100 MAY2020|COMPUTERSHOPPER|ISSUE387
O
ne of the biggest issues
you’ll encounter when
moving from Windows 7
to Windows 10 is getting old
hardwareand softwaretowork.
One option is to virtualise your old
Windows 7computer (see
opposite) and still run it under
Windows 10. With Seamless mode,
Windows 7applications feel like
partofWindows 10, but it’s not a
perfect solution, and you end up
dedicating alot of physical
resources to do this.
Thereare alternatives, however.
Old software, including drivers for
devices such as printers and
scanners, may run under Windows
10 if you use the compatibility mode. Just
right-click the program thatyou want to run
and select Troubleshoot compatibility.Inthe
dialog boxthatcomes up,select Troubleshoot
program, select ‘The Program worked in
earlier versions of Windows but won’t install
or run now’,and click Next. Now select
Windows 7fromthe list and click Next.
Click the option to test the program and,
if thereare no problems, click Next, then
choose ‘Yes, save these settings for this
program’.You can now try to run this
application or driver again. If you run into
problems or the application still won’t run,
you’reout of luck with this method.
I
fyou’ve got old hardwarethatyou’d like
to use with anew computer,then you
should be able to move it. Themost
important thing to check is if thereare new
drivers available for your new computer.Todo
this, go to the manufacturer’s website and
download the latest driver for your product,
looking for the Windows 10 drivers.
If there’sadriver here, then you’reinluck,
as you can just run the new driver installation
and install your old peripheral simply by
plugging it in. You’ll find thatthere’sno
difference running your peripheral on your
new computer compared to the new one.
Theproblems arise if you’ve got a
device thatdoesn’t have new Windows 10
drivers. Here, you’ll need to follow our
guide above on getting old devices
or softwareworking.
HOW TO MOVE
OLD PERIPHERALS
Scanner owners may find themselves
better offbuying and installing VueScan (www.
hamrick.com), which comes with drivers for
many old scanners, saving them from the
dump.You can download afreetrial, after
which the softwarecosts $50 (around £40).
There’salso hope in Windows 10 Update,
which pulls in newdrivers for hardware
directly from Microsoft. RunWindows Update
on your computer.Then plug in your old
peripheral, such as aprinter,and turn it on.
If there’sadriver available, it should be
installed automatically.
If not, you can try to manuallyinstall a
printer.Open the Startmenu and search for
‘printers’ then select Printers &Scanners.
Select Add aprinter or scanner and then wait.
Click ‘The printerthatIwant isn’t listed’ option
when it appears, then select ‘Add alocal
printer or network printer with manual
settings’,and click Next. Select ‘Use an existing
port’ and select USB, such as USBxxx(Virtual
printer portfor USB) and click Next. Select
your manufacturer and product from the list
and click Next. If you can’t see your printer,
click Windows Update to download the latest
list of drivers. If you find the one you want,
click Next to complete the installation. If your
printer still has no driver,you’reout of luck.
Unfortunately,there’snoguaranteed
method of getting all hardwareand software
to work, so if you’ve upgraded to Windows 10
and these tips don’t work, you may need to
bite the bullet and upgrade to morerecent
peripherals and software.
RIGHT:Most recent devices willhave
specific Windows 10 drivers
ABOVE:Youcan trytomakeold softwarerun on your newPC
ABOVE:Some drivers canbeinstalled manually
GETINCOMPATIBLEHARDWARE
OR SOFTWARE WORKING
