Compatibility Administrator (CompatAdmin) is a tool that comes with the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) for Windows. It is designed to help IT professionals and developers resolve compatibility issues for applications running on Windows. This tool allows users to create custom compatibility fixes, known as "shims," that can be applied to applications to make them work better on newer versions of Windows. This article will guide you through the basics of using CompatAdmin, its importance, and provide practical examples to help you get started.

Examples:

1. Installing Compatibility Administrator:

   • First, you need to download and install the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK), which includes the Application Compatibility Toolkit.
   • Follow the installation prompts and ensure that "Application Compatibility Toolkit" is selected during the installation process.

2. Launching Compatibility Administrator:

   • Open the Start menu, type "Compatibility Administrator" and select it from the search results.
   • You will see two versions: "Compatibility Administrator (32-bit)" and "Compatibility Administrator (64-bit)". Choose the version that matches the application you are troubleshooting.

3. Creating a Custom Shim:

   • In the Compatibility Administrator, go to the "Custom Databases" section and right-click on it, then select "New Database".
   • Right-click on the newly created database and select "Create New" -> "Application Fix".
   • Enter the name of the application, vendor, and the path to the executable file.
   • Click "Next" and select the operating system modes and compatibility fixes you want to apply. For example, you can choose "Run as administrator" or "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)" mode.
   • Click "Next" and then "Finish" to create the shim.

4. Applying the Shim:

   • Save the custom database by right-clicking on it and selecting "Save As".
   • Save the file with a .sdb extension.
   • Open Command Prompt as an administrator and use the following command to install the shim:

     sdbinst path\to\your\custom.sdb

   • Replace path\to\your\custom.sdb with the actual path to your .sdb file.

5. Verifying the Shim:

   • Run the application and check if the compatibility issues are resolved.
   • If necessary, you can go back to Compatibility Administrator and tweak the settings or add additional fixes.