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Does this version of W7 support compatibility mode?

J

John

Flightless Bird
I am building a new comp and want Windows 7, but I don't want to spend
any more than I have to so will:

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM

offer compatibility mode and a DOS box to compile some old DOS software
that I need to support or do I need a more expensive version. This one
is $100 at Newegg.

The compiled DOS software works with text files. Dragging and dropping
the text file onto a shortcut icon on the XP desktop works great. But I
will need to be able to the same or something similar on a W7 desktop,
is this possible?

Thanks,
John
 
T

Tim Slattery

Flightless Bird
John <John@nowhere.com> wrote:

>I am building a new comp and want Windows 7, but I don't want to spend
>any more than I have to so will:
>
>Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
>
>offer compatibility mode and a DOS box to compile some old DOS software
>that I need to support or do I need a more expensive version. This one
>is $100 at Newegg.


DOS software will be 16-bit, and the 64-bit version of Win7 will not
run 16-bit software. You can use Virtual XP mode to do that (I think),
but VirtualXP mode is available only in Win7 Professional, Enterprise,
and Ultimate. There are other virtualization products available,
they'll cost you something.

I think you can also get around this by using DOSBox (www.dosbox.com).
But you should be aware that trying to work with 16-bit software in a
64-bit OS is going to complicate your life.

>The compiled DOS software works with text files. Dragging and dropping
>the text file onto a shortcut icon on the XP desktop works great. But I
>will need to be able to the same or something similar on a W7 desktop,
>is this possible?


AFAIK, Win7 will act the same as WinXP is this regard.

--
Tim Slattery
Slattery_T@bls.gov
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt
 
K

Ken Blake

Flightless Bird
On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:30:55 -0400, John <John@nowhere.com> wrote:

> I am building a new comp and want Windows 7, but I don't want to spend
> any more than I have to so will:
>
> Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
>
> offer compatibility mode and a DOS box to compile some old DOS software
> that I need to support or do I need a more expensive version. This one
> is $100 at Newegg.



See Tim Slattery's reply to you, but let me add just one point: The
biggest disadvantage of an OEM version is that its lts license ties it
permanently to the first computer it's installed on. It can never
legally be moved to another computer, sold, or given away (except with
the original computer). That means that if your computer dies (or is
stole), the license dies with it.

--
Ken Blake
 
S

Stan Brown

Flightless Bird
On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:30:55 -0400, John wrote:
> I am building a new comp and want Windows 7, but I don't want to spend
> any more than I have to so will:
>
> Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
>
> offer compatibility mode and a DOS box to compile some old DOS software


No, Home Premium does not include Virtual PC and XP mode.



--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...
 
S

Stan Brown

Flightless Bird
On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:34:49 -0400, Tim Slattery wrote:
> DOS software will be 16-bit, and the 64-bit version of Win7 will not
> run 16-bit software. You can use Virtual XP mode to do that (I think),
> but VirtualXP mode is available only in Win7 Professional, Enterprise,
> and Ultimate. There are other virtualization products available,
> they'll cost you something.


There's Virtual Box from Sun. It's free and distributed under the
GPL.

http://www.virtualbox.org/

I've downloaded it, but haven't installed it yet.



--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...
 
G

Gene E. Bloch

Flightless Bird
On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:35:03 -0400, Stan Brown wrote:

> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:34:49 -0400, Tim Slattery wrote:
>> DOS software will be 16-bit, and the 64-bit version of Win7 will not
>> run 16-bit software. You can use Virtual XP mode to do that (I think),
>> but VirtualXP mode is available only in Win7 Professional, Enterprise,
>> and Ultimate. There are other virtualization products available,
>> they'll cost you something.

>
> There's Virtual Box from Sun. It's free and distributed under the
> GPL.
>
> http://www.virtualbox.org/
>
> I've downloaded it, but haven't installed it yet.


VMware Player is also free and effective.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)
 
G

Gordon

Flightless Bird
On 31/08/2010 05:17, Gene E. Bloch wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:35:03 -0400, Stan Brown wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:34:49 -0400, Tim Slattery wrote:
>>> DOS software will be 16-bit, and the 64-bit version of Win7 will not
>>> run 16-bit software. You can use Virtual XP mode to do that (I think),
>>> but VirtualXP mode is available only in Win7 Professional, Enterprise,
>>> and Ultimate. There are other virtualization products available,
>>> they'll cost you something.

>>
>> There's Virtual Box from Sun. It's free and distributed under the
>> GPL.
>>
>> http://www.virtualbox.org/
>>
>> I've downloaded it, but haven't installed it yet.

>
> VMware Player is also free and effective.
>


Player will not create VHDs AFAIR - you need the Server version which is
also free.
 
U

UXD@somewhere.com

Flightless Bird
On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:35:03 -0400, Stan Brown
<the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:

>
>There's Virtual Box from Sun. It's free and distributed under the
>GPL.
>
>http://www.virtualbox.org/
>
>I've downloaded it, but haven't installed it yet.


You need to install a good copy of XP inside VirtualBox - it doesn't
come free like the Windows 7 XP-Mode.

I had trouble with 16-bit software even in VirtualBox on my 64-bit
Windows 7.

The solution that REALLY works is DosBox, but I don't think you'll be
able to do the dragging of text files onto an icon with it.
 
