Can Windows Vista or 7 support IL2?
 

Well, I've played a few flight sims in the past: Windows combat flight simulator, and the excellent IL2 Sturmovik Birds of Prey, and the triumph that is Birds of Steel, but I'd like the option to go back to one of the best: IL2 Sturmovik 1946. But, the only computers I have in the house run on either Vista or 7, and only one is a PC; the other 2 are laptops. And the PC won't install IL2, maybe due to its crappy graphics card, but it installed SH5 fine; only when I started playing did any problems become apparent. So, might it be possible to make the Vista-running laptop (That runs SH5 fine) run IL2?

Yes.

EDIT: As in, it works on vista/win 7. No idea why it wont install, but OS is not the issue.

Insert the Disc (don't Autorun it)
Browse the Disc
Right click a.exe
properties
Put the compability to Windows XP SP3
run a.exe and it'll install just fine

at least it did for me (running Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit)

HunterICX

Also make sure you run as admin as this makes it actually work.

i am just trying to run il2 forgotten battles to run on windows 7 it seem to work ,i have to load the cd using the set up file on the cd when loaded desk top links do not work i have to open game file and run aplication every time even after update patch to start the game .

I play IL-2 1946 on my Window 7 Home Premium 64bit laptop that has a 64mb graphics card. Some of the majorly intense explosions cause a bit of lag but it is very playable.