How to run old games on Windows 10

By Joanna Nelius 29 October 2019

Windows 95 games on Windows 10. It can be done.

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges facing games older than ten years is getting them to work on modern PCs. Unlike film, books or other mediums, games can’t be as easily updated to work with current technology, but that doesn’t mean these games are lost to videogame history. There are emulators and compatibility modes in operating systems to help us revisit the games of our childhood.

Like a few previous iterations of Windows, Windows 10 still has both the ‘run as administrator’ and ‘troubleshoot compatibility’ options. If you right click on the game icon, there is an option at the bottom called Properties. If you click on that, a pop-up box will appear with a few tabs. Navigate to the Compatibility tab and check the compatibility mode box to un-gray the dropdown menu beneath and choose what previous version of windows you want to run your game in.

Windows should automatically detect how old your game is. So if you are trying to install something like 3-D Ultra Minigolf from 1997, it will let you choose a compatibility mode as far back as Windows 95. However, this isn’t always a fool-proof method; DOS games from way-back-when, for example, may be a particular challenge, but there are a few things you can do to get older games working on a modern machine, whether it’s tweaking some settings or installing other software.

What is compatibility mode?

Compatibility mode is a software mechanism inside of Windows that allows the operation system to emulate older versions of itself.

While Microsoft tries to make programs and file formats backwards compatible, it does’t always work with older games because the gap between when each one was released is too large. It depends on the program and how it’s optimized and designed, if it’s inherently backwards compatible, etc. There’s a few specific reasons why older games won’t run automatically on Windows 10, even in compatibility mode:

1. 64-bit Windows 10 no longer supports 16-bit applications.
2. Some older software depends on old Windows libraries that are no longer included with Windows 10.
3. Since Windows XP, all versions of Windows no longer run on top of DOS.
4. Older games rely on non-existent DRM (digital rights management) solutions that stop programs from booting.

But what if compatibility mode doesn’t work?

There are several third-party software solutions that are great workarounds, and a few Windows settings that you can turn off (although I would not necessarily recommend).

First, check Steam to see if it happens to have the game you want to play. Some developers will release remastered versions of older games to be compatible with modern operations systems. Duke Nukem 3D and Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines are two such games that have been re-released on the digital store front over the last several years. Sure, you’re technically purchasing a second copy of the game if you previously owned (or still own) it on CD, but you’re paying for the convenience of not downloading extra software or messing with Windows settings at that point.

GOG has also made it its mission to track down older games and make them available for purchase again, too. A few games they have made compatible with newer operating systems are Eye of the Beholder and Beneath a Steel Sky.

There are also abandonware sites where you can search for and download older games for free that have already been modified to be compatible with Windows 10. However (and this is a big however), you do use these sites at your own risk; while abandonware games are no longer supported by either the developer or publisher, many are still technically under copyright, since copyrighted works that have been abandoned by their creators do not automatically become public property. (In the USA, copyright usually expires after 70 years from the date of publication.) It is up to the developer/publisher whether or not they want to pursue a copyright violation.

But what if I want to install from a CD?

If you still have your old game discs lying around—and an optical drive—and want to install your games the old-fashioned way, take a look at something called DOSBox. DOSBox is a stand-alone DOS emulator that supports hundreds of older games. You can find instructions on how to play a game via DOSBox here. There’s no legal gray area around emulation.

You can also try something like VirtualBox, a program that lets you build a virtual machine on your computer to run 16-bit applications in a window on your desktop—another emulator, in essence. Unlike Windows 7, Windows 10 does not have a «Windows XP mode,» which was a virtual machine with an XP license. You can basically create the same thing with VirtualBox, but you’ll need a Windows XP license. That alone doesn’t make this an ideal option, but it’s still an option.

Another option is to disable driver signature enforcement if it’s older drivers that are preventing your game from installing and/or running. This is not ideal either, as driver signing helps keep malicious or unstable drivers off your OS. But if you want to risk it so you can try to get through all 120 Lemmings levels again, here’s how to disable driver signature enforcement:

1. Open the advanced boot menu by pressing Shift while you click Restart.
2. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings.
3. Press Restart.
4. Select 7, disable driver signature enforcement.
5. Press Enter to boot your system.

