Good afternoon.
Time moves inexorably forward and, sooner or later, certain programs and games become obsolete. The operating systems in which they worked are also beginning to be replaced en masse with newer ones.
But what about those who want to remember their youth, or who simply need this or that program or game for work that refuses to work in the newfangled Windows 8?
In this article I would like to look at running old programs and games on new computers. Let's look at several methods, including virtual machines, which allow you to run almost any application!
So, let's begin…
1. Game console emulators
Perhaps the first word in this article should go to game console emulators (Sega, Dendy, Sony PS). These consoles appeared in the 90s and immediately gained wild popularity. They were played by young and old at any time of the year and day!
By the 2000s, the excitement subsided, computers began to appear and somehow everyone forgot about them. But these console games can also be played on a computer by downloading a special program - emulator. Then download the game and open it in this emulator. Everything is quite simple.
By the way! The network is full of emulators for other game consoles. The purpose of this small preview for this article was to show that you can play console games on your computer!
Now let’s move from console games to computer games and programs...
2. Launch using Windows OS Compatibility Tools
If a program or game refuses to start or behaves unstable, you can try running it in compatibility mode for a specific OS. Fortunately, the developers themselves built this feature into Windows.
Is it true, over the entire period of use, this method probably helped me out a couple of times out of several hundred launches of problematic applications! Therefore, it’s worth trying, but you can’t believe in 100% success.
1) Right-click on the desired executable program file and select properties. By the way, you can also click on the desktop icon (i.e., shortcut). The effect is the same.
2) Now check the box next to “compatibility mode” and select the OS you want to emulate.
Then save the settings and try to start the program. There is a chance that it will work.
3. Running games and programs in the DOS environment
Even the oldest programs can be run on a modern OS, although this will require special programs that emulate the DOS environment.
O days of the best DOS emulators in Windows environment is DOSBox. You can download from of. site
programs.
Installing DOSBox
Installing the program is not difficult. Only I would recommend that when installing, be sure to create an icon (shortcut) of the executable file on the desktop. Check the box next to “Desktop Shortcut”.
Running games in DOSBox
Let's take some old game that needs to be launched on Windows8. let it be Sid Meier's turn-based strategy Civilization 1.
If your program requires Windows 98, for example, then you will no longer be able to do without a virtual machine. Next we will talk about them!
4. Running old operating systems in new versions of Windows
It is possible to run any old program on a new OS only using virtual machines. They are ordinary programs that emulate, as it were, the operation of a real computer. Those. It turns out that you can run an OS in Windows 8, for example, Windows 2000. And already in these running old OSs you can run any executable files (programs, games, etc.).
We’ll talk about how to do all this in this section of this article.
4.1. Virtual machine. Installation
This is a free virtual machine that will allow you to run dozens of operating systems on your new computer, from Windows 95 to Windows 7.
The only thing is that this type of program is quite demanding on system resources, so if you want to run Windows 8 on Windows 8, you need to have at least 4 GB.
Works in both 32 and 64 bit systems. The installation takes place in a standard way, personally, I don’t touch any checkboxes, everything is by default.
The only thing I leave a checkbox for is for the installer to create a shortcut on the desktop to launch the program (Create a shortcut on the desktop).
In general, after installing VirtualBox, you can begin installing the OS into it. But more on that below.
4.2. Setting up a virtual machine
Before you begin installing the OS, you need to configure the virtual machine.
1) After the first launch in VirtualBox, you can click only one button - “create”. Actually, we press.
5) The virtual hard disk that you create in this program is a regular image file. It will be located in the folder that you specify during setup.
There are two types of virtual hard disk:
Dynamic: means that the file will grow in size as the disk fills up;
Fixed: The size will be set immediately.
6) This, as a rule, ends the setup of the virtual machine. By the way, you should have a button to start the created machine. It will behave as if you turned on the computer without the OS installed.
4.3. Installing Windows 2000 on a virtual machine
In this post, we will use Windows 2000 as an example. Its installation will not differ much from the installation of Windows Xp, NT, ME.