G

Gene E. Bloch

Flightless Bird
On Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:37:02 +0100, Gordon wrote:

> On 31/08/2010 05:17, Gene E. Bloch wrote:
>> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:35:03 -0400, Stan Brown wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:34:49 -0400, Tim Slattery wrote:
>>>> DOS software will be 16-bit, and the 64-bit version of Win7 will not
>>>> run 16-bit software. You can use Virtual XP mode to do that (I think),
>>>> but VirtualXP mode is available only in Win7 Professional, Enterprise,
>>>> and Ultimate. There are other virtualization products available,
>>>> they'll cost you something.
>>>
>>> There's Virtual Box from Sun. It's free and distributed under the
>>> GPL.
>>>
>>> http://www.virtualbox.org/
>>>
>>> I've downloaded it, but haven't installed it yet.

>>
>> VMware Player is also free and effective.
>>

>
> Player will not create VHDs AFAIR - you need the Server version which is
> also free.


No longer true.

To verify that (for myself, even) I just started VMware. The first item
on the start screen is "Create a new virtual machine".

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)
 
G

Gordon

Flightless Bird
On 31/08/2010 19:16, Gene E. Bloch wrote:
> On Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:37:02 +0100, Gordon wrote:
>
>> On 31/08/2010 05:17, Gene E. Bloch wrote:
>>> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:35:03 -0400, Stan Brown wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:34:49 -0400, Tim Slattery wrote:
>>>>> DOS software will be 16-bit, and the 64-bit version of Win7 will not
>>>>> run 16-bit software. You can use Virtual XP mode to do that (I think),
>>>>> but VirtualXP mode is available only in Win7 Professional, Enterprise,
>>>>> and Ultimate. There are other virtualization products available,
>>>>> they'll cost you something.
>>>>
>>>> There's Virtual Box from Sun. It's free and distributed under the
>>>> GPL.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.virtualbox.org/
>>>>
>>>> I've downloaded it, but haven't installed it yet.
>>>
>>> VMware Player is also free and effective.
>>>

>>
>> Player will not create VHDs AFAIR - you need the Server version which is
>> also free.

>
> No longer true.
>
> To verify that (for myself, even) I just started VMware. The first item
> on the start screen is "Create a new virtual machine".
>


Then they've changed it. It certainly USED to be the case that the
Player would not create VHDs.
 
G

Gene E. Bloch

Flightless Bird
On Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:03:23 +0100, Gordon wrote:

> On 31/08/2010 19:16, Gene E. Bloch wrote:
>> On Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:37:02 +0100, Gordon wrote:
>>
>>> On 31/08/2010 05:17, Gene E. Bloch wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:35:03 -0400, Stan Brown wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:34:49 -0400, Tim Slattery wrote:
>>>>>> DOS software will be 16-bit, and the 64-bit version of Win7 will not
>>>>>> run 16-bit software. You can use Virtual XP mode to do that (I think),
>>>>>> but VirtualXP mode is available only in Win7 Professional, Enterprise,
>>>>>> and Ultimate. There are other virtualization products available,
>>>>>> they'll cost you something.
>>>>>
>>>>> There's Virtual Box from Sun. It's free and distributed under the
>>>>> GPL.
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.virtualbox.org/
>>>>>
>>>>> I've downloaded it, but haven't installed it yet.
>>>>
>>>> VMware Player is also free and effective.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Player will not create VHDs AFAIR - you need the Server version which is
>>> also free.

>>
>> No longer true.
>>
>> To verify that (for myself, even) I just started VMware. The first item
>> on the start screen is "Create a new virtual machine".
>>

>
> Then they've changed it. It certainly USED to be the case that the
> Player would not create VHDs.


Thus my use of the phrase "no longer true"...

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)
 
J

John

Flightless Bird
John wrote:
> I am building a new comp and want Windows 7, but I don't want to spend
> any more than I have to so will:
>
> Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
>
> offer compatibility mode and a DOS box to compile some old DOS software
> that I need to support or do I need a more expensive version. This one
> is $100 at Newegg.
>
> The compiled DOS software works with text files. Dragging and dropping
> the text file onto a shortcut icon on the XP desktop works great. But I
> will need to be able to the same or something similar on a W7 desktop,
> is this possible?
>
> Thanks,
> John



Thanks to all who replied. It looks like I will need to spend more than
I had hoped.

John
 
S

Stan Brown

Flightless Bird
On Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:46:28 -0400, UXD@somewhere.com wrote:
>
> On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:35:03 -0400, Stan Brown
> <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:
>
> >
> >There's Virtual Box from Sun. It's free and distributed under the
> >GPL.
> >
> >http://www.virtualbox.org/
> >
> >I've downloaded it, but haven't installed it yet.

>
> You need to install a good copy of XP inside VirtualBox - it doesn't
> come free like the Windows 7 XP-Mode.


True. But I have an unused OEM license I could install.

> I had trouble with 16-bit software even in VirtualBox on my 64-bit
> Windows 7.
>
> The solution that REALLY works is DosBox, but I don't think you'll be
> able to do the dragging of text files onto an icon with it.


I looked at the Dosbox site, but my impression is that it's just for
the command line, and you can't run 16-bit windows programs on it.
Did I miss something?

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...
 
T

Tim Slattery

Flightless Bird
Stan Brown <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:


>I looked at the Dosbox site, but my impression is that it's just for
>the command line, and you can't run 16-bit windows programs on it.
>Did I miss something?


I didn't know your 16-bitters were Windows programs.Your original post
says "some old DOS programs". DosBox should work fine for those. For
16-bit Windows programs, I guess you'd need to find an old version of
Windows to run in DosBox. Or use VMWare. Or go with Win7 Pro and use
Virtual XP mode.

--
Tim Slattery
Slattery_T@bls.gov
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt
 
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