The answer here is simple then:
You can't keep old software and think you can continue marching forward on the hardware. It they want to keep using the old software, tell them to keep the old hardware.
Otherwise, they HAVE to upgrade. Quit spinning your wheels and giving yourself an ulcer trying to save the pinheads from themselves.
March in, look them in the eye and say 'It can't be done.' It's that simple!
They have the choice of old software and old hardware or new software and new hardware -- but they can't mix and match.
"If'n you wanna run Wordstar, keep the Osborn".
-- John Kiernan
"Maybe Amelia Earhart was just stealing the plane".