Applications causing compatibility issues. Solving compatibility problems between programs and games
Some users have encountered compatibility problems with some programs with the Windows operating system. You install some program, and then when you launch it, or the program may not work at all. The thing is that your version of the Windows operating system does not support this program. It is worth noting that this does not happen very often. Well, if this happened, then you can do the following.
The first step to solving the problem is to use the built-in automatic tool for troubleshooting compatibility issues. To do this, you need to go to the control panel of your computer and here go to the menu " All Control Panel Elements". In this menu you need to find and go to the menu " Troubleshooting". After these steps you will be taken to a menu in which you will need to select a sub-item " Running programs designed for other versions of Windows".
Having done everything written above, you will launch an automatic search for problematic programs. Next, the system will offer you a list of programs, among which you will need to select the program with launch problems. The diagnostic will run and at the end you will be asked to select recommended options. Select them and run the program. Most often, this method helps solve the problem of program compatibility.
By the way, this method can be launched directly from the desktop. To do this, right-click on the program you are interested in and select " Fixing compatibility issues".
If automatic troubleshooting does not help you, then you can use the manual method. But here it is worth noting that this method does not work with programs that are automatically included in Windows (for example Paint). The first step is to find the program that is having compatibility problems. Then you need to go to the folder with this program.
Find it in the folder and right-click on the program icon. Here we select the item " Properties". Of all the tabs, we are interested in the " tab Compatibility". Open it. If you worked with the program in any previous version of Windows, then you will only need to indicate the system version. If you do not know which operating system the program worked on, then you can try changing other parameters.
These two effective ways to troubleshoot compatibility issues help in most cases. But if nothing works, then you should visit the Windows Compatibility Center website, which is located at http://www.microsoft.com/ru-ru/windows/compatibility/CompatCenter/Home. You can also visit the website of the program developer. On these sites you can download versions of the program that will be compatible with the version of your operating system.
Most often, compatibility issues are resolved using standard Windows operating system tools. All you have to do is follow the instructions given here.
If you use the Windows 7 operating system in your work, then you may have already encountered a situation where, when you start an old program, it displays some error messages or does not start at all. And at the same time, you know for sure that earlier, when another version of Windows was installed on your computer (for example, Windows XP), this program worked fine for you.
What's the matter? And how can you get out of such a situation?
And the whole point is the incompatibility of the Windows 7 operating system and some programs written for earlier versions of Windows. Those. If we run any program in Windows 7 that was originally written for Windows XP, then such a program may not start, but may close on its own or produce errors during operation.
In this case, very different messages can be issued. For example, this:
...or maybe any other.
To fix such problems, Windows 7 provides the ability to run such programs in a special mode - compatibility mode with earlier versions of Windows.
Pay attention!
- this mode cannot be used for antiviruses, as well as programs that work with disks or the registry (“tweakers”, “cleaners”, etc.), because this may damage the system or compromise its security.
- before using compatibility mode, check the update of the problematic program (or driver) on the manufacturer’s website, because there is always a possibility that a new version of the program has already been released forWindows 7.
- Compatibility mode is not a panacea, and in some cases its use does not give positive results.
So, to run the program in this mode, right-click its icon and select Fixing compatibility issues:
Press the button Starting the program...(1) and see what happens.
If the program starts, great! If not, then it’s too early to get upset! In any case, click the Next button (2) and in the next window select the desired option:
If the program has started, then click the item Yes, save these settings for the program and in the next window select the item Close Troubleshooter:
If the program did not start (or again generated an error), then select the item No, try using other parameters:
After this (depending on what checkboxes were checked), we will be asked to answer some questions (select options):
Press this button again and check the functionality of the program. If the program starts, then close the compatibility mode (as described above), and if not, then we can repeat this procedure several more times, using other parameters (until the program starts or until all possible options have been used).
So we tried to run the program using the Compatibility Wizard.
It should be noted that the same actions can be done in another way (manually). If you wish, you can try to do this.
To do this, right-click on the problematic program icon and select Properties, then go to the tab Compatibility:
Here after checking the box Run the program in compatibility mode for: from the drop-down list (1) you can select the operating system in which this program worked normally.
Below, if necessary, you can set additional screen parameters (2):
Use 256 colors
This parameter limits the number of colors in the program to 256 (this number was used in older programs).
Use screen resolution 640×480
Run the program in a window with a resolution of 640x480. You can try turning on this option if the image in the program takes a very long time to appear (“slows”) or has unevenness.
Disable visuals
You can enable it if you have problems with the menu or program buttons.
Disable desktop composition
Disable transparency and other visual effects. Enable if you have image problems or problems displaying windows.
Disable image scaling on high screen resolutions
Enable this option if there are problems with the font size or size of the program window.
You can check the box even lower Run this program as administrator(3) if the program is blocked by User Account Control. This option will give the program full access to the system (some programs require this).
Button Change settings for all users will open another similar window, but the settings in it will be applied to all computer users. If you are the only user of your computer, then you do not need this button.
