Mastering Computer System Compatibility: Avoid Costly Mistakes with These Key Insights
Several years ago, without a thought to system compatibility, I purchased a wireless color laser printer for my home office. I’m a Windows user, but the printer manufacturer also offers a mobile app so users can print from their phones and tablets. It worked fine with the Macbook Pro I was using at the time, and it’s worked fine with my current Dell laptop, as well as with my iPhone, Ipad, and from my Samsung tablet. However, the HP Chromebook I got for my husband a couple of years ago can’t use it. He has to send me everything he needs to print, or we have to look it up on my computer for printing. For the most part, it’s not a big deal, just an inconvenience. But, as the computer nerd in the family, this shouldn’t have been the surprise that it was. I should have found this out before I bought the Chromebook. I probably would still have purchased the Chromebook, but I would have done some more digging to find out if it’s just that model or brand of Chromebook that won’t work with that printer, or all Chromebooks (it’s not all Chromebooks). Sometimes I have to relearn something I already know, and this lesson was on verifying compatibility.
WHAT DO I MEAN BY COMPATIBILITY?
Computer system compatibility is the ability of different computer components, software, or systems to work together without conflicts. Hardware and software can communicate and function properly when they’re connected or installed on the same system. Compatibility ensures that users can seamlessly use various devices and programs without having problems. That’s what it’s all about.
Incompatibility in computer systems can cause a bunch of problems. Performance problems are the most common, with slow performance, long boot and shutdown times, and “lag” when you’re using an application. It can also cause system crashes and “blue screen of death” (BSOD) incidents. You might also be introducing a security risk by using outdated or incompatible software. When software falls out of support, it may not get security patches and updates anymore. An incompatible driver can prevent the hardware it supports from functioning correctly. Incompatible software may not even install correctly, or it may cause some bizarre behavior when it does run. It can also corrupt the files you use with it, leading to data loss. (For an explanation of hardware and software, check this link; for how to prevent data loss, check this link.)
TYPES OF COMPATIBILITY
It may seem strange to think of “types of compatibility,” but we have to look at hardware, software, peripherals, network, and operating systems. We have a need for each of those components to be compatible within its respective category. That is, all of the hardware has to be compatible with all the other hardware. All the software has to be compatible with all the other software, and so on. In addition to that, though, all the hardware has to be compatible with all the software, and so on. We’ll start with hardware.
Hardware
You can find the major hardware components here, but the major players are the Central Processing Unit (CPU, or Processor), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Random Access Memory (RAM), and hard drive. Most hardware components will have drivers, firmware, or both, so in addition to the hardware having to be compatible, a piece of firmware or a driver could render it incompatible with a system.
You need enough RAM to run your programs, but you also need the right kind of RAM. A skilled technician will know how to add the right kind and amount of RAM to your system, and there are several ways to find out if you need more. You can check out my post on RAM here to learn more about it. Your graphics card is another item that can boost performance, but if it’s not the right graphics card, it can all go horribly wrong. Furthermore, your hardware components often need little programs called drivers that help the hardware interact with the operating system.
But wait, there’s more! If you have peripherals like keyboards and mice, or external hard drives, those can cause compatibility issues as well. And we can go deep into the guts of the system, too, and see that if the CPU is not properly matched to the motherboard, that can cause problems, including the inability to boot the system. Your power supply is not the power cord or AC Adapter. It’s a component that delivers power to the rest of the stuff in your computer. If it doesn’t do that properly, it can lead to system instability, crashes, and it can even damage your hardware. If you try to use a storage device (a solid state or hard disk drive) that isn’t compatible with the motherboard’s interface, the device may not be recognized or the system may perform badly.
Software
Software designed for one operating system is probably not going to work on another operating system. For example, a Windows program will almost certainly not work on a Mac or a Linux system, and vice versa all the way around. It probably won’t even install, and if it tries, it will likely fail. Even your browsers are subject to compatibility issues if a web application developer hasn’t optimized an app to run in different browsers. Even version differences can produce conflicts. A newer version may not open older files, an older version may not open newer files.
