Problems running 32 bit programs on 64 Bit Win 7

[Skater]

I've been running a 32 bit version of the Oxford English Dictionary CD (2nd edition ver 3.1) on a 32 bit version of Windows 7 for years by making it compatible with Windows Vista.

However, I just installed a 64 bit version of Windows 7 on a different pc, and the OED crashes regardless of which compatibility mode I try, and whether I install the data on my pc or run it off the data disk. In addition, when I try to install my 32 bit version of the American Heritage Dictionary on that pc, I get a message telling me that I can't run that program on that pc.

I'd therefore appreciate it if anyone could tell me whether they knew how to solve this problem.

Thanks very much.

Steve

[dr_st]

The second problem is probably a 16-bit installer (was not an uncommon thing for 32-bit applications back in the day). 32-bit Windows contains a compatibility layer for 16-bit programs, but 64-bit Windows does not.

The first one - there could be a whole number of reasons. Some programs just used Win32 API in strange ways which are not supported by the compatibility layer...

[MikalE]

Might be better to get an updated dictionary. A lot has changed in the language world since Vista.

[McQuad]

I was wondering about the same thing myself. We've got a project here that requires an old 32-bit Win XP utility. I haven't run this utility yet, but I've been told that it will only run on a 32-bit system. Something to do with how Microsoft changed the way that XML files were handled when 64-bit processing was still being developed?

[Shredder11]

There is the option to run an older version of Windows inside a virtual environment application, and then install the dictionary on that. Not sure what other options there might be for this problem.