[SOLVED] Why do some games work on Windows Vista or older versions and not Windows 10?

[mrmike16]

Hi everyone,

I always see on forums posts about solutions to making older games play on newer versions of Windows, and in the end some of them just don't work. But I don't see explanations as to why.

With the Compatibility Mode, I would think it runs the program like it would in an older version of Windows. But it doesn't- not exactly, at least. So what is different? There's a game for example, NHL 2002, that used to be played on Windows Vista, but will crash after reaching the menu on Windows 10. We tried Compatibility Mode, dVoodoo, everything I could think of. And yet if the PC had the resources to run a Vista VM, I'm pretty sure it would work.

I've pretty much given up on being able to play that game (although if anyone knows how please let me know), but I just want to understand why this happens. If a game is older, but is made for Windows and works on 64-bit, shouldn't the newer versions also be able to play it, at least with Compatibility Mode set for the OS it had been playable on?

 

[rgd1101]

driver, dll, directx

 

[COLGeek]

driver, dll, directx

Spot on. It is a matter of dependencies and the compatibility modes just lack them.

 

[mrmike16]

So...the things that Compatibility Mode is supposed to do, like using an older version of DirectX, it just doesn't do?

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Try this:
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3nskj6/eli5_what_does_run_in_compatibility_mode_actually/


Compatibility mode isn't what you think it might be. For all intents and purposes it simply lies to the application.

 

[Tac 25]

this is the reason I have two pc.

driver, dll, directx

quoted for truth.

I had a rough experience with that just two days ago. A game works fine in my Windows 7 pc. But trying to install in Windows 10 gives me dx and dll errors. Took more than two hourse to figure out that installing Direct X 9.0c fixes the problem..

 

[mrmike16]

this is the reason I have two pc.


quoted for truth.

I had a rough experience with that just two days ago. A game works fine in my Windows 7 pc. But trying to install in Windows 10 gives me dx and dll errors. Took more than two hourse to figure out that installing Direct X 9.0c fixes the problem..

OK, but even with DirectX 8 (And as I have stated earlier, using dgVoodoo which puts the correct .dlls for DirectX 8 in the folder), NHL 2002 doesn't work. I suppose that will have to wait until I have a powerful enough PC to run a game like that on a virtual machine.

But you all have answered the question, so thanks! I'm hoping this will be solved in future updates or in Windows 11- Including the option to add older versions of DirectX. Maybe they have, but I can't install Windows 11 on my current computer so I wouldn't know. And maybe Compatibility Mode will actually do a little more than what it currently does.

 

[rgd1101]

probably is gpu driver might not support directx8. everything have to work together to get it to work.

 

[mrmike16]

probably is gpu driver might not support directx8. everything have to work together to get it to work.

I think it's universal on Windows 10. But I did just find a fix - <Mod Deleted>
It finally works!
But the fix changed the menu music somehow to some kind of techno music. I did used to enjoy the menu song. But the game works, that's what's important.

 

[USAFRet]

I think it's universal on Windows 10. But I did just find a fix - <Mod Deleted>
It finally works!
But the fix changed the menu music somehow to some kind of techno music. I did used to enjoy the menu song. But the game works, that's what's important.

That "fix" goes off into some completely unauthorized pathways.

 

[mrmike16]

That "fix" goes off into some completely unauthorized pathways.

You mean the registry?

 

[USAFRet]

You mean the registry?

I meant some completely unauthorized 'hacks'.
Not just reg edits.

 

[mrmike16]

I meant some completely unauthorized 'hacks'.
Not just reg edits.

Noted!