I want to thank everyone for all their sympathy and helpful suggestions! I have an old XP computer from my school that I need to turn in this summer because we are getting "new" ones. I am going to "test drive" the program on it and if it works, I will beg to buy the computer from the school as long as the price is right.
I have been struggling with keeping the brand secret from some weird sense of what is right, I know software gets outdated but I SHOULD be able to use old software that I paid a bundle for by just purchasing a REASONABLY priced upgrade. So, since I feel far more loyalty to you quilters, and would hate to see you get stuck spending more money in this economy (I can't as I am retiring in Dec.) I will let you know that the company is Husqvarna Viking.
When I bought my Scandinavia 400, the dealer (now out of business) told me it was a new machine. What I didn't know is that it was new in the box, but the box had been setting around for quite a while. I purchased in 2006 and later found out that it was made in 1990. I thought I was buying the latest and greatest that I could afford, but before long they were no longer manufacturing the reader/writer card I needed to download my embroidery and put into my machine. The company was no help then, either. Just a sorry, maybe you can find a dealer somewhere that still has a card. I am not happy with Husqvarna at all. I would never buy another machine from them.
One of the ladies in my quilt guild purchased a very expensive machine from them last year. Her machine wouldn't sew right from the first try. She kept sending it back for repair and finally called Husqvarna and was given no help at all, just told it was still under warrenty so send it in for repair. That machine just sits in a corner now and she bought a Bernina and loves it.
Again, thanks for all your help. There just may be a way for me to beat this company and not spend any more money with them!