Autocad 2004 on Windows 7 w/ XP downgrade?

Check the AutoDesk Discussion forums. You may not be alone re: 2004LD on a Win7 system.

Or...

Set your new computer up with two hot-swappable hard drives. Load Win7 on one and Win XP Pro on the other.

Check the AutoDesk Discussion forums. You may not be alone re: 2004LD on a Win7 system.

 

Or...

 

Set your new computer up with two hot-swappable hard drives. Load Win7 on one and Win XP Pro on the other.

Hot swappable? EW!! No, just do a dual boot, but that's ONLY if it doesn't work.

"Windows 7 is supported in AutoCAD 2010 (and 2011 and higher) and Inventor 2010 (and 2011 and higher). If you want to install and run older versions of AutoCAD, LT, or Inventor (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, R11...) in Win7, you can use the virtualized "XP Mode" available for Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise (both 32-bit and 64-bit).

To use the Windows XP Mode you will need a CPU hardware support. You can detect the HW virtualization support in your processor with the utility havdetectiontool.exe . The Windows XP Mode add-on (application) can be downloaded from the Microsoft web. Then you can install the tool through Windows Virtual PC > Windows XP Mode."

Or, have the PC setup to dual boot, XP or Win 7.

Did this ever get bottomed out as I'm in a similar position.

I recently bought a new laptop from PC World having explained to them what I needed it to do and what software I was running. Hasten to say I can't get 2004 to even install. It get's so far and then sticks saying it's incompatible.

The Laptop is running Windows 7 Home Premium, so I'm guessing I'll have to upgrade to Professional, but does the Virtual PC thing work? or am I better going with the dual boot system?

PC World are being no help at all.

I guess I had an easier time of it since I purchased Win7 Ultimate. The software has a feature that allows the user to run many Windows XP compatible application in Windows XP mode. I have 2004 and 2010 installed. 2004 is 32-bit; 2010 is 64-bit. The Pro version has the same feature whereas Home Premium does not.

Did this ever get bottomed out as I'm in a similar position.

 

I recently bought a new laptop from PC World having explained to them what I needed it to do and what software I was running. Hasten to say I can't get 2004 to even install. It get's so far and then sticks saying it's incompatible.

 

The Laptop is running Windows 7 Home Premium, so I'm guessing I'll have to upgrade to Professional, but does the Virtual PC thing work? or am I better going with the dual boot system?

 

PC World are being no help at all.

Glad to answer your question. I did a helluva lot of research on this and what I ended up getting was a HP Slimline PC with W7 Professional, 64-bit. Apparently only the W7 Pro or Ultimate will work with Autocad 2004.

The steps I used, after getting a system with either of the above W7 systems, was this:

1.) Go to Microsoft website and download the "Virtual PC" and "XP Mode" software. It's free. Their website gives easy to follow instrux. After installed, I think it will ask you to reboot. Unless your PC is already configured for such, you may need press F12 (I think it is F12) during the boot-up in order to get into the Hardware Vitrualization menu. Activate the Hardware Virtualization.

2.) After following any and all instrux on the Microsoft website for the Virtual PC and XP Mode, go to the Start button and find the program folder for the XP Mode and go into it. It will take you out of the W7 system into XP Mode. From XP Mode, install your Autocad as usual. I also installed my Word and Excel 2000.

It's really that easy to do. I'm not exactly a CAD guru but it was a snap to do. To launch Autocad, I go to the Start button and go into XP Mode and from there, open Autocad. Funny, but after messing around with W7 for a few days, I realized there was an Autocad 2004 icon on the W7 desktop and when I clicked it, it worked (and still does) just fine in W7 itself, no XP Mode needed! I also found the same worked for my Word and Excel programs, where I can use them in either W7 or XP Mode. If you decide to use all your programs in XP Mode, you may need to find some older versions of the programs. For example, when I started using XP Mode initially, the current version of Filezilla wouldn't work in XP Mode so I had to find an older version that would work in XP Mode. But even then, after I started using Autocad in W7 itself, I just use the newer versions of all the programs I have in W7. Kinda weird, but everything works like a charm. I have the best of both worlds- being able to use older versions of Autocad with the benefits of having all the current programs working in W7. I was in exactly the same boat as you were but I read a lot, talked to HP to make sure I got what I wanted. HP customer service aren't exactly a drawer of sharp knives as they had no idea there was a difference between W7 with XP Mode and W7 with the downgrade to XP Pro.

Hope all this helps. I rambled, but I was tickled to get my system working right off the bat and know there are others in a similiar situation. let me know if this works for you and if I answered in a way that helps you.

Cheers