Vista - I thought 16-bit apps didn't run in Vista

I read repeatedly that Windows Vista absolutely will not run 16-bit apps. I figured everyone knew what they were talking about, so never gave it a second thought. My mother boldly tried running her old Windows Entertainment Pack games (Cruel Solitaire, Block Breaker, JezzBall, etc.) on her brand new Win Vista laptop and lo and behold... they ran.

I put the games on my Vista machine and tried them and they ran on this as well. The only thing I noticed was that Vista doesn't load the icons of 16-bit apps, just its generic icon, but the programs themselves did indeed run.

Now do these programs run on our Vista machines because we're running x86 Vista, or was the whole thing about Vista not running these programs just more hate mongering and misinformation?

I would not take this as as carte blanche for older applications. The installers of old applications can get ignorant and overwrite newer DLL system files with old versions compatible with themselves, but incompatible with newer apps that will expect the newer overwritten version of that DLL that would have installed or already existed when the newer app installed. This can cause all kinds of problems and be difficult to fix since a simple uninstall of an offending app will not correct the problems.

Indeed I do not. Fortunately, there was no installation involved, just copying the games over in their little self-contained folder.

I don't see a problem with this then. If it runs, it runs. If it doesn't, it doesn't.
It would be entirely trial and error.

Hi Omega

Hate mongering..???
Do you mean by the usual MS bash groupies, or by MS themselves? If it's the latter I don't quite get why this would be considered that, but I can see if it's the former.

But normally I would not see 16bit apps working on Vista as they simply allowed too much low level access to these older programs that Vista simply will not allow with the new kernel rules. If these little programs just required very basic OS support to operate then I can see them working to a degree, but I still wouldn't trust to run them.

I guess by both. Well, they're just games. I really don't see what harm they can do. I've played these games for a decade.

Folks,

The 64-bit version of Vista does not have the 16-bit subsystem present while the 32-bit version does. See this article:

A description of the differences between 32-bit versions of Windows Vista and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista

S-

OP has 32 bit VISTA. 64 bit VISTA will not even run some 32 bit apps never mind 16.

Thats true SW, but one of the big drawbacks of the older systems was that programs were allowed low level access to perform some functions, and thus if the program crashed it took the OS with it.
Under the newer security rules, these low level requests are denied and if the program required this, it won't run even on the 16bit subsystem. Like said above tho...you never know which will work or won't so I guess you gotta try eh..

Chappy,

You are bringing up a different issue. The bottom line is that 32-bit Vista can run 16 bits apps while 64-bit Vista cannot.

S-