Games

Dear Mitja,

Thank you for posting your question on our forum.

There are a number of reasons why older games may not run:

1. Dependence on older software versions: some programs require outdated drivers that have not been included in the standard Windows 10 installer for a long time;

2. 16-bit software: 64-bit versions of Windows, unfortunately, do not contain built-in compatibility for older 16-bit applications;

3. DOS programs: Windows 10, like all Windows versions since XP, cannot run DOS programs. Some software still works, but not all. This problem has hit games especially hard;

4. DRM: lack of permission for DRM protection in outdated software won’t allow it to run on a modern OS;

8 Ways to Run an Old Game on Windows 11

Method #01: Run it as Administrator

Method #02: Use Compatibility Mode. Windows 11 compatibility mode can be accessed through the game’s properties menu. Right-click the game executable and select Properties.

Click the Compatibility tab.

In the Compatibility Mode section, mark the Run this program in compatibility mode checkbox.

Then, from the drop-down menu, select the version of Windows that you think will work for your game. This will depend entirely on how old your game is. If your game came out long before the millennium, try Windows 95 or Windows 98. In our example, we chose Windows XP (SP2).

Then in the Settings section, you have the option to select compatibility settings.

When you’re done, click OK.

Method #03: Run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. Click Start, type Run Programs. Then select the first option.

Click “Advanced”. Then click “Run as administrator” => “Next”. Windows will now look for any program compatibility issues. Now select your game and click “Next”. If it is not listed, select “Not Specified”. Then click ‘Next’ => “Browse” and find the game’s executable file.

Then click “Try Recommended Settings”. After applying the recommended compatibility settings, click “Test Program” to do so. If it runs, click “Next” => “Yes, save these settings for this program”.

Method #04: Install Old Unsigned Drivers.

Modern 64-bit and 32-bit PCs have driver signing enforcement, which requires all drivers on your computer to have a valid signature. Without them, Windows cannot protect your system from incompatible or unstable drivers.

First click “Start”. Then, while holding Shift, click “Restart”. This will take you to the advanced boot menu while your system boots. Click “Troubleshoot” => “Advanced Options” => “Startup Options” => “Restart”. Then select the number “7” and “Disable Driver Enforcement”. Then press Enter to restart. You should now be able to install the old unsigned drivers required for your game.

Method #05: Launching games using an emulator (DOSBox).

This emulator runs a full DOS environment on the latest Windows systems, allowing you to run all your old DOS-based games on it. See more information on their web page:

https://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=1

Running downloaded DOS games.

If you have downloaded the game for DOS, follow the instructions below to run it in DOSBox. In our example, we’re running the first installment of the genre-defining game Sid Meier’s Civilization.

Right-click “DOSBox” and select “Show Advanced Options” => “Create Shortcut”. Right-click the shortcut and select “Properties”. In the Shortcuts tab, find the path ‘Target’.

Here you need to add the full address of the game executable. The easiest way to do this is to navigate to the game executable, right-click on it and select “Copy as Path”.

Now go back to the Target path and paste it after ‘-userconf’.

Make sure you don’t delete a path that already exists and there is a space between the two paths. Our Civilization game file is located on drive D. So our full path looks like this: ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\DOSBox-0.74-3\DOSBox .exe’ -userconf ‘D:\games\Civ\civ\CIV.EXE’

Now when you want to play your game, double-click on this DOSBox shortcut. Then click OK.

Regarding your second question, in the Auslogics Essential Tools package, you get 4 programs altogether, one of which will be Auslogics BoostSpeed. The package also includes Auslogics Anti-Malware, Auslogics Driver Updater, and Auslogics Disk Defrag Ultimate. Please see more details on a dedicated product page: https://www.auslogics.com/en/software/essential-tools/

Should you have any other questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. We kindly ask you to include one question per thread as per our forum policy, so other users can easily navigate here while searching for the answers to their questions (in case they have already been answered).

Thank you!

Ty for your effort.. Respect