16 bit program on a 64 bit machine?

[xibalban]

I have a 64 bit laptop (i.e. it came preinstalled with Win 7 64-bit Version). You know, I could have bought a 32-bit system but I was looking to upgrade the RAM to 8 GB in a year or so. I know already that I cannot run 16 bit programs in a 64 bit environment, however my question is this:

Will I be able to run 16 bit programs on this same machine if I clean install Win 7 32-bit version on it?

Thanks

 

[hunter315]

What 16 bit programs are you trying to run? 32 bit windows 7 can run 16 bit programs but often times it isn't the best choice. Most programs that old are DOS based which means you can run them in DOSbox which will run on 64 bit windows so you don't have to do a reformat and can make full use of 64 bit compatible programs and additional ram.

 

[xibalban]

Well, mostly games (Prince of Persia - DOS Version for instance) and some basic C-Programming using the old compilers to teach my students. Thanks for the answer, but is it not best to install 32 bit version now since I don't intend to run any 64 bit programs on it and have just 2 GB RAM installed?

 

[hunter315]

Actually 64 bit enables some additional features on the processor which windows can make use of to be slightly more efficient. Really I don't like supporting reverting back to 32 bit OS's because that keeps us from moving forward as fast since manufacturers have to waste time making 32 bit drivers as well as 64 bit drivers.

For the prince of persia i would definitely go with DOSBox, some old dos games have awkward problems since they didn't anticipate modern hardware so it has the ability to reduce the % of CPU that the game can use, very useful in real time dos games as I installed the old Xcom game and it was like playing in super fast forward till i found that feature, so even if you ran it on a 32 bit system i would still run it inside of DOSBox just for some of its bonus features.



Also, as an engineering major who has dealt with stupid C compilers, i know you probably really like your old ones, but please, please! move on to the newer ones, some of them provide much more useful error messages than the old ones(500+ errors for a missing semi colon on lines 12...), also something like microsoft visual studios C++ gives some nicer programming tools to work with too like providing an actual debugger which would have been the best thing ever when i was being taught C.



Microsoft dropped support for 16 bit programs in 64 bit windows to avoid an emulator on an emulator and because most of the time there is an alternative or better option than sticking with the old 16 bit version, while it is natural to dislike change and want to stick with what you know and are comfortable with, sometimes it takes a bit of a push to get you to try something new which may turn out to be significantly better.

 

[Guest]

You can right click on the program and choose compatibility tab for a program to run as windows 95 if you like but is not always working and is nothing you can do about it.

Some pleople they end up to use vmware to create a virtual machine with windows xp, windows 95 are much more effective anyway it deepents how badly you want to run this programs.

 

[s3anister]

You can right click on the program and choose compatibility tab for a program to run as windows 95 if you like but is not always working and is nothing you can do about it.

Some people they end up to use vmware to create a virtual machine with windows xp, windows 95 are much more effective anyway it depends how badly you want to run these programs.

Compatibility mode isn't going to work for a 16 bit program, IIRC.

Having said that, yes a Virtual Machine would be the easiest way to setup an old windows install (let's say XP or 32bit 7 for example) that would be able to run those 16 bit programs. The added benefit is that you don't have to cripple your machine by putting a lesser OS on it; plus, if your laptop has multiple cores you can run multiple VM clients on the same machine simultaneously.

My recommendation is for a VMware client as it's the best option and a good way to also teach your students how to use a Virtual Machine as well if they've never used one before.

 

[Pinhedd]

It is not possible to run 16 bit programs in 64 bit editions of Windows. Even in 32 bit versions of Windows many 16 bit functions are disabled for security reasons.

If you want to run 16 bit games you will have to run them through a compatibility layer such as DOSBox. Unfortunately DOSBox can have significant performance issues on slower computers due to the exposed hardware being completely emulated.

Alternatively you can try to install DOS or an older version of Windows on VMWare Player

 

[Guest]

Compatibility mode isn't going to work for a 16 bit program, IIRC.

Having said that, yes a Virtual Machine would be the easiest way to setup an old windows install (let's say XP or 32bit 7 for example) that would be able to run those 16 bit programs. The added benefit is that you don't have to cripple your machine by putting a lesser OS on it; plus, if your laptop has multiple cores you can run multiple VM clients on the same machine simultaneously.

My recommendation is for a VMware client as it's the best option and a good way to also teach your students how to use a Virtual Machine as well if they've never used one before.

I gave booth ways and i don't think irc is his problem anyway.

 

[xibalban]

Actually 64 bit enables some additional features on the processor which windows can make use of to be slightly more efficient. Really I don't like supporting reverting back to 32 bit OS's because that keeps us from moving forward as fast since manufacturers have to waste time making 32 bit drivers as well as 64 bit drivers.

For the prince of persia i would definitely go with DOSBox, some old dos games have awkward problems since they didn't anticipate modern hardware so it has the ability to reduce the % of CPU that the game can use, very useful in real time dos games as I installed the old Xcom game and it was like playing in super fast forward till i found that feature, so even if you ran it on a 32 bit system i would still run it inside of DOSBox just for some of its bonus features.



