Software won't run on AMD processor?

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jubalskeiki

Limp Gawd
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I have a friend with some software they are trying to install on an older machine they have for their kids. This particular machine uses an old AMD processor. It says right on the box that it won't run on an AMD processor. My question is sort of two-fold, is it possible for software to be incompatible with specific hardware like that? And if so, what would cause it? Also, I don't know if it is different versions of the software, but a few of the games I know I played on my old AMD machine, so it doesn't make sense.
 
The software probably requires SSE2 which 32 bit athlons did not have. I just had to upgrade a coworkers XP 3200 machine to a 3200 Athlon 64 (I had sitting in my lab as a test box) to let her run a scientific application.
 
That makes sense, except that I know some of the software I have run on my 32 bit athlon. (Carmen San Diego and Oregon Trail.)
 
jubalskeiki said:
That makes sense, except that I know some of the software I have run on my 32 bit athlon. (Carmen San Diego and Oregon Trail.)
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Does it say which intel processors will run on?
That would kind of tell you what instruction set extensions it needs. Those are pretty old titles, it might only be MMX.
 
All of the titles are from Broderbund software. Two of them I listed above, I don't remember off the top of my head what the others were. They are all older programs. I had just never heard of such a thing. I don't think it specified exactly what intel processors it would work on, just that it wouldn't work on AMD.
 
They might as well at least try to run it. What's the worst that will happen - it won't let them install it? They must REALLY be running an old system for it to even matter.
 
They had tried to run/install it. It seems there are mixed results. Some of the programs will run but will crash at certain points in the game. Some of the programs the install process will start but won't finish. Some of the installs won't even start to run. It was just an odd problem I had never run into before so I thought I'd consult the [H] to see if it made any sense. I guess I have heard a couple of reasonable explanations (I never really understood what the practical difference between an AMD and an Intel processor were), The only thing I don't get now is why my Athlon could run some of the same programs without a problem.
 
It may be possible to copy the install disk to hard drive, modify the install list and install from hard drive.
Lack of CPU features cannot be got around though so it may not help at all.
 
jubalskeiki said:
They had tried to run/install it. It seems there are mixed results. Some of the programs will run but will crash at certain points in the game. Some of the programs the install process will start but won't finish. Some of the installs won't even start to run. It was just an odd problem I had never run into before so I thought I'd consult the [H] to see if it made any sense. I guess I have heard a couple of reasonable explanations (I never really understood what the practical difference between an AMD and an Intel processor were), The only thing I don't get now is why my Athlon could run some of the same programs without a problem.
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theoretically, a Thunderbird or earlier athlon would not have SSE, Palomino and older does have SSE. If your athlon is post SSE and your friends is pre-SSE, that might explain something..

either way, if they want this software to run, and we are talking about such and old athlon, you should be able to upgrade the system for 50 bucks or so (used P4 mobo + cpu + ram), i myself have four spare proc/mobo combos just lying around that would be an upgrade (and are worthless compared to new hardware)
 
DrFreeze said:
theoretically, a Thunderbird or earlier athlon would not have SSE, Palomino and older does have SSE. If your athlon is post SSE and your friends is pre-SSE, that might explain something..

either way, if they want this software to run, and we are talking about such and old athlon, you should be able to upgrade the system for 50 bucks or so (used P4 mobo + cpu + ram), i myself have four spare proc/mobo combos just lying around that would be an upgrade (and are worthless compared to new hardware)
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AGREE~
 
If it came down to it there are a few options I'd have for upgrading or just replacing the computer. I was just mostly curious about this issue. I tried to ask google but wasn't getting any help. As I said I just really don't understand the details of the architectural differences between processors. I know the basics single vs dual vs quad core and 32 vs 64 bit, but things like hyperthreading I don't understand (I get what it does generally, but it's like magic to me) and terms like instruction set extension were new to me.
 
The problem with finding info on the web about this stuff is people haven't paid much attention to instruction sets and architecture compatibility in years so much of it has been deleted to make space, or buried at the bottom of the archives. Either way sounds like an upgrade is in order... their system is making my s754 sempron feel high performace.
 
I seem to recall a similar issue when i was using durons where Boarderbound software didn't want to work...... that was back around 2004.... once i switched to semprons and more recent processors that problem seemed to evaporate...... needless to say if the computer is old enough to be having a problem like that.... i would suggest an upgrade.....

i am sure they would love a phen- quad core... :p
 
They also have a budget of approximately 0 dollars. So buying a new computer would be out of the question. I haven't had a chance to go by the house and actually check on the specs of the computer, I just know it's an AMD processor. The only whole build (that isn't AMD, because they don't want to go that route again because "AMD suxorz" or so they think) I'd have is p3 600 with 192 MB of RAM. Which I am pretty sure would be a downgrade. The Duron thing would make sense. I believe spec-wise their computer was pretty comparable to mine, but mine was an Athlon, which could be the difference it sounds like.

The other problem with architecture and instruction sets is that I had never even heard the term instruction set (so I'd not even know to try to find anything on it).
 
Man, if I had some old parts laying around, I'd definitely send them your way. The only thing I still have left from that era are old video cards. I'll take a look in my attic and let you know.
 
It really has nothing to do with amd or intel, just generations of cpus.

When dealing with stuff this old, I always suggest hitting one of your tech forums deals&steals/FS-FT forums and pick up something more modern and dirt cheap to run. If you are still using a PC using SDRAM and a thunderbird you have a serious problem, I mean you better be scrounging to buy bread or something if you cant upgrade your box at some point over what, 8-10 years haha.
 
Some really old games or other pieces of software refused to run on AMD or Cyrix processors due to fact that back then they didn't have that great of floating point units, or other issues of performance. The only real way around that is to figure out if you can mask your processor from identifying itself as 'authenticAMD' or 'CyrixInstead' and personally I haven't see anything that could do that since the 98/2000 days. Maybe you can see if there's a crack to get around that error, as that was common back then as well.
 
Ryokurin said:
Some really old games or other pieces of software refused to run on AMD or Cyrix processors due to fact that back then they didn't have that great of floating point units, or other issues of performance. The only real way around that is to figure out if you can mask your processor from identifying itself as 'authenticAMD' or 'CyrixInstead' and personally I haven't see anything that could do that since the 98/2000 days. Maybe you can see if there's a crack to get around that error, as that was common back then as well.
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the naming most likely wont change anything.. the problem is exactly what dreschermjm said below.. its the SSE2 support with socket A processors.. AMD didnt start using SSE2 til socket 754..

drescherjm said:
The software probably requires SSE2 which 32 bit athlons did not have. I just had to upgrade a coworkers XP 3200 machine to a 3200 Athlon 64 (I had sitting in my lab as a test box) to let her run a scientific application.
Click to expand...
 
Malakai said:
It really has nothing to do with amd or intel, just generations of cpus.

When dealing with stuff this old, I always suggest hitting one of your tech forums deals&steals/FS-FT forums and pick up something more modern and dirt cheap to run. If you are still using a PC using SDRAM and a thunderbird you have a serious problem, I mean you better be scrounging to buy bread or something if you cant upgrade your box at some point over what, 8-10 years haha.
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If it were me...well the games I mostly play would eat any socket A processor for lunch. I am the one with the tech priority, if they weren't even having this issue they'd probably keep that box another 8-10 years if it kept running. They aren't scrounging for food because they are on food stamps right now. But things are really tight the rest of the way around. This is a secondary machine they weren't even using too much until they wanted something for the kids to play games on.

It isn't just a problem with socket a processors, because as I said I had a socket a processor that played 2/3 of what they are having problems with.
 
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