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Windows 7 Vs Windows Xp
Posted on 2010-09-03
I have HP laptop with Genuine Windows Vista OS. I like this OS, which is more user-friendly than Windows Xp.
But Windows Vista is not supporting 'Microsoft Visual Studio 6' development. When I am installing most of the software, setup will alert about compatibility issues - no solutions online! Some tools can be installed in Windows Vista. But on run, it will show Registry errors. So If I am right, the registry structure of Vista is entirely different from that of Windows Xp.
I heard a lot of good comments about Windows 7. I would like to know, whether the issues I mentioned about with Windows Vista is solved in Windows 7 or not?
In other words,
Will Windows 7 support all softwares that Windows Xp supports ?
Windows 7 have the same compatibility as Windows Xp ?
If YES only, I will think about upgrading to Windows 7.
Thanks
Raj
But Windows Vista is not supporting 'Microsoft Visual Studio 6' development. When I am installing most of the software, setup will alert about compatibility issues - no solutions online! Some tools can be installed in Windows Vista. But on run, it will show Registry errors. So If I am right, the registry structure of Vista is entirely different from that of Windows Xp.
I heard a lot of good comments about Windows 7. I would like to know, whether the issues I mentioned about with Windows Vista is solved in Windows 7 or not?
In other words,
Will Windows 7 support all softwares that Windows Xp supports ?
Windows 7 have the same compatibility as Windows Xp ?
If YES only, I will think about upgrading to Windows 7.
Thanks
Raj
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13 Comments
This is a very open question: the simple answer is no, since there are specific softwares that do not run the same way in Win 7 as they did in XP. It is easier to find compatibility compared to Vista, though, as Win 7 has a built-in compatibility mode which can help in a lot of situations.
But to be 100% sure that your issues with Visual Studio 6 are solved, you have to try it first hand. I hope somebody else has already tried to install it.
But to be 100% sure that your issues with Visual Studio 6 are solved, you have to try it first hand. I hope somebody else has already tried to install it.
Yes Windows 7 is better that Vista and XP both :) The problem you described could happen in 7 also, because it shares common Vista code. But in 7 you will find very great feature called Windows XP mode. It is virtual machine with XP system integrated with your 7 OS and it uses your physical hardware. You install some software in XP mode and it is available in your 7 environment :]
I would recommend it but the firts, read this
http://itservices.stanford.edu/service/helpdesk/windows7/xpmode
I would recommend it but the firts, read this
http://itservices.stanford.edu/service/helpdesk/windows7/xpmode
A simple answer is that the OS changed a huge amount between XP and vista, so much so that a lot of software and hardware had compatibility issues. Many software suites need upgrades and some hardware either doesn't work, or needs newer drivers. The only real way of checking is the windows 7 compatibility page http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7/en-us/default.aspx this will give you a definitive answer for your software.
You may want to investigate some virtualisation, with windows 7 ultimate you can have a virtual XP mode http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/ which will allow almost 100% compatibility with XP software... which is probably as good as you will get.
You may want to investigate some virtualisation, with windows 7 ultimate you can have a virtual XP mode http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/ which will allow almost 100% compatibility with XP software... which is probably as good as you will get.
Windows 7 is more like vista, than it is XP
Windows 7 is actually Windows version 6.1, if you check by running START>RUN>winver.
Miicrosoft numbered windows 7 as version 6.1 in order to improve software compatibility between vista and 7, the theory being that when an install package checks the version of the OS, if it is reported back as 6.X it will install fine, if they numbered it version 7.X a lot of applications would complain about the OS version. This would have caused bad press for microsoft on the back of the stick they got for vista.
But to answer your question, No windows 7 will not support all softwares that Windows XP supports.
Windows 7 is actually Windows version 6.1, if you check by running START>RUN>winver.
Miicrosoft numbered windows 7 as version 6.1 in order to improve software compatibility between vista and 7, the theory being that when an install package checks the version of the OS, if it is reported back as 6.X it will install fine, if they numbered it version 7.X a lot of applications would complain about the OS version. This would have caused bad press for microsoft on the back of the stick they got for vista.
But to answer your question, No windows 7 will not support all softwares that Windows XP supports.
