Will old software run on Windows Vista?

Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:52AM EDT

See Comments (26)

After my most recent blog post about XP and Vista, many users who are finally considering upgrading to the new OS have emailed me with the same question: Will my old software run on Vista, or will I have to upgrade all of that, too?

I've covered this issue a few times in the past, but the situation changes from month to month as new applications become compatible and other ones break. The bottom line is, yes, most software that ran on XP will run fine on Vista, with a few exceptions.

What won't run? Older security software designed for XP or earlier will almost universally not run; you shouldn't even try to install an antivirus or anti-spyware application on a Vista machine unless you know for sure that it is compatible with Vista. (It will say so on the box or when you download it.)

As for other older software, there's no way of knowing whether your program will run on Vista or not without simply trying to install it. Chances are it will work, but Microsoft never published a broad compatibility list for Vista, which has left millions of users guessing whether their software would work or not. However, when you first attempt to install an old app, Vista may pop up an ominous warning that the program you're installing is not compatible with the OS. Try to install it anyway: More often than not, I've had zero problems with the software after it was installed, despite Microsoft's warning to the contrary.

But even if the app won't run after installation, you still have another option for making it work: That's because Vista includes a system called Compatibility Mode, which lets Vista emulate an older Windows OS, all the way back to Windows 95. (XP actually has this feature, too, but very few people have ever had to use it.) If you install an app and it won't run, just right-click it, select Properties, and click the Compatibility tab. Check the box for "Run this program in compatibility mode for" and select another OS (typically Windows XP SP2) from the drop-down box. (See screenshot for example.) It ought to work most of the time, but again, be warned, do not use this trick for old security software.

If Compatibility Mode doesn't work and you can't find a Vista patch for the softwar online, well, you should probably upgrade.

Comments on Will old software run on Windows Vista?

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  • 6 Posted by shadowman_26 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    #5, you need to blame OLYMPUS about the driver issue, not Microsoft!!! They had absolutely nothing to do with the drivers for your printer. The manufacturers of the componets have given Vista the reputation it has. Everyone is all too gun ho to place the blame on Microsoft when the real problem is the equipment manufacturers who won't update or release Vista drivers.

  • 7 Posted by sciencetroll@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    the shadowman is right. everyone always blames microsoft for all of the compadability issues. i have hardware that wont run on my xp machine that will work on a 98

  • 8 Posted by dittersdoodles on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have 3 laptops running Vista. I have a desktop with XP. I just had a motherboard failure on a 7 year old Compaq with W98. I found that running older versions of a program that was reliable in W98 ran fine in Vista. I have problems with the newer ones that were made specifically with XP in mind. I too had issues with a manufacturer about compatibility. HP said it was Windows and Microsoft said it was HP. Because my equipment was fairly new, I blamed HP and went out and bought a competitors scanner. The manager at Best Buy accepted my return (surprisingly) in order to keep a customer happy. After spending more money on a scanner, I found out that when I installed my W98 hard drive in the XP tower as a slave, I was able to boot up the W98 and still use the old scanner. Now I have two scanners. One is used for everyday use and the other I do still use, booting up W98 in order to use the scan slides and scan negative features, something that I couldn't find available in my budget when I bought the new scanner. I haven't had problems with Vista or XP for that matter, until Microsoft starts spitting out updates. I disable them and my machines work fine. I wait until an update is quite old before I get them. I google the KB# on the update and see what others say about it, then decide to install or not. The only thing this article forgot to mention that a lot of novices don't do is restart the computer after installing something. Even if it doesn't ask, you should restart. If it appears it didn't install - restart before you uninstall/delete your attempt. Also, they need to go to the software's website, check their FAQ's and also google the program with "compatible with Windows X" and see what you come up with. Might help doing this before buying software too.

  • 9 Posted by celticleia on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    A number of older classic games won't run on Vista either. or if they do, they are so buggy it's almost not even worth it. Most gamers I know are sticking with XP.

  • 10 Posted by ybotherasking on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    Once again I feel the need to offer some personal experience. I work for a large hospital system. We have several thousand computers that run 24/7/365. They're used for such mundane tasks as registering new patients, monitoring patients' vitals on the floors, accessing patient records, etc. We also have a couple of thousand more computers for specialized tasks such as processing and reading Xrays, controlling CT scans, MRIs, positioning lasers in the operating rooms, etc. Every machine is running XP and will continue to do so for the forseeable future because Vista is NOT up to the task. Even brand new diagnostic tools manufactured in 2008 are NOT Vista compatible and it has nothing to do with drivers. Biomed companies have pleaded with Microsoft and have brought numerous problems to Microsoft's attention. So if you ever need to go to a hospital make sure they're not using Vista. Your life could depend on it.

  • 11 Posted by rayvr@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    I've had problems with older software, that ran great on XP, running poorly on Vista, with buggy, crazy things happening in the software. Don't tell me I'm being unfair to Microsoft. I realize that some driver issues are not Microsoft's fault, but in my prior message here I mentioned the scanner issue, and yes, Microsoft blames HP and HP blames Microsoft. The customer, in the middle, gets no resolution. As I say, I am no Vista fan. Check out what other Vista users say. I did update the scanner driver for Vista, but there are still problems. This is a relatively new scanner. I can no longer use the buttons on the scanner, like print, share and copy. So, I keep my laptop with XP for the moments when need to fall back on XP. Thanks Vista.

