Can I use windows 7 programs in windows 8?

Windows 8 is mostly Windows 7 under the covers, so the odds are that they'll run.  When it comes to software though there're never any guarantees!  The few things I installed worked fine, but YMMV.  I installed Office 2007, Adobe reader, and Windows Live Mail that I rememeber, there could've been one or two others I've forgotten - it was back in March.  I'd say the area most likely to cause problems would be in the device driver area.  All mine worked fine, but I've seen a lot of posts in the Windows 8 forum in this area.

Why not download the Windows 8 RP and test for yourself.  Don't install it over your existing  Windows 7 system though, put it in a separate partition or use virtual mode. 

 I hope this helps.  Good luck.

You can download the Windows 8 RP from this site

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/download

 Be sure to read all the notes and FAQs there before installing and understand that this is PRE-RELEASE software.  That means it's not ready for prime time yet, so don't be surprised if you run into quirks and bugs.

Good luck.

On Sat, 23 Jun 2012 17:45:29 +0000, oyhens wrote:

I was wondering whether I can  use windows 7 programs in windows 8?

First, note that are no such things as "Windows 7 Programs." The
version of Windows is not part of the program. What you mean is can
you run programs in Windows 8 that you ran on Windows 7. The answer is
generally yes, but there are no guarantees that every such program
will run in Windows 8. Most of them should run without a problem, but
there is always the possibility that some of them may not.

As I have alot of programs installed in Windows 7 and would not want to lose them when I update to Windows 8 :(

As I said above, you will probably lose either none or very few. But
when Windows 8 is released, it's likely that Microsoft will have a web
site where you can look to see if each of your programs will run under
Windows 8.

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP

Yes, Windows 8 will work with any application or device driver designed for Windows 7.

Depending on the options you chose during setup, you might have to reinstall your applications.

What are my options for what I want to keep?

What you can keep depends on the current version of Windows running on your PC. These options only show up if the current version of Windows supports them.

Here are the options you might see:

 · Windows settings. Windows settings like Ease of Access, your desktop background, or Internet favorites and history will be kept. Not all settings will be moved.

· Personal files. Anything saved in the User folder is considered a personal file, like the Documents and Desktop folders.

· Apps. Some apps are compatible with Windows 8  and will just work after Windows 8 Consumer Preview is installed. Some apps might have to be reinstalled after Windows 8 finishes installing, so be sure to find the installation discs and installers for apps you want to keep.

· Nothing. Delete everything and replace your current version with a copy of Windows 8. Your personal files will be moved to a windows.old folder.

If you choose Nothing, make sure to do the following before you continue:

· Back up your files to an external hard disk, DVD or CD, USB flash drive, or network folder.

 · Find the installation discs and installers for the apps you know will work in Windows 8 Consumer Preview and need to reinstall.

 · If you use a fingerprint reader or other biometric device to sign in to your computer, make sure you write down your password. You’ll have to sign in by typing your user name and password the first time you use Windows 8

Depending on the version of Windows you are upgrading from, you will get keep the following:

Windows Settings, Personal Files and Apps - Windows 7

Windows Settings, Personal Files - Windows 7 and Vista

Personal Files - Windows XP

How do I do it? :D