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Load an old version of Photoshop (Photoshop 6) in Windows 7

Anonymous
2011-01-13T18:11:48+00:00

I have recently bought a new PC running Windows 7. I have old copies of some programs, including Photoshop 6 that I want to use. They do everything I need, so I do not want to pay to upgrade. Photoshop will not load in Windows 7. Can I do anything about this?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Apps

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-01-13T19:25:37+00:00

    I believe Photoshop used a 16bit installer up to version 7. A 16bit installer will never run under Windows 7 64 bit, but you have a good chance at running it in compatibility mode under Windows 7 32 bit.

    If you have a 64 bit version of Windows 7, I believe you will need to run and install Virtual PC in XP Mode to have any chance of a fully operational 16 bit subsystem. If you are running Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate, you can use Windows XP Mode and Virtual PC.

    Windows Virtual PC

    http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

    Note: you cannot run XP Mode on Windows Home editions. If you are using Windows 7 Home Premium, you would need to use Virtual Box, DosBox or any other 3rd party virtualization program that works with Home Premium. Please visit forums dedicated to these programs for more information.

    • "Have you tried turning it off and then on again?" - Roy from 'The IT Crowd' (Emmy award-winning British comedy)

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-03-29T05:32:04+00:00

    Wow.  I have an UGLY solution that allows the program to work for me.

    As I said Photoshop 6 is running on my wife's machine which is also running Win 7 Home Premium 64

    I copied the ENTIRE directory from the Program Files x86 folder into a shared network folder.  I had to create the top folder (Adobe) myself, then I copied the Photoshop 6.0 folder from her computer.

    So I copied this: C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Photoshop 6.0 on her computer and then placed it the same directory on mine.

    I used Send To Desktop for both the photoshop executable and the Image Ready executable.

    Both programs run fine, although I was NOT able to use MY license for the program. it never asked me for it and is using the registered license number for my wifes copy of the program.

    I KNOW that is not how I did it before, I had the program registered under my license and I installed it normally back on 7/1/2010 when I first got the computer.

    I don't know if this will ever be able to help someone else, but I thought I'd put it out there.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-03-29T04:50:29+00:00

    I am having a problem as well.

    I just restored my PC back to factory defaults and I am reinstalling programs.

    I had Adobe Photoshop 6 running prior to this restore, however now I am not getting anywhere when I try installing again.

    I run the program in Windows XP SP 2 computability mode, and all it does is show the process running in Task Manager, but it never brings up the install shield.

    I am running Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit

    As per the instructions above I will try getting Virtual Box and installing.  I simply do NOT remember having this much trouble when I installed originally back in July 2010

    What is maddening is I can see it running on my wifes PC right next to mine, running the exact same OS as I am.

    Final Note: Virtual machine is NOT how I had the program running before, so after looking at it, I am not using that program to run and install.

    Any other ideas?

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-14T17:24:18+00:00

    Do you know exactly which version of Photoshop you are trying to install? I have Photoshop 6.0 and it installed without a problem on Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-01-13T19:18:23+00:00

    Its a very old program, did you try installing in compatibility mode (see win help) and if it doesnt run nothing will make it or can be done. There are free basic photo editor programs that run under win7

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