To start you need to create or download an installation disk from this OS. By the way, the image is needed in ISO format (in principle, any image will do, but with ISO the entire installation procedure will be faster).
1) Start the virtual machine. Everything is simple here and there should be no problems.
2) The second step is to connect our image in ISO format to the virtual machine. To do this, select the item device/select optical disk image. If the image is joined, then you should see a picture like the one in the screenshot below.
3) Now you need to reboot the virtual machine. This can be done using the command of the same name. See screenshot below.
4) If the image is working and you did everything correctly in the previous 3 steps, you will see a welcome screen and the installation of Windows 2000 will begin.
5) After 2-5 min. (on average) copying installation files, you will be asked to read the license agreement, select a disk for installation, whether to format it, etc. - in general, everything is the same as during a normal Windows installation.
The only thing. You don’t have to be afraid to make mistakes, because anyway, everything that happens will happen on a virtual machine, which means it won’t harm your main operating system in any way!
7) After another reboot, you will already see Windows 2000 installed!
By the way, you can install games, programs in it, and generally work in it as if it were a computer running Windows 2000.
4.3. Sharing files with a virtual machine (hard drive connection)
Many users do not experience any big problems with installing and specifying basic settings for a virtual machine. But difficulties may begin when you decide to add a file (or, conversely, copy it from the virtual machine disk). Directly, through “edit-copy-paste” the trick will not work...
3) Here you need to select the section “ disk management«.
In the column on the right, click on the control button and select the “attach virtual hard disk” option. Enter the address where it is located and connect the VHD file.
How to find a VHD file?
Very simply, by default, during installation, the file will be at:
C:\Users\alex\VirtualBox VMs\winme
where "alex" is your account name.
Personally, I would not have bothered to figure it out if I had not encountered the fact that the program needed for the calculations was not so ancient and would not refuse to work in Windows XP. I had to install and configure a virtual machine, then install Windows 2000 into it, and then carry out calculations in it...
By the way, how do you launch old programs? Or don't use them at all?
Compatibility of programs with previous versions of the operating system is one of the main issues that Microsoft, the developer of Windows, must take into account when releasing its next version. Thus, the OS, despite many innovations and an emphasis primarily on the portable computer market, supports almost all programs that were once developed for previous versions - XP, Vista, 7. For a moment, almost everything, but not everything in ideal.
Thus, when launching some programs written for Windows XP and earlier versions of the system, difficulties may arise: old programs either will not start at all or will work incorrectly or with malfunctions. These, of course, are isolated cases, but if many programs have their own evolutionary versions, then with retro computer games everything is somewhat more complicated - many, for example, will not be able to indulge in frantic races and eternal escapes from the police in the old one, however, the still popular 2005 game NFS: Most Wanted. Fortunately, system compatibility tools will help solve this problem, with the help of which some old games or programs can be launched in compatibility mode with previous versions of Windows, in particular, XP.
1. What is Windows Compatibility Mode?
To put it simply, when some program or game does not have internal data about the existence of a newer version of Windows, it naturally will not run in an environment unknown to it. And you can run it only in a special mode that ensures compatibility of a newer version of Windows with an older one. And the old program or game naturally has data about the old version of the operating system. The compatibility mode is enabled by a specific system option. But, more about everything.
2. Running old programs and games on Windows 8/8.1 in compatibility mode: step-by-step instructions
So, you have an old game or program installed on your computer that normally does not run on Windows 8/8.1. Or it starts, but does not work correctly. Find the shortcut to launch this game or program on your desktop or in the installation folder. Right-click to open the context menu on the file. From this menu select " Properties».
A file properties window will appear, where we are interested in the “ Compatibility" Here is a system tool for ensuring compatibility of programs and games installed on Windows 8/8.1 with its earlier versions.
