Use XP Compatibility Mode in Windows Vista

XP compatibility mode is a setting that will allow you to run Windows XP software programs, such as games and productivity software, in Windows Vista. If you install a program that was designed for Windows XP in Vista, and it won't run properly or at all, XP compatibility mode can get it working again. While you can also use compatibility mode to run programs designed for Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4.0, 2000 and Server 2003, Windows XP compatibility mode is the one you'll likely need to use most often.

Using the Compatibility Wizard

To open the Compatibility Wizard, click the "Start" button, select "Control Panel" and then select "Programs." Choose "Use an older program with this version of Windows." Click "Next" to continue. Select "I want to choose from a list of programs" to let Vista search through your installed programs. Insert a CD in your drive and choose " I want to use the program in the CD-ROM drive" to select a program that starts from a CD. Choose "I want to locate the program manually" to browse for program files on your hard drive. Open the program's executable (.EXE) file, then click "Next." Select "Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2,) then click "Next" again.

You can then select display settings for the program. Select "256 colors" or "640 x 480 screen resolution) only if the program was designed to run in this display resolution, or if it isn't running properly at a higher resolution. Choose "Disable visual themes" if the menus or title bar buttons don't display properly. Select "Disable desktop composition" to disable advanced display features such as transparency which may interfere with the program's ability to display properly. Choose "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings" if large-scale fonts are causing the program to display improperly. Click "Next."

Click the check box beside "Run this program as an administrator" if the program requires full administrative privileges to run.

Using the Program Shortcut

You can easily access the Windows XP compatibility settings by right-clicking the program shortcut, either on your desktop or in your program files folder, then selecting "Properties." Select the "Compatibility" tab. Under "Compatibility mode," select "Run this program in compatibility mode for," then select "Windows XP (Service Pack 2)" from the drop-down menu. Under "Settings," choose the desired display settings, as you would if you were using the "Compatibility Wizard." Under "Privilege Level," select "Run this program as an administrator," if necessary.

Using these settings should get your older software running under Windows Vista. If you experience further problems with the software, re-run the Windows XP Compatibility Wizard or access the Compatibility tab within the program's properties window to change the settings.

For more information about Windows XP and Vista, read How to Safely Disable User Account Control in Windows Vista and How to Change Themes in Windows XP and Vista.

Sources:

"Make older programs run in this version of Windows" Microsoft.com