Also, as an engineering major who has dealt with stupid C compilers, i know you probably really like your old ones, but please, please! move on to the newer ones, some of them provide much more useful error messages than the old ones(500+ errors for a missing semi colon on lines 12...), also something like microsoft visual studios C++ gives some nicer programming tools to work with too like providing an actual debugger which would have been the best thing ever when i was being taught C.



Microsoft dropped support for 16 bit programs in 64 bit windows to avoid an emulator on an emulator and because most of the time there is an alternative or better option than sticking with the old 16 bit version, while it is natural to dislike change and want to stick with what you know and are comfortable with, sometimes it takes a bit of a push to get you to try something new which may turn out to be significantly better.

I know how much patience it really requires to compose such exhaustive replies, and the trouble that you've taken to explain stuffs to me today is highly appreciated. Thank you very much!

 

[xibalban]

My gratitude also to other helpful members who have provided equally helpful comments. Thanks everyone!

 

[xibalban]

Best answer selected by xibalban.

 

[s3anister]

My gratitude also to other helpful members who have provided equally helpful comments. Thanks everyone!

Happy to help even if I wasn't too useful.

I gave booth ways and i don't think irc is his problem anyway.

IIRC = If I remember correctly, not IRC as in Internet Relay Chat.

 

[Guest]

Happy to help even if I wasn't too useful.

IIRC = If I remember correctly, not IRC as in Internet Relay Chat.

Ops you are right my english are not best and i found it in urban dictionaly that means "If I Recall Correctly"! To be honest i'm having trouble writing this is why you see so "Message edited" i have to search how the word is written...

I can speack much better.

 

[dingo07]

I still Play Zork I and II and Planetfall when i get bored, using DOSBox

 

[s3anister]

Oops, you are right. My English is not the best and I found it in urban dictionary; that means "If I Recall Correctly"! To be honest I'm having trouble writing this which is why you see "Message edited" I have to search for how the word is written...

I can speak much better.

^lol couldn't help myself. But yeah I feel your pain, I myself know English (primary) and German (Deutsch - secondary) very well but when I try to write or speak Spanish, it's particularly difficult for me. As for the spelling of words, if you install the English version of Firefox (or chrome/opera), you'd be able to use its built in English spell-check and perhaps speed up your posting time while improving your English Vocabulary by getting less words wrong.

Unfortunately, there is no grammar and syntax check for web browsers. I know there are a lot of native English speakers that could use that kind of help haha.

 

[Guest]

^lol couldn't help myself. But yeah I feel your pain, I myself know English (primary) and German (Deutsch - secondary) very well but when I try to write or speak Spanish, it's particularly difficult for me. As for the spelling of words, if you install the English version of Firefox (or chrome/opera), you'd be able to use its built in English spell-check and perhaps speed up your posting time while improving your English Vocabulary by getting less words wrong.

Unfortunately, there is no grammar and syntax check for web browsers. I know there are a lot of native English speakers that could use that kind of help haha.

Hehehehe I can speak really good I can see movies without subtitles (they never translate accurate anyway I suggest avoid them) but when it comes to writing I’m using Microsoft word mostly with automatic correction but as you can imagine sometimes I find hard to put the words in right order just to express myself.

IIRC wasn’t in any dictionary I use so I google it, many links appeared and you don’t know what is correct or not so I paid more attention in what you wrote and I understood the urban dictionary was right.

Is not a bad as it looks I learned something new 10nx =;-)

 

[s3anister]

Hehehehe I can speak really good I can see movies without subtitles (they never translate accurate anyway I suggest avoid them) but when it comes to writing I’m using Microsoft word mostly with automatic correction but as you can imagine sometimes I find hard to put the words in right order just to express myself.

IIRC wasn’t in any dictionary I use so I google it, many links appeared and you don’t know what is correct or not so I paid more attention in what you wrote and I understood the urban dictionary was right.

Is not a bad as it looks I learned something new 10nx =;-)

It's funny how that works, I can especially understand what foreign speakers are saying very easily but speaking back to them can be difficult. lol subtitles crack me up when they're wrong; especially when it's something obvious!

I find google exceptionally hard to use when searching for things in my non-native languages because you get so many results that have nothing to do with what you're searching for. Seriously, searching with Google is like searching with a shotgun; you hit everything!

Writing with MS Word is a good idea, even though word will on occasion try to correct something that isn't wrong so it can be counter-productive. You do speak very well for English not being your primary language, I'd imagine that you're easy to converse with in person.

 

[Guest]

Easy enough to ask Tom’s hardware add microphone support in here, is about time don’t you think?

The screwup above is really funny, anyway *** happens to anyone but do me favor and let it disappeared in the bottom of T,H database =;-)

 

[hunter315]

This topic has been closed by Hunter315