# Windows XP and Backward compatibility **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 9, 2001, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217 "2001-10-09T00:39:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/1 "2001-10-09T00:39:28Z")
What sort of applications are NOT going to run on the upcoming WIndows XP? Is it just anything that is 16 bit? What popular programs will not go well with it? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/2 "2001-10-09T00:57:14Z")
look here: > **[Services and Software](https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/?tag=sd)** > > All the news and tips you need to get the most out of the services, apps and software you use every day. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/3 "2001-10-09T02:42:09Z")
My non-geek understanding from the Better Half, who follows this kind of thing, was that it’s not going to be worth the hassle trying to explain to XP how to work with everything we’ve got installed on our computer, hence we’re going to stick with Win ME. Way back when, we were not pleased with the way the upgrade from Win95 to 98 went, so…once burned, shame on Microsoft, twice burned, shame on us. Also, I seem to recall that he said that games that were set up to run under 95 and 98, ME, etc. won’t run under XP, that XP was deliberately designed to be exclusive and to render all other versions instantly obsolete, but I could be mistaken. Also, there’s this. [http://www.zdnet.com/products/stories/reviews/0,4161,2783767-2,00.html](http://www.zdnet.com/products/stories/reviews/0,4161,2783767-2,00.html) > [@](#): > > The basic system requirements > By Greg Shultz, The Windows Wizard, Help & How-To > July 10, 2001 > If your current system is running Windows 2000 Professional or Windows Me and has a minimum of 128MB of RAM, you should be ready for Windows XP. If you recently bought a system, and it came with Windows 2000 Professional or Windows Me preinstalled, has a Designed for Windows 2000 Professional or Designed for Windows Me logo on it, and at least 128MB of RAM, you’re definitely ready for Windows XP. > > If you’re running an older system, you must have a 300 MHz processor with 64MB of RAM at the very least and at least 2.5GB of free hard disk space. If your system just meets the bare minimum requirements, you probably won’t be very happy with Windows XP’s performance. If your system falls below this level and you’re dying to get XP, you should definitely consider getting a new system. ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/4 "2001-10-09T03:16:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*Also, I seem to recall that he said that games that were set up to run under 95 and 98, ME, etc. won’t run under XP, that XP was deliberately designed to be exclusive and to render all other versions instantly obsolete, but I could be mistaken. \*\* Absolutely, positively, completely untrue. I have MANY (at least 5 or 6, probably more that I just haven’t tried) games that ran fine under 95 and 98, refused to work with 2k, but using the XP “Compatibility Mode” set to Windows98, work perfectly under XP. It’s a great OS that I haven’t had any trouble with, compatibility-wise. I have heard that some CD burner software doesn’t work, but I’m sure a patch will be out shortly, if it hasn’t come out already. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/5 "2001-10-09T03:20:00Z")
I’ve been using Win XP RC2 for the last 3 months. It runs every single piece of software I use. That includes all my games. (I was using Win98) The only programs I’ve found that DON’T work under XP are a few of my old console emulators, but even most of those work. Overall, XP is awesome. I haven’t booted into W98 for over 2 months, and I don’t think I ever will again. So, for the most part, XP runs everything Win9x runs. The only exceptions are a few old programs that rely on old W95 commands. They made huge strides in compatibility on the NT kernel. Jman ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/6 "2001-10-09T03:21:14Z")
After seeing Flymaster’s post, note that Nero Burning ROM 5.0 runs just fine under XP. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/7 "2001-10-09T03:36:09Z")
Okay, glad to hear it. I’ll tell Himself, but I dunno if it’ll penetrate, the skinny is that Microsoft is EEEE-vill… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/8 "2001-10-09T14:31:48Z")
Each time microsoft comes out with a new operating system they have a list on their site, which is called most rightly I suppose, ‘software compatibility list’ & get this, they also have a ‘hardware compatibility list’ they are usually both on the OS cd too. ---
**Author:** ![woofter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a88e57/32.png) [@woofter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woofter)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/9 "2015-01-19T18:19:34Z")
Stick with Windows 2000. Or go back to Windows 98. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-and-backward-compatibility/86217/10 "2015-01-19T20:37:14Z")
> [@woofter](#): > > Stick with Windows 2000. Or go back to Windows 98. **Moderator Note** **woofter** , we prefer that old threads in GQ only be resurrected to add new information. Since your post does not do so, I am closing this. Colibri General Questions Moderator