win XP Pro - can new win run programs made for older computers?

[coffeeman]

Title says it all. I have older programs that run good on XP. But i wonder if on new Win 10 will older programs work?

cheers...Coffeeman

 

[rekees4300]

I haven't upgraded to 10 yet but my guess is that some will run and some will not. Only way to know for sure is to try each one. Safe to assume Windows 10 has a "compatibility mode" that is suppose to run older programs but that doesn't guarantee all older programs will run. I have XP programs that run under 7 but not under 8.1. Likely 10 isn't any better than 8.1 when it comes to compatibility mode. :confused3:

Is Windows 10 Backwards Compatible With Your Existing Software?

 

[Fawken]

Some things like older versions of PhotoShop will not run. Of course, I think that's a part of the plan$$$$$

 

[MossRoad]

You might be able to make a "virtual machine" from your XP box and then run it in a window on the W10 machine. We did that for quite a few XP boxes that had legacy software that would not run correctly on W7 even in compatibility mode. Don't know beans about W10 myself, yet.

You familiar with virtual machines?

 

[mddorange]

Everything that I was running under Win 7 Pro is running under Win 10 Pro. I really like the speed of 10. It boots up and shuts down much quicker. The new start menu is a little different but nothing like Win 8.1.

 

[newbury]

I just about guarantee NO.
I've got several XP compatible programs that won't run in 8.1.
If you go "virtual machine" you might have a chance.

 

[WM75Guy]

Win 10 has the new Edge browser. If you look deep inside many programs use IE as part of the display even though it does not look like a browser window. If the program was designed for Win XP and uses IE as part of the display then it may not function properly with a newer OS or IE version. The highest version of IE that Win XP could run is IE8. We have legacy programs that can run on Win 7 and use IE9 but don't have full functionability. They will not run using IE10 or IE11.

 

[wcampbell47]

Title says it all. I have older programs that run good on XP. But i wonder if on new Win 10 will older programs work?

cheers...Coffeeman

Since Win 10 has just been recently released I would advise Windows 7 Professional and install XP Mode. You can take advantage of the 64 bit power of 7 and all its features while still be able to run older programs under XP mode. I am thinking you could still upgrade to 10 if you felt adventurous. Microsoft has a program that you can run on 32 bit XP that gathers all your files and settings from your old XP computer. I usually use a USB connected external drive for the file. On a new Win 7 program you run Windows Easy Transfer to populate your new computer with your files and data from the old computer. You have to install the programs you run on the new computer as programs are not transferred.

 

[Oaktree]

Some things like older versions of PhotoShop will not run. Of course, I think that's a part of the plan$$$$$

One problem with older Adobe programs that required activation is that their activation server crashed a few years ago and they decided not to rebuild it since most of the programs it supported were "obsolete" (ie-replaced with newer versions). They made a modified version of these programs that did not need activation available for a while, most of them have made it to freeware sites. I believe Photoshop was one of them.

Curiously, does Win10 have the XP virtual machine like 7 did? I have a couple older programs that won't run any other way.

 

[wcampbell47]

Have no idea. Purposely stayed away from 8 and 10. To me (and others I know) from 8 on up seems like Windows lost it's business purpose and became a high end toy for the millennials.