Kicad 6 for windows 7 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: nikifena
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2022, 06:58:23 pm
content: Hi group.Is there any way how to use the new Kicad 6 with windows 7?I don't want to switch to a new windows version.Thanks

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2022, 07:35:55 pm
content: Have you considered Eagle7.x? Runs great on WIN7.

author: nikifena
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2022, 08:42:55 pm
content: Eagle is not free.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2022, 09:16:59 pm
content: virtual machine running win 10 on win 7?Although its a bit sledge hammer and nut

author: nikifena
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2022, 09:25:05 pm
content: Yes, using a virtual machine can do the job, but I was thinking is it possible to run somehow without that. Of course Win8 is still supported, but I want to keep my PC running on Win7 for now. I'm happy with that version of the OS.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2022, 11:35:42 pm
content: I was going to take another look at KiCad a few weeks ago but found that they no longer supported Win 7.I didn't think much of it several years ago when I first looked at it.It seems real early for KiCad to drop Win 7 support.Long story short, I continue to use DipTrace.And DipTrace still supports Windows back to the XP version!

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2022, 12:55:08 am
content: I was annoyed by this too, so for now I've stayed on an older version of KiCad, it does everything I need it to anyway. Long term solution I'll use it on one of my Linux machines. Win8 was bad, Win10 fixed a few things and broke a lot more things, Win11 did the same. I see no evidence of Microsoft producing a viable OS for me in the foreseeable future.

author: Fredderic
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2022, 02:03:37 am
content: So what was the last version that worked on Win7?

author: nikifena
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2022, 03:13:31 pm
content: I believe KiCad 6 and below work with win7

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2022, 04:24:04 pm
content: Quote from: themadhippy on May 17, 2022, 09:16:59 pmMuch better to run Linux in virtual machine then.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2022, 05:15:26 pm
content: I had a virtual Win10 machine on my Win7 laptop for a while but every time I started the damn thing up it would have to spend an hour updating so I eventually quit using it.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2022, 05:22:17 pm
content: Quote from: nikifena on May 19, 2022, 03:13:31 pmThey DON'T even keep old binaries for download?KiCad has really left a sour taste in my mouth!Never again will I look at KiCad!

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2022, 05:29:49 pm
content: Quote from: MarkF on May 19, 2022, 05:22:17 pmWho said that? Did you even look?https://downloads.kicad.org/kicad/windows/explore/stable

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2022, 06:50:01 pm
content: Quote from: MarkF on May 19, 2022, 05:22:17 pmIt's open source, so you could compile an ancient version on some ancient hardware, if you so like. If they keep binaries available, that's just because they are nice, they are not obliged to.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2022, 08:33:29 pm
content: Quote from: MarkF on May 19, 2022, 05:22:17 pmSeems like a wise decision, probably the best you've made in years.More intelligent people are probably able to click on the "previous versions" on the download part of the KiCad website and then choose between some 50+ versions going back more then 3 years all the way to the pretty ancient KiCad V4.0.2https://downloads.kicad.org/kicad/windows/explore/stable

author: eugene
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2022, 12:18:52 am
content: So why exactly doesn't V6 run on Win7? Seems I've heard the discussion. Something to do with Python? I wouldn't be too surprised if it were possible to make it work, but the developers understandably have other priorities.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2022, 12:20:35 am
content: Quote from: Doctorandus_P on May 19, 2022, 08:33:29 pmI looked at the KiCad download page several times and didn't see the "Previous Versions" link.A honest mistake.And NO, I'm not going to setup the development environment to build KiCad.There's NO REASON for personal attacks!Welcome to my 'black list': Doctorandus_P.One of the very few to have that honor....

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2022, 01:04:50 am
content: The Kicad website simply says its "unsupported" on Win7 and that this means they don't test it on Win7. Has anyone tested it to see? What happens when you try?Specific and detailed errors are useful, they may point to dependencies on specific dlls. I believe WinXP has community projects to bring compatibility layers for common dlls from newer versions, so I presume Win7 will be the same.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2022, 01:47:39 am
content: Quote from: Whales on May 20, 2022, 01:04:50 amIIRC it somehow relies on Python, and the latest versions of Python refuse to install on Windows 7, I have no idea why, probably some bullshit fake dependency.

author: nikifena
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2022, 09:11:43 pm
content: Yes, I think it's related to the new Python version

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2022, 09:43:22 pm
content: Quote from: MarkF on May 19, 2022, 05:22:17 pmQuote from: MarkF on May 20, 2022, 12:20:35 amYou are a rapid maker of sweeping decisions, man...

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2022, 10:38:36 pm
content: might be worth a look ahttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/kicad/kicad-6-is-coming!/msg3911564/#msg3911564