VB6 Legacy app - Cannot install on Windows 7 64-bit PC

[rodderscas]

Hello this is my first post so be gentle with me...
I converted my old Quick Basic accounting program to Visual Basic at year 2000 and have up until recently been using Visual Studio 6 (VB6) to maintain an executable version of the app.
I have recently upgraded to a new PC running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and no surprises, my trusty old copy of Visual Studio 6 will not install.
So I am currently left with an accounts program that I have to use on my old PC.

What should I do: I seem to have read that the VB programming environment has moved on quite a lot and maybe a free download.
Is there a way I can download a new version and import my old project into it?
What version should I be downloading?

thanks in advance

[RhinoBull]

Did you run VB6 install as Admin - if not do that (right click on the shortcut and select Run As Administrator). Personally I never had any issues running/installing VB6 on Win7 machine.

[gibra]

I have recently upgraded to a new PC running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and no surprises, my trusty old copy of Visual Studio 6 will not install.

You can use my tool VS Installer, see my sign.

[DataMiser]

I was unable to get my VS6 to install under Windows7 as well. I tried almost everything but it would not even go so far as to allow me to select VB.

My solution was to download and install VB6 Enterprise edition. Apparently the problem is with the Visual Studio disks. The standalone VB installs seem to work fine on Windows 7.

As to the other question VB 2012 is the current version but there is no built in way to port your VB6 projects to it. I think the last version that shipped with a converter was 2008 but the converter is not very good and in almost all cases a rewrite is required.

The one thing I did not try was to browse the VS CDs to try an locate the actual VB install. If there is a separate Setup on the disks for Vb then that may work on Windows 7. I think the issue with the VS installer is related to the MS Java engine.

In my case I have an MSDN membership so I was able to get the VB6 install from the MS website but only members can download this.

[DataMiser]

Another option assuming you have Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate would be to download and install the MS Virtual PC and XPMode then install VB6 under the XP mode VM. This works fine under windows 7 and is a free download but only on the Pro and Premium versions. You can also use one of the other Virtual Machine soft wares like Virtual Box or VM Player

[Nightwalker83]

I have recently upgraded to a new PC running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and no surprises, my trusty old copy of Visual Studio 6 will not install.

I seem to be unique because it installed for me! If you would like I can retrace the steps I took and post them here?

[rodderscas]

Did you run VB6 install as Admin - if not do that (right click on the shortcut and select Run As Administrator). Personally I never had any issues running/installing VB6 on Win7 machine.

many thanks for this reply I will try that

[rodderscas]

hey I will certainly look into that thanks
(meant for gibra)

[rodderscas]

I was unable to get my VS6 to install under Windows7 as well. I tried almost everything but it would not even go so far as to allow me to select VB.

My solution was to download and install VB6 Enterprise edition. Apparently the problem is with the Visual Studio disks. The standalone VB installs seem to work fine on Windows 7.

As to the other question VB 2012 is the current version but there is no built in way to port your VB6 projects to it. I think the last version that shipped with a converter was 2008 but the converter is not very good and in almost all cases a rewrite is required.

The one thing I did not try was to browse the VS CDs to try an locate the actual VB install. If there is a separate Setup on the disks for Vb then that may work on Windows 7. I think the issue with the VS installer is related to the MS Java engine.

In my case I have an MSDN membership so I was able to get the VB6 install from the MS website but only members can download this.

thanks for this I might try the installer from gibra

[rodderscas]

Another option assuming you have Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate would be to download and install the MS Virtual PC and XPMode then install VB6 under the XP mode VM. This works fine under windows 7 and is a free download but only on the Pro and Premium versions. You can also use one of the other Virtual Machine soft wares like Virtual Box or VM Player

Unfortunately my new PC has Home Premium on it not Pro etc., my choice, did not think it would be an issue (it isn't really because I can always use an older PC in the short term if I cannot get VB6 loaded). thanks

[rodderscas]

I seem to be unique because it installed for me! If you would like I can retrace the steps I took and post them here?

you are most kind, I will try other solutions first, might get back to you later
cheers

[Nightwalker83]

you are most kind, I will try other solutions first, might get back to you later
cheers

It's ok! Also, you don't have to post several times in a row you should be able to add all the quotes you want to one post by clicking the "Multi Quote This Message ('' +)" (to the right of the "Reply with Quote" button at the bottom of every post) then clicking the "Reply to Thread" button.