You will see the corresponding option - “ Run the program in compatibility mode", next to which you need to check the box. Below, select from the drop-down list of all earlier versions of Windows exactly the version on which your game or program launched and worked correctly - for example, Windows XP SP2. By the way, Windows XP is also represented in the list by separate service packs - separate fix packages that were released for this version of the system. Then click " Apply», « OK", launch the game or program shortcut and test.
Perhaps the first time you launch your program or game in compatibility mode on Windows 8/8.1 will be unsuccessful - alas, there is a lot in this operating system that needs improvement. Then it’s worth trying to change the version of Windows, including different XP service packs. Most programs and games at one time were massively developed specifically for Windows XP. And most often, software conflicts arise between Windows XP and the latest versions of this OS - 7 and 8/8.1.
3. Other compatibility mode settings
Tab " Compatibility» properties of a game or program shortcut has a number of other settings, let’s look at them.
In chapter " Options» there are settings for displaying a game or program on the monitor screen.
3.1. Low color mode
Since many old games and program interfaces are adapted for old video cards with low resolutions - 640x480p, 800x600p, such games and programs must be launched in low color mode. Modern video cards (even budget office ones) and monitors reproduce a 24-bit color palette on the screen. The low color mode will provide old games and programs with exactly the display on the monitor screen that these games and programs were designed for at the time of development. If this is your case, check the box next to the “ Low color mode" and from the drop-down list select the desired color depth - 8- or 16-bit color.
3.2. Run at 640x480p resolution
The second option of launch parameters in compatibility mode does not require any special comments, since everything is obvious - it is designed to launch old games and programs with a screen resolution of 640x480p, which with modern video cards and monitors is not even displayed in the screen settings.
3.3. Disabling image scaling on modern high-resolution monitors
If an old game or an old program's interface appears distorted on a modern high-resolution monitor, you can use the third option in the launch options in compatibility mode.
It disables image scaling on the screen.
3.4. Applying settings to all accounts
All the settings you have made are in the “ Compatibility"The properties of the game or program shortcut are remembered by the system, and when you launch it again, you will no longer need to configure anything. If you log into Windows 8/8.1 under a different account, the new user will have to configure everything themselves. Therefore, if there are several accounts on your computer or laptop, with administrator rights, you can use the option to change parameters “ for all users».
And then compatibility mode will work for everyone who has access to the device from different accounts.
To sum it up...
As mentioned, only some older games and programs can be run in compatibility mode, but not all. It is possible that your efforts may not be successful, and you will not be able to run some of the old games and programs on Windows 8/8.1. But this is not a reason to be upset - you can install a program to create a virtual computer (for example or ), create one, install any old version of Windows on it and install the old game or program into it. This method is much more reliable than Windows 8/8.1 compatibility mode with older versions. True, your computer or laptop must have more or less powerful hardware - programs for working with virtual computers like Virtual Dub or VMware Workstation do not like weak machines that always slow down. After all, then the hardware capacity will have to be divided in half, and speed will only be a dream.
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Microsoft's strength and curse is its position in terms of its programming. It is aimed at But the fact is that this position only works on some operating systems (OS). So, games that worked properly and without any problems on Windows 7 will also work on Windows 10, but if you take older software or games, then the “top ten” may no longer run them.
The article will discuss how to launch an old game on Windows 10 in different ways. All possible options for launching software and games will be analyzed in detail, the causes and solution to the problem will be identified.
The game does not start: why?
There are countless reasons for applications not working properly on Windows 10. Of course, they won’t all be sorted out now, but we’ll talk about the most popular ones and find out why the old ones are on
Outdated programming language. The fact is that programs are often completely dependent on administrator rights. This is why old programs and games can run without problems on Windows XP, but simply give an error on a newer version of the OS. But the fact is that since those long ago these rights requests have been changed. This happened for many reasons, one of which was the ease of hacking the software.
Dependency on previous software versions. Most often, due to the programming language, programs use libraries such as the NET Framework. And if the program was created at a time when the latest version of this library was 3.5, then most likely it will not run on Windows 10, since the fourth version is installed by default.
