Upgrade bios to enable hardware virtualization support

On some computers, pressing a special key before boot up displays all the bootable devices. Using the arrow keys one can select which device to boot.

According to http://www.chicony.com.tw/download/di/driver.asp , the available drivers were written in 2004. Chicony has stopped supporting their cameras for newer Windows OS versions. I suspect they never made a 64-bit version of the driver for XP 64-bit.

If you had the 32-bit version of Windows 7, you might be able to use the compatibility mode to install the driver. To check your version, click on Start > Control Panel > System and Security > System. Look for your Windows version and check if it says x64. If you see that in the description, you have the x64 bit version. Otherwise, right-click on the driver file from the above site (after extracting the files from the zip file). Choose Properties and the Compatibility tab. Check the box for always Run this program in the compatibility mode and set it to Windows XP in the drop-down menu. You may need to repeat this on the camera software as well.

If you have a 64-bit version Windows Home Premium, you may be better off upgrading to Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate. Then you can download and install Virtual PC and the XP mode, if your hardware can handle that software. This gives a virtual version of the 32-bit version XP that will run your camera. (The CPU needs to have virtualization support and it has to be enabled in the BIOS. Then you need enough memory to give the virtual XP at least 512MB -1GB of memory.) If you already have Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate, just use XP mode. Other virtual PC software exists but they require a licensed version of XP. (If you can find a valid license.) The only issue I've found is that files saved to the C: drive in one OS can't be accessed by the other OS. You have to transfer the files with an external drive, flash drive or burn the file to optical disc.

Dual boot systems with XP and Windows 7 can be set up if you have the XP license. Then pick the OS you need when you boot up the computer. This requires you to repartition the hard drive or have two bootable hard drives. Make sure to back up before partitioning the drive.

I wish that I had better news for you.

Cindy Wells

To determine whether your PC supports hardware virtualization:

Step 1. Does my PC have a CPU with support for hardware virtualization?

Download and run the Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool

If you receive the message This computer does not have hardware-assisted virtualization, your computer does not meet the hardware requirement for Windows Virtual PC, but you can still use Windows 7 XP Mode by running this hotfix. Be aware that XP Mode will run much better if hardware-assisted virtualization can be enabled.

If you receive the message Hardware-assisted virtualization is not enabled on this computer, go on to Step 2 below.

If you receive the message This computer is configured with hardware-assisted virtualization, download and install Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode.

Step 2. Does my PC BIOS support hardware virtualization, and is it turned on?

Instructions to turn on hardware virtualization in your PC BIOS are specific to OEM models. It is important that after changing your BIOS settings the PC is completely shut down at the power switch before restarting so that the new BIOS settings can take place.

Examples for some models of some computer manufacturer's BIOS settings are below:

Sample instructions for your PC

Expand all

Dell systems

Depress the F12 key when boot menu text appears at startup

Select BIOS setup and depress the Enter key

Using the mouse, expand the Virtualization Support menu item by clicking on the plus to the left of Virtualization Support and select Virtualization

Check the Enable Intel Virtualization Technology checkbox

Click Apply

Click Exit

Fully shut down (power off), wait a few seconds, and restart your computer

HP systems

Depress Esc key when prompted at startup

Depress the F10 key to Configure BIOS

Scroll to System Configuration using the arrow keys

Select Virtualization Technology and depress the Enter key

Select Enabled and depress the Enter key

Depress the F10 key to save and exit

Select Yes and depress the Enter key

Fully shut down (power off), wait a few seconds, and restart your computer

Lenovo ThinkPad systems

Depress the blue ThinkVantage key when prompted at startup

Depress the F1 key to enter the BIOS setup utility

Using the arrow keys, scroll to Config and depress the Enter key

Scroll to CPU and depress the Enter key

Scroll to Intel Virtualization Technology and depress the Enter key

Select Enabled and depress the Enter key

Depress Enter key to continue

Depress F10 key to save and exit

Select Yes and depress the Enter key

Fully shut down (power off), wait a few seconds, and restart your computer

Acer

PCs capable of supporting Windows XP Mode have already been enabled and do not require additional configuration.

