Solved Compatibility issue with program created for Windows XP

QuicktellPro said:

I'm running v5.02. If you want a copy, send me a PM and I will put it on my server for you. You should know that, just as with v5.01, it is just a load of files which you paste into the installation folder. Quite frankly, I really have no idea what the difference is. Perhaps you could mail Ian for more info about that?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer. Although Ian sent me the KirbyAlarmUpdateVersion502.zip the version installed is 5.01 and not 5.02 . Please verify if you really have 5.02 (On Kirby - Help > about)

Megahertz said:

Thanks for the offer. Although Ian sent me the KirbyAlarmUpdateVersion502.zip the version installed is 5.01 and not 5.02 . Please verify if you really have 5.02 (On Kirby - Help > about)

Click to expand...

Indeed, it shows v5.01, even though I copied all the files from Ian's 5.02 zip archive into the folder.

Today, KAP just will not work. It launches but freezes every time. Any attempt to use our workaround results in this:



I'm at my wit's end because the program is critical to the running of my companies.

Your chance to keep using old applications like this is to install it on a virtual machine running a compatible version of Windows. If you don't want to use Hyper-V, you can download VMware Player or VirtualBox, install Windows 7 or 10 and install the application there. VirtualBox also supports Seamless mode which runs the application in a window rather than showing the whole guest OS. VMware had Unity, but this feature is removed in latest versions. You have to download an older version to use Unity.

However, I would try to set Windows 7 in Compatibility mode or other version of earlier Windows the application can load successfully. I would also make sure it always runs as Administrator, just in case. To make sure these settings are always enabled, I would set them for all users, not only mine.

PS: Out of curiosity, I downloaded Kirby Alarm Pro 4.45 and installed it by right-clicking on the file and Run as Administrator. I also created a test alarm. It seems to work fine without touching any compatibility settings. I run Windows 11 Pro 24H2 build 26100.4484 Maybe you have to use Revo Uninstaller to remove all traces of it, restart and reinstall.

What does Hyper-V do?
I think that running a separate O/S would not be a solution because I need that app running all the time whilst I am using Windows 11. There are several reasons for this. You see, it is not just an electronic agenda. It runs tasks that you have programmed automatically. For example, it will backup certain folders to an external drive, send mails to colleagues, and launch a specified program at a certain time.

The good news is that I changed the compatibility setting to Windows 7 and, for now, it appears to have stopped crashing. It still needs the workaround that Megahertz and I have been using to get rid of the blank screen, but maybe a future Win 11 update will solve that... I'm not holding my breath on that one though.

QuicktellPro said:

What does Hyper-V do?
I think that running a separate O/S would not be a solution because I need that app running all the time whilst I am using Windows 11. There are several reasons for this. You see, it is not just an electronic agenda. It runs tasks that you have programmed automatically. For example, it will backup certain folders to an external drive, send mails to colleagues, and launch a specified program at a certain time.

The good news is that I changed the compatibility setting to Windows 7 and, for now, it appears to have stopped crashing. It still needs the workaround that Megahertz and I have been using to get rid of the blank screen, but maybe a future Win 11 update will solve that... I'm not holding my breath on that one though.

Click to expand...

I had once Adobe Acrobat Pro XI (the version before DC) and every time I loaded it there was some conflict and the default PDF viewer was reset to Microsoft Edge! Very annoying! I set the compatibility to Windows 7 and it never did that again!

I had Win 11 24h2 upgraded from Win 10. I was having some other issues than just with Kirby so I decided to do a Win 11 23h2 clean install and everything is now working good. Let's see what happens with 25h2 next November.

QuicktellPro​

if you really need KAP running smooth , you should install Win 11 23h2

Megahertz said:

if you really need KAP running smooth , you should install Win 11 23h2

Click to expand...

The problem with doing a clean install is that I would need to reinstall all my programs and then customize Windows as I want it. It's just too much of a task because it would present a couple of days downtime and up to a couple of weeks to get it running as needed.

If I wait for 25H2, is it possible it will fix all the bugs in 24H2 or will that need a clean install too?

Upgrading from 23H2 directly to 25H2 requires to download the ISO and run Setup. Upgrading from 24H2 to 25H2 will be available with a simple update called 25H2 Enablement Package. This is because 24H2 and 25H2 share the same system files with the 25H2 features disabled. Since it will be basically the same version of system files as 24H2, most likely any existing bugs will remain until a newer update fixes them. So chances are Kirby will still have this bug in 25H2 unless the system files responsible are updated as well.

Ok. Well, for now, I think I will stick with the workaround to make KAP work.
To be honest, this program was first released in 1998. Since then, I have only seen one company attempt to make a competing product. Theirs had a much nicer interface but was extremely lacking in functionality so it vanished within a couple of years. Given how this program is so indispensable to anyone that has used it, I cannot understand why nobody else has come forward with a more up to date version to include new functionality.

Unfortunately once the original developer stops updating an application, rarely any other does. I am using some software from 2003 for my video editing because there is no newer version and haven't found a modern equivalent with the same functionality.