I am having problems installing Matlab Version 5.3.1/Release R11.1 on my new HP-Pavilion notebook PC which has Windows 7 Professional with an Windows XP Emulator.

I am having problems installing Matlab Version 5.3.1/Release R11.1 on my new HP-Pavilion notebook PC which has Windows 7 Professional with an Windows XP Emulator.

When I try to execute the installation, I get an error message saying not compatible with my new 64 BIT machine. Please advise as to how to go about doing this.

Thanks.

Mark

Answer 1

[Ken Atwell]

That is a ancient version of MATLAB, from 1999 according to Wikipedia. That release of MATLAB was likely designed for Windows NT or Windows 98, as 1999 was a couple of years before the release of Windows XP, which you are trying to emulate.

You can try updating this question with a screenshot of what you are seeing, but this may be a case where just too much time has passed between that version's release and the modern computer you are trying to install on.

[Mark Zuchowski]

Ken, thanks for responding. Much appreciated. Meanwhile, this ancient version cost $25K with the associated tool boxes (Control Systems, DSP Blockset, Real Time Workshop)and so I'm not about to give up trying to load it. That's why I purposely purchased my new computer with Windows 7 Professional which has a Windows XP Emulator, which is supposed to accomodate older versions of Matlab. e.g., the "ancient" version ran on my windows XP machine the past 6 years and so it should work with the XP emulator. I think the key is to learn how to activate the XP emulator and then load the older version of Matlab.

Mark

[Marc]

Hopefully you find a fix... Running a Matlab version compatible with NT and 98 on XP is different from running it on an emulator. I ran into this with Maple 7 on Windows XP going to Windows 7 for work (maple 7 was windows98 version that worked on XP). Even Maple 12 gave me some issues going to Windows 7 with the XP emulator... Could not save things from the file menu and had issues exiting.

Unfortunately, my solution was Maple 17... Of course that was far cheaper than $25k

Answer 2

[Jan]

The XPMode of the VirtaulPC shipped with Windows 7 is a 32 bit system. The error message looks like you try to install Matlab under Windows 7 (64), but the only chance to run it is an installation inside the virtual XP system.

Running the virtual XP has important problems. E.g. the [Alt Gr]-keys do not work under the host operating system. Using a network disk or a disk of the host system leads to exhausted notification handles of the folders.

A lot of bugs have been fixed since 5.3. I'm convinced that the new MLint will find bugs in your code also.

My conclusion: $25k has been a lot of money, but this has been payed 1999, 14 years ago. Of course you can like to drive an old-timer, but you cannot expect that it has the same power and reliability as a modern machine. For a serious work with Matlab I'd recommend and upgrade.

Personally, I'm running an old Matlab 6.5 in XPMode also to allow a comparison between new and ancient version of my code and to support the reproducibility of results of publications for a time span of 10 years. But for daily work I would not go under R2008a anymore.

[Mark Zuchowski]

Jan,

thanks for your response. Meanwhile, I was successful in loading the older version of Matlab onto my new Windows 7 Professional machine by downloading and installing the Windows XP Emulator from the Microsoft website. Next, to switch from operation in Windows 7 Pro to Windows XP Mode I simply clicked on Start > All Programs > Windows Virtual PC > Windows XP Mode. This brings up the Windows XP desktop and from there I was able to load the older version of Matlab and run it. To return to Windows 7 Pro, I simply clicked on a tab at the top center of the screen. Pretty cool!! Mark

[Ken Atwell]

Good to hear that you found a configuration that works. I am pleasantly surprised.

[Jan]

@Mark: This equals the procedure I've mentioned in my answer. I've explained, that there are some problems.

[Marc]

Do you see any difference in performance? Good or bad? With the faster machine it would be nice to see some gain but with the emulator?? Do you get it?

Glad to hear you had good results.