into that website. I just found a possible solution, however. I gave my old Gateway with XP on it to my daughter; she says she doesn't need it anymore. Soooo, I'm going to see if I can hook up that old XP machine to my new Windows 7 machine and then connect the HP LaserJet 1000 to the XP machine - which I used before with the HP. I'm sure there's a way to do that somehow and it ought to work.

Let me know if you know how to do this. That would save me some research time.

PJ

 

[MilesAhead]

Usually simple file and printer sharing will do it. Just make sure the workgroup names on all the machines are the same.

On the System Properties, there's a Computer Name Tab. If you go in there you can set the network name of the computer and the name of the workgroup. Vista and 7 use "WORKGROUP" by default.. but it doesn't matter that much as long as they are all the same. Whatever is already working, don't change. Just change the name on the machine you are adding to the network.

 

[PackJac]

Thanks a lot. I'll do that and let you know how it goes. It will be a while since my daughter isn't the greatest at responding to my requests; typical growing independent kid. May be a few weeks.

I also emailed Gregg Anderson, who writes for Smart Computing magazine, and asked him if he would address the issue in one of his articles. Perhaps, some entrepreneurial soul might write a driver for us less skilled LaserJet 1000 owners. He said he would do it.

PJ

 

[Stink100]

Something isn't right. You say you can't change .msi files compatibility mode but thats what this guy on this page did and it is what I need to do to get the program to work:

Installing ArcGIS 9.3 On Microsoft Windows 7 ? Updated! | geo.geek.nz

 

[Brink]

   Note

Tutorial Update:

Added Option Three to help show how to be able to set a program's Compatibility Mode through Registry Editor.

 

[punkinbee59]

Nope, doesn't work, Shawn. I downloaded drivers (tried a number of them besides the LaserJet 1000 - which is only an xp driver and not 64 bit - and while it looks like the driver installed, the printer would not work.

This seems to be a universal problem with the LaserJet 1000 and Windows 7-64. Lots of other people - folks who love their LaserJet 1000s - are really upset at HP for not supporting their workhorse printers.

PackJac

That stinks.

Looks like it may be time for a new printer if they do not want to support new drivers for it.

I have a HP PSC 2355, and at one time it did worked beautifully with the Vista driver, having full features with the printer when I got my new Dell computer. I never had to use the printer's CD that will only install up to Windows XP. But when I did a custom install of Windows 7 with the upgrade CD, it totally wiped out the Vista driver for my printer.

you might want to check my thread, as according to TOS, I don't want to be posting the same thing here. But you can see the problems I ran into, and am seriously considering trying out the compatibility mode first, before I buy a new printer.

about the HP's disregard for Windows 7 drivers....I wouldn't put it past them to get people to buy new printers...although some new printers will fit Windows 7, it's not easy to find new ones for this OS.

 

[PackJac]

Windows 7 driver for HP LaserJet 1000

I gave up and bought a Brother HL-2140 laser printer for $70. It's actually better than the HP LaserJet, the ink is cheaper, and as a result I will never, ever purchase another HP printer. Their support is crappy and it turns out their printers are not as good, at least in my experience. Thanks, HP, for forcing me to try out someone else's product!

 

[wingGer]

Hi together!

I got a general question about the XP Mode capabilities.

What I actually have to do is to create some special applications using a Win7 OS while those apps also have to be used on Windows XP OS.

Since I am not sure if everything that works well on Win7 would also work on Windows XP I was thinking to use the XP Mode for that. Which means at least I would like to run some application test for Windows XP applications on my XP Mode.

What do you think about that? Is that possible? Would I see any mistakes or troubles which would appear on Windows XP OS on my XP mode, too?

Thank you a lot in advance for any answers!

 

[sygnus21]

Since I am not sure if everything that works well on Win7 would also work on Windows XP I was thinking to use the XP Mode for that. Which means at least I would like to run some application test for Windows XP applications on my XP Mode.

Yes, you could do as you describe with XP mode.

Look through this - Windows Virtual PC: Home Page

 

[wingGer]

Hi sygnus21,

thank you for this answer and the link. That's where I already was looking for such answers...

I wonder what is the difference between a XP Mode and an usual VM Ware Work Station where I could also use my Windows XP?

 

[sygnus21]

That I can't answer as i'm not all that familiar with VM's. I've got XP Mode with Virtual PC on my machine but rarely use it. I'm sure someone here will answer that quetion for you.

Peace

 

[wingGer]

Well, thank you anyway a lot for efforts...

 

[Suriname]

.

Great Post!

How do I start automatically an app when start windows with administrator privilegees. I tried several times in several different ways but it always starts without administrator privileges

I'm using this registry
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Hello Suriname,

You can use the tutorial below to create an elevated shortcut of the program that can be used to run at startup without getting a UAC prompt in administrator accounts.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11949-elevated-program-shortcut-without-uac-prompt-create.html

 

[Suriname]

...You can use the tutorial below

Hi Brink, This solved my problem. Thank you!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Suriname. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[Hernickless]

window 7 64 bit compatible problem

i cant change my compatible mode i dont know why but it show me
compatible with window vista and i cant change it :! i need help . the file which i want to run is fifa11.exe file and i have hp pavilion dv6 laptop :!