Installing an older version on Windows 8 PC

If you recently got a new computer running Windows8, like me, you may have trouble installing older versions of Timeslips.  Here is a fix that worked for me.

My original installation CD was for Timeslips 2010.  When I first attempted to run the installation, I got an error message saying the software isn't compatible with Windows 8.  It turns out the software itself is compatible, but not the installation apps.  Here's what I did:

First, I copied the entire CD onto my Desktop.

I then opened the folder I just created on my Desktop, which is called TIMESLIPS 2010 (D).  I used the Search box in the top right corner to find all files in this folder and its subfolders containing "exe" (so ended up with a list of all the application files plus a few non-apps).

The trick is, you have to change the "compatibility" of each and every application file.  There were about 20 of them for me, so it took a few minutes but well worth it.

To change the compatibility of a file, you right click the file and select Properties.  Under Properties, select the Compatibility tab.  There will be a section called "Compatibility mode" and a box to check that says "Run this program in compatibility mode for:"  After you check that box, you can use the pull-down menu to select an operating system.  The default, which worked for me, was Windows XP (Service Pack 3).

After you have done this for every application file, double-click the "Setup" file in the main folder (not any of the numerous Setup files in the various subfolders).  This will open the installation box, and you can take it from there.

In my case, after I installed Timeslips 2010, I was able to install the 2013 upgrade with no problem.  Make sure you have your 25-digit configuration code(s) and serial numbers, etc.

Good luck and you're welcome!

  • 0

    It's great you figured this out but, If the reason you went through all this was to get v2010 installed so you could install a 2013 upgrade, you made things more complicated than needed.

    Assuming than v2010 was already installed on an older computer you could have simply copied the folder for v2010 to the new computer and then installed v2013 on top of it.

    Alternatively through a call to support you might have been able to get a code to install Timeslips v2013 as a new license instead of an upgrade.  

    One note with v2013 on Windows 8 - you may have an issue lining up slips. Generally there is an issue where Timeslips will add a blank space at the beginning of the slip. If you open the slip and edit it, you will get an additional space each time.

    Timeslips v2014 does not have this issue on Windows 8.

  • 0 in reply to Caren2

    I agree I shouldn't have had to do all this.  Sage support offered to sell me a code to install 2013 as a new license but would not give it to me.  Someone else offered to sell me 2014.  Someone else offered to sell me a tech support plan.  I declined.  And copying the 2010 files did not work (the 2013 upgrade installer said "no earlier version of Timeslips is installed on this machine" which was true).  And yes, the blank space in the slips is very annoying, salt in the wound...

  • 0 in reply to crhesq

    Not giving you a code must be a new policy. As a consultant I have been able to do this in the past. As to why copying over v2010 folder and trying to install on top of that didn't work, I can't say. It has worked for me many times.

  • 0

    I just wanted to say thanks for your post.  We just got new computers with Windows 7 and will be installing Timeslips 2011 that we were running on XP machines.  Hopefully this will work for me too.  

  • 0 in reply to M4P
    Guys,

    Do you know if this method will work with Time Slips 2007 for Windows 8? I got someone that wants to install it on Windows 8 but not sure if it will work on it or not.
  • 0 in reply to Charles Chan
    Many older versions have problems on windows 8 most noticeably extra spaces at the beginning of slips. So while it might work you will quite possibly have issues
  • 0 in reply to Caren2
    Thanks for the reply back Caren. I just installed it on Windows 7 Pro installed to keep it simple.