Compiled Air exe cannot install on Windows 8

[midget35]

I use intellij on Windows 10 to create a signed Air app, packaged as an exe (native installer).

I then take the exe and install it on older Windows machines. The process has historically worked fine. But in the last few days when I copy the exe and attempt to run it on Windows 8.1 or Windows Embedded Standard SP1 machines, the application will not install.

On Windows 8.1, I get a 'This application can't run on your PC'. On Windows Embedded - there is no feedback at all when I double-click the exe.

Note the generated exe does install fine on Windows 10. As far as I can tell - the exe is still x86.

Has anyone experienced this and found a solution that allows adt to create an exe that installs on both Windows 10 and Windows 8?

Thank you in advance for any pointers.

[rewb0rn]

Which Air SDK are you using? Have you compared the build with older SDK versions? Maybe it is a problem with a recent release.

[midget35]

Thanks for the reply, newb0rn. The Air SDK is the one that comes with Apache Flex 4.14. It hasn't changed in a long time. That's where the sdk is, no?

[ASWC]

Native apps follow policies of current machine/os they get compiled on. If W10 apps are not supposed to work on W8.1 (without explicit backward compatibility mode) then they just won't. It's likely that your app compiled in W8.1 would work in W10 but the opposite is not guarantied. If you compile a native app in W10 then this is a W10 app and nothing else, check Microsoft forums for compatibility between W10 and older systems.

[midget35]

Thanks, ASWC. Air exes compiled on Windows 10 have worked on 8 / Embedded just fine up until last week. I am not aware of why that would have changed?

[ASWC]

It seems install problems on W8.1 are very common. I suggest you try the numerous solutions posted online about resolving W8.1 install problems.

[midget35]

Thanks, ASWC, but the problem is also there with Windows Embedded (topic subject is not clear, sorry). The machines running embedded are closed ecosystems that have had no updates. Again - deployment process has worked flawlessly up until last week. So the issue is 'new' and stemming from the Windows 10 machine creating the exe.