Asus

PCs capable of supporting Windows XP Mode have already been enabled and do not require additional configuration.

Samsung

PCs capable of supporting Windows XP Mode have already been enabled and do not require additional configuration.

Panasonic

Depress the F2 key when boot menu text appears at startup

Select Advanced menu in Setup Utility

Change "Intel Virtualization Technology" setting from Disable to Enable

Depress F10 to exit Setup Utility

Select Yes in confirmation menu

Depress Enter to exit confirmation menu.

Please note the instructions above may not work in all cases and consulting with your computer manufacturer may be necessary. Additionally, we expect hardware virtualization to become more available when Windows 7 is shipped, particularly in business-class PCs. For those PCs that come pre-installed with Windows XP Mode we recommend the computer manufacturer turn on hardware virtualization before shipping the PC.

Once you have confirmed your PC supports hardware virtualization
Download and install Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode
hope this helps

The PhotoSuite 4 program is very old and won't work under Windows 7. http://sonic.net/mnitepub/pccafe/reviews/photosuite4/photosuite4.html says that the version 4 Platinum edition ran under Win95-Win2000 versions of the Windows OS. Thus even the compatibility mode probably won't help under Windows 7 32-bit. You can try it though by right clicking on the installer and then selecting Properties. In the Compatibility Mode tab, select Always Run this program in the compatibility mode and an older version of Windows. Then right click again and choose Run as Administrator. (You may have to do this again on the program itself.) Since Win7 64-bit requires signed drivers or programs, it is not as likely to work. (Check your version of Windows 7 by clicking Start > Control Panel > System and Security > System. If the title of your OS ends with x64, you have the 64-bit OS. Otherwise, you have the 32-bit OS.)

If you have Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate (or upgrade to one of those versions), you can run a virtual version of XP for free. Download and install Microsoft's Virtual PC and then XP mode (in order). This works best if your CPU supports virtualization and you enable the feature in your computer's BIOS. (There are work-arounds for computers without virtualization. See the MS support pages.) Install your PhotoSuite inside the virtual XP program in that case.This old software may run in that case. (However, I've had some Win2K software that ran under XP with the compatibility mode but didn't run under the virtual XP. Note: virtual computers do have some additional limitations. They do not talk to the host hard drive and other hardware directly. (You can install a printer on the host machine or the virtual machine but not both.) You'll need to save files on external media (flash drive, optical disc or other hard drive) to transfer them between the machines).

Another option is to run an older version of Windows on another computer, as a dual boot computer or with Virtual PC (or another virtual computer package - VMWare or Parallels). In that case, you need a licensed version of the older Windows OS. Again install the program while running the older OS.

The final option is to upgrade to a Windows 7 compatible Photo editor and organizer. (Even the Microsoft Windows Live Photo Gallery has some of the features of Photosuite SE.)

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

CreataCard Platinum 8 was written for XP and older versions of Windows. Changes in the OS make it difficult/impossible to install.

Do you have the 32-bit or the 64-bit version of Win7Pro? Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > System. If the title reads Windows 7 Professional x64, it's the 64-bit version. (If it doesn't end with the x64, you have the 32-bit version.)

In any case, the best option is to try running an older version of Windows on another machine, a dual boot system or a virtual computer. With the Pro version of Win7, you can run a virtual XP for free (if your hardware can support it). Download and install Virtual PC and the XP mode package from Microsoft. (You'll need to set aside some memory for the virtual PC to run.) Then install CreataCard when running XP mode as if this is your only computer.

The only real problem is that you will not be able to have hardware installed on the virtual XP and the Windows 7 real machine at the same time. (So you can't share a printer.) Also, to share files between the two "systems", you will need to save them to external media (flash drive or optical disc, for example). Your motherboard and CPU need to support Virtualization. You have to turn this on in your BIOS on some systems. (Press Esc, F1, F2 or F10 repeatedly depending on your system right after turning on the system. If you miss the timing, shut down the computer and then retry.)

Other virtualization programs are Parallels and VMWare. However, with those programs and the other possible options for running CreataCard, you need a licensed version of the older version of Windows.

