Windows 10: Trouble Opening Freehand MX (11) Files

I've been using MacroMedia FreeHand MX for many years. As everyone knows, however, it's been absorbed by Adobe and permanently retired so compatibility and support issues are now common. When I upgraded to Windows 10, it stopped working entirely. After reading some posts, I figured out how to get FreeHand MX working in Windows 10 by using the "Program Compatibility Troubleshooter." I can create NEW files in FreeHand MX with no problem now, but I cannot open any of my existing files. This is a serious problem, because I have dozens of MX files and most are important to me and impossible to replicate. Does anyone know how to overcome this problem?


In the future, I guess I'll be forced to upgrade to Illustrator or something else, but I'm desperate for a short-term solution so I can access my existing files.


Thanks to anybody that can help!

:)

 

Freehand MX on Windows 10 failure

Freehand MX (11.02) does NOT work under Windows 10.

What I find interesting is that it DID until the most recent Windows 10 updater, within the past 10 days.
Something in the software update for Windows 10 (automatic) stopped this program from working at all.

After the updater I tried several times to start FHMX but with no success.

I then removed the program and preferences, rebooted.

Reinstalled the program but still could not get it to run.

.

Need this fixed please. Thankfully I still have a workstation running Windows 7 and Freehand MX with no issues.

.

Dang.

Jeffery

 

Freehand MX on Windows 10 failure

Thanks for the feedback.

However right clicking does not open any compatibility test option.

SOLUTION:

Go to Control Panel (Cortana: open control panel),

Then select Troubleshooting,

Then select Programs made for previous versions of Windows.

.

The troubleshooter gives a list of programs, select FreeHand MXa.

Run Troubleshooter.

.

It installs a Service Pack from XP (legacy goodness), you then TEST the program.

(For FreeHand MXa this may require the serial number)

It ran perfectly.

.

Amen.

 

Freehand MX on Windows 10 failure

I'm having this issue in late 2017 after several updates of Windows 10 PRO, but it has to do with the registration only lasting a finite amount of time. I've found I have to troubleshoot FreeHand MXa.2 using the steps outlined by
plummerdesign above to get the re-registration dialog box to appear. It worked on this new machine with Win10PRO up until one day 2 months after install ... and my heart stopped. I have decades of work in FreeHand that will be lost forever
once all of this software stops working. Thanks so much, Adobe.