Windows XP Hacks

Force XP-Incompatible Applications to Run

Don’t throw away your old programs that can’t run under XP. Use these hacks to force them to work.

Some older applications, including old games and programs written specifically for an earlier version of Windows, might not run properly or run at all under XP. But there’s a lot you can do to make sure they run, including running an automated Compatibility Wizard and using a little-known Microsoft tool to solve compatibility problems.

Use the Compatibility Wizard

If you find a program that won’t run under XP, start with the easiest step. Run the Compatibility Wizard: choose Start → Help and Support → Fixing a Problem → “Application and software problems” → “Fix a problem” → “Getting older programs to run on XP,” then scroll down and click on Program Compatibility Wizard.

You’ll be prompted to choose the software you want to fix and then asked a series of questions, including the operating system for which the software was written, or on which it last ran properly, and the screen resolutions recommended for the program. Figure 9-2 shows the wizard in action. The wizard then applies those settings and tries to run the program. If the settings work, the wizard will let you specify to always run the program using them. If they don’t, try different settings until you get it working properly.

There may be some instances in which a program won’t even install on your system. In those instances, run the Compatibility Wizard on the installation or ...