32 bit program failure with Anniversary Update

[Tim Stone]

Many of my clients use the Advantage Database Server. The older versions, 7&8, are 32 bit builds. They have worked perfectly in Windows 10 until the anniversary update. Suddenly, the data servers will not start. It's not just my clients. Other forums have been reporting this same problem.

I realize this is not a technical forum, but perhaps someone has encountered a similar problem with this, or other 32 bit applications, and knows of some setting changes that need to be made to bring it back to life.

Ideas are greatly appreciated.

 

[Chintan Gohel]

I've seen people mention enabling compatibility mode for programs but I don't know how that works
Maybe someone else can post below on that?

 

[PGrey]

Running 32 on 64 (through a VM) is part of the OS, but I don't think it's installed by default anymore, like it was on 7.
If not, you have to go to the ControlPanel->Add/Remove->SystemSettings, and enable it there.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15078/windows-make-older-programs-compatible
By enabling "compatibility mode" for a given 32 (or 64 too) app, it will try to "virtualize" the older version of Windows you specify, such as 7 or XP. This allows many programs to run, in 32 (or 64) that wouldn't start, because they were checking for specifics on that version of Windows, but don't really need them (everything else is usually either backwards-compatible, or emulated). It won't fix everything though, some times it comes to a VM:

Running an actual VM (requires a chipset that supports it, and Pro OS version) is better, if you need things to be truly "sandboxed", but isn't as easy, for the average user. The VM is much better at protecting the 64-bit "hosting" version of Windows, and will also allow you to install certain types of drivers (limited though).

Here's a good write-up on the whole spiel:
Running Old (16-bit and 32-bit) Programs on a 64-bit Windows

For Tim, the OP, I would bet one of these modes will work, for you clients' app. There's no "before Anniversary Update" compatibility mode, but you can use Win8 mode, or possibly just running it as Admin will work.
You could also set up a VM, that's the ironclad way in your scenario, since then you can run in a "pure pre-AU" version of Win10, installed to that VM.