In Windows 7, Run program in compatibility mode is greyed out

In Windows 7, run program in compatibility mode is greyed out

In Windows 7, compatibility mode is used to run a program that is written for a previous version of Windows to run on Windows 7.  I tried to install device drivers from Windows Vista on a Windows 7 machine.  To install the drivers in compatibility mode, I had to right click on installation file, then choose Properties.  In Properties window, there is a tab – ‘Compatibility’.   It contains Compatibility mode, where we can chose that the program may run in compatibility mode for previous version of Windows.  The following figure illustrates this:

This option is greyed with me, I can’t select from the drop-down list.  I used the following procedure to fix it.

  • Type ‘regedit’ in command window, so that we get registry editor.
  • Goto this registry entry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE->SOFTWARE->Microsoft->Windows NT->CurrentVersion->AppCompatFlags->Layers
  • Delete this entry from registry, but take a registry backup before you do so.
  • Restart windows.

Note: Make any change in registry at your own risk.