If you have the 32-bit version of Windows, you can try the Compatibility Mode. (Right click on the installer and choose Properties. Then click on the Compatibility tab and select Run the program as compatible with an older version of Windows. Apply the changes and click OK. Then right click on the installer again and choose Run As Administrator.) You may have to repeat this on the program icon after installing. However, the compatibility mode doesn't always work even if you have the 32-bit OS (and thus don't need the signed driver).

An alternative is to upgrade your software to one that is Win7 compatible. I'm not sure which of these Broderbund design and print products are most similar to CreataCard: http://www.broderbund.com/c-6-design-print.aspx . However, you will probably not be able to open old documents.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(XP mode is available with Win7Pro and Ultimate. At my house, we have two computers with Win7Pro with one running XP mode. At least once, the virtualization was turned off during a BIOS update and XP mode failed until the setting was corrected.)

Panasonic supplied software for the VDR-M70 for Windows 98 through XP on the CD. Due to changes in the OS over time, the installer can't run under Windows 7. Panasonic has not updated the drivers for Windows 7 and Microsoft indicates that it is not compatible with any version of Windows 7.

There are work-arounds depending on your version of Windows 7. If you have the 32-bit OS, try using the compatibility mode. To find out which version of Win7 that you have, click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > System. If the name of the OS ends with x64, then you have the 64-bit version of the software. Otherwise, you have the 32-bit version.

For the compatibility mode, right click on the installer on the CD (browse Computer). Choose Properties and then click on the Compatibility tab. Select Always Run this program as and an older version of Windows (XP). Apply and Save your changes. Then right click again on the installer and choose Run as Administrator.

This may not work (and won't work for the 64-bit Windows 7). If it doesn't work, you need a machine with an older version of Windows. This can be a second computer, a dual boot computer or a virtual computer (if your hardware supports virtual computing). For most options, you will need a licensed copy of the older version of Windows.

If you have Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate or upgrade to one of them, you can have a virtual version of XP for free. Download and install Virtual PC and XP mode from Microsoft in order. Then install the software for the camcorder in XP mode as if it were your only computer. (Of course this doesn't help if your hardware doesn't support the Virtual PC.) Other virtual computer programs are VMWare and Parallels.

Note: you can not directly share files or hardware between the Win7 and the virtual computer. You have to put files on an external drive (optical, flash drive or other external hardware) to share them.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

Hi,

Tally 7.2 is not longer supported. You might need to upgrade to the newest version.
The only other suggestion is to see if you can run in XP Mode. This will depend upon your computer requirements.

Running Windows XP Mode requires:

1. Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate editions.
2. A computer capable of hardware virtualization. This means your computer has a central processing unit (CPU) with either Intel-VT or AMD-V virtualization features.
3. Virtualization features turned on in your computer's basic input/output system (BIOS).

To determine whether your computer's CPU is capable of hardware virtualization, go to the Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC support website and download a utility that can check whether your Intel or AMD CPU is compatible.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/support/configure-bios.aspx

To find your brand of processor so you can download the appropriate utility, click the Start button , right-click Computer, and then click Properties. Under System, next to Processor, you can see what type of CPU you have.

Even if your CPU can run Windows XP Mode, you might also need to turn on virtualization settings in your computer's BIOS. Procedures vary depending on the BIOS manufacturer. For more information, see BIOS: frequently asked questions.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/BIOS-frequently-asked-questions

For more information, please logon to:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/install-and-use-windows-xp-mode-in-windows-7#section_3

Regards

Riztech

upgrade to the latest bios and run cpuz to see if ur cpu has 64bit

1) you have to make sure that you have ALL the required Windows 7 drivers for your Laptop AND additional devices/application (eg. Wifi adapter, Modems, USB DTV, External Keyboard, etc). 2) get and install a 'Windows 7 UPGRADE' for your current Operating system. (Check for free upgrade?) 3) Windows XP mode (and native Virtual PC) is only available if you upgrade to the Professional or Ultimate versions AND your CPU and BIOS support 'Hardware Virtualization' ... even my Intel Dual Core T4200 processor does not support this feature!!!
Hope it helps: let me know how you go!

No, if it's not on the BIOS you can't start it. You need a new BIOS for that.