Windows 7 is an impressive Operating System that offers many refinements and improvements over every previous version of the software. However, as with all new OSes, there are complications when installing some older and out-of-date hardware and software. In my case, I ran into trouble while trying to install Visual Studio 2005 on Microsoft’s latest and greatest platform.
Visual Studio 2005 has some known issues when running on Windows Vista and 7. Some people report not being able to compile their previously working applications anymore, while others say that they can no longer step through their code when debugging. Both issues are pretty serious, as it means that developers will be forced to use XP Virtualization in Windows 7, or downgrade their machines to Windows XP.
However, there are ways to get around this.
First things first, be sure to install Visual Studio 2005. Windows 7 will complain a few times that certain programs have known compatibility issues, but just cancel out of those screens. There’s no point clicking “search online for a solution” since you’re online reading my solution 
Once the software is installed, you’ll need to install Service Pack 1. If you don’t have it already, you can download it from Microsoft for free. This is the full service pack, weighing in at over 400 MB. If you have a smaller one that’s less than 30 MB, that’s the wrong file. Don’t install that one, yet.
After installing the first Service Pack, you can now install a second SP1. Yes, we need to have two SP1 installs after the initial software installation. It’s not pretty, but this isn’t an everyday occurrence … I hope. You can download the Vista/Windows 7 SP1 Pack from Microsoft here, and it’s about 30 MB in size.
You may occasionally see compatibility warnings while installing the software, but I’ve cancelled through all of these and have been able to run VS2005 Team Suite on Windows 7 Ultimate using an Acer AspireOne netbook without any real hassles (it just a little laggy to start after a cold boot).
That’s all there is to it.
Have you run into compatibility problems with other software packages on Windows 7? Did you find a fix for them? I’d love to hear about your successes.
I agree that it’s super annoying. It’s almost enough to make me switch back to WinXP when developing software
That said, I’ll be sure to write an update to this post if I hear of a way to make the compatibility issue go away.
I’m having the same issues but also it won’t compile even “hello world” program. installed just as you say to above for vs2005 pro and win7 pro.
I get linker error and all the help I can find is posts where it has to do with coding but I know how to make a “hello world” program so that’s not the issue.
This sounds like a deliberate issue between Win7 and VS2005, as nothing seems to make these two play nicely together. I’ve been using Win7 Ultimate and the only way to use VS2005 reliably is to fire up a virtual XP installation and develop from there.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an option for everyone
Hello all!
Unfortunately, i can’t install VS 2005 SP1 update. I get and error with a very weird message related with assemblies. I did not search for solutions for this problem because i just thought it won’t worth the time i have to spent to figure it out, i.e., VS 2005 won’t be truly compatible with the Windows 7 whatever i do or install, why am i beeing persistent about VS 2005 working on Windows 7? I am just delaying a problem..
Just uninstalled VS 2005 and installed the VS 2008 and period.
Working with VS 2005 in Windows XP, only on my Desktop. In future if i need to use it on the Laptop i will use a virtual install of XP and VS 2005 on it.
I have no proof, but it seems that Microsoft intentionally disabled support for the older development languages to ensure people “kept up” with the company. I can’t count how many companies I still see using Visual Studio 6 to write their software and, while VS6 can certainly get the job done for most accounts, it doesn’t really add to Microsoft’s bottom line, nor does it make securing a system any easier.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the resources to upgrade my development software to VS2008 just to replace it all with VS2010 (which has been budgeted) later this year
I don’t really know if I should get the SP1, what advantages does it have? Do you think I should get it?
Thanks for the tips dude! I just installed VS 2005 for a pal here in Nairobi, Kenya on Windows 7 for her programming course. I downloaded both SP1 files as indicated. The 400 meg file takes a while to install…am doing that as I write.
BTW nice blog theme…clean, lots of white space and good layout!! Care to share?? Are u using WordPress or a different blogging engine?
Cheers!
Max “The IT pro”
I’m glad the post could help, Maxwell.
This site is running on the latest and greatest version of WordPress with a custom theme that I designed over the New Year holidays. It’s not one that I can easily share, though, as it makes some use of custom functions and whatnot.
That said, you can get the HotaruCMS version of this theme and reverse-engineer it if you’d like.
Oh what plug-in are u using for the Tweets page? Me like!!
The Tweets page is 100% my own creation, and not a plugin. It was written into my theme, which is why I can’t easily share the code with others … there’d be too much to go wrong on other sites
I’d be happy to help you design something like it for WordPress or other sites, though.
Jason,
I’m running the VS 2005 studio on a Win 7 pro box. I also have to work in a Visual Source Safe (32 bit, version 6.0d) environment. I get errors when loading and compiling re: Files checked out by another user. My build has over 120 errors and as many warnings. I believe my DLL library is not loading. I’m wondering if this is a VSS on Win7 issue not VS05 on Win7 one.
Ideas?
Thanks in advance
I’ve given up trying to use Visual Studio 2005 on Windows 7 and resorted to using an XP Virtual Machine to get around the issues. I don’t know whether this is planned obsolescence by Microsoft, or there is really a huge difference in the core files between Vista and Win7 (which I know there is, but still …).
With Visual Studio 2010 out for consumption, I hardly doubt Microsoft will be releasing any sort of patch or service pack in the near future that will resolve the issues that so many people are reporting.
Hopefully your PC is powerful enough to run Visual Studio within a virtual machine