Raj, it may be that this is a case of an application that is being subjected to "File and Registry Virtualisation". You should read up on this topic.
Windows 7 vs Vista isn't the issue here. If this is a badly behaved application then you may need to install it in a different way.
Questions:
1) Under which user account was the installer run?
2) was that user an unpriliveged user or an adminstrator?
3) if the answer to (2) is "an administrator", then was that installer program run elevated or not ("run as administrator")?
4) Was the app then run by a different user from the account under which it was installed?
You may have had the following problems
(i) you did not run the installer elevated (right-click "Run as administrator")
(ii) it may be that the application doesn't like being run by a user other than the user account that ran the installer
(iii) anti-virus software has interfered with the installation
If you investigate the above issues and if all else fails you could try the following
(1) promote the user who will be using the application to be an administrator (temporarily) [important: assuming that that user was not an administrator to begin with]
(2) logged in as that same user, install the app
(3) demote that user to be a normal user, not an administrator [important: before doing this check that you can log in as at least one other administrator account by actually doing a trial run, logging in to check that you know the password and that the account is not locked out and also double checking that that account really is an administrator].
But this later technique is _not recommended_ as it is represents a long-term security configuration that is less than ideal. If it is the case that other users have access to the machine, then you should think again before using this technique.
An alternative is to run the application under a virtual machine. For Vista, Virtual PC 2007 is a free download. In Win7 Pro there is a different freely downloadable component for running a VM.
Using a VM, you will certainly be able to run this application without any problems and without the same security concerns. (Although security of the VM itself needs to be addressed.)
Windows 7 vs Vista isn't the issue here. If this is a badly behaved application then you may need to install it in a different way.
Questions:
1) Under which user account was the installer run?
2) was that user an unpriliveged user or an adminstrator?
3) if the answer to (2) is "an administrator", then was that installer program run elevated or not ("run as administrator")?
4) Was the app then run by a different user from the account under which it was installed?
You may have had the following problems
(i) you did not run the installer elevated (right-click "Run as administrator")
(ii) it may be that the application doesn't like being run by a user other than the user account that ran the installer
(iii) anti-virus software has interfered with the installation
If you investigate the above issues and if all else fails you could try the following
(1) promote the user who will be using the application to be an administrator (temporarily) [important: assuming that that user was not an administrator to begin with]
(2) logged in as that same user, install the app
(3) demote that user to be a normal user, not an administrator [important: before doing this check that you can log in as at least one other administrator account by actually doing a trial run, logging in to check that you know the password and that the account is not locked out and also double checking that that account really is an administrator].
But this later technique is _not recommended_ as it is represents a long-term security configuration that is less than ideal. If it is the case that other users have access to the machine, then you should think again before using this technique.
An alternative is to run the application under a virtual machine. For Vista, Virtual PC 2007 is a free download. In Win7 Pro there is a different freely downloadable component for running a VM.
Using a VM, you will certainly be able to run this application without any problems and without the same security concerns. (Although security of the VM itself needs to be addressed.)
Hello,
For more info:
http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/windows-compared-windows-7-vs-vista-vs-xp-615167
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-xp-mode
Regards,
Tushar Kaskhedikar
For more info:
http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/windows-compared-windows-7-vs-vista-vs-xp-615167
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-xp-mode
Regards,
Tushar Kaskhedikar
Thanks Experts for your comments.
Sorry. I was on vacation. After going through your comments, I will post my comments by tomorrow.
Thanks
Raj
Sorry. I was on vacation. After going through your comments, I will post my comments by tomorrow.
Thanks
Raj
Guys, I have gone through each and every comments posted here.
In short, I think the answer to my question is
'Windows Xp Mode' which is available as a separate download only for Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-xp-mode
So It's better for me to think about upgrade my Windows Vista Home Premium Edition to any of the Windows 7 edition specified above, Am I right ?
Thanks
Raj
In short, I think the answer to my question is
'Windows Xp Mode' which is available as a separate download only for Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-xp-mode
So It's better for me to think about upgrade my Windows Vista Home Premium Edition to any of the Windows 7 edition specified above, Am I right ?
Thanks
Raj
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