Not compatible with software that worked perfectly with Windows 7

I had decided to purchase the professional version of Windows 8.1 for backward compatibility with 16-bit software that still functioned perfectly under Windows 7 (compatibility was not insured for the basic version of Windows 8 comes with your computer depending Microsoft: this is true).
Result: almost total failure with the pro because software that worked with Windows Version 7 and no longer worked with the base version of Windows 8 refuse to work with the pro version despite emulation XP in Administrator mode and announced as proposed setting retro-compatibility issues.
To be more specific, compared to the basic version 8.1, 1 video editing software has started working again but paradoxically defragmentation software that worked with the basic version no longer works with the professional version!
I bypassed the problem with the emulator VirtualBox (really excellent) in which I put Windows XP, I kept going and run programs that were not functioning (including a file management software, OCR, a pockets editing software, etc.), it is not ideal but it works.
After obtaining a zero version of a "Start" menu supposedly equivalent on the microsoft website (or pretending to Microsoft?) ... I was able to find the classic Windows desktop configuration with the excellent " Classic shell "that finds the classic Windows Start menu.
Much work (I have yet used to the new systems installations) for almost equivalence which worked great standard with Windows 7.

It is known that Windows version two is a serious missed is the case of Windows 8 and the pro version adds nothing more. Note also that it is complicated to implement: you have a temporary key with which you have to call a phone number that communicates you another key to activate Windows 8 Pro (provisional?): Hello damage if you must reinstall all within a few years !!!

Brief Windows 8 Pro: a purchase totally useless and even harmful to avoid.