Version of Arduino IDE that will run on XP

As far as I know the Arduino IDE is just a Java program so if you install the Java JVM on your XP and download the IDE it should work just the same as it does on this Linux laptop. I don't think there is any need for a special Windows version if you have Java installed.

If you are open to it, Puppy Linux (which I am using) should run very well on an XP machine. You can try it from a USB stick without making any changes to the XP machine. I am using [Tahrpup 6.0 CE](http://Tahrpup 6.0 CE) which is based on Ubuntu.

...R

Ordinarily I would say that replacing the operating system is the worst suggestion, but replacing a piece of software that's old enough to drink beer in several European countries is probably a good idea.

tamaier:
Is there a version that "could" be used on this machine?

Use Arduino-IDE 1.0.6 with Windows/XP, there should be no problem.

But in that case you can only program the 8-bit Atmega controllers, not the ARM-Cortex controllers like used with DUE and ZERO boards.

tamaier:
I have a perfectly good, spare XP laptop laying around that would very much "like to be" my Arduino development machine.

I tried downloading several of the versions of the IDE but in each case, when the installation is almost complete, I got a dialog box saying that the program is not suitable for use on XP with all manner of dire predictions about would happen if I were to continue. I had never encountered such a warning before and, discretion being the better part of valor, I hesitated to go farther.

Is there a version that "could" be used on this machine?

Tom

If you are familiar with - highlight the entire code block - not just show opening and closing brackets of code block "feature", do not load 1.6.6. It is not there, it went away.
1.6.6. has been working just fine on my XP minus code block highlight.
Generally all those "warning" messages are advertisements for Windows next generation after last you just bought.

stupid microsoft warnings.

if you do not pay microsoft tens of thousands of dollars to have your software listed, you get a warning that the software you are trying to load has not paid microsoft tens of thousands of dollars to have the warning removed.

read the warning, it is saying that the software is untested or unproven and microsoft does not support it.

should have said, just hit yes and ignore the warnings from microsoft.

i use xp service pac 3 and the latest ide

I didn't have any problem running the latest 1.6.7 on my WXP VM. You might try installing from the .zip file instead of using the "installer."

westfw:
I didn't have any problem running the latest 1.6.7 on my WXP VM. You might try installing from the .zip file instead of using the "installer."

he said it downloads fine and installs fine
but microsoft has a pop-up that warns the end of all civilization if the software programmer did not pay to have his software listed by microsoft.
the fact that probably 10s of thousands of us use XP means that it works and we ignored the warning and clicked to install anyway.

Version 1.6.6 works fine on Windows XP. Version 1.8.10 does not. When building with 1.8.10, there is an error about a missing export from Kernel32.dll. I forget the name of the export, but I checked and it was added with Vista.

Since 1.6.6 suites my needs, I am not complaining about this problem. I simply wanted to include my findings here in case others were still trying to run on XP.

gmattinson:
Version 1.6.6 works fine on Windows XP. Version 1.8.10 does not. When building with 1.8.10, there is an error about a missing export from Kernel32.dll. I forget the name of the export, but I checked and it was added with Vista.

Since 1.6.6 suites my needs, I am not complaining about this problem. I simply wanted to include my findings here in case others were still trying to run on XP.

1.8.9 should work on XP. If you really feel the need for an upgrade, you can use that. The issue with 1.8.10 is a known one.

I never understand why people want to upgrade; newer is not always better :slight_smile: If it ain't broken, don't fix it :wink: It took me a long time to go from 1.6.6 to 1.8.5 and I'm not planning to upgrade anytime soon.

The only problem with an XP machine is having sufficient disk space for adding a generous partition with Mint. :roll_eyes:

Arduino 1.8.3 works fine on an ancient Dell 430 XP laptop with 32Gb. I have no idea what Mint is, but one thing is certain: nobody needs it to run the Arduino IDE.

When I finally left XP I didn't have to declare extra variables (that get optimized out but still HAD to be declared to compile) any more.

My Arduino computer is now a Raspberry Pi 3+ running Raspbian (Debian Linux based) without a hitch. Compile speed beats XP on a 32-bit Sempron-CPU PC running almost 3x as fast and with twice the RAM as the RPi has.

An RPi 3+ board runs $40 and a 3A 5V PS runs $15. It needs a video cable, USB KB & mouse and SD card to run. USB drives whether stick or external HD work for storage. It uses almost no power compared to a PC, only heavy graphics pushed mine to need more than 2A which is when I bought a 3A supply.

The new RPi 4 is a hog compared, it needs a fan.

Nick_Pyner:
Arduino 1.8.3 works fine on an ancient Dell 430 XP laptop with 32Gb. I have no idea what Mint is, but one thing is certain: nobody needs it to run the Arduino IDE.

Mint is a popular and relatively user-friendly Linux distribution and the implied suggestion was to configure a dual boot system that would run either Linux Mint or Windows XP. The advantage is that one would not be running an OS that hasn't been supported with security updates for ages which potentially matters if the computer touches the web.

For what it's worth I had such a setup (albeit LUbuntu Linux rather than Mint) for my development computer some years ago (a single-core Intel Celeron processor with 1 GB RAM) and fairly soon after stopped using Windows XP entirely. Modern web browsers aren't happy running with such limited memory, but the Arduino IDE and most everything else I care about is fine.

Net security needs a 64-bit CPU and OS. Chrome runs well on limited RAM.

MrMark:
Modern web browsers aren't happy running with such limited memory, but the Arduino IDE and most everything else I care about is fine.

I must admit that running YouTube videos on Firefox regularly chokes Mint. :astonished: If I am lucky, Firefox can be killed from the F1 terminal.

Paul__B:
I must admit that running YouTube videos on Firefox regularly chokes Mint. :astonished: If I am lucky, Firefox can be killed from the F1 terminal.

Is that on a 64-bit CPU?

I have one microSD for the RPi that runs KODI which doesn't choke on stored video files.

In case anyone has followed this far, in this day and age August 2020.
I'm using XP w/service pack 3, on ancient Acer 5050, running Arduino 1.6.8. Seems to be ok, except the odd "id returned 5 exit status", with Leonardo board.

bagnolio:
In case anyone has followed this far, in this day and age August 2020.
I'm using XP w/service pack 3, on ancient Acer 5050, running Arduino 1.6.8. Seems to be ok, except the odd "id returned 5 exit status", with Leonardo board.

Been there, lived with that.

Add some variables that you don't use, keep them up top with a comment about getting around an XP bug.

When I got an RPi 3B+, that fixed it and the compiles run quicker too.

Paul__B:
I must admit that running YouTube videos on Firefox regularly chokes Mint. :astonished: If I am lucky, Firefox can be killed from the F1 terminal.

The last Raspbian OS update I got kicked the speed of the board up significantly. Endless Sky used to take a long time to load and ran slow now loads quickly and runs like it should.

I got an RPi 4 going but since the 3B+ is working so well, that's what I'm using. The only slowdowns on Youtube are when I need to turn the hotspot-phone to catch bars as the weather changes.

Paul, check out the RPi 4 as a backup PC.