# Win7/Vista compatibility mode for XP software
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win7-vista-compatibility-mode-for-xp-software/549644
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 9, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win7-vista-compatibility-mode-for-xp-software/549644 "2010-08-09T00:10:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win7-vista-compatibility-mode-for-xp-software/549644/1 "2010-08-09T00:10:46Z")
Compatibility Mode lets Win7 run older software.
The Approach seems simple enough.
[http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/using-windows-vista-compatibility-mode/](http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/using-windows-vista-compatibility-mode/)
But, they don’t say when to set the mode.
Do you need to set Compatibility Mode for the apps installer exe?
After the app installs. Do I have to set Compatibility Mode for the installed software?
For example… I have Word Perfect Office 2000 it runs under XP.
To run it under Win7. Should I try installing it normally? Or set Compatibility Mode for the installer exe file? This software is on CD. It may not even install from the hard drive.
I’m worried about a crashed/aborted installation. That can leave all sorts of crap in the registry and useless broken files on the hard disk.
After it installs (fingers crossed that it installs).
A program like Word Perfect Office will have multiple exes. How do I know what to set Compatibility Mode on?
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### Author:  [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win7-vista-compatibility-mode-for-xp-software/549644/2 "2010-08-09T01:50:59Z")
You set it after you install it. For word perfect it wouldn’t hurt to set it on all the exes. You can run probably run the installer in compatibility mode if it’s giving you trouble, but that isn’t necessary, and may not be possible if it’s an msi file or something.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2010, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win7-vista-compatibility-mode-for-xp-software/549644/3 "2010-08-09T06:17:47Z")
thanks. I’ll gve a try.
I’m also going to try Microteks ScanWizard in compatibility mode. I have a Scanmaker 4. Very expensive, top of the line SCSI scanner when we bought it in 1998. It has the tray to scan slides. Microtek has not bothered to update drivers since XP on **nearly all** their older scanners. ☹ Google found several people that recommend using their driver program (Scanwizard) in compatibility mode.
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### Author:  [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win7-vista-compatibility-mode-for-xp-software/549644/4 "2010-08-09T14:07:43Z")
If the installer fails then use it during the installer phase. If the application fail then use it during runtime.
I find these modes to be more of crapshoot than anything else. If you have the proper version of 7 you can use ‘XP Mode.’
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win7-vista-compatibility-mode-for-xp-software/549644/5 "2010-08-09T14:53:30Z")
And XP Mode in 7 is [a virtual machine running an actual copy of XP.](http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/reviews/2010/01/windows-xp-mode.ars) Last week I had it running in my copy of 7, which was in a VMWare virtual machine under Mac OS X. 🙂
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win7-vista-compatibility-mode-for-xp-software/549644/6 "2010-08-09T15:51:10Z")
XP Mode may be the best option for my old Microtek Scanner & Scanwizard. It’s not used much and doesn’t matter if it takes a few seconds to start up.
I’m sure glad I bought Win7 Professional. at least I have a chance to run XP Mode. Next, I need to find out if my Processor is VT compatible. Fingers crossed on that one.
> [@](#):
>
> In a break from the past, the new version requires hardware virtualization support—Intel’s VT or AMD’s AMD-V. Microsoft’s current server virtualization platform, Hyper-V, has the same requirement, but for Virtual PC this is a new demand
I really appreciate the Win7 help. I’ll climb this learning curve yet. 😉
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win7-vista-compatibility-mode-for-xp-software/549644/7 "2010-08-09T16:35:49Z")
Well, virtualization mode is probably out for my laptop. I still need to check my desktop pc that was built in 2006.
I ran Intels Processor ID utility. The report says I have virtualization technology. But, this list of processors says I don’t. I’'m not sure which is right. 😕
> **[Intel product specifications](https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark.html)**
>
> Intel® product specifications, features and compatibility quick reference guide and code name decoder. Compare products including processors, desktop boards, server products and networking products.
```
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T5500 @ 1.66GHz
Supporting Advanced Intel Processor Technologies
Intel(R) Virtualization Technology Yes
Intel(R) Hyper-Threading Technology No
Intel(R) 64 Architecture Yes
Other Intel Technologies Supported
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep(R) Technology Yes
Intel(R) SSE Yes
Intel(R) SSE2 Yes
Intel(R) SSE3 Yes
Intel(R) SSE4 No
```