Peripherals
Most USB devices that use a particular USB standard have a cable with a unique end, but USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 are visually identical, except for a blue strip in the end. If you plug a USB 3.0 device into a USB 2.0 port, it may not work well – the device may not be recognized, or the data transfer speeds may be extremely slow. Wireless keyboards, mice, and printers can interfere with each other if they’re using similar radio frequencies, and that will manifest in erratic behavior or connection issues. An outdated driver can cause a peripheral to just plain stop working, or, if it does work, to work badly.
We also go back to the Windows/Mac/Linux compatibility statement, that a peripheral may work fine on one but not on another. That will usually come down to a driver issue. Most hardware manufacturers are developing drivers for at least Windows and Mac, and a growing number will also produce them for Linux.
Network
Network incompatibilities can be devilishly difficult to chase down if you don’t know where to start. No two devices are allowed to have the same IP address, and if you’re letting your home network devices do their thing, it’s probably not going to be a problem. Your router will hand out IP addresses, and it knows what addresses it assigned to which devices. DNS settings is another area where your router knows what to do to send your DNS requests where they’re supposed to go. However, sometimes the DNS servers out on the internet can receive and supply bad information, and there’s a flush command you can do to purge the DNS information that your computer stores locally. Otherwise, you’re not going to see much DNS havoc.
However, sometimes wireless devices can interfere with each other if they’re on the same or overlapping channels, and you’ll see dropped connections or network slowness. It can be difficult to chase these down, too. Another issue with wireless devices, like routers and switches, is that if the firmware gets too far behind, it may not support newer devices or networking protocols. Along with outdated firmware is outdated security settings on either a device or the network.
Operating Systems
Let’s talk about 32-bit and 64-bit systems, because you’ll be glad you learned this. A 32-bit system handles data in 32-bit chunks, and a 64-bit system handles data in 64-bit chunks. As a result of being able to handle more data at a time, data gets handled at a faster rate. Additionally, a 32-bit system can only address 4 GB of RAM, and there was a time when that was plenty of RAM. It’s not anymore. A 64-bit system can address more RAM than you’ll ever need for your personal use, and the number is 18 quintillion bytes.
It’s important to know this, especially if your system is older and may be a 32-bit system. If you’ve purchased your system in the last ten years, it’s probably a 64-bit system. Since about 2006, 64-bit systems have become the standard. Having said that, you can run a 32-bit piece of software on a 64-bit system without a lot of impact. It may not run as well, because it was written to be handled at a slower pace. However, you can’t run a piece of software written for a 64-bit system on a 32-bit system. It just won’t work. It’s not just programs and applications, either! Drivers are even more picky – 32-bit drivers won’t work on a 64-bit system, and vice versa.
CROSS-PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY
Why don’t Windows programs work on Mac or Linux? For one thing, each of them uses a unique file system. This can also cause problems when trying to share files across different systems, although the developers have gotten pretty good at making some systems compatible, like MS Office for Windows and Mac, and Open or Libre Office. Microsoft has also created an online office with O365, which allows all platforms to use Microsoft Office products regardless of operating system. Windows and Mac have installable programs, and Linux uses them in a web browser.
VIRTUALIZATION AS A COMPATIBILITY SOLUTION
Virtualization is creating a computer as a program, which runs like a computer. You can install programs on it just as you would any other computer. By creating a virtual machine on a host, you can use that virtual machine to run programs not native to the host. For example, If your primary system is Linux but you need to run a program that only runs on Windows, you can create a virtual machine on Linux, install Windows, and then install that program. I did that when I was using a Macbook Pro as my daily driver. I hated – absolutely hated Quicken for Mac, so I installed a virtual Windows 7 in a Parallels environment just so I could install Quicken for Windows on it. When I was in college, I had my Dell Windows system, but I needed to install Kali Linux for penetration testing, so I used Virtual Box to create a virtualized environment in which I could install Kali.
Using virtualization, you can also run an older system on a newer system so you can run older software that won’t run well on your newer hardware. I did that for a while as well. There was a game I loved in its original form that I hated in all its newer iterations. I installed an older Linux operating system as a virtual machine, which contained that game that I loved. There’s a hazard to that, though. If that older system gets too old to get security updates, if it has internet access, it will be vulnerable to exploits.