Windows 10 Games’ full screen problem (all games running in windowed mode)

Hi, recently I faced with a problem with my games on Windows 10 PC.

Approximately a month ago all of my games stopped to run in full screen mode. Instead of full screen mode I can see only windowed mode. All game settings are set to run games in full screen mode.

I’ve tried to reinstall the graphics adapter driver twice. It didn’t help.

I tried to run games in compatibility mode (Windows 7 and 8), it didn’t help either.

— Windows 10 x64 with anniversary update
— MSI GeForce GTX 1070 video card
— Intel Core I7 6700K CPU
— MSI GamingX G5 motherboard
— Kingston SSD drive 240 Gb

I have no idea what should I do to fix that problem as I spent a lot of time reading different posts on forums. BTW please don’t suggest to try click Alt+Enter to enter full screen mode.

Does anyone know how this problem can be fixed?

Replies (5) 

We got your concern. We would like to know if this happens only in games? What are the games that won’t run in full screen? Do you see any error message?

You can also do these basic troubleshooting steps:

Uninstalling display drivers.
1. Move the mouse to bottom left corner and right-click on the ‘Start icon’.
2. Select ‘device manager’.
3. Expand ‘Display adapter’ and right-click on ‘display adapter’ and select ‘uninstall’.

Installing display drivers in compatibility mode.
1. Download the display drivers from the manufacturer’s website.
2. Right-click on the driver and click on ‘properties’.
3. Click on the ‘compatibility’ tab and check the box ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for’ and select Windows 7 operating system from the drop down.
4. Click on ‘Apply’ and click ‘OK’ and run the file to install it.

Keep us updated

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Does anyone know how to optimize windows 10 to make it faster so i can run games?

Replies (3) 

Game performance is mostly dependent on your hardware, and in the case of older machines, if dedicated Win10 drivers are

available for your machine. Particularly graphics drivers.

For the most part Win10 performance is what it is, you cannot ‘make it faster’, with the small exception of installing Win10 on an SSD,

but while this may make Widnows a bit snappier, it won’t help game performance.

Are you using a Laptop or Desktop machine ? What brand and model cpu and graphics processor; how much RAM does it use ?

— About all you can do to optimise Windows is limit the number of program\apps in the Startup tab in Task Manager,

and run Disk Cleanup using the Cleanup System Files option, but neither will produce much more than an extra couple of fps, if you are lucky.

— If you are using an HDD it may also help a bit if you manually defrag and optimise the HDD if you have only recently updated to Win10,

or did a clean install.

— It may also help to use a High Performance Power Plan (Control Panel > Power Options). Particularly if using a Laptop.

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I am using a laptop

my model is VAIO

Graphics NVIDIA GeForce 410M

Specif: Intel (R sign idk how to type it) Core TM-2410M CPU @ 2.30GHz

Yes i do use a hard disk drive.

If u need to know how much memory i have: Local disk C: (the one i’m using) 234 gb free of 351. Local Disk D: 579 GB free of 579. I don’t use DVD RW DRIVE (E:)

i also did everything u did i reset my pc but it’s not like anything has changed. If you have any other tips share it with me.

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«i also did everything u did i reset my pc but it’s not like anything has changed.»

— Other than doing a clean install of Win10, that’s about all you can do to be assured Win10 is running at it’s best.

If you had better performance with Win7 I expect it would be because Sony provided dedicated Win7 drivers for your hardware.

With Win10 you have to rely on the generic drivers provided by Windows Updates when you first upgrade to, or install Win10 clean.

— Have you verified your machine is switching from the Intel HD3000 to the Nvidia 410M graphics card when you launch a game ?

— If your performance degraded over time when running Win7 there is a possibility the HDD became badly fragmented and poorly optimised

if Windows was not able to defrag and optimised due to lack of ‘free’ time to run the task.

