AutoCAD 2004 is not compatible with any 64-bit OS. Ignore the
workarounds posted in the Autodesk discussions as they do not work
reliably.
Downloading the MS ORCA and "tweaking" the .msi file and the setup.exe
file may allow you to think the product is installing, but the core
code of the program was written for a 32-bit system. AutoCAD installed
this way will not be stable and some functions that you need may not
work correctly, if at all.
In the IT world software and hardware progresses and eventually users
have to catch up. You may not like it, but that is the way it is. You
can always try IntelliCAD or some other less expensive CAD software if
AutoCAD is too pricey. I have worked as a CAD Manager and support
technician for a number of years as well as doing CAD work for my own
business. Companies I have worked for as their CAD manager have tried
to get as many years out of an old version of AutoCAD as they can. But
eventually collaborating with other companies and/or the need to
upgrade workstations has forced them to upgrade their Autodesk
software. The companies I have worked for as a CAD manager have
subscriptions for their Autodesk products. I am a one person CAD
business and I have a subscription. I bite the bullet every year and
pay the price, but I get the latest software as well as direct
Autodesk support that non-subscription users do not get. There are
people and companies that refuse to go the subscription route because
they feel it is a rip off. That is fine too. Like I pointed out, there
are cheaper alternatives to AutoCAD. But most of them do not have some
feature or tool that you might need.
Daryl Stockton, MCSE