Running Older Programs

Most programs work well with Windows Vista. Some older ones, however, are designed exclusively for earlier versions of Windows and won't work properly in Windows Vista. In most cases, Windows will try to run a program that doesn't work, using settings that should allow the program to run while at the same time protecting your system. However, in a few cases, you might need to change settings to get the program to work correctly.

Set the Compatibility

Locate the program you want to run, either on the Start menu or in a folder window.

Right-click the program, and choose Properties from the shortcut menu to display the program's Properties dialog box.

On the Compatibility tab, select this check box to run the program in Compatibility mode.

Specify the version of Windows for which the program was designed.

Select the check boxes for applying the appropriate restrictions to the display based on the program's documentation and updated notes from the manufacturer.

Select this check box if the program needs to access restricted content and you're sure the program will do no harm to your computer.

Click OK, and try running the program. If it still doesn't run, open the Properties dialog box again and change the settings. Continue experimenting until you get the program to work or until you're convinced the program can't run on your computer. (If changing the Compatibility mode or the display settings doesn't fix the problem, check with the manufacturer for updated drivers or other fixes.)

Caution

Running programs that weren't designed for recent versions of Windows can cause problemsfor example, a program might start working and then lock up. Windows Vista will usually close the stopped program for you, but if it doesn't, click the Close button. If that doesn't work, right-click a blank spot on the taskbar, and choose Task Manager from the shortcut menu. On the Applications tab of the Task Manager dialog box, click the offending program, and then click End Task.