If you're running Win7 32bit on a 64bit machine that's where your problem is.

That's a valid point - is your machine 32 or 64-bit..? The software has to match the hardware.

My computer specifications:
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L rev 1.0
CPU: Intel Pentium DualCore E5400 2700MHz
Chipset: Intel Eaglelake G41
Graphic adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GT 220

My computer specifications:
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L rev 1.0
CPU: Intel Pentium DualCore E5400 2700MHz
Chipset: Intel Eaglelake G41
Graphic adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GT 220

I heard from somewhere that certain 16bit games and programs will not work on 64 bit machines but will work on 32 bit machines, I think it has something to do with 64Bit machines not having the 16Bit component in them any longer (Simplified terms) However I do not know if you play any old 16bit games so it may not matter to you..

FGS What makes you expect Linux to be able to run Windows software ? Can Mac do that ? Can Windows run Linux or Mac software

FGS What makes you expect Linux to be able to run Windows software ? Can Mac do that ? Can Windows run Linux or Mac software

See here

FGS What makes you expect Linux to be able to run Windows software ? Can Mac do that ? Can Windows run Linux or Mac software

I don't. That's one of the reasons I haven't gone Linux. Slow OS to do anything useful (pending a trial of Fedora 27), lack of software compatibility, and possibly hardware too.

There's no problem running a 32 bit OS with 64 bit hardware.  When 64 bit hardware was first becoming popular, like the AMD Athlon 64 or the Pentium 4 (Prescott), they were almost always used with 32 bit OS and software.  Microsoft did release a 64 bit version of Windows XP, but it was uncommon and had some compatibility issues.  Windows Vista was common in 32 and 64 bit versions, but the 32 bit version remained most common, and new PCs often only shipped with the 64 bit version if they shipped with more than 4GB of RAM.  Windows 7 was when the 64 bit version became more common, as PCs shipping with 4+ GB of RAM became common.

32 bit Windows 7 is still fine to use.  32 bit software is still well supported, and it can easily run old 16 bit Windows 3x programs too.  The down side is it if you have 4 or more GB of RAM installed, you can't take advantage of it.

The problem with 16 bit software with a 64 bit OS is that under the AMD64 specification, virtual 8086 mode is not available when the processor enters long (64 bit) mode.

Hmmm. When I installed a 32-bit version of Fedora Linux on this machine it didn't like it at all, freezing, crashing and all manner of other little problems, When I realised and replaced it with the 64-bit version, the problems stopped.

The PC computers and laptops I use:

Macbook Pro 15 inch (obtained in August 2015)
iMac 27inch (obtained April 2014)

Fujitsu Siemens P5925 as my nostalgic gaming PC that I got for 17 quid via ebay runs Windows XP as it did not have its original Vista OS (hate Win Vista!!)

Phone I use: Samsung S4 from May 2013 but I will get a new Samsung by hopefully July  because sadly the replacement screen is so subpar that its sensitivity is playing up and the battery life is really bad probably thanks to that replacement screen (energy inefficent as it is LCD not AMOLED) oh krap I could have kept the s4 for another 2 years if the AMOLED screen didn't shatter internally thanks to that one night flat party back in London (ohh I miss my friends from who I met in London  )

For talking about what we use, I’m a Mac boy. I have pretty much a suite of Apple hardware, being an IT tech it’s nice to not be using Windows at home anymore. I moved away from PCs after my last one needed putting to its death after 5 years of faithful service. I virtualised it and used it as a VM briefly to help my transition to Apple go smoothly. Won’t touch Android with a barge pole, the hardware it ships on is gross and the OS I don’t care for. All the people I know with android phones either get new ones every year or so because of obsolescence (or because they’re (...) and break), whereas iPhones last at least 2 years with hard use and double that if you treat them well. Buy cheap - buy twice.

Hmm. We've both had Samsung phones (S3 and S4 mini) for several years, with no problems whatever, except for the usual one of the battery getting old and needing replacement. They've been dropped multiple times and survived with barely a scratch. Everyone I know with an iPhone that's dropped it needed a new screen or a new phone. At least Android is customisable, and you can even root the phone, which is more than you can say for iPhones.

From Apple I only will use iMacs, Macbooks and iPods. Will NOT use an iPhone, its UI and ways of functioning it is not how I like it! Samsung phones are the best IMO and are more versatile

As I now finish uni and start doing work xperience and job searching, I may have to revive the fairly new HP desktop elite and either install windows 10 because I now realise I eventually will have to face this new version of MS Windows whether I like it or not due to the skills/experience required from work. Who knows what my work life will lead me, there is a possibility that it could take me outside Reading and even London and if it does come to a good starter job in the north there are cheap rents (screw London prices!!!) and I will be taking my iMac desktop, Macbook Pro laptop and the HP elite desktop PC!

Its no good saying "oh I'm just a Mac user" gotta be dual platform these days 

iPhone 6S I use as it does just about everything I need it to, its quicker than my 2 laptops that I only use for long emails . I can have 3 or 4 photos fully  uploaded to here from my phone before the laptops have even warmed up.