Backup Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit


*Savegames from Fallout 3 and Oblivion copied over plus most recent pics
*Downloaded YTBlock extension to Chrome in order to block channels on youtube
*Updated Windows Defender and made a search
*Uninstalled 10BIT Driver Boost and 10BIT Uninstall programs
*Downloaded FRAPS since I accidentally uninstalled that too

I refuse to "upgrade" to 11, heard too many issues about it. Really wish I'd bought a standalone Windows 10 disc from Best Buy back when they were easily available.

Lena, don't listen to 'em. People told me to get rid of my PS3 and Xbox 360 back in the day. The PS3 did die in 2014 but my 360 runs to this day. It's outlasted several hard drives in both my computers, two laptops, and so on.

Decrepit, et al: I've been thru so many mice/keyboard combinations, easily I've bought somewhere between 20 and 50 sets over the years, so thank the lords they're so cheap these days. I use a separate mouse + keyboard for my laptop though, so that adds about a dozen for storywriting.

My computer(s) came with Win7 installed so I don't have a disc for that either


From what I've heard Windows 11 is the worst OS from Microsoft to this day, basically hijacking your computer, watching everything you do on it and not letting you make it your own. Truly sad. I also heard this is what've pushed many people over to Linux Mint.


Also; I still use the same mouse and keyboard from when I bought my main Win7...

Q: Can anyone more tech savvie than me figure out how to disable GFWL on Bioshock 2? I've found articles talking about it but as always the threads just stop without any conclusion. I could disable it for FO3 but is there a similar fix for Bioshock 2?

Also keep having crash/freeze issues and still don't know how to fix that either. I've read something about DirectX 10 being the issue but as always; idk

Not an issue, but a handy-dandy, easy-to-use freeware utility all Windows 10 & 11 users ought to consider using: O&O Shutup10++.

(link) Here's a YouTube video about it. (link)

I began using it immediately after updating Windows 10 to 11, enabling all "green" recommendation, with no ill-effects.

Only thing I could dredge up was how to make a local account for singleplayer, or that you can use your CD key to get a new copy for free on Steam.

Doesn't apply to me as I'm not on either, but awesome that you found a fix!


Rly? That sure sounds swanky! But don't I still need an account?

Now THIS is craziness. For me it was the storywriting. I'd go thru at least 3 or 4 mice/keyboards a yeaar because I used to be so prolific,

Well, my input devices are only 17 years old; barely broken in!

Turning on the computer this morning, I was unable to connect to the net. My modem's physical connection indicators showed all internet-related lights as GREEN. The phone-line light, however, was RED. Sure enough, my several phones were indeed dead. Checking the cable junction box located at a corner of my front yard showed no obvious damage. It being too early to ask a neighbor to let me contact AT&T on their cell phone, I did my first set of full pushups, then returned to the computer room.

Low and behold, the internet was back in service. Phones were still dead, and remained so. I eventually reset the modem. This did the trick. All function indicators GREEN. Everything's working. I've no idea what caused the SNAFU. I hope it's not a sign that my modem might be going bad. Time will tell.

Great that you got it working, Decrepit!

Fired up my second backup Win7 Ultimate (HP Compaq 32 bit) and uploaded tons of pics, musik, downloaded youtube vids and small games. This computer is a bit weird; if left on its own for too long, with or without a screensaver active, it will go into a freeze mode that can only be fixed by ctrl-alt-del but it seems if I leave PvZ on just hanging in the garden for instance, this problem never occurs.

Got a computer from work last year and I just now fired it up to have a look. It's an XP identical to another one I have that I use to play Star Wars: Rebellion on.

I tinkered around with it a bit and tidied things up but I have no idea what to use it for. For now I'll just keep it around.

Started up my primary Windows XP (the one I play Star Wars: Rebellion on) and copied over pics, savegames, youtube videos and games. I even got everything to work after just some minor tinkering, even the youtube videos!

Successfully managed to copy every picture from my iPhone to my Windows computer. I just made sure to go through them all in my phone library first since I believe that will grab them from the cloud in full resolution, otherwise I only get the low resolution version stored on the phone (to save space). I might be wrong here.

