Many XP programs will play nicely if installed correctly. Set the install program (via the icon properties) for XP compatibility mode with administrator privleges before installing. Then set the program icon the same way. I have yet to find a program that will not install and run. Most people install the program normally then use compatibility mode for running. This will not work in many cases.

Kirk,

That all sounds very good but I'm sorry to say you are dealing with a bit of a dummy, in other words I don't understand how to go about it. Maybe you could put it in language that I might be able to follow step by step.

bathurst,

 

1. right-click the desktop icon (if you have a desktop icon for the application.. if not, go into the programs list and right-click the application there)

2. select "properties"

3. select "compatibility" tab

4. i think the first dropdown menu will allow you to select XP

5. click ok 

 

that should be it unless i've missed something. 

In a little more detail:

 

1 - Go to the program installation icon. It will either on the disk that you have for the program or the installation program that you downloaded from the web.

 

2 - Right click the icon and select the Compatibility Tab.

 

3 - The section at the top of the Compatibility page is the Compatibility selection. Click the little box to select " Run this program in compatibility mode". In the drop down box, make sure Windows XP is selected (it is the default mode. At the bottom of the page Select the little box that says "Run this program as an administrator". Click Apply and OK.

 

4 - Now run the installation by double clicking on the icon you just modified.

 

5 - After the installation is complete, find the program icon in the folder that the program was installed to. Do the same steps as in 2 and 3 above to the program icon. You can also make the two changes to the Shortcut inco that should have been created on the desktop, but it's better to do it to the actual program icon.

 

I also run all Vista programs in the administrator mode, even though I am the administrator. Doing this has cured several Vista programs that had caused problems.