# ACT 2000 with Windows 7



## sidj1999 (Nov 15, 2010)

I was an ACT 2000 user on my XP computer. XP computer died. I have the ACT DB backed up. Now running new computer with Windows 7. What version of ACT will run on Windows 7, and will my ACT 2000 DB be upwardly compatible? I want to end up with ACT on my Windows 7 computer and be able to use my ACT DB from ACT 2000.

Thank you for your help.

Sid


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## MichaelAwad (Nov 18, 2010)

I'm in exactly the same situation as you are, wanting to install ACT 4.0 (ACT 2000) on a new Windows 7 computer. I won't have the new machine until tomorrow, but the answer to your question is yes, it installs fine and runs fine, according to what I saw on the following pages:
http://community.act.com/t5/ACT-version-6-x-Prior/Question-on-ACT-2000/m-p/57254

(Ignore the 11/3/09 post there saying that it can't be done. The solution is described in the subsequent posts of that same thread. Also ignore the 11/5/09 post saying that it can be done ONLY if your CPU _hardware_ supports the "Windows XP Mode" feature of Windows 7. That was the case in the early months after the launch of Windows 7 in 2009, but Microsoft subsequently got rid of that hardware restriction in early 2010.)

So yes, it can be done in any version of Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate), but it can be done more easily with Professional or Ultimate, since the Home Premium version does not have "Windows XP Mode."

On another topic, it sounds like you're not interested in migrating your ACT 2000 database to a new version of ACT (neither am I), but if we change our minds later, there's a very useful post at:
http://blog.glcomputing.com.au/2010/01/tips-for-converting-act-60-or-earlier.html

Please let us know how it goes.


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## sidj1999 (Nov 15, 2010)

Michael, I have Windows 7 Home Premium without the XP capability. When I try to install the ACT 2000 CD, it gives me the message that it will not run on 64 bit machines. 

My Data Base backup is at the ACT 2000 level and XP. Don't know if I could purchase a current version of ACT, and I don't know what that is, and use the DB I have or make some sort of conversion to the DB used on the current ACT?

Sid


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## MichaelAwad (Nov 18, 2010)

Even though your 64-bit version of Windows 7 (which is Home Premium) doesn't have XP Mode, you can still run ACT 2000 without having to upgrade to a later version of ACT. Windows Virtual PC is the "engine" that runs XP Mode, but it can also be used without XP Mode. You can download Windows Virtual PC (not to be confused with the older version, which is Virtual PC 2007) at:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FamilyID=2b6d5c18-1441-47ea-8309-2545b08e11dd
 
In the discussion at http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itprovirt/thread/1db1b7c9-5c39-420b-bc91-2f95a4f38799 , some people say that an easier alternative to Windows Virtual PC is to install a non-Microsoft product called VM Player3 at:
http://www.vmware.com/support/player30/doc/releasenotes_player3.html
 
But if you decide to go the Microsoft route, then you find out read everything you need to know from their "Windows Virtual PC Evaluation Guide" at:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744684(WS.10).aspx
Ignore "Option 1: Set up XP Mode." Instead, scroll 1/3 of the way down the page until you see "Option 2: Create your own virtual machine."
Ignore any mention of a hardware restriction that your particular machine's processor has to support VT (Virtualization Technology). That ceased to be true in approx. May 2010.

Either way, before you start the process, you should locate your installation CDs from a previous version of Windows that works well with ACT 2000, such as Windows XP, Windows ME, or Windows 2000.

(Windows7 64-bit can normally run plenty of 32-bit applications just fine, and ACT 2000 is indeed a 32-bit application. The problem is that some parts of the ACT 2000 *installer* use 16-bit code, which a 64-bit operating sytem can't execute.)


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## GLComputing (Apr 27, 2007)

While ACT! 2000 (5.0) can be made to install on Win7, it's much better to use a VirtualPC or VMware image with XP ... otherwise you'll have quite a few other issues (like connecting to email, word processing, etc)

Either way, if you decide to try it, make sure you update to 5.04 as per:
http://www.act.com/support/updates/index.cfm?show_downloads=true&product=1&version=9&locale=7

Also, make sure you have full Admin rights (with UAC off if doing it in Win7) during install.


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## Bill4670 (Dec 12, 2010)

I had the same 64 bit issue with trying to install Act2000 on my wife's new Windows 7 Home Premium desktop. Microsoft don't have a version of Virtual PC for W7 HP. I tried dual booting W7 & XP but my XP install failed with a HD corruption message. Getting desperate & definitely trying to avoid upgrading to W7 professional or to Act2011, I figured the autorun on the Act2000 installation disk didn't "know" about 64 bit and the "program files(x86)" directory where all 32 bit programs get installed. I tried running the setup.exe file in the Act2000 directory of the Act2000 installation disk & this worked perfectly.


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## sidj1999 (Nov 15, 2010)

Good job Bill! It worked for me also. Thank you very much for your advise.

Sid


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## MichaelAwad (Nov 18, 2010)

After my post above, I did successfully install ACT 5.0 (ACT 2000) in XP Mode on my Windows 7 Professional 64-bit laptop. It works fine except for two problems:

1) ACT now crashes at least once a day.
2) Certain actions take forever, such as when I switch from one month to the next in the monthly calendar view. From the type I switch (via either the Page down key or clicking on the arrow button), it takes more than 2 minutes to display the next month's calendar. In Windows XP, it was instantaneous.

I'd really like to avoid upgrading to a newer version of ACT. Any idea how I might be able to troubleshoot those two problems? Maybe open the XP Mode virtual machine and then analyze the Event Viewer (or some other debugging tools from Microsoft?) the next time ACT hangs or crashes?

Thanks in advance.


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## GLComputing (Apr 27, 2007)

It's possible... but while I've seen 5.0 manage to be installed, it does have issues, especially on x64


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