I've been creating fine art files in CorelDraw since 1993, and have over 20 years and thousands of hours invested in them. Not to mention several thousand dollars in hardware and software. I've been on disability retirement for almost that long, with VERY limited funds.
My old desktop ran Windows XP Professional, but died a few years ago. I just inherited a laptop running Windows 7, so at last I can again do computer graphics! Except CorelDraw 8 is incompatible with Windows 7. I've downloaded CorelDraw X7 Suite trial version; WAS hoping to be able to afford upgrading.
But I discovered to my dismay that Corel no longer SUPPORTS the older versions of Draw, and has provided no way even ACCESS, let alone import or open those files, even to convert them to a useable format! Their Customer Support essentially told me: “Sorry, bub; we don't support those old useless formats. So get over it: Throw out your artwork! Neither it, nor YOU, are worth the effort of providing you with any way to salvage, import, or update those files. *** happens!”...
...Maybe I should just hang myself in my unheated attic garret... ...SURELY many of you folks have had the same experience, and foolish artists that you are, would kind've liked to still be able to at least LOOK AT your older artwork... I sure hope somebody feels as I do. And unlike Corel, will give me a way to salvage a few thousand hours of passionate work!!
Silly me: I had no idea that fine art has an expiration date, just like beer, eggs, and cheese. LET'S ALL GIVE COREL A GROUP CHEER FOR THEIR CARE AND SUPPORT OF THE ARTISTS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THEM WITH OUR LIMITED FUNDS FOR SO MANY YEARS!!!
Another option is to buy and install an intermediate version of Corel Draw and save your artwork using the later version (which then can be read by the latest Corel version). For example if you were to open all your V8 files in Corel V12 and then save them in V12 format, the newer versions of Corel should be able to read those (and then save them in the native latest version format). It is a pain but it is doable. I had to do the same for some of my really old V2 files to get them to be compatible with Corel V10 ad V12 I currently use. You should be able to buy legal copies of previously owned older versions of CorelSuite for fairly low price on auction sites like eBay. That is how I bough my Corel V10. Of course running a virtual PC in WIndows 7, then running Win XP and Corel 8 on the virtual PC is also a good option (but that still leaves the files incompatible with the latest version of Corel.
Of course, with Windows 8 and 10 already our, even Windows 7 is becoming obsolete. Maybe it will stick around for several more years...