Vista is one of the most significant upgrades that Microsoft has ever released, and just about every aspect of the operating system has been rewritten to make it better. It does have a down side, though: all these changes mean some old applica-
tions won't install or run properly on your new setup. If this is the case then your first step should be to look for an update for the program in question. Try checking the author's sup¬port site (there's often a link on the Help menu), or search for your application at Google to find more advice. The official Windows Vista Application Compatibility Update also improves support for many applications and is worth installing, even if.it doesn't support your program. If that doesn't work, don't give"ilp - here are some more tricks you can try.

Tip 1
Locate the shortcut icon for your problem program (either on your desktop or from the Start menu). Right-click on it and select Properties> Compatibility. Put a check next to 'Run this program in compatibility mode' ,choosea version of Windows the program previously worked with and click OK. Now launch the program again. Windows Vista will try to fool it into thinking it's running under an older version of Windows, hopefully solving the problem. If it doesn't, return to the Compatibility Mode screen, check all the Settings boxes and try running the program again. If you can't find an icon for the program, or just need more help getting this to work, click Start > Control Panel :> Programs > Use an older program with this version of Windows. This will launch the Program Compatibility Wizard, which will walk you through the configu¬ration process.

Tip 2
The new Windows Vista security schemes will sometimes. cause compatibility issues. It's annoying but fortunately very easy to fix. light-elick on the icon for your program and select 'Run as application will then be able to behave just as it did
in the days ofXP, and may now run without difficulty. If you find this helps you, right-elick on the program's icon again, select Properties > Compatibility, check the Privilege Level box and click OK. It'll now run this way all the time, without you having to right-click each time. Running something as ap Administrator is a powerful technique, but always remember why: you are, in effect, turning off Windows Vista security for the application. Only do this with programs you completely trust, never something you've just found online.

Tip3
Some applications are nearly Vista compatible, with only a couple of areas caus¬ing problems, so a little tweak can make all the dif¬ference. If your program is already installed, remove it (Start > Control Panel > Uninstall a Program) and start the setup process again. Choose the Custom installation option, or whatever gives you the most control over the installation settings. Install as few of the options as possible: the simpler your setup, the less likely you are to have problems. If your software includes a component that runs in the background, you may be asked if you want to run it as a service or an application. Vista and XP treat services differently, so try the 'application' option instead.

Name: Clever Ways to cure Compatibility ills.jpg Views: 32 Size: 71.1 KB

Tip4
Some programs may not install or run on Vista because there's a conflict with some other part of your system. Simplify the situation by closing all running applications, including all the non-essential apps with icons in your system tray. You could also try installing a program from Safe Mode (reboot your PC > press F8 > choose Safe Mode from the list). This starts Vista with the minimum of drivers and no startup applications, cutting the chance of conflicts to a minimum. Unfortunately, it also blocks many Windows components, and the installation programs that verifY serial codes online won't work. But if you're struggling to get a program working, it's worth try.

Tip 5
Old or buggy device drivers willoccasionally prevent programs from running. To check this, run Device Manager (click Start > type devmgmt.msc in the Search box > press. Enter) and look for devices marked as faulty with a yellow exclamation mark. Double-click on the problem hardware for help. If all seems well there, you could still try updating other drivers yourself. Video drivers are particularly important. Expand the Display Adapters section of the Device Manager trE;'e, double-click on your graphics card and click Driver to find your current driver version, then click Update Driver to see if Windows can find a later version. This doesn't always work, so you may have to visit your graphics card manufacturer to see if there's a later driver available.

Tip 6
Some pre-Windows 95. software - particularly games - just won't run under Vista. The solu¬tion is to con the software into thinking it's running on an ancient Pc. Dosbox is a clever free Jqol that can emulate Dos (the operating system that came before Windows). You can use it to run old games, such as. the original Doom, and it takes care of the video and sound compatibility issues. Freedos is a similar utility with the abiiity to build bootable Dos CDs If all else fails, you may be able to reboot your system to playa particular game a minor hassle but better than not being able to run the program at all.