Not supported, but can it work?

I know that the current version of Fusion does not support Win7, but I'm wondering if by that it means it totally will not install, or that it's not 'supported'... so it may or may not be stable or succeed in rendering your project.

I am wanting to upgrade from my regular Fusion (v9) to the current version of Fusion Studio, but am wondering if it's possible (although not supported/guaranteed/recommended) to run it on Win7 while I wait to get my new (Win10) PC sometime in the next month or so.

If it doesn't just flat out refuse to install (detects O/S and then bails), what exactly might be the issues/limitations of running on a non-supported O/S?

Like I said, I will be upgrading to a new PC, but am wondering if it's even possible to install/run Studio on a Win7 platform, even if it's unstable/unreliable.

Aha. That explains the claim that you can't update.

I can't answer that question, but I can say that you're safe upgrading to Fusion Studio 9, and you can try installing v16 or 17 alongside it to see if it works. Multiple versions can co-exist with minimal interference. They do share the same appdata folder, but even that can be redirected if you need to keep them separated.

Probably the most likely thing to fail will be GPU support. Most nodes will fall back on CPU rendering, so it shouldn't stop you from working but you may not get the speed gains most users get from the newest version.

To be perfectly honest, even though we have v16 at my job, I still prefer 9. The faster compute speed doesn't do enough, in my opinion, to offset the less efficient UI.

Ha! Hello again! Thanks for the response!

Ya, that's great news that the dongle gives you access to earlier versions. That's awesome. I'm calling the local reseller over here to get the details. I was wondering why I couldn't just buy it online, but didn't know about the physical dongle. That's cool, as I guess that means it should be pretty hassle-free to install.

I wasn't aware there was a Studio version for 9. Ya, that would be awesome, as that seems like it should have a good chance to actually work on Win7 (.... since Fusion 9 works seemingly fine).

Who knows, maybe that's all I need. Certainly worth a try.

Funny you mention the interface... I was loving Fusion 9, and fully intended on switching over to Fusion as my compositing/FX app... and then they did that whole 'merge with Resolve' thing, and apparently Fusion got seemingly reduced (power, etc), and there was the uproar... and, ya, that interface... ugh. So, much like some of my other software, I held back and stayed with my current version (...in this case, also because it was the last to support Win7). But, I am glad to see it appears they kept the independent version of Fusion alive as well. I was getting tired of finally finding a good alternate software, only to have it die, switch to some terrible subsciption system, or just go weird (UI, focus, etc).

I haven't really looked into Fusion since maybe the version after 9... so, I'm not sure where it's at these days. I guess I'll browse the forums and see what people are thinking lately. It was getting grim for a while during the 'merge' phase.

I'm not sure it's been explicitly stated anywhere in these discussions, but make sure you get a physical Fusion Studio dongle, not an activation code or Resolve dongle!

Fusion 17 is the first version that can be licensed using a software activation code. If you need to keep the option of using v9 open, you must get a physical Fusion dongle. It doesn't matter what version, though. My Fusion 7 dongle unlocks Resolve 15-17 and Fusion 7-17. There is a problem where they sometimes spontaneously stop working, though, so it's a good idea to make sure your reseller has a good return policy.

Not sure if anybody's actually measured the failure rate. It's rare enough that I wouldn't discourage anyone from using the dongle, but high enough that feel the need to mention it.

Thanks for pointing that out. I was actually just finding out about that yesterday or so.

At first, I heard about Activation Keys, and thought 'I would prefer that, considering that if your dongle gets lost or broken, that's $500 down the drain'... But, after some confusion and uncertainty, I found a video where it was specifically pointed out that Activation keys are not compatible with previous versions (and maybe even Fusion, although I may be mistaken on that)... and although the Resolve and Fusion dongles are, and give access to the other app, the Fusion one is 'superior', in that it give access to more things than the Resolve one.... again, unless I'm remembering it wrong.

Bottom line... Get the Fusion dongle. But, ya, I do fear the damage/malfunction aspect... not so much the lossing it one.

I have to say, the more I read and look into things, the more it seems that many aspects of Blackmagic stuff seems... broken. That, on it's own is bad, but acceptable as long as they have a history of fixing broken things... and (as far as Fusion standalone is concerned).... I'm a bit nervous. I'm even wondering if Resolve itself is getting the attention/fixes it needs... I can't say that this company is doing a good job of giving a sense of care, customer communication, and a solid upgrade future. I'm not sure what the truth of the matter is (...and seemingly does no one else, due to the communication thing)... but that's the impression whatever their strategy here is giving. I love the software, but I'm definitely feeling uneasy about investing in it.