WinBatch Tech Support Home

Database Search

If you can't find the information using the categories below, post a question over in our WinBatch Tech Support Forum.

TechHome

WinBatch
Win7

Can't find the information you are looking for here? Then leave a message over on our WinBatch Tech Support Forum.

Unsupported 16-bit Application

 Keywords: Unsupported 16-bit Application 64-bit System Win7 Win8 Vista VM Virtual Machine Emulation

Question:

I'm getting an error message when trying to execute a .exe of 
"Unsupported 16-bit application"
I believe the app was compiled in FORTRAN 77, and we are stuck with this executable since the subcontractor that wrote the app supplied no source code.

Answer:

Unfortunately it sounds like the exe you were given is a 16 bit executable. That emulation layer no longer exists in Windows 7. The 64-bit versions of Windows already have to provide a compatibility layer for 32-bit applications.

For more details see: You can't run 16-bit applications (or components) on 64-bit versions of Windows.

However you may be able to run the exe using a Virtual Machine on Windows 7.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2009/06/11/using-windows-virtual-pc-to-run-16-bit-applications-on-64-bit-windows.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ff756590.aspx

Since you no longer have the source code your options are to rewrite the code and compile using the current version of WinBatch or use a virtual machine on Windows 7 to run your old exe. 

Article ID:   W18441

Filename:   Unsupported 16-bit Application.txt
File Created: 2013:04:25:09:10:38
Last Updated: 2013:04:25:09:10:38