Running Windows 98 On A Windows 7 Machine

[Turtle]

I just recovered all the data from an old IDE hard drive, primarily to recover some drawing files from a very old version of Canvas. I could upgrade the Canvas, but even with a 20% discount for being a long-time customer it would cost $500 which is not in my budget. (Not even close)

 

When I try to run the old Canvas on my Windows 7 machine I get a message that it will not run on that Windows version. Since I have recovered the entire drive, operating system and all, I was wondering if I could run Windows 98, and so the old Canvas, on my Windows 7 machine. Is it possible? If so, what are the problems? Turtle down!

 

Edit & Post Script: Here's an example of one type of vector graphic drawing I was doing with Canvas.

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by Turtle

[LaurieAG]

Hey Turtle, if you have the original Windows 98 and Canvas software disks/CD's you can install VMWare Workstation on your Windows 7 machine and then install Windows 98 as a Virtual Machine (VM) in VMWare. You just open up the Win 98 VM, install the Canvas software and run it. It's free for non commercial use.

 

https://my.vmware.com/en/web/vmware/free#desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_workstation_player/12_0

Edited July 18, 2017 by LaurieAG

[Turtle]

Hey Turtle, if you have the original Windows 98 and Canvas software disks/CD's you can install VMWare Workstation on your Windows 7 machine and then install Windows 98 as a Virtual Machine (VM) in VMWare. You just open up the Win 98 VM, install the Canvas software and run it. It's free for non commercial use.

 

https://my.vmware.com/en/web/vmware/free#desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_workstation_player/12_0

Well, I have the original Canvas disks; 5, 3 1/2 floppies. I would have to buy a floppy drive with a USB however. As to the Windows 98, I don't have the original disks. It was on a hand-me-down machine so it's only the hard drive.

[JMJones0424]

I am a moron in this subject, Turtle, but a google search led me to this-

http://thpc.info/dual/7/db_9x_on_win7.html

[Buffy]

Of the two options above, I'd personally go with the VMWare solution. It's main downside is you have to install everything from scratch, but it's clean and easy to use.

 

As a hacker of long repute I can provide a third alternative which is not for the faint of heart, but for folks who like to use the cheapest and most Rube Goldberg-like solution, just mount the old drive in your computer, and then get used to clicking Esc (or Del or F9 depending on what hardware you're using) at boot time to get into the computer's BIOS and then switch the boot disk in there. If you have a very new system, this may not work because Windows 98 simply won't be able to deal with the latest BIOSes, and this is a situation where neither this nor the dual boot solution will work and you have to go to VMWare. The key advantage here is it's quick and dirty and you don't have to figure out how to get your Window 7 disk to properly do dual boot. Also means if you ever scrounge a second system you can pop the windows 98 disk into it and it will still work.

 

 

Good luck Mr. Phelps, :phones:

Buffy

[Turtle]

Of the two options above, I'd personally go with the VMWare solution. It's main downside is you have to install everything from scratch, but it's clean and easy to use.

 

As a hacker of long repute I can provide a third alternative which is not for the faint of heart, but for folks who like to use the cheapest and most Rube Goldberg-like solution, just mount the old drive in your computer, and then get used to clicking Esc (or Del or F9 depending on what hardware you're using) at boot time to get into the computer's BIOS and then switch the boot disk in there. If you have a very new system, this may not work because Windows 98 simply won't be able to deal with the latest BIOSes, and this is a situation where neither this nor the dual boot solution will work and you have to go to VMWare. The key advantage here is it's quick and dirty and you don't have to figure out how to get your Window 7 disk to properly do dual boot. Also means if you ever scrounge a second system you can pop the windows 98 disk into it and it will still work.

 

 

Good luck Mr. Phelps, :phones:

Buffy

Thanks Buffy. :) While I do go the Goldbergish route on some projects, I'm no Mr. Phelps as I'm not so daring as to have the secretary disavow any knowledge of me for not dotting an i. :ebomb: Since I don't have the original windows disks I think the VMware option is also out. I guess I will just be thankful that I only spent $8 for the USB/IDE device to confirm I am screwed unless I pony up $500. :lol:

Edited July 18, 2017 by Turtle

[LaurieAG]

Well, I have the original Canvas disks; 5, 3 1/2 floppies. I would have to buy a floppy drive with a USB however. As to the Windows 98, I don't have the original disks. It was on a hand-me-down machine so it's only the hard drive.

 

Turtle, there are free versions of Canvas available on the internet that will run on Win 7 so you might even be able to load the old file formats and edit them. The problem is they also want you to login via Google or Facebook before you will be allowed to download the program so 'caveat emptor'. 

 

https://canvas-professional-edition.en.softonic.com/ 

 

Buffy BTW, I have used VMWare in the past as MicroSoft Visual Foxpro 6 can only be installed on Windows XP (or VMWare) but any of the applications generated in XP will run on all MS OS's up to Win 10.

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/apps_windows_10-winapps/visual-foxpro-6-on-windows-10/db13b4c7-7824-4964-be40-b81bceab5fa7

[Turtle]

Turtle, there are free versions of Canvas available on the internet that will run on Win 7 so you might even be able to load the old file formats and edit them. The problem is they also want you to login via Google or Facebook before you will be allowed to download the program so 'caveat emptor'. 

 

https://canvas-professional-edition.en.softonic.com/ 

 

Buffy BTW, I have used VMWare in the past as MicroSoft Visual Foxpro 6 can only be installed on Windows XP (or VMWare) but any of the applications generated in XP will run on all MS OS's up to Win 10.

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/apps_windows_10-winapps/visual-foxpro-6-on-windows-10/db13b4c7-7824-4964-be40-b81bceab5fa7

 

Your free link is dead, but I think that may have been a 30 day offer. I also don't know who softonic is, but Canvas is from ADCSee.

https://www.acdsee.com/en/index

http://www.canvasgfx.com/en/products/canvasx