Windows 7 XP Mode test — pass or fail?

Ed Bott, blogging at ZDNet, wonders How many Intel CPUs will fail the XP Mode test in Windows 7?

Turns out that not all CPUs will support the “XP mode” in Windows 7 that allows programs to run as if in Windows XP.

Oops — found my new laptops CPU, and it fails.  Curses!

MakeInstantPlayer Converts Videos to Executables

Featured Windows Download: MakeInstantPlayer Converts Videos to Executables.

Lifehacker reviews MakeInstantPlayer, which converts any video file into an executable file along with the player and codecs to play it (that last part about the player and codecs is really important!).

It is intended to solve the problem of people who just don’t have the right software or whatever to play something you want to show them.

Freeware.  Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista.

Mac users can get into Windows files

Lockergnome’s Chris Pirillo has freeware for Mac users to read Windows files.  He even includes a video about them.

Can you, or can you not, run it on your computer?

Okay, let’s be honest. The big question is, will your computer run your favorite games?

Try Can You RUN It? to see if your computer has what it takes in memory, video card, etc., to run Battlefield 2 or Bionicle Heroes, Pirates of the Burning Sea or Unreal Tournament III.

• Get your complete report in seconds including suggestions for what to upgrade on your computer.
• Only your system’s hardware and system software are evaluated.
• No personally identifiable information is collected.
• Works on Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, 2003, Media Center, Vista.
• Works with Internet Explorer, Firefox & Netscape browsers.
• You will need to give your permission to download a secure ActiveX/Java browser component.
• You can easily uninstall the ActiveX/Java browser component when the analysis is complete.

As always, use at your own risk, but it claims to be safe to use and could answer your questions.

Running older software in Vista

Can’t run your favorite software under Vista? The answer is to run your older programs in Vista’s Compatibility Mode:

1. Right click the program icon and click the Properties option.
2. Select the Compatibility tab.
3. Select the Run This Program in Compatibility Mode option.
4. From the drop-down list, choose the operating system you ran before upgrading to Vista.
5. If necessary, select the option to run the program as an Administrator.
6. Click OK.

Zamzar goes for the conversion

Zamzar will convert a number of formats to other formats, for free, and email you a link to the new format’s file.

Zamzar does documents, images (graphics), music (audio/sound), video, and compressed formats — far too many to list. Check the list for all the current files.

While you do have to wait for the email to get the link to your converted file, it’s free and will convert things like Real Player files to mp3, and Windows .wma to mp3, and so on.

It will also convert YouTube videos to formats that work in PowerPoint.

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MP3, WMA, other music file players – some are compatible with certain devices, services, files, while others are not. Find what you can use with which software and hardware at PlaysForSure.com and avoid buying or using the wrong ones together.