You don’t seem to have much data on your HDD at the moment though, so that may not be a problem.

When there is a lot of data, and if you are doing a lot of installing and uninstalling of software, using Windows auto defrag option

may not be able to keep up as Windows will not defrag\optimise the HDD when the cpu is busy.

Manual defrag\optimise on a HDD with a lot of data can take a long time for the optimising process to re-arrange the files in a contiguous order.

I used to have Windows auto-defrag disabled on XP and Win7, and if I didn’t manually defrag and optimise the drive often

enough game performance would start to lag.

It used to take an hour or so for a full defrag\optimise of my 512GB HDD in those days.

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How to Run Old Games and Software on Windows 10

Old PC games and software can struggle on Windows 10. Try these tips to get your old Windows games and programs running on Windows 10.

Microsoft tries to make programs and file formats backward compatible. It doesn’t always work. Sometimes the gap between operating systems is too far and your favorite old Windows game or software will fail to work.

Applications designed for Windows XP, Windows 98, and older are now starting to struggle. Many cease to function unless you find a specific Windows 10 fix for the older software. Even using the Windows 10 built-in compatibility modes, some programs refuse to come back to life.

Before you give up hope, try these tips to get your old Windows games and programs running on Windows 10.

Why Don’t Old Games and Apps Run on Windows 10?

Some old games and programs do run on Windows 10. It depends on the program. If the program or game is especially valuable to its user base, a workaround might exist. Otherwise, you should consult this short list of reasons your old software is refusing to play ball with Windows 10.

• Dependencies on Old Software Versions: Some software depend on old libraries no longer automatically included in the Windows 10 installation.
• 16-bit Software: 64-bit versions of Windows do not contain the built-in compatibility layer for older 16-bit applications. You can read more about why 64-bit Windows no longer supports 16-bit applications here.
• DOS Software: Windows 10, like all versions of Windows since Windows XP, no longer runs on top of DOS. Some DOS programs still run, but the vast majority—especially games—simply fail to work.
• DRM: Another issue facing old Windows programs is non-existent or deprecated DRM solutions that stop programs booting. For instance, SecuROM DRM causes major issues for old games on new systems.

How to Use Old Games and Programs on Windows 10

1. Run as Administrator

If your issue is with a Windows XP program, the first thing to try is running the application as an administrator. During the Windows XP era, most users were typically administrators. This isn’t always the case with Windows 10, as Microsoft attempts to shore up security. Developers coded applications with the assumption they had administrator access and will fail if not.

Head to the application executable or its shortcut, right-click, and select Run as Administrator.

2. Program Compatibility Troubleshooter

If right-clicking the application fails to work, we can try to let Windows 10 make its own decision about compatibility settings. Windows 10 has an integrated Program Compatibility Troubleshooter that helps to «detect and fix common compatibility problems.»

Use the Start menu to search for run programs. Select the best match to open the troubleshooter.

Select Advanced > Run as Administrator, then Next to proceed.

The troubleshooter will now scan your system for potential compatibility issues. If your application isn’t listed, select the Not Listed option, and select Next.

You’ll have to browse to the executable or shortcut. I’ll be testing one of the greatest football management games ever made: Premier Manager 98.

Select Try recommended settings.

Once you apply the settings, test the program. As you can see, the program now works, albeit notifying me that I need the original CD-ROM. Press Next.

Program Compatibility Failure

The troubleshooter will now ask you if the fix was successful or not. Selecting Yes, save these settings for this program will close the troubleshooter. Selecting No, try again using different settings will open an additional dialogue containing the following options:

• The program worked in earlier versions of Windows but won’t install or run now.Example: The setup program won’t begin.
• The program opens but doesn’t display correctly.Example: Wrong colors, size, or resolution.
• The program requires additional permissions.Example: Access denied errors appear, or the program requests administrator permissions to run.
• I don’t see my problem listed.

