Run older CD/DVD programs on win 11

Question

Run older CD/DVD programs on win 11

Austin 0

I'd like to run Rise of Nations (and a couple of other older MS programs later) from a cd install on my win 11 laptop.

Installed no problem but won't start

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2 answers

Answer 1

Hendrix-V 18,515 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Austin,

Thank you for reaching out.

Rise of Nations can install successfully on Windows 11, but because it was designed for earlier versions of Windows, it may require a few compatibility adjustments before it will start correctly.

Please try these possible checking steps to proceed:

1, Run the game in compatibility mode

Go to the game’s installation folder
Right‑click rise.exe > Properties > Compatibility
Enable compatibility mode and select Windows XP (Service Pack 3) or Windows 7
Check Run this program as an administrator
Select Apply, then OK

2, Enable legacy game components

Open Control Panel > Programs
Select Turn Windows features on or off
Expand Legacy Components
Check DirectPlay
Select OK, then restart the PC

3, Set the game to use the integrated graphics

Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics
Add rise.exe if it is not listed
Select Options > choose Power saving
Save changes and restart the game

4, Disable modern windowed optimizations (if needed)

Go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics
Turn off Optimizations for windowed games
Restart the game

If the game still does not launch after these steps, this typically indicates a limitation with older CD‑based software on modern operating systems. In that case, common alternatives include using an updated digital edition of the game or running it in a compatible virtual environment.

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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Hendrix-V 18,515 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-25T00:30:28.4566667+00:00

Hi,

I just wanted to follow up and check if the information I provided was helpful. If you have any further questions or updates regarding this issue, please feel free to let me know in the Comments section. I'd be happy to assist you.
Austin 0 Reputation points

2026-03-25T14:40:13.0433333+00:00

Yes .... I did get further along but, no joy yet .... had to chase down an error message about a PATCHW32.dll file that can't be found ..... tried a copy from older computer (copied and transferred) then it said the file already exsists.

I have uninstalled Rise of Nations completely (Revo) and will try another older (same vintage MSFS 2004) and advise .... Cheers
Hendrix-V 18,515 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-28T23:56:58.3666667+00:00
Hi Austin,

Thank you for the update, and I appreciate you sharing the progress so far.

The message referencing PATCHW32.dll typically appears with older CD‑based applications when expected legacy components are not detected correctly during launch, even if the file is already present.

Since you’ve already taken the clean approach by fully uninstalling Rise of Nations, testing another title of the same era (such as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004) is a sensible next step.

At this stage, I would recommend these next actions:

Proceed with installing and testing MSFS 2004 using similar compatibility settings

Avoid manually copying system or game DLL files between machines

Install and launch the game from the local hard drive rather than directly from the CD

Thanks again for keeping me posted. Please feel free to share how the next test goes, and I’ll be glad to help you with any further questions.
Austin 0 Reputation points

2026-03-29T11:11:41.28+00:00

Appreciate the follow up!,

I stopped chasing the PATCHW32.dll issue and proceeded with an install of FSX (a newer edition of MSFS by a couple of years) that went like butter .... both the install process and running of the program (so far). The publish dates of these MSFS programs are 2003 for FS 2004 and RoN ... 2005 for FSX as info.

However back to the install of MSFS 2004, I have the same situation (installs fine but won't start) with different error messages for MSVCR70.dll (and a couple more). I installed MSFS 2004 and reinstalled of Rise of Nations (as per your posted procedures) netting the same results for each.

I would be inclined to let things go at this point except for the fact that MSFS 2004 was/is an open coded program allowing for the substantial amount third party addons ons that I have accumulated over the years.

Some are payware, but others are ones that I had helped to write and hard to just let go ... maybe resurrect an old machine just for these geezers.

Thanks again for you effort and time .... any other suggestions will be enthusiastically pursued and reported.

Cheers,

Austin
Hendrix-V 18,515 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-30T00:02:51.11+00:00
Hi Austin,

Your testing results are consistent with what we typically see across different generations of Microsoft flight and strategy titles. The fact that FSX (2005) installs and runs without issue confirms that the system itself is functioning as expected and that newer legacy titles are able to operate correctly on Windows 11.

For MSFS 2004 and Rise of Nations (both released in 2003), the behavior you’re seeing (successful installation followed by launch failures referencing files such as MSVCR70.dll or PATCHW32.dll) generally points to missing or incompatible legacy runtime dependencies that are no longer included by default in modern Windows environments. Reinstalling the applications and avoiding manual DLL replacement was the correct approach and rules out corruption during installation.

At this point, the most reliable paths forward are:

Run MSFS 2004 in a compatible virtual environment (such as a Windows XP or Windows 7 VM) to preserve full add‑on functionality

Maintain FSX for native Windows 11 use, where compatibility is already confirmed

Avoid continued DLL‑level troubleshooting, as this typically does not resolve the underlying runtime dependency gap for 2003‑era titles

If you have any further questions or updates regarding this issue, please feel free to let me know in the Comments section. I'd be happy to assist you.

If you found my response helpful, kindly consider accepting it so others with similar concerns can benefit from the information as well.

Thanks again for the detailed update - and cheers.
Austin 0 Reputation points

2026-03-30T11:42:53.1933333+00:00

This has been the best volley of questions and answers I can remember being involved with in a long time.

Although my issues weren't resolved to my liking (hopes) they were addressed to were I can move on and done so in a very timely manner.

Well done Hendrix-V ... Many thanks!

All the best,

Austin
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Answer 2

Older CD/DVD-based games can fail to start on Windows 11 because of compatibility changes in the operating system, even if installation completes successfully.

To improve the chances of running Rise of Nations and similar titles:

Use compatibility settings for the game executable
1. Locate the game’s main .exe file in File Explorer (usually in C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files (x86) under the game’s folder).
2. Right-click the .exe → Properties → Compatibility tab.
3. Enable Run this program in compatibility mode for and select an older Windows version the game was designed for (for example, Windows 7 or Windows XP if available).
4. Also enable options such as Run this program as an administrator if needed.
5. Select Apply, then OK, and try launching the game again.
Understand why older apps may fail on newer Windows versions
- Newer Windows versions change architecture, security features, and system requirements. Older apps may not support these changes and can stop working or show errors such as “This app or game can't run on your device.”
- Even if an app worked on an earlier Windows 10/11 build, later updates can introduce compatibility issues that prevent it from starting.

If the game still does not start after adjusting compatibility settings, the issue may be due to deeper incompatibilities between the game’s copy-protection/driver components and Windows 11.

References:

Make older apps or programs compatible with the latest version of Windows