Running a virtualized system also gives you a playground where you can test stuff without damaging your “production” computer. If you build a system similar to your regular system, in a virtualized environment, you can install some of those legacy tools, or tools you’re not sure will work with your computer, and play around to see if something breaks, without risking breaking your regular system.
BACKWARD AND FORWARD COMPATIBILITY
Technology moves quickly, and what you buy today is obsolete tomorrow. I actually did a pretty good job on my last computer purchase at the end of 2018, and there’s really no reason for me to replace it right now. I don’t want to replace it, either, because that means I’ll have to reinstall all my software, and I have a buuuuuuuunch of software. (I don’t like replacing cars, either, we put several hundred thousand miles on our cars.)
For the most part, despite the concept of “planned obsolescence,” both hardware and software engineers try to build in both backward and forward compatibility. Backward compatibility allows older hardware and software to function with newer systems. That extends the lifespan of the older stuff, letting the user maximize the return on their investment. Forward compatibility ensures that current systems can accommodate future updates and newer technologies. Very few of us can or want to buy the latest and greatest computer every couple of years, and people like me who have seven photo processing programs, several productivity tools, authoring and publishing tools, and technical tools for troubleshooting and testing just don’t want to have to reinstall in a week what we’ve accumulated over several years.
Of course, this level of compatibility comes with its challenges. It takes longer to develop and test for older systems than just for the current versions of hardware and operating systems. It’s also quite difficult to predict what the future of technological changes will be, and making sure that today’s system can adapt to those changes requires forward-thinking design. Making things work with older stuff can cause a performance hit, as new features are limited by old hardware, but going overboard for the future can cause developers to create capabilities that aren’t even needed or wanted yet.
COMPATIBILITY TESTING
In the development lab
Developers and engineers do a lot of compatibility testing so that they can ensure that the software and hardware work well across different environments, like the different operating systems, browsers, and various devices. By producing a better customer experience, the customers are more likely to be loyal to the brand; that’s a good business investment. It also reduces the bad reviews and word of mouth that happens when people are annoyed when the new stuff is so different from the older stuff that just needs to work. The people who create technology tools use automated testing tools – Selenium, BrowserStack, and Sauce Labs, to name a few – to make it easier and faster to test across multiple browsers and devices, and also to make sure their tests are as comprehensive and broad as possible. There are things, though, that automated tools can’t do, like testing user interactions and the visual elements, and that’s where manual testing comes in.
What to know before you buy new tech
How can you avoid spending your hard-earned dollars on technology that won’t work with what you have? How can you ensure that your upgrade cycle will always contain working hardware and software? Well, you can’t always guarantee it, but I’m going to give you some information that will help you make informed decisions that are right for you.
The first thing to do is read reviews and feedback from people who have purchased and used the thing you’re considering buying. They can often alert you to compatibility issues. You also need to read the system requirements of the software and hardware you’re interested in. Check for the supported operating systems, the hardware specifications, and any drivers needed. You also want to look into the support and update policies of the vendor, to make sure they have a patch and update plan.
YOUR TURN
In addition to the rapid pace of technology innovation, now we all live in a multi-device universe. This brings in a whole new level of compatibility considerations. Smart televisions and other smart devices; smart washing machines (really????); smart light bulbs; vacuum cleaners that know whether to vacuum the rug or mop the floor – our world is truly amazing, isn’t it? Tell me a story about finding out something wasn’t compatible with your system – I promise a ton of sympathy!
Here are some other sites if you want a closer look at all of this:
The Importance of Compatibility in Technology | Lenovo US | Lenovo US
Do I Need the 32-Bit or the 64-Bit Version? |TechSoup
What is Compatibility Testing? (Examples Included) | BrowserStack
Top 10 Reasons For Software Compatibility Issues – Techyv.com
Common Computer Issues: Incompatible Software – Safemode Computer Service
Understanding the Compatibility of PC Parts and Components – Reactionary Times
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