Platform Windows XP is considered to be suitable for play little older applications. But thanks to a new built-Windows XP tools for users appear good chances to extend the life of its programmes. Next, we describe how, and with what tools can be setting this environment operating system to work with many old software.

DOS Programs - the old, and because there is no Windows XP mode DOS Compatibility Mode, there may be concerns that XP is not suitable for DOS programs. But in reality, the implementation of programmes DOS even easier. Right-click on the DOS program and select Properties (Properties) from the pop-up menu. Most bookmarks Properties dialog we are familiar, but there is a new bookmark and Compatibility (compatibility). It allows you to configure the program to perform in the mode with 256 colors and resolution of 640x480. You can also cancel graphics, the default program imposed on the operating system.

There is not such a clear, but a more powerful tool. Among the programs for DOS, as you may recall, could customize by changing the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files.

Sometimes users perezapuskali system in a special configuration, calculated on a single program, and then returning to a normal regime, in order to execute programs. In Windows XP you can create individual Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files for each of DOS.

Here's how. First, copy the files C: \ Windows \ System32 \ Config.nt and C: \ Windows \ System32 \ Autoexec.nt to catalog its DOS program, and then edit it to get the necessary configuration of the system. Save files, giving them new names. In the Properties dialog box, go to DOS programs Program tab and click Advanced (Optional). Enter your assigned file names and Autoexec Config, and the program will be carried out in their own specialized environment. In this dialog box, you can try to slow down the implementation of DOS programs, the operations of which are directly linked with a frequency of the processor. The program, operated successfully for 50 MHz machine, it does not always work without emulation on the 850 MHz PC. There are three main reasons for incompatibility with the old Windows XP programs - here they are. Programs seek Windows version number, and they sent requests to the Windows API older version and are awaiting a response to the results, location or format of custom folders do not coincide with expected. These problems can be eliminated by setting the program to work in Windows compatibility mode.

For this, you right click on the Windows program and choose Properties. If you click on the Compatibility tab, then you will see a list from which to choose the OS, the most suitable for this program. Clicking on the checkbox Compatibility mode, select an operating system. In this mode activates a set of "pads" (shims) to implement the programme in the face of imitating previous versions of Windows.

What if unknown to choose which operating environment, or in the performance program raises other issues of compatibility? On the CD-ROM Windows XP has an excellent package, which can perform fine-tune the application environment.

Applied instrumental set

Two tool, Application Verifier and PageHeap, intended for programmers and applied together with a debugger for testing software fragments, possibly bearing a problem of compatibility with Windows XP. Two others, QFixApp and Compatibility Administrator, provides for the setting of old programming environment launched, and will be useful to end users. Through QFixApp you can apply a number of low-level settings for a specific application.

Open QFixApp and select an application. Click on the Layers (levels), select level. Levels QFixApp match compatibility regimes represented in the Properties dialog box application. Choosing level, such as Win95, go to the bookmark Fixes.

In Win95 compatibility mode, as you will see, you can use a set of 53 ready-made "pads" (Fig. 1).

This number can be and others vary, depending on whether the latest updates installed and gaskets. " From this window, you can change the list, adding or deleting "gaskets". For example, if the lifting of visual mode, the designated application, is not happening, and after its completion, should scroll window, and try to find a "gasket" ForceTemporaryMode Change for the forced abolition of the interim regime. Functions selected "gaskets" appears in the bottom pane. In order to assess its impact on the application, click on the Run button. After the QFixApp will be closed, the changes are saved along with the environment executable file. Do exit QFixApp user may, at its discretion, appoint and revoke "gaskets".

Browsing ready "gaskets"

Not necessarily find "padding" through trial and error. Some insights can be found by looking at a list of ready-made "pads" of the company Microsoft. Open tool Compatibility Administrator, expand System Database section | Applications. Configuring the application to a good start searching in the database-like program. For example, the case of a program in a series of 102 Dalmatians, you can select one of the programs of this family, for which Microsoft has already issued a firm "gaskets". Turning to QFixApp, you can find out that in Win95 compatibility mode already have "pads" and EmulateHeap EmulateMissingEXE but no IgnoreAltTab. Try to install the "patch" in QFixApp and run the program.

It should be noted that Windows XP is ready "pads" for the applications themselves, and for the installation of modules. "gaskets" related to one application, can be grouped into a single package.

Compatibility Administrator more useful for IT personnel who served the legacy products. Once found necessary "laying" should click on the New button. As a result, the Custom Databases section, a new database. By choosing the latter, then click Fix to launch the "masters" who will guide you on the preparation stages patch applied for inclusion in this database. Follow the prompts, you need to select the compatibility mode and install additional "padding" found during testing using QFixApp. Finally, it should be grouped files that match this application. Files can be entrusted with Windows XP by clicking on the button AutoGenerate. Using the File | Save save you prepared a database SDB in the file, which you can send to other computers. Where there are several inherited a program which requires similar sets "pads", in your professional database can be generated new regime compatibility.

When this database, click Mode. You can call Legacy mode and select set "gaskets" used in the transition to this regime. After the conservation and installation of the entire set of database "gaskets" can be applied to a new program, just stepping Legacy compatibility mode. To move this regime to another system, it is enough to copy the file to another computer SDB and install it by running Sdbinst program.