Running older programs in XP

[pensive_hamster]

I have recently upgraded from Win95 plus dial-up to a newer computer
with WinXP (with all the latest updates) and broadband. But I haven't
updated any of my programs, I'm happy with their existing
functionality.

I generally log on with a limited account rather than an administrator
account as I understand it is a bit insecure to be connected to the
internet running an administrator account (even though I run XP's
firewall plus AVG anti-virus & anti-spyware).

Everything works fine, except Adobe Photoshop 5.0 and Caere Omnipage
Pro 10, which will only open if I log on as an administrator. It is a
bit of a nuisance to have to keep switching between limited and
administrator accounts. Is there anyway round this (apart from getting
newer versions of the above two programs)?

I have run the Program Compatibility Wizard, but that doesn't help, and
had a quick search of previous messages in this ng, but couldn't find
anything helpful.

Oh, and the mouse wheel doesn't work in Word 7, but that might be too
much to ask ...

 

[DL]

It may be that you installed these apps whilst logged on as Admin, and not
for all users.
Its not a win problem, but the method used to install, that is causing this.
It might also depend how limited the user account is.
If you are the only user of the sys, set your account with admin privileges.

PS You say you havent updated any programs but have you visited your program
sites to check for free updates for your versions
Since win95 is completely different to winxp, in the way that it is
written/operates, a win95 app may not function correctly on a winxp pc.

 

[pensive_hamster]

I originally did a clean install of XP Home on a new hard disk, and set
up [my account] with IIRC the default administrator privileges, and
also a [guest account]. Using [my account] I then installed my
programs, and they all worked fine. (I was pleasantly suprised, given
that some of them were fairly old.)

About two months later I installed broadband, downloaded SP2 and all
other relevant updates, and a couple of weeks later learnt that it
wasn't a good idea to connect to the internet from an account with
admin privileges (because that would also give admin privileges to any
malware coming from the internet)

So I set up a new [admin account], and then from that account changed
[my account] to a limited account, and started using that most of the
time. But I found that Photoshop 5.02 and Omnipage 10 wouldn't open
from a limited account, only from an account with admin privileges -
either from the new [admin account], or from [my account] if I changed
it back to have admin privileges. I have never used [guest account],
and no-one else uses this computer.

The Photoshop 5.02 manual says it needs Win 95 (or later) or NT 4.0 or
later, and Omnipage says Win95, Win98, Win2000, or Win NT 4.0, so I
don't think it is the case that these programmes are Win 95 only, and
incompatable with XP.

 

[DL]

Some apps may need to run on an account that has admin privileges.
WinXP didnt exist when during the win95 era , so to say it needs win95 'or
later' is meaningless
Win9* is written/coded in a completely different way to winnt or higher, and
as such a win9* app may either not run, or not run as intended.
If however the apps run, and do what you want, then there is no problem.

It doesnt really make any difference as to whether an account has admin
privilidges when connected, as if you are infected, with the 'right' bug it
can pretty well do as it pleases once installed.

I originally did a clean install of XP Home on a new hard disk, and set
up [my account] with IIRC the default administrator privileges, and
also a [guest account]. Using [my account] I then installed my
programs, and they all worked fine. (I was pleasantly suprised, given
that some of them were fairly old.)

About two months later I installed broadband, downloaded SP2 and all
other relevant updates, and a couple of weeks later learnt that it
wasn't a good idea to connect to the internet from an account with
admin privileges (because that would also give admin privileges to any
malware coming from the internet)

So I set up a new [admin account], and then from that account changed
[my account] to a limited account, and started using that most of the
time. But I found that Photoshop 5.02 and Omnipage 10 wouldn't open
from a limited account, only from an account with admin privileges -
either from the new [admin account], or from [my account] if I changed
it back to have admin privileges. I have never used [guest account],
and no-one else uses this computer.

The Photoshop 5.02 manual says it needs Win 95 (or later) or NT 4.0 or
later, and Omnipage says Win95, Win98, Win2000, or Win NT 4.0, so I
don't think it is the case that these programmes are Win 95 only, and
incompatable with XP.

It may be that you installed these apps whilst logged on as Admin, and not
for all users.
Its not a win problem, but the method used to install, that is causing this.
It might also depend how limited the user account is.
If you are the only user of the sys, set your account with admin privileges.

PS You say you havent updated any programs but have you visited your program
sites to check for free updates for your versions
Since win95 is completely different to winxp, in the way that it is
written/operates, a win95 app may not function correctly on a winxp pc.