So how can you find out whether any of your software might cause problems with XP? Firstly, Microsoft have a database of hardware and software that has been declared compatible www. The soundcard section is almost exclusively devoted to Creative products, for instance, while the Digital Video, Audio, and Animation section contains none of the most popular music software. If you have a program that causes you problems running under Windows XP, the Program Compatibility Wizard provides a selection of modes that emulate various previous versions of Windows.
Microsoft do also provide the Upgrade Advisor a free 32Mb download. This tool will scan your hardware and software for possible conflicts, but it isn't infallible — particularly, it seems, with scanners and software-based modems, often declaring them incompatible when in reality they're working well.
What about applications not covered by Microsoft's list? Well, all Windows software released in the last couple of years will almost certainly be XP-compatible.
When it comes to software released before Summer and not subsequently updated, many helpful developers have posted a simple assurance on their web site that all will be well if their software is run under XP, or offer specific instructions on the best way to proceed, even if an update isn't likely. You may even be able to download a small 'fix' or 'patch' file that, once run, will render the original application completely XP-compatible. An example is the patch supplied by Gary Gregson for his popular XGedit utility, which cures minor graphic corruption when running under Windows and XP.
It may be that no reassurances or instructions relating to your software of choice are visible, and there are no suitable updates. Or perhaps you're absolutely determined to stick with the current version of the application rather than indulge in a payable upgrade, even if there is one available. If so, you may be lucky: it's quite possible that you won't experience problems when installing and running the application in question under XP.
Of the problems that can occur, some may be immediately obvious, such as a Setup or Install routine that refuses to run although sometimes such problems can be cured in a PC with multiple user accounts by logging back on as Administrator, or by logging off any other users except the account that will install the program.
Once a program has been installed, or if you've upgraded to XP 'over the top' , leaving existing applications in place, other obvious signs that something is wrong are your PC locking up every time you try to launch a particular application, or aborting immediately with an error message. The PC might work some of the time but still crash occasionally, or it might soldier on but with MIDI or audio timing problems. It isn't a cure for every Windows fault with older programs, but during my researches I discovered many issues that it can deal with.
Program Compatibility modes can only deal with some software problems, and they don't attempt to resolve those relating to hardware. After all, this is the province of the hardware driver, and therefore up to to the individual hardware manufacturer. You should visit the web sites of all hardware expansion card manufacturers to download the latest XP drivers for your devices, including soundcards, graphic cards, modems, network cards, and so on.
Further drivers will be required for any hardware devices that plug into the serial or parallel ports, such as MIDI interfaces, printers, scanners, and modems. However, if one of your favourite hardware devices doesn't have an XP driver, don't bin it or abandon XP as an option just yet, since there may be another way to get it to work. Try an Internet search using the device name and 'XP drivers' to see if there's any other information available, particularly from user groups.
For instance, I'm still using an old Agfa Snapscan P scanner, bought in , with a parallel port connection. While Agfa claim that XP drivers will never be written for it, I discovered claims by users that the Windows Beta drivers will work under Windows XP, albeit with a few caveats. For the few times I use my scanner I'm happy to work around these, and it certainly beats throwing away a perfectly good piece of hardware!
The kernel is the first part of the operating system to load into memory. It contains the core routines that provide the basic services for all other parts of the operating system. Compatibility Mode is designed to help when running 'legacy' applications — those that were originally designed for a previous version of Windows. These can include bit applications designed for Windows 9x, NT, or , plus bit applications originally destined for operating systems as old as Windows 3. Although many such legacy applications will run perfectly well under Windows XP without any tweaking at all, others check for the required version of Windows during their startup routines and abort if they don't find it, or check for the existence of specific system files that have long since been superseded, throwing up a cryptic error message when they are not found.
Do note that utilities such as hard drive editors, defragmenters, some CD-burning programs, virus-detection utilities, backup and other system programs that require low-level access to previous versions of Windows should not be used with Compatibility mode. You might scramble your drive contents if you do this. Vital system files are stored by Windows XP in its system folder, but may also exist as duplicates in the WinSxS folder see main text , and in individual application folders, so different versions can co-exist.
As you can see, the different instances may also vary considerably in size. Some problems with older applications can't be solved simply by using Compatibility Mode, including those caused because an 'over the top' Windows XP install has left old versions of system files in the shared system folder.
Placing such commonly used system files into a single folder saved lots of drive space, but installing an elderly application could result in an older version of a shared system file overwriting the current one, causing other applications to fail or Windows itself to crash.
Windows and ME both had Windows File Protection to prevent the modification of core system DLLs, while allowing individual applications to use their own private versions of these files. Windows XP goes further, by introducing 'shared assemblies' consisting of a group of resources, including DLLs, stored in the WinSxS Windows Side by Side folder, plus 'private assemblies' that are stored in the application's own folder.
If an older application relies on an old DLL but a newer version already exists, Windows XP will spot this and divert calls to the older version, as necessary, while leaving the newer version in place for other applications. If you're upgrading to XP it's important that you completely un-install such programs, and then re-install them again after the changeover.
These applications will then still think they are installing any system file versions they need, but XP will be managing the process and will not let them overwrite vital system files. Reinstalling should also ensure that information stored in the old Win. Then, when the applications are run, they can either use their own private versions of system files, safely stored within the application's own folder, or the required shared version from the Windows SxS folder, without interfering with the newer system files used by most XP applications.
How will you know if the applications you want to run use bit DLL files? Posted 07 January - AM. Tezla New Member Member 1 posts. Posted 20 May - PM. GypsyR New Member Member 7 posts. Not so good for games and a little more complicated to setup, but it does run some 95 and 98 stuff that won't run under XP otherwise. I seem to recall running a DOS app or two under it as well. Reply to quoted posts Clear. Downloads View all categories Upload file New files since last visit Files from past 7 days.
Members Status Updates. Register now! Delete and re-add the backslash key to remap the keyboard until the backslash key types the right character. You can change your directory easily in DOSBox by simply typing the name of your mounted drive. Then type DIR to see the files in your directory. Type CD plus the name of the directory to change to a different directory.
Type DIR again to see the contents of the new directory. Look for a. COM or. EXE file name. Type the file name to start the program. Founder of Help Desk Geek and managing editor. He began blogging in and quit his job in to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications.
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