Most likely it was the Windows updates that did it. Microsoft is constantly making things so that they aren't "backwards compatible" any more to force users to have to upgrade to new software -- and that means buying more products from Microsoft. It's all about money.

I avoid doing automatic updates from Microsoft since I don't know what they are installing or changing in my computer. Quite often, I find that after an update some things don't work anymore or behave differently.

You may try backing up all your data, wiping your hard drive clean and reinstalling your operating system. Then turn off the automatic updates so that they don't disable your programs.

One of those updates probably disabled (or deleted) the "compatiblity mode" device that would let you use your old programs.

I know that some 16-bit windows programs would still work with windows 98. But there was a problem when they first came out with windows 2000. I guess that enough people complained that they added the "compatibility mode" in 2000 and XP.

But it's all about money...