Funnily enough, the only two pics that didn't work were sent by Android which I believed were the ones that would definitely work.

Also, none of the four videos worked other than the audio. Don't know what's up with that.

iPhone query; can one download security updates without updating iOS itself? I know there is an option in the settings but can I 100% get the security updates without triggering the download of iOS 26?

Main backup Win7; iPhone pics and Oblivion/Bioshock 2 saves copied over.

Also started up my secondary backup Win7 and did the same thing plus tidied up the pics folder; got rid of duplicates.

Main backup Windows 7 Ultimate again. Pics and savegames copied plus made a computer save point. Also updated Windows Defender.

Agh hey, it's me, with a bunch of n00by questions, perhaps. I'm going TO try rebuilding my gaming computer this week & weekend and have some questions.

Firstly, I'm going to try installing TWO solid state drives; one for gaming, another for everything else, such as typical necessary Windows 10 programs (and yes, I know 10 is no longer officially supported) and typical folders such as Documents, Pictures and so on. My plan is to have Norton on this second drive but NOT on the drive I'm planning for games, does that make sense, or is that even possible? Thing is, in the past when my computer was running a year ago, Norton does a great job keeping track of temp files, junk, and so, but it's intrusive. It would occasionally just ramrod some message on my monitor right in the middle of gaming. But at least it would never interfere with game modifications or installing. I seem to remember Windows Defender being even more intrusive back when my computer only had that program protecting it, but Defender missed a bit of malware which got into my system a decade ago while trying to modify Sims 3. -- Maybe there's even some other defense-type program I should be looking at which is best for gaming? But the main goal is: two drives, one for gaming, the other for other programs which are more Windows based. The gaming drive = no expense spared, but I'll try to spend less on the second, non-gaming drive, make sense? I'll be going to Micro Center probably tomorrow, or whenever some extra money lands in my checking account. I know I can just order this stuff from Amazon or Newegg, but I like the idea of bugging a real live person instead, with dummy questions and whatnot. PLus, the hour-long trip to MC is kind of a trek, which I've enjoyed in the past.

So that's the first set of thoughts I'm concerned about, the second concerns have to do with SSDs themselves. I'm thinking I want two 3.5 inch drives because this means they'll be able to fit nicely into my computer, which has an entire column of 3.5 inch drive slots, top to bottom, but MC only seems to carry 2.5" drives and M.2 drives, whatever those are, not sure, M.2 = a new term for me. So here's the Micro Center SSD page, narrowed down to Internal drives with 4.0 TB of space, 2.5 inch or M.2.

And I'll probably narrow this down further to WD, Samsung, and Corsair, all names I either grew up with, use currently (my Gaming comp has a WD Blue but it's an old-fashioned/mechanical which broke last summer) or have heard good things about. I know nothing about Inland and Crucial or several others, never heard of those companies. They might be fine but I'm going with what I know.

Now, here's an example of a Samsung 990, within my price range and so on.

Now what I'm noticing is, after zooming in, the right side of the drive, which looks 'exposed' rather than internal. Is this where I'd plug the SATA cables to? Oh gosh I sound like such a noob. I don't know what these terms should be. Basically, am I 'safe' buying such a drive and then hooking it up to the SATA cable already in my case?

Sorry if I'm mangling terms, really trying to do this on my own but if I have to, I can also take my rig to a local geek-type shop, but don't really want to go that route if I don't have to.

<link> Here's a YouTube video explaining the different drive types, from conventional hard-disk drives to M.2 NVMe drives. <link>

Nice, this is perfect.

Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB does not use SATA cables. It mounts directly to the motherboard. Check your motherboard for M.2 NVMe compatibility. If I can help with that let me know the model number of your motherboard.

What you are planning to do with multiple drives will work. I have done similar;
SSD: Drive C: Samsung NVMe 950 250GB | boot drive, Win10, system apps, Photo & Music editing apps, Desktop Game Theme Screens
SSD: drive E: Samsung 860 1TB | Documents, Pictures, Music, Downloads, TES Mods DLs
SSD: drive F: Samsung 850 500 GB | TES game files, screen pics, docs, etc.
HDD: drive G: Western Digital Black 250 GB | back up files

When at the MicroCenter ask about adaptors for mounting the SSD into a 3.5 HDD slot. I found adaptors that will hold two SSD in one HDD slot.