After all the settings, click Ok and try to run the program again.
That's it! I hope that you will now be able to run your favorite (but outdated) program on a modern operating system.
You bought yourself a new computer with the Windows 8 operating system installed, or installed it instead of the proven Windows XP or 7. You begin to customize the Windows 8 start screen, looking for ways to return gadgets to the desktop. But with the installation of programs familiar to work, not everything is so smooth.
After launching some of them, an information window may appear "This program has compatibility issues". The thing is that not all developers remake utilities for new operating systems.
Of course there is a solution to this issue. You need to configure the program's compatibility mode with Windows 8. Thus, it will think that it is running on an earlier version of the OS.
Please note that this mode should not be used for antivirus programs, archivers, or system utilities. As a result, this may lead to their incorrect operation.
So, the first thing to do is go to the website of the utility developer and see if a new version is available for download. This needs to be done in the case when all the utility archives are stored on your computer, and after each reinstallation of the OS, you install programs using them.
If you downloaded the installation file from the developer’s website, but it is still not compatible with Window 8, then you need to do the following.
Automatic diagnostics
Windows has a built-in assistant that can identify and resolve compatibility issues.
To do this, right-click on the program shortcut on the desktop, or on its installation file, and select the context menu item "Fixing Compatibility Issues".
Next you are asked to select one of the diagnostic modes. When choosing "Use recommended settings"– the system will launch the utility in test mode and determine the appropriate parameters. Select the “Diagnostics...” mode if you can identify the compatibility problems that have arisen.
Click on the first item. In the next window, click "Check the program...", this process will be similar to the installation process. Then click Next.
If everything works, click “Yes, save these settings for the program”. If the problem is not resolved, select the second option. Then you can independently mark a compatibility problem and select the OS version in which the utility worked.
Manual troubleshooting
Right-click on the program shortcut on your desktop and select “Properties”.
Now go to the tab "Compatibility". Button "Run the Compatibility Troubleshooter" will allow you to complete all the steps from the previous paragraph. Check the box "Run the program in compatibility mode for" and select your operating system. If you have an older utility that uses limited colors, select "Low color mode".
If administrator rights are required for it to work, check the box "Run this program as an administrator"(if you are logged into the system under an account without administrator rights, this field will not be active).
To apply the configured settings to all users, click "Change settings for all users".
To save the compatibility settings, click OK.
Even if in the information about the program it is written in black in the background color that this application is compatible only with some operating systems, among which yours is not, this is not a reason to abandon this program. Although, if you are just choosing an application for yourself, then it is better to look for an alternative that is supported by your operating system. But if you absolutely need a program that is incompatible with your operating system by default, then you can try to make the program compatible with your operating system.
Windows Compatibility Modes
Windows operating systems have several built-in compatibility modes. These compatibility modes, using special parameters, allow you to reproduce the environment of the operating system that is necessary for the program to operate. Naturally, these modes cannot thoroughly reproduce the environment of the desired operating system. Accordingly, they cannot guarantee the compatibility of the program. But still, in many cases these modes can be a good help. To achieve one hundred percent results, use tools such as.
What do you need to know about these modes? It is probably that among the available modes you will not find operating systems not from the Windows family. And also the fact that you can only emulate the environment of previous operating systems in the Windows line. For example, on Windows 7 it is possible to reproduce the environment of operating systems from Windows 95 to 7 itself. There is no eight here.
Where can I configure program compatibility?
The ability to configure compatibility for programs is in the properties of the .exe file, on the tab Compatibility. You can find such a tab only in the properties of .exe files. Therefore, to configure program compatibility, you need to get to the .exe file itself. And for this, you need to install this application on your computer. You can find the required .exe file by going to the address that is registered in the properties of the installed application shortcut. If the application does not require installation, then finding the required .exe file is simplified.
How to automatically configure the program's compatibility with the operating system?
This article will only discuss automatic configuration of application compatibility with the operating system. You can find an article about manual by following the link. When automatically setting up program compatibility, the operating system itself analyzes the program and sets the parameters necessary for its correct launch. To start automatic setup, you need to click the button on the Compatibility tab Run the Compatibility Troubleshooter. After a little checking you will see the following window:
Here you are offered two options for the diagnostic mode. The first of these modes will provide you with a list of parameters proposed by the operating system, using which you need to run the program for its compatibility. In this window, you can test the program with the specified parameters, and, if everything works, ask the operating system to remember this configuration and use them every time you start this program. This option is the easiest and calmest. You simply check the configuration that the program compatibility troubleshooter suggested.
The second point, presented in the picture, will open a window in front of you that will ask you several clarifying questions related to the compatibility problem of this program. Having answered the proposed questions, the operating system will analyze them and, based on them, offer a configuration option in which, theoretically, the program should start correctly.
In many cases, when there are compatibility issues between a program and the Windows operating system, the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter can help resolve the issue. This is how you can make a program that is incompatible with your operating system compatible and use it.