16-bit software. Nowadays PC hardware has become much better and almost everyone can afford to install a 64-bit version of Windows. But on this version, 16-bit old games for Windows will not run, since there is no compatibility between them. Although the solution to this problem is not so complicated - you just need to install the 32-bit version.
DOS. In the old days, even before Windows 7, all Microsoft operating systems were installed on top of DOS. Similarly, applications were released under these OSs. But now they will no longer start.
Windows 10 update
Microsoft knows how worried people are that some of their favorite programs and games may not run after upgrading to Windows 10. That is why a program was created, the name of which is Upgrade Assistant Windows. This program scans your computer and ultimately makes a verdict on which software will continue to work properly and which will not. Of course, no one gives a 100% guarantee, but it’s still better than updating blindly.
This often happens: the game has stopped working, although your friend is doing well. There may very well be a problem with updating the game itself. For example, when installing a game from a disk and trying to launch it, the OS will throw an error. The solution to this problem is to download patches. Most likely, the developer adapted the game for it with the release of the new OS.
The topic of libraries has already been raised above, but now let’s look at everything in more detail. We will talk about the same NET Framework. If a game or program does not launch on Windows 10, do not rush to delete it. It is quite possible that it was created at a time when the NET Framework version 3.0 was considered top, and you have version 4.5 installed. To solve this problem, simply install the old version.
Administrator rights
We talked about how to run an old game on Windows 10 (if the fault lies with updates), but now let’s move on to the simplest problem. Namely, to the problem of administration.
Often, Windows 10 itself understands when to run a game or program as an administrator, and when it is not required. But in life anything happens, and sometimes the system does not work correctly. To solve this problem, just always try. This is very simple to do; on the program you are launching, you need to right-click (RMB) and select the action of the same name in the context menu.
This problem can also be solved if control is completely removed. However, it is not advisable to perform this action, otherwise problems with the OS itself may occur.
Compatibility issue
How to run an old game on Windows 10 if it is incompatible with it? But you know very well that this game works fine, for example, on Windows XP (Service Pack 3). Don’t rush to change your operating system, the Tens developers have thought of everything.
Typically, such games do not launch due to the fact that they are compatible only with XP, and the programming languages and libraries are also suitable for Windows 10. To troubleshoot problems, simply right-click on the shortcut of the program or game being launched and select “Properties” in the menu. In the window that opens, select the “Compatibility” tab. There, at the top of the window, you can find a button “Run the compatibility troubleshooter.” Click on it, after a while the problem will be analyzed, and the OS will solve the problem on its own. From this tab you can also make sure that the game is always launched as an administrator.
DOSBox
Since we are looking at the question of how to run an old game on Windows 10, we cannot ignore such a thing as DOSBox. For those who don’t know, this is a program that emulates the full DOS environment. It is also noteworthy that the emulation takes place in a window.
Therefore, if you have a desire to play, for example, the original DOOM, you do not need to despair and go looking for old PCs. All you need to do is download the program presented above, in addition to it - the game image, and then run it using the program.
This method is not considered out of the ordinary; even the developers themselves use it, as they understand that old games simply will not run on Windows 10. Thus, many old games from Steam are downloaded immediately from DOSBox.
VirtualBox
How to launch an old game on Windows 10 if none of the above methods helped you? The last option is What is this? Something like an emulator, but only the operating system environment itself is emulated.
So, if compatibility is not on your side and the game flatly refuses to start, then by downloading VirtualBox and the image of the OS for which the game is designed, you can install it not on your hardware, but on the program itself. The result will be something like an operating system inside an already installed OS. However, your game will launch this way with ease.
So, in the article we looked at how to run old games on Windows 10 if they flatly refuse to work. All methods have been tested and will not cause any harm to your computer, so if you want to remember your youth and play long-forgotten games, now you know how to do it.
Games and programs for Windows XP run without problems in the new version of the OS. But not all old programs can work the first time. In this case, the recommendations described below will help you understand how to run old games on Windows 10 or other builds.
