Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
Occassionally I bump into this problem that a game that was designed for 32 bit and especially 16 bit just won't work or even install on Vista 64. Is there any work around for this problem?
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Re: Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
Do you have particular titles you've not had luck with, or things you've tried that haven't worked? I'm running 7 64, not Vista, but if I've got something on-hand to test I'd be happy to see if I can get it working, rather than spout off a bunch of things you may have already tried.
Re: Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
The usual thing I try is to run as administrator and to run in compatibility mode. After that, I've usually run out of ideas unless I install on an older machine and copy/paste files over on an external drive.
Some of the titles that have given me trouble have been Cold Fear and Far Cry. I ended up buying the GOG version of Far Cry instead since that works on 64 systems. That's partly what gave me some hope that there may be a way around this though. I know Far Cry had a patch to update to a 64 bit OS, but I couldn't add the patch without having installed the game, and it wouldn't install because it was a 64 bit OS. It was maddening to have this patch I needed suffer from the very problem it was supposed to fix, so I just bought it on gog.
Some of the titles that have given me trouble have been Cold Fear and Far Cry. I ended up buying the GOG version of Far Cry instead since that works on 64 systems. That's partly what gave me some hope that there may be a way around this though. I know Far Cry had a patch to update to a 64 bit OS, but I couldn't add the patch without having installed the game, and it wouldn't install because it was a 64 bit OS. It was maddening to have this patch I needed suffer from the very problem it was supposed to fix, so I just bought it on gog.
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DinnerX
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Re: Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
Vista and 7 64 bit won't run 16 bit applications at all under ordinary circumstances. No compatibility mode or administrator privileges will help. 
MS dropped support for security reasons I think it was. The only work around is to use a virtual machine which can be a pain to setup.
32 bit stuff is supposed to work on 64 bit windows, but I must say it really is a total pain to get them running part of the time and there are no general workarounds. I suppose some of them might have to be run in a virtual machine too.
I know of at least one case (rayman 2) where a game was 32 bit, but the DRM that decrypted the main part of the exe was 16 bit. All I got on 64 bit windows was a ubisoft splash screen and then nothing. There might be other games like this.
I should get around to making a guide on virtual machines since people really need them to play some old stuff these days.
EDIT: Well, no general workarounds for 32 bit programs beyond what you've already tried.
MS dropped support for security reasons I think it was. The only work around is to use a virtual machine which can be a pain to setup.32 bit stuff is supposed to work on 64 bit windows, but I must say it really is a total pain to get them running part of the time and there are no general workarounds. I suppose some of them might have to be run in a virtual machine too.
I know of at least one case (rayman 2) where a game was 32 bit, but the DRM that decrypted the main part of the exe was 16 bit. All I got on 64 bit windows was a ubisoft splash screen and then nothing. There might be other games like this.
I should get around to making a guide on virtual machines since people really need them to play some old stuff these days.
EDIT: Well, no general workarounds for 32 bit programs beyond what you've already tried.
Since this signature affects old posts, I'm leaving a message here in case anyone searches for my username. This account died in early 2013. I am no longer a fundamentalist.
Don't add to my problems by pretending my past views are still held in the present. I do not have any patience for that. Feel free to ask me what I think now.
Don't add to my problems by pretending my past views are still held in the present. I do not have any patience for that. Feel free to ask me what I think now.
Re: Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
Hm, I dunno, just installed Far Cry (game says v1.00) on 7 64-bit just choosing Install from the autoplay. Maybe MS tweaked it from Vista.
Re: Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
Not all issues are as they seem. Try playing Cold Fear with new hardware under Windows XP. I can guarantee it will not run.
As for the 16bit stuff. All 16bit compatibility was "stripped" from XP 64bit, Vista 32 and beyond. It's quite simply put... dead.
As for the 16bit stuff. All 16bit compatibility was "stripped" from XP 64bit, Vista 32 and beyond. It's quite simply put... dead.
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DinnerX
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Re: Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
Vista 32-bit ran 16-bit stuff for me. I am pretty sure it's just the 64bit OSs that don't run 16 bit programs. But yeah, it's dead.jeffro11 wrote:Not all issues are as they seem. Try playing Cold Fear with new hardware under Windows XP. I can guarantee it will not run.
As for the 16bit stuff. All 16bit compatibility was "stripped" from XP 64bit, Vista 32 and beyond. It's quite simply put... dead.
It's typically the drivers for new hardware that mess up old stuff. I don't think the actual hardware is usually to blame. Although if a company doesn't care about older programs then it's not going to matter if it is the drivers or the hardware because said company is never going to bother to fix the issue. Ati/amd I'm looking at you...AND IT AIN'T A HAPPY LOOK.
Since this signature affects old posts, I'm leaving a message here in case anyone searches for my username. This account died in early 2013. I am no longer a fundamentalist.
Don't add to my problems by pretending my past views are still held in the present. I do not have any patience for that. Feel free to ask me what I think now.
Don't add to my problems by pretending my past views are still held in the present. I do not have any patience for that. Feel free to ask me what I think now.
Re: Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
One thing you might try searching for, JT, is an alternate installer for Far Cry. It's something that was done for the X-Wing series to allow them to install on modern machines: http://www.markusegger.at/Software/Games/Default.aspx
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Re: Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
Last but not least... You can always use a Virtual Machine. VirtualBox now has Direct3d support for hardware acceleration. You could install XP 32bit or whatever suits your fancy. 
Re: Is there any way for Vista 64 to play 32 bit/16 bit games?
I think it's really lame not all versions of 7 actually support XP Mode, like Home Premium which is what I have.jeffro11 wrote:Last but not least... You can always use a Virtual Machine. VirtualBox now has Direct3d support for hardware acceleration. You could install XP 32bit or whatever suits your fancy.
