16-Bit Apps
The solution for such a scenario is to run the operating system on an older version of Windows, requiring setting up a virtual machine. If you still utilize a 32-bit version of Windows 10, you can get the best of both worlds by enabling the 16-bit subsystem. As Microsoft’s future heads toward 64-bit computing, the company is minimizing its support for many of the legacy components in Windows. The best way to add 16-bit support in Windows 10 requires some command line work.
Configure 16-bit Application Support in Windows 10
16 Bit support will require enabling the NTVDM feature. To do so, press Windows key + R, then type: optionalfeatures.exe then hit Enter. Expand Legacy Components then check off NTVDM and click OK.
The next step is to install the feature through the Command Prompt. Press Windows key + X then click Command Prompt (Admin.) At the command prompt, type the following command: FONDUE.exe /enable-feature:NTVDM
The add feature wizard for NTVDM will launch. Click Install this feature to complete the installation. Then restart your computer if required.
Now 16-bit application support is enabled. You can proceed to install your application as normal.
Some applications might require additional permissions. Review our compatibility article for more information about adjusting those settings. We’re curious about what types of 16-bit applications you still are running. Leave a comment below and let us know. Also, if you’re experiencing any problems with it, head to our new and improved Windows 10 Forums for additional support. I tried to install NVTDM, but it did not appear in the list when I expanded legacy compeneents – or direct play was listed Any clues So I have to enable 16-bit application support in Windows 10? Won’t I have to try that? Regards The feature was disabled in non sever 32 bit versions of Windows because it can cause problems with the drivers for third party hardware. unofficial patches are available to (re-)activate PAE for various non-server 32bit Windows OS-s. An article claimed that any problems with drivers for third party hardware were unlikely in real life. I haven’t saved that url. Also totally bizarre that you should pick the military as the only ones who need 64 bit OSs. What about scientists in general or the weather service. I LOVE THIS WALK THROUGH! VERY HELPFUL! I understand that my 64-bit OS won’t give me the NTVDM option and I don’t want to reinstall my OS I am interested in the option of running a 32bit in virtual machine…. but I need a awesome-hold-my-hand-walk-through Can someone please offer me some help with this? Thanks But I don’t like coral draw, I just want this program, If I use a x86 version of any windows it will most likely work (worked in win 7) And as home doesn’t have above app. Leaving me with 2 choices a virtual os x 86, ie vista or set up an old system using the vista disc on the shelve. It’s a shame you cannot alter the install so it will work with a x 64 bit OS. It is a straight forward program that gives superb results. can be downloaded from here, indicating it will work on 64 bit os NTVDM64 Thanks a lot. I do not understand why software companies fail to support the duty of data transfer and data merging. I received two game discs years back, which have collections of games ranging from >500 different solitaires to bullet hells to sports games to brick breaker and everything in between. I cant figure out what 16-Bit programs may be installed or how to increase the value of the files command. If you can help please email me. I’m quite frustrated by this. The shutdown happens more frequently if I try to start too many programs too soon after boot-up. Or, if I try to use Acronis backup and iTunes sync at the same time. On topic… I use Microsoft Image Composer, it beat Photoshop easily, fast start up in 1 sec, memory, speed , capabilities etc etc… https://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=1 “Upgrading” WITHOUT backward incompatibility is actually quite vision-less, as Microsoft is ignoring the universal masses which really made Microsoft. An upgrade that LOSES usability makes absolutely no sense AT ALL. Microsoft should have made an inbuilt option to take care of legacy software. For normal desktop use I much prefer the 64-bit OS’s. Since 1999 they wanted phones to be the ONLY choice their first experiment was Web TV and when that flopped they saw phones as the next thing as it keeps illiterates under their power as phones are rental based. It never really has expanded beyond paying your bills. Smartphones going online are literally going back to dumb terminals. If you grew up in the 70s and worked with mainframes you’d know what I mean. You’d have your little workstation that has little to no memory and needs to always be connected to the master terminal to do anything. All you have is a keyboard/screen and an on switch. Phones are that way you have to connect to the other people’s server to do anything and only what they let you connect. You can ‘jailbreak’ your phone but you void warranty and it’s not fun doing emulation or watching movies on a tiny phone screen anyways who’d want that? But the powers to be want it to beour only choice so they have taken control over most of the web to dumb it down to that only. Google in 2014 made a rule your website has to be phone ONLY or you won’t be listed PERIOD. Now Google is in all sorts of political trouble and the reason they were able to get away with it to begin with is phone users generally don’t know nor care to know what’s going on as long as they shop,chat and get driving directions. PS: All those pae patches and hacks are problematic. I’ve seen a lot of bsod crashes with those kind of modifications to any windows os. And even if you succesfully patch a 32bit windows to address more than 4GB of ram, no 32bit app will be able to access more than 4GB of ram. And it is a problem with apps like photoshop etc. 32bit photoshop is really bad for large high resolution images. PPS: PAE patching is a bad choice. I use windows 10 pro x64 1803 and a windows to go flash drive with windows 7 x86 just in case I need to work with old 16 bit apps. I will switch to windows 10 to go (x86) for compatibility with intel core 6th gen (skylake) and onwards and amd ryzen cpu’s (they do not work with windows below 10). Well skylake can work with windows 7 or 8 if you slipstream modded chipset drivers into the installation), but ryzen doesn’t work with windows below 10 at all. If you really need 16bit apps and games use virtual machines or windows to go flashdrives. Do not use x86 operating systems as your primary os. They are not worth it. Especially considering 8gb of ram became standard in most computers. Many thanks for the time taken to reply. That was a lot of info to consider. I had been trying to avoid setting up a virtual machine but from what you say it looks like its the best long term solution. Also last night I tried to setup another 16 bit genealogy package GEDMATE 1.1 which ran on win 3.1. Unfortunately I got an error message something like the software was trying to communicate direct with the hardware and the program closed. I saw online that there was no solution to this error message for operating systems from win xp onwards. I need to check out virtualbox and see whether it can also run this really old software. I made an iso image of the floppy file of the software I wanted to run, but how can I load that into virtualbox and get Win 98 se to then run the software ? I have an old pc still running windows 98 and a modern pc running windows 10. Both pcs have cd roms and the windows 98 pc came with a floppy drive. I have an external floppy for the windows 10 pc. I am fearful in particular about how long win 3.1 and win 95 programs on the floppies will last as many of my old floppies with windows 98 are now failing hence mu interest to explore how I might transfer them to CD. I need to know whether I need to use a specialist service to do this or whether it is as simple as using a cd rom and burning software. Also if I can simply use a cd rom must the burning software also be 16 bit. Please advise. Gerry Besides, I wrote a font creator utility in 16 bit c language for the MS-DOS operating system. I wanted to simplify and document it. Just a time pass. The purpose of that is to change the default font you see in the command line of MS-DOS operating system. Take a look at VideoHelp, a C64/128 club, the internet archive. Etc. Or MAME. Free tools to make images. Free tools to mount them. They are so small you can mount them from a CD directly without issue. I can’t find anybody that has an XP machine left (Where I know this last worked) and Win10 no longer has the option for NVTDM. Has anyone got any other ideas (other than a virtual machine) I have no way to do a VM. Comment
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