Thank you, macole and Decrepit. Well I JUST returned from Micro Center not long ago and now have an SSD card for my gaming computer, so I'm gonna focus on that. Hope I get it right, but of course I'm completely nervous something will go wrong. Maybe I'll put off installing the new drive until tomorrow.

I didn't have enough money for two cards today; forgot to factor Maryland 6% state tax into the final bill, so I only got a WD Red at the moment, but maybe that's enough for now. Micro Center does carry Samsung 990 EVOs sized 2.5 inches, although, yeh, The link I posted yesterday does lead to an M.2 card. But that doesn't matter. I couldn't afford both the 990 and the WD, but it's fine. No hurry on this project.

Cool, I really like that arrangement of multiple drives, mac; nice to know such things can be done. I forget who told me of the idea for more than one disc in the first place; either Lena or mALX, two drives is my overall goal, but maybe it's better to focus on one drive at a time. Well first, I'm gonna try to see about making an 'install media drive' as described on this page. Can Chorrol's biggest computer dummy figure it out? 🖱Let's find out.

Question: I seem to remember HDDs can get their memory erased if a strong magnet is nearby, what about solid state discs?

Edit: PHEW, OKAY DID IT! Made an empty thumb drive into a Windows 10 install device.

Only weird thing is: I didn't get charged this time. When I DL'd Win10 back in August of 2024, Microsoft charged somewhere around $144. But there was no charge this time. Is this because I already paid two+ years ago? -- I had to use an Administrator account to download 10, maybe Microsoft "remembers" this same account? Anyway it's done.

Thing is, I didn't make an install media back in 2024, so I'm not sure how I got Windows 10 on my gaming computer back then. Maybe I put in the new HDD, hooked the gaming rig up to the 'net, and instead of install media I downloaded 10 directly from that Microsoft page onto the new drive back then, make sense? Either way, seems the install thumb drive should be ready to go, though I won't put the new SDD in until tomorrow.

youtube is my goto for video demonstrations


An SSD or any flash drives are not normally affected by magnets.

It would take something strong like an MRI to cause damage to the stored data. Even then it is not the magnetic field that is the problem it is how fast the field changes from on to off. It’s like heating glass marbles in a frying pan and then plunging them in ice water. If you haven’t tried that give it a go. It pretty neat, the marbles get all cracked up inside.

Good luck with your cumputing stuff, Renee! Wish I was savvy enough to also help you



So, iOS 26.4 contains age verification in the UK. Yeah, my "Automatic updates" stays off for as long as possible. Just like on my computer that I got 2009.

Renee: it’s awesome that you are undertaking this pc project! From my own experience putting my PC together, it was quite scary at first, but I learned so much and the feeling of accomplishment after it booted up for the first time was incredible. I found it to be a very rewarding experience. I’d love to do it again, but I’ve got a big change coming to my life and I just don’t know if I’ll ever be able to afford the components again. I’ll be living vicariously through you guys, lol

Cool, thanks y'all. I did get my case opened yesterday just to see how the drive will get configured in place. Turns out it would've been a huge waste of money to get that second drive because the SATA cable's smaller 'data' side (the smaller connectors) only has one connector available. Plenty of larger 'power' connectors, but only one 'data' connector left available. I have errands to run today but hopefully around 5 eastern standard time I'll be able to start on this project, hook up electricity and so on.

Yeah I Think I'm just stuck. Got the drive installed. Hooked the PC'a VGA cable up to a monitor, turn everything on. Inserted the thumb drive which supposedly has Windows 10's install on it.

Seems to boot up normal at first...

Whoa, new window just popped up called Windows Setup, holy [censored]. I swear this didn't happen before. Ten minutes ago there was a message saying "NO BOOT DRIVE OR HARD DISC FOUND' or some such. But now there's a window with several drop-down menus like...


Language to install: English (United States)
Time and currency Format: English (United States)
2Keyboard or input method: US, I guess. There's a bunch of options here. Fork it, let's try the Next button.


That's an onscreen button. Heck yea I'll install now.