  • 12 Posted by jd_1876 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    And when you have problems with Vista, Microsoft will charge you for phone customer service if the OS was preinstalled. Go figure. I am glad I have a Mac because of things like this. But if you have Vista preinstalled, MS will offer free customer service, via text chat.

  • 13 Posted by agustin2489 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    To the first poster, I actually did run into the problem of running 16-bit code on a 64-bit Vista machine. Specifically, it was running an installer for a program that ran on 32-bit. I ended up using virtualization software (VMware to be specific) to emulate 32-bit XP. I linked the virtual drive to the physical drive, which was pretty interesting to find out, and I installed the program on the system. Good stuff, no?

  • 14 Posted by wmtyrancz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is the problem,Everyone wants to blame Microsoft for their software and hardware problems and internet so called IT people find it easier to jump on the bandwagon and post and agree with these people. The guy here in a earlier post actually blamed Microsoft because his photo printer didn't work. This is just stupid. He even said that the company didn't want to spend the money on driver update for vista and he still blamed microsoft. When will people grow up. I know alot of people in tech and some work in pc stores. The stories they tell me about people that come in with vista problems is unreal. They wonder why these people should be aloud to own a computer. Research people,start to do some basic reading on tech. Try to understand what you own.

  • 16 Posted by imfallen_angel on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    I look back and remember when; I have a old printer that had Win98 drivers that didn't work right on XP, I found information that make it work. With Vista, I have a scanner (HP) that wasn't working (XP drivers only). Again, I found a way around the problem and it works fine. I'm using a graphic software that is now 10 years old *sigh* that no longer exists (company bought out, and the company that bought them out used part of the code for their graphic software, but that particular software was never revived..sadly, as it's still outdoing everything that's out there) When I installed it on Vista, it wouldn't work, not until I figured out the compatibility settings (diabled desktop composition). It's not 100% perfect (the marquee doesn't show perfectly) but aside that, it works great and I was very happy about it!

  • 17 Posted by rendersafe@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    I don't see the big deal I really like Vista seems simple and has been working great for me, I tossed my old software out when I got the new system

  • 18 Posted by rowinsz_ago on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    Anything will run well under program compatibility mode but there are problems emulating 16bit programs on 64bit OSes.

  • 19 Posted by rizahawkeye3 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    hey, just forget about that, get back on xp and 2000 and so on and start REDOING that work there, cause xp is the greatest for businesses and everything else, while kid are learning from 2000 about typing and more common since. Ever though of that? I don't think so. About everyone in the whole world uses computer, and there is NO reason to start billing us for using the computer and its operating system or whatever, cause we are already having hard time paying off the bill of these internet for more information and getting ahead for life of what we are doing. If you don't understand, reread this again. And think again, if you guys start that billing for os... then you are completely out of luck, cause NO one will never pay the bill for the os about every month or so.

  • 20 Posted by vincenzo9198 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    Rayvr, why are you angry? You say that the problem is with Olympus, then you bash Vista. Do not jump on the Anti-MS bandwagon simply because it's there.

  • 21 Posted by happyboy72848 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    There are many of us old folks to whom the computer is still new and interesting, even in it's basic form. The tech talk is understandable to us. Most young people have grown up with computers, but most of us oldsters haven't. Thanks for the info. Some of it is really eye-opening to beginners and intermediates. All the experts don't need this info anyway, so quit griping. I currently use XP Home and have been relunctant to switch to Vista. I bought my computer eighteen months ago with XP installed. I like the way it works and thought I might wait for Vista to work out all the bugs. When's the debut of the new Microsoft system? Is their any point in switching to Vista? Just asking!!

  • 22 Posted by kellysontheroad on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    My experience was that things would 'run' but not very well. Even recent things like MS Visual Studio 2005 ran poorly under vista, and the patches did not help.

  • 23 Posted by free2useemail on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    The one thing you also need to remember is that old video drivers that was made to work on windows XP will not work well on vista, although at first it may look like it is working, the computer will crash. I have done it, and I got the blue screen of death lots of times. If you don't have the graphic card, you will not have the vista.

  • 24 Posted by vikaasaramdas on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    Just a sec. i agree with vincenzo completely. a lot of companies dont publish driver software for vista..! its not vista's fault - but hey! dont worry - come june and the world runs vista. the companies WILL take notice, and if ur lucky, you'd probably have updates pretty soon. :)

  • 25 Posted by ratatts on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    One of the original problems with existing hadware drivers and sofware to run on Vista is that Microsoft didn't finalize the internal code till just before it was released. At this point,the software snd hardware providers have had time to develop upgrades to run on Vista. Personally I'm running a dual boot XP64/Vista64 Ultimate. I have an older HP officejet all-in-one 4215. HP has developed drivers for both and it works fine. At this point in time it's not Microsofts problem. I'm planning to add the new windows once it is finally released.

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