by David Hamilton

Created on: April 25, 2008

When designing Windows Vista, Microsoft focused on security and stability above other concerns. This has resulted in a host of compatibility issues for users trying to migrate their old hardware and software from XP to Vista. Fortunately, there are a number of fixes available.

Updates

While getting the latest critical updates from Microsoft has always been a first step in resolving compatibility issues, Vista user may need to a go a step further. Many hardware and software vendors are offering Vista specific patches. Checking the manufacturer's website for Vista specific fixes is always a good starting point. If the company offers a forum, you may find that other users have already posted a fix to your problem.

Right Click Makes It Work

Right clicking on the icon for a program and choosing "Run as Administrator" will give the program additional privileges not normally allowed by Vista. While this will not always work, it is a good step to try before applying more drastic fixes.

Run In Compatibility Mode

Vista offers a special compatibility mode that will allow many older programs to run. In order to apply this fix, you will need to locate the executable for the program that is not working. Once you have found it, right click and check the box to enable compatibility mode for that particular application.

Disable User Account Control

This is a solution that Microsoft heavily frowns on, but it is often the most effective. Many software vendors openly state in their support information that it is the only way get their programs to work. Even if you are not comfortable leaving it off permanently, temporarily disabling this security feature can be a good a troubleshooting step.

The simplest way to disable UAC is to go to the Control Panel, and put "UAC" (no quotes) in the search bar. This will bring back the Turn User Accounts Control On/OFF option. You go ahead and turn it off and try your program. If you are forced to use this workaround, be sure to check frequently for a better fix either from Microsoft or the vendor.

These workarounds will get many applications up and running on Vista. Some hardware and software however, may forever remain incompatible. Before spending to much time troubleshooting, it is worth paying a visit to Microsoft's page for known Vista issues:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935796. This regularly updated page lists programs that are known to have issues with Vista - and information on workarounds if they exist.

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