Can you have 2 different windows programs on 1 computer

[ghall36651]

I bought some music software months ago. I just bought a new computer with Windwos 8. The music software is not compatable with Windows 8. My question is: Can I have 2 programs, (Windows 8, and Windows 7), on 1 computer?

 

[Kiowa789]

Yes, you can, its called dual booting.

 

[randomhkkid]

I bought some music software months ago. I just bought a new computer with Windwos 8. The music software is not compatable with Windows 8. My question is: Can I have 2 programs, (Windows 8, and Windows 7), on 1 computer?

Yes you can however it would require splitting up your hard drive for the two different operating systems. http/lifehacker.com/5840387/how-to-dual+boot-windows-7-and-windows-8-side-by-side

On the other hand you could try to contact the publisher of the software and ask if they are going to update to be compatible with windows 8.

 

[ghall36651]

Yes, you can, its called dual booting.

Thank You so much this has been very helpful.

 

[ghall36651]

Yes you can however it would require splitting up your hard drive for the two different operating systems. http/lifehacker.com/5840387/how-to-dual+boot-windows-7-and-windows-8-side-by-side

On the other hand you could try to contact the publisher of the software and ask if they are going to update to be compatible with windows 8.

Thank you so much for the information, and explaining the proceedures that I need to take. Thanks again.

 

[Solandri]

You don't have to dual boot. You can run one OS inside a virtual machine. The two most popular free VM programs are VMWare Player and VirtualBox. That'll let you run Windows 7 inside a window under Windows 8 (or vice versa). Performance is impacted, especially for 3D apps, but most apps run at an acceptable speed. Audio usually runs ok, though sometimes it stutters.

I'm biased towards VMWare since I use VMWare Workstation, but for the free versions VirtualBox supports snapshots while Player does not. (VirtualBox OTOH reacts badly to moving/copying the VM files while VMWare has little problem with that). Both also support a mode where an app running in the VM shows up on your regular desktop as if it were a native app. It's a bit clumsy and slower than running inside a window, but if that's what you need, it's possible.

You might also want to look at VMWare Convertor. That'll take an existing computer and turn it into a virtual machine which can be run on either VMWare Player or Virtualbox. I do that every time I get a new computer now - convert the old one to a VM and put it on the new one. That way for the first month or two after I switch, if there's something I forgot to copy/transfer, I can just start up the VM and access it that way.

http/www.vmware.com/products/player/
https/www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

 

[rgd1101]

what music software?

 

[ghall36651]

It is a recording software, so I can record at home and not have to go to a studio.

 

[ghall36651]

You don't have to dual boot. You can run one OS inside a virtual machine. The two most popular free VM programs are VMWare Player and VirtualBox. That'll let you run Windows 7 inside a window under Windows 8 (or vice versa). Performance is impacted, especially for 3D apps, but most apps run at an acceptable speed. Audio usually runs ok, though sometimes it stutters.

I'm biased towards VMWare since I use VMWare Workstation, but for the free versions VirtualBox supports snapshots while Player does not. (VirtualBox OTOH reacts badly to moving/copying the VM files while VMWare has little problem with that). Both also support a mode where an app running in the VM shows up on your regular desktop as if it were a native app. It's a bit clumsy and slower than running inside a window, but if that's what you need, it's possible.

You might also want to look at VMWare Convertor. That'll take an existing computer and turn it into a virtual machine which can be run on either VMWare Player or Virtualbox. I do that every time I get a new computer now - convert the old one to a VM and put it on the new one. That way for the first month or two after I switch, if there's something I forgot to copy/transfer, I can just start up the VM and access it that way.

http/www.vmware.com/products/player/
https/www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Thank You, the information is most helpful and sound cost effective too.

 

[ghall36651]

Best answer selected by ghall36651.

 

[danny2000]

You could try compatibility mode also in Windows 8 and try running it that way.