Running as administrator
Most games and programs for Windows XP were developed taking into account the fact that the user works with the computer under the Administrator account. Therefore, if the application does not start, right-click on. exe file and select "Run as administrator".
Debugging Compatibility Mode
Windows has a built-in utility that performs compatibility debugging for legacy programs.
RMB on .exe file→ Properties → Compatibility tab → Click the “Run Compatibility Troubleshooter” button. 
If the application ran without problems in an earlier version of the OS, but does not work in Windows 10, in the “Compatibility Mode” block, check the box “Run the program in compatibility mode for:” and select one of the operating systems that are in the list. 
Another option is to set special program launch settings. This can be done in the “Parameters” block by checking the box on one of the items:
- low color mode;
- use screen resolution 640 x 480;
- disable image scaling at high screen resolutions;
- run this program as an administrator.
Games with DRM protection installed
Games that have SafeDisc and SecuROM DRM protection do not run on Windows 10. In this case, the user has several options to solve the problem:
- Use the “no CD” patch, which allows you to run the game without a disc. But this method is the most unsafe. Such patches are developed by third parties, so they often contain a virus that harms the OS.
- Reorder the game from a digital distribution service.
- An official patch that removes DRM protection may be available for download on the game manufacturer's website.
Good to know! A difficult option for launching such applications is to install an older version of the operating system in parallel with Windows 10 and run such games on it, or open the application on a virtual machine.
DOS Applications
Old DOS applications can be run in a Windows desktop window. DOSBox is used for this (you can find out how to run Android applications on Windows in the article “”). Compared to this application, it handles older DOS applications much more efficiently. 
16-bit applications
Windows 10 64-bit does not support running 16-bit programs because it does not have the WOW16 compatibility layer. If the user launches such an application on a new OS, a warning appears indicating that it cannot work.
To open such applications, install 32-bit Windows 10 on your computer (read how to do this in the article “”) or launch a virtual machine with this version of the OS. Another option is to install Windows 3.1 in DOSBOX.
Sites requesting Java, Silverlight, ActiveX
Microsoft's new built-in browser, Edge, does not support Java, Silverlight, ActiveX and other technologies. To run applications that require the use of such technologies, you will need the Internet Explorer browser. Also use the Mozilla Firefox Internet browser.
Internet Explorer can be found using the search bar by entering the name of the browser in it, or in the Edge menu, where there is an option “Open in Internet Explorer”. 
Conclusion
There are several ways to open old applications or games in Windows 10. But the best option is to find a similar application that works with modern OS.
Some components and programs of the Windows operating system are timeless. With the release of each new version, the developers not only kept them, but also improved and supplemented them. And one of these components includes standard games in Windows 7.
But let’s imagine a situation: You bought a brand new laptop or computer and discovered that there are no standard games in the operating system. Sometimes this may indeed be the case, because the Windows 7 Starter and Home base games are not installed. But if you have a different OS, then you don’t need to worry. As a rule, for OS versions such as Professional and Enterprise they are simply disabled.
And what is disabled can always be enabled. Moreover, the developers have improved the appearance of the games and added something new.
First, go to the Start menu and go to the tab "Control Panel".
A new window opens, in which we select the item “Programs”.
Now in the section "Programs and Features" follow the link.
We wait a few seconds and in the window that opens, check the box next to the “Games” item. By clicking on the “+” next to it, you can see which games will be included; if you don’t need some of them, just uncheck the box next to the unnecessary game and it will not turn on. A blue square that appears next to the “Games” item will mean that the games have been partially selected. To save the settings, click on the “OK” button.
Wait for Windows to finish installing.
There is another way to enable standard games in Windows 7, which in my opinion is faster and easier.
Click “Start” and type in the search field “Turning on or...”, the beginning of the phrase is quite enough, then select the item "Turn Windows features on or off".
A familiar window will open, in which we put the necessary checkboxes and press the “OK” button to save the settings.
That's all - how to enable standard games in Windows 7 we figured it out. Now you will see the “Games” folder in the “Start” menu.