Make your selection based upon the results of the test we ran in the previous section. The examples listed should help you understand which option is right for your application. However, it might take a combination of fixes to get it up and running, so don’t lose hope at the first hurdle.

3. Manual Compatibility Settings in Windows 10

You don’t have to use the troubleshooter to figure out how to play old games on Windows 10. You can access Windows 10 compatibility options through the application Properties menu.

Select the Compatibility tab. Use the Compatibility mode option to run your application in a previous version of Windows. Furthermore, you’ll find compatibility settings for Reduced color modes, Run in 640 x 480 screen resolution, Disable display scaling on high DPI settings, and Run this program as an administrator.

The automated troubleshooter offers the same options. When you’re finished, press Apply > OK.

Keep in mind that these changes only affect your user account. If you’d like to apply the compatibility settings changes for every user, use the Change settings for all users button.

As with the automated troubleshooter, this will be a process of trial and error.

4. Unsigned Drivers

64 and 32-bit Windows 10 uses driver signature enforcement. Driver signature enforcement requires all drivers to have a valid signature. Driver signing helps with security and stability, ensuring malicious or unstable drivers don’t slip through the net.

In some cases, your old game or program will not use up-to-date drivers. In that instance, Windows won’t let the program install or run. However, you can disable driver signature enforcement—but your system will become slightly more vulnerable afterward. It all depends on how desperate you are to play the game or use the program.

Disable Driver Signature Enforcement

You can use the Advanced Boot Options menu to boot Windows 10 with driver signature enforcement disabled. Using the boot option to disable the driver signature signing is not a permanent change, and the enforcement will reenable next time you restart Windows 10. However, it should remove the drivers you install while the enforcement is switched off.

Open the advanced boot menu by pressing Shift while you click Restart.

Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings. You should have arrived at this screen:

Press Restart.

Select 7 at the Startup Settings screen to active the «Disable driver signature enforcement» option. Press Enter to boot your system. You’re now free to install your unsigned drivers.

5. Use a Virtual Machine

Windows 7 included a «Windows XP Mode.» It was an excellent feature that was essentially just a virtual machine with an XP license. Nonetheless, it made booting older applications that bit easier. Unfortunately, Windows 10 doesn’t have an XP mode. However, you can use a virtual machine to create your own XP mode.

All you need is a virtual machine, like VirtualBox or VMware Player, and an old—but crucially, spare—Windows XP license. Install your Windows XP license in the virtual machine, and you’ll be able to run your application in the older version of Windows, in a window on your desktop.

Realistically speaking, this isn’t an ideal solution. The success of a virtual machine depends on the application. Furthermore, virtual machines have limited hardware support.

6. DOSBox

If you’ve got an old DOS program or game refusing to work, DOSBox is going to be your friend. DOSBox is a free application that runs a full DOS environment on your Windows 10 system, allowing you to run old DOS games and applications.

DOSBox brings hundreds of classic games back to life. It is extremely well used, meaning if you’re stuck, there will be a solution online. Similarly, you can purchase games via GOG.com pre-packaged to run in a DOSBox instance.

Download: DOSBox for Windows

Run Your Old PC Games and Software at Last!

Nostalgia is a powerful attraction. I know: I love booting up old Windows games. Windows 10 doesn’t always want to play ball, though. Ideally, you’ll be able to find modern alternatives for old applications. However, it isn’t always possible, and just isn’t possible for some business applications.

Luckily, one of the methods we’ve detailed above will be the solution, so give them a try!

If you feel the need to play some old PC games, check out these sites where you can download old games for free or these ways to play retro games on your PC legally.

Here are the best free streaming TV apps and the best paid streaming TV apps for all your entertainment needs.

Gavin is the Junior Editor for Windows and Technology Explained, a regular contributor to the Really Useful Podcast, and was the Editor for MakeUseOf’s crypto-focused sister site, Blocks Decoded. He has a BA (Hons) Contemporary Writing with Digital Art Practices pillaged from the hills of Devon, as well as over a decade of professional writing experience. He enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football.

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