Would Photoshop 7 from 2002 be compatible with Windows 7?

[digiday]

Would Photoshop 7 from 2002 be compatible with Windows 7 ULT?

Hi Windows Seveners,

Would Photoshop 7, released in March 2002, be compatible with Windows 7? I have an old copy of Photoshop 7 and it is almost 9 years old... goes back 5 versions from just before Adobe started calling their software CS... Adobe is now on CS5, so that makes Photoshop 7 five versions back... pretty old.

I don't want to even try to install this older software if it could cause a problem on W7, but I don't want to buy the new version of PS CS5 Extended at about a grand.

Can Photoshop 7 work alright on Windows 7 ULT?

Thanks,

digiday

 

[swarfega]

Why would you want such an old version?

If it doesnt install, you could always try installing it in XP Mode.

 

[Der Stich]

Why would you want such an old version?

I have an old copy of Photoshop 7


I don't want to buy the new version of PS CS5 Extended at about a grand.

:sarc:

 

[digiday]

Hi swarfega,

As I stated, the new PS CS5 is about a thousand dollars. I have a valid copy of PS 7 that I wouldn't have to pay anything more for if it installs and works.

I have PS CS4 on my Mac at another location, but I'd like some kind of Photoshop on my PC at this location.

What XP mode?... I don't find anything in W7 ULT called XP mode when I do a search.

digiday

 

[smarteyeball]

I honestly don't know if it would work - I don't see installing it causing any 'problems' so to speak. The worse that could happen is tha a) it just wouldn't install or b) It wouldn't run.

Instead of Photoshop, have you had a look at Paint.net and GIMP?

Both are free and possibly more feature rich than PS 7

What XP mode?... I don't find anything in W7 ULT called XP mode when I do a search.

It's a virtual machine that integrates with Windows 7 to give you a working XP

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8247-windows-xp-mode-install-setup.html

 

[yowanvista]

You can try http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html

 

[digiday]

Gimp is okay, but a little funky

smarteyeball,

As I was telling swarfega, I have PS CS4 on a Mac at another location, but I would like to use some version of Photoshop on this PC at this location.

Since the basic features of Photoshop have been the same for a decade, Photoshop 7 would be okay just for restoring old photos and much more.

I installed GIMP on this PC already... GIMP is okay, but a little funky... some things don't work correctly, it's layer and masking system is convoluted, and it ate a multi-layer file in the PSD format the other night and created a corrupt file... I was able to open the file in Quicktime and copy and paste it back in to a new file in GIMP to save 2 hours of work, but I still lost 3 mask layers and now I don't completely trust GIMP... it is a weak knock-off of Photoshop.

I use Photoshop professionally in the advertising photo industry and using anything else that lacks and doesn't work correctly, like GIMP, is like a doctor using plastic picnic utensils for surgery.

I'm not sure about Paint.net... I just would like to use the PS 7 software that I have... since Windows has not made an entire system format change since before 2001, I am hoping to be able to use what I have.

Thanks,

digiday

 

[PooMan UK]

Simple answer ....
Yes it does work, I have just installed it quick to test and it works fine pal

 

[digiday]

PooMan had a copy of PS 7 to test?

PooMan,

You're saying you happened to have an old copy of PS 7 to test this with?... I want to believe this but it sounds too good to be true.

All the stuff that others have written about XP mode, which has a simple 17 step installation and set-up list, or Compatibility Mode that requires changing allot of settings, troubleshoot compatibility, and using registry editor, it also sounds like a risky and troublesome path.

So you are saying you had a copy of PS 7 and installed it on your W7 machine just for this purpose when you hadn't installed it before?... are you sitting in a laboratory somewhere in Microsoft headquarters?

Thanks,

digiday

 

[PooMan UK]

Hiya Digiday

Yes I do happen to have a copy of PS 7 to test this with. I like yourself also do graphics.

And no I'm not sitting in a some MS lab, I'm just sitting at home and trying to help out where I can.

You will notice here at seven forums allot of the members will go out of their way to help others, that's the reason that people come back time and time again.

So for this reason I decided to install it quick and test it out... hope this helps a bit pal.

 

[digiday]

W7 compatibility website says okay for PS Elements 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

 

[digiday]

Thanks PooMan

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

 

[PooMan UK]

Well I installed it normally (no compatibility mode).
Ran it
Opened up 5 or 6 ps files
Checked that all the layers and effects were intact
Loaded a few pluggins & tested them
Saved a couple of them and then opened them up in CS

Didn't do any extensive tests, but it seemed ok from my end

 

[Six9siX]

I also used Ps7 alot xp and now w7 both x64
but the only annoying problem in w7 is when adjusting something with sliders when holding LMB for few seconds it acts like alt+Tab and minimizes photoshop (its the only problem with Ps7 in W7x64).
Now iI'm on PsCs5 x64 (it had a few new things) but if U know what ur doing Ps7 is just enough.
Ps 7 was installed in normal mode.

 

[DeaconFrost]

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.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

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.

 

[Artsieladie]

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!

 

[digiday]

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.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html

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

Good luck Artsieladie,

digi

 

[Artsieladie]

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

 

[digiday]

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