Running Visual Foxpro on local Windows 10 machines, what if any adjustments are needed if I upgrade to Windows 11? 1

[dmusicant]

I routinely run FoxPro apps, originally created in FPW 2.6 for Windows, adapted to Visual FoxPro versions up to 9.0. Both my Windows 10 64bit Lenovo P1 laptops have been problematical in that they have stopped being able to access my android phones. Seems to be something about a corrupted INF file. One of the machines, additionally, is incapable of recognizing attached USB hard drives. I figure a reinstall of Windows 10 will probably resolve those problems, perhaps an upgrade but more likely a fresh install. Given Microsoft's declared intention to cease supporting Windows 10 in October 2025, I figure it might be best to install Windows 11 now, either upgrade or fresh installs. Again, fresh a better bet to resolve the issues mentioned, but more work, of course, to install all the apps I have on the machines.

My data is on my NAS and I use mostly one of the laptops, occasionally the other, never both simultaneously.

A quick search indicates I may need to run WOW64 emulator to support VFP 9. This is the first I've heard of that. AFAIK, I'm not running on that emulator now, but maybe it is and I just don't know it.

What am I facing here? Suggestions, explanations appreciated.

 

[Chris Miller]

WOW64 is not an emulator, it's short for Windows32 On Windows64. Also see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WoW64

Every 64bit Windows version since Vista has this included and it means any 32bit applications and DLLs and drivers, etc. run in that 32bit Windows subsystem, it's included, it's not a subsystem in the sense of a Windows XP Virtual Machine that runs applications in compatibility mode in a separate XP Windows session, its native within the same Windows sessions, Windows versions except some core servers are all 32bit/64bit in parallel, CPUs likewise. By starting an EXE built in VFP9 (or indeed any 32bit executable) it runs as 32bit process and therefore in Wow64, you don't do nothing for that and you already do that on Windows 10.

What your problem can be maintainig legacy 2.6 applications, even when they are ported to VFP9 projects is that you still require an even more legacy subsystem of 16bit drivers, dlls, etc. software. Not sure if Win11 is a showstopper, it's mainly just a continuation of Windows 10,8,7,Vista.

 

[Tore Bleken]

To run VFP9 on a Win11 machine, whether it's 32-bit or 64-bit, just go ahead. Most likely you won't have any problem. I run the same setup on several machines, no problem at all so far. And no special things to worry about.

The only thing you should be careful about, is not to install VFP9 in the suggested folder, since newer Windows versions have restrictions in the c:\Programxxx folders. Instead, choose a folder that's outside these folders. Personally I always use c:\vfp9.

And if, heaven forbid, you should get any problems, then ask here. I don't expect to hear about any problems, but one can never be more than 99.9% sure.

 

[GriffMG]

NAS may have issues... if it uses SMB1 run code in a bat file as admin...

dism /online /get-featureinfo /featurename:smb1protocol | find "Status : Disabled"  && (
echo Enabling SMB1Protocol
DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:SMB1Protocol
) || (echo SMB1 Currently Enabled)

dism /online /get-featureinfo /featurename:SMB1Protocol-Deprecation | find "Status : Enabled" && (
echo Disabling SMB1Protocol-Depreciation
DISM /Online /Disable-Feature /All /FeatureName:SMB1Protocol-Deprecation
) || (echo SMB1-Deprecation Currently Disabled)


dism /online /get-featureinfo /featurename:recall | find "Status : Enabled" && (
echo Recall Being Disabled
dism /online /disable-feature /featurename:recall
) || (echo Recall Currently Disabled)

 

[GTGeek88]

Nothing. The problems you report seem to be related to other problems with your machines. I moved from Win10 to Win11 with no problems in my VFP apps. It's more about getting used to the OS changes than anything at all with VFP.

 

[EinTerraner]

Suggestions, explanations appreciated.

Since W07 I use a fuly installed VFP-Environment located on my Systemdrive (i.e. C:\$DEV\VFP09) including all updates/patches. To reinstall it after fresh windows installation i just paste the saved VFP-path into my system and run (as administrator) the required post-settings like

C:\$dev\VFP09\VFP9.exe /regserver
copy C:\$Dev\VFP09\_OCX\mswinsck.ocx %windir%\sysWOW64\mswinsck.ocx
copy C:\$Dev\VFP09\_OCX\comctl32.ocx %windir%\sysWOW64\comctl32.ocx
copy C:\$Dev\VFP09\_OCX\mscomct2.ocx %windir%\sysWOW64\mscomct2.ocx
copy C:\$Dev\VFP09\_OCX\mscomctl.ocx %windir%\sysWOW64\mscomctl.ocx
regsvr32 %windir%\sysWOW64\mswinsck.ocx
regsvr32 %windir%\sysWOW64\comctl32.ocx
regsvr32 %windir%\sysWOW64\mscomct2.ocx
regsvr32 %windir%\sysWOW64\mscomctl.ocx
C:\$dev\VFP09\_SP2\VFP9SP2RT_CTP

I use a HP ProDesk running W07, W10 and W11

Worked on W10 as well for W11. Woody has posted a comprehensive description about it in a blog.
see there https://woody-prolib.blogspot.com/2021/