Solved VB 6 Pro Install on Windows 8

I'm installed Windows 8 on my desktop.

The Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant indicates that this software will install OK.
It was NOT flagged as a problem.

However, when I went to install it, there were warnings that it wasn't supported and when I try it, I get errors about the registry.

Please don't tell me to use VB.NET, I don't understand it, and I'm used to VB 6.0.
Is there a way to use VB 6 in Windows 8?

Mike

Support Statement for Visual Basic 6.0 on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008

According to the support statement, it should work (although it's no longer supported as of 5 years ago) - note that they specifically call out 32bit versions of Windows 8 - 64bit wasn't tested and probably won't work, so if you're trying this on a 64bit install of Windows 8, you should be going back and re-testing on 32bit as it's the only version Microsoft mentions should work.

The Visual Basic 6.0 IDE has never been offered in a native 64-bit version, nor
has the 32-bit IDE been supported on 64-bit Windows. VB6 development on 64-bit
Windows or any native architecture other than 32-bit is not and will not be
supported.

Click to expand...

Otherwise, it may help to provide (a lot) more detail as to what's failing and what you have (and haven't) tried yet to mitigate the issue.

I uninstalled and reinstalled by right clicking the "Setup.exe" and did a "Run as Administrator" and it seems to work now.
By the way, this is a 32 bit system.

I did see some errors warning me that "This program has compatibility Issues" and another telling me to "Get online help" but I continued on through and it seems to be working now.

Mike

I have the same problem on my Windows 8 64bit.

I've rebuilt it twice because of the crappy way it works. The first two times I installed VB6 it appeared to installed ok without As Administrator but when it finalised the installation it would lock up and I would have to End Task it in Task Manager. Because it doesn't finalise it doesn't show up in Programs and Features you have to delete the folder.

I did the normal restart and tried to install the MSDN help but it says its not compatible with my system.

I've tried running setup.exe As Administrator as Mike said but that makes no difference.

Now I've used the different versions of VB for 17 years, I have VB.NET 2008 and 2010 but it like learning a new programming language the only common things are the keywords. I don't want to use VB.Net as I'm used the VB6.

Don't you hate Microsoft when Bill Gates said many years ago that everything would be compatible between the difference systems.

Hi there
Why not install and run as a Virtual Machine (XP / W7) . Unless you are writing code that actually interacts with the hardware directly your executable should run on the NATIVE machine too -- at least if it's 32 bit.

Cheers
jimbo

Thanks for the reply jimbo.

Obviously I do write code that interacts with the hardware else whats the point in installing VB6.

I installed VirtualBox-4.2.16-86992-Win.exe along with the new extension but the instructions are very poor.

I made a WinXP VM drive, I restart but no VM drives appears. I'm new to this virtual drive business as I've never need to use it on previous versions of Windows.

I've tried Virtualbox before because I use ETKA which isn't for 64bit systems and that doesn't work.

Well I read the tips on the sites and the main one was where you select what you want to install untick Data Access as thats the main thing that locks it up.

You stop the CD autorunning hold the Shift key down when you shut the CD draw. Explorer the CD and find Setup.exe. Right click on it and select Properties. In the Compatibility tab tick Windows XP (SP3) then click Apply.

You can right click on Setup.exe and Run As Administrator then double click Setup.exe. Now because I tried to install VB6 a few times it said setup.ini was missing from Users\AppData\Local\Temp so I had to copy it of the CD to that folder. Then I ran vbwiz.exe and it said Users\AppData\Local\Temp\Setup\vb96pro.stf was missing so I copied that from the CD. Then it was looking for the CD so I hit Browse and the CD that was inserted. It want through the installation process. I clicked Select All then unticked Data Access. It read and installed all files of the CD. Then it came to finalises settings where it locked up before. I waited 30 seconds then the message to Restart Windows came up.

It Restarted then it asks you to install MSDN so I cancelled for the moment. I inserted MSDN CD1 and held the Shift key. I opened the CD and did the same with Setup.exe. Right click on it and select Properties. In the Compatibility tab tick Windows XP (SP3) then click Apply. You can right click on Setup.exe and Run As Administrator then double click Setup.exe. I selected Custom Install becasue I only want VB6 and the sample files. It installed then asked for CD2 and installed those files job done.

Previously when I tried to install MSDN it said it wasn't compatible with this system so the Compatibility tab tick Windows XP (SP3) must work.

I extracted all files from Vs6sp6vb.exe and did the same with setupsp6.exe Compatibility tab tick Windows XP (SP3) and Run As Administrator and SP6 installed ok.

I ran VB an it shows Service Pack 6 on startup. I clicked F1 for help and the MSDN help showed.

I tried Componets to add Comctl32.ocx but it wouldn't as it couldn't find something in the registry. I opened an app that uses Comctl32.ocx and that show on the Toolbox and in Components I also use ieframe.dll the Web Browser that was just a picturebox so I added that from Components. I ran the app and it works perfectly.

So you can install VB6 on Windows 8 64bit with a bit of fiddling.