forum.datacad.com

Windows 10 on my main computer wrecked my DCAD15 installation. Oddly, I had another Windows 10 computer where it worked ok until the most recent 10 "upgrade" which wrecked that dcad15 installation. I was able to revert to previous version. I would have reverted to windows 7 that was so called upgraded to windows 10 that wrecked my cad program if I had know about that option at the time.

What occurs to me is that possibly I could install a virtual windows 7 in order to run my dcad15 and other programs that are left behind by newer operating systems. I am happy with the features of dcad15. However, I am faced with loosing access to my own intellectual property as the technology makes my programs obsolete.

I know that apple computers are able to create a virtual windows in order to run pc programs such as dcad. Possibly running an older operating system for older programs could stabilize them.

For a period, I dusted off a windows 8 laptop that had dcad15 installed. I was pleased that it woke up and was able to run dacad 15. Another strategy is to use this computer to run dcad15 and my old printer and possibly isolate it from the internet. I can copy images to flash drive to move to other computers for communication.

I am looking to hear if any others have gone to the strategy of running virtual windows in order to maintain dcad 15 or older versions.

I would suggest a cost comparison (and a performance comparison) between doing a backward compatible OS - and upgrading to DataCAD 19.

If upgrading to latest dcad program would fix the problem, maybe so. However, it only buys time until that version becomes obsolete. As my career winds down, it becomes less critical that I have the cutting edge system. I am looking for a way to preserve access to my own work that is not threatened by so called upgrades. This applies to other programs and equipment drivers as well.

If you are really close to winding down in your career, I would either run that Win 8 laptop or just reinstall Windows 7 on your workstaion and ride that out to the end w/ v15. If you are still 5-10 years out from retirement, upgrading to v19 (or v20 due around the end of the year) makes the most sense then ride that version out if you wish.

If you are running a Windows 7 era box with less than 8GB of ram or less that would not be ideal for running Datacad in a VM. If you are bound to try it, checkout VMWare Workstation vs. Hyper-V it will give you better memory management for systems running 8GB ram or less.