Compatibility Mode

Brink · 25 Sep 2012

Hello Brittan, and welcome to Seven Forums. :)

Is the Run this program in compatibility mode for box checked?

Could you also post back with a screenshot showing this?

Lone Browncoat · 25 Jan 2013

Just registered to say thanks to you all, if I do have any questions,It'll probably be in two weeks when I complete the upgrades to the workstation or I'll be mostly lurking because book I bought I found to be rather thin info wise.

Brink · 25 Jan 2013

Hello Lone Browncoat, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. :)

mojonba · 15 Apr 2013

Brink said:

Hello Mojonba,

The program may be overriding it. I don't know of any way to force it if that's the case.

mojonba said:

Brink,

I am trying to disable Desktop Window Composition for AutoCad Lt 2013 on w7 x64. I have done it via the compatibility tab as well as the registry option with no avail. I am doing it right as it works with other executables. It just doesnot work with AutoCad LT 2013. Any ideas on how to force this?

Thanks,

Brink,

I found out that disabling windows composition does not work in any x64 app. It does work with all x86 apps. Any idea why?

Thanks

Brink · 15 Apr 2013

Hello Mojonba,

64-bit apps do not use the options under "Settings" in the Compatibility tab since those are only for 16-bit and 32-bit programs instead.

Cats · 22 Mar 2014

Hello. I'm not entirely sure this is the correct topic for posting this kind of problem (please let me know if it isn't), but I have been experiencing a great number of compatibility-related issues with certain Windows (optional) updates. Previously, I have been installing regular recommended updates as normal. I began experiencing difficulties with a USB microphone. I checked the optional updates (they also included a graphics card update, and a realtek update) and installed them. Upon my computer starting up and me logging in, zero .exe files are able to be launched. After a bit of fiddling around and research, it appears all (.exe files at least) files have been set to run compatibility mode for Windows XP. I found that setting specific applications to compatability mode for Win7 let them run, but the problem remains for the hundreds of other programs switched to Windows XP Service pack 3. I have no idea why this happened, but the problem occurred after I installed a couple updates from 2011-2013. These affected the system files, and based on what I have read and see, I am not able to dig through update history and revert them or even see them.
I tried the troubleshooting program, and when it produced its recommended settings, they were for Windows XP Service Pack 3 - so I am lead to believe that after the updates installed, they somehow decided it was a good idea that all my applications be switched to run compatibility mode for WinXPSP3.

NOTE: Upon checking the file properties for .exe files, the "Run in compatability mode for:" box is NOT checked. In the dropdown menu right below (which is greyed out because the box is not checked), it says Windows XP Service Pack 3. Screenshot attached for above description. When this program and all programs I have not manually changed the compatibility settings for, it instantly crashes. I am willing to go into more detail with requested information, but I'm not very tech savvy, so in English please! :)

I looked around a bit on these forums and it does not appear (at least at second glance) that anyone else had this problem occur to them. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

Brink · 22 Mar 2014

Hello Cats, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I must admit that I've not seen this before either. How long ago did this start?

I would recommend to check the two Layers keys locations in OPTION THREE of the tutorial to make sure that both do not have any XP entries in their right pane. If they do, then delete them. This is where the compatibility mode settings are stored at, and would be easier to undo them here than one by one for each .exe file.

If nothing is in the Layers keys, then you could do a system restore using a restore point dated before this happened to hopefully undo and fix this.

Hope this helps, :)
Shawn

Cats · 22 Mar 2014

Thanks for the quick response!

The problems started as soon as my computer turned back on after those updates were installed - so it's about 3 days old.
The screenshots are below - the first one is from the HKEY_CURRENT_USER path, and the second is from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE path. Only the 2nd had anything related to WinXP, and it was two programs with the comp. set to XP Service pack 2. I promptly banished them from this plane, and yet nothing has changed. Now that I think about it I ought to have waited to delete those two things.

The two programs you see are the ones in which I went into the .exe properties and manually changed the compatibility to Win7. Though, I do find it a bit odd nothing else was in there, seeing as the other programs are still set to WinXP SP3. Perhaps it was what I thought originally and my computer decided that was to be the recommended compatibility for all files? I've got nothing, and I'm completely open to a system restore, I just want to know what else there is I can do.

Thanks a bunch for helping me! It's greatly appreciated.

Brink · 22 Mar 2014

The .exe files are not actually set to use compatibility mode unless the Run this program in compatibility mode for box is checked, so it doesn't matter what is selected for compatibility mode until checked.

I would recommend to do a system restore using a restore point dated before this started.

R3nam3 · 19 May 2015

Hi guys,

How can i set compatibility mode for a program using cmd? Is this possible ?