Really, what happened in between my first try and this second one is I Google'd the error message which showed up ("no disc or boot drive...." and it suggested I turn off my computer, unplug its power, and then hold the power button for 15 seconds, so I did all that before plugging it back in And turning it on again.


"Setup is starting" it says. 'MICROSOFT SOFTWARE LICENSE TERMS" the next screen which POPS UP, like Jiv Hirtel in Hackdirt says, along with a bunch of legalese, which I scroll down taking a brief read here and there, pretending to understand what it's saying. hee hee!

I accept the license terms, sure, why not? Let's press next.

Which type of Installation do you want? asks the next page with two buttons: 1). Upgrade: Install windows and keep files, settings, applications? -- What files, settings & applications? The SSD is supposed to be blank, so I'll choose the next option, which 2). is "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) The files, settings, and applications aren't moved with this option....blABLABLA" okay, sounds about right. I select this second option.

Weird. Where do you want to install Windows? it asks, and it's showing a picture of two discs. The old HDD IS still in there, but I swear I disconnected it. Dangit I gotta look into this. BRB.

Alright I'm back. Apparently I had a second thumb drive hooked up. Removed it. Back in business now. "Let's add your account" this new page says. Cool it just found our wifi and I just made a PIN number.

"Always have access to your recent browsing data? Hmm, Not now I choose. Not a fan of having my devices all 'synched up'.

"WE'RE GETTING EVERYTHING READY FOR YOU, This may take several minutes...." Heck yea!!!


Holy [censored] I got a desktop, whoa!!! Let's try installing Elder Scrolls Arena!

See y'all later.

Great job, Renee!!



Also might I add I just love the way you write all this!



IBM Technology: How hackers steal passwords

Really good video explained as if it's actually for humans

Thanks.

Anybody here know anything about current versions of LOOT? The "Load Optimization Tool"? I'm trying to rebuild Fallout 3 and in my backup disc's Utilities folder I've got LOOT 6.0, which is old. Trying to download a newer version from Nexus resulted in a file which is NOT an archive, not a 7Zip or a .rar file. It shows up in my Downloads folder called "Unconfirmed 560970.crdownload". Trying to open it, my computer gets confused. "How do you want to open this file?" it asks. None of the programs which show up have anything to do with opening archives though. Dead end!

So I do a general Google-type search of LOOT optimization tool and find the Github page. Ah-hah! Several options (versions?)show up so I click the one at the top-left, which promises "A modding utility for Starfield and some Elder Scrolls and Fallout games." --- Since I'm currently going for Fallout 3, this version seems best. Problem is, the page which opens from that link is a mess, see? icons of a bunch of different grayed-out folders show on this page == My question: where do I go from here?

Let me try the link which has been placed innocuously to the right of that page: Loot.github.io/, ahh here we go, a blue button called Download LOOT. Version 28, here we go. I hope?

Sound about right, guys and gals?

I downloaded this version when I played FO4 a while ago and it worked flawlessly.

Cool thanks, that's the one I've got--Version 28.

My Fallout 3 rebuild on this new drive is going okay so far. Slow but okay. I'm able to start Cho's game with about half the content in my Downloads > Fallout 3 folders without a crash so far, anyway. I won't try playing his game until Cho's World.esp is added though; that's his C-team and numerous quests & missions added to the Citadel in his world.

Ooooooh, dangdangdangdang! What to do??


Apple actually released iOS 18.7.7 for eveyone not on iOS 26, implementing vital security patches mainly. Although they do also change things around like in the Album and so on, and I don't know how it all will look overall on my phone.

This is one of those instances where I would like to do a real-life savepoint, update and have a look, and if I don't like it I can reload that save. I'm not too worried about security but I am worried about the overall look and if it will change things around too much, even if it's still gonna be on iOS 18.

Saw the video about this release yesterday and so of course I scoffed at it. But when I went ahead today just to read the comment section to see if anyone caught it, it seemed like it wasn't April Fools. And when I went to my own phone and checked for updates; yes! There it is!


"The discovery of DarkSword makes it the second iOS exploit kit, after Coruna, to be discovered within the span of a month. The kit is designed to target iPhones running iOS versions between iOS 18.4 and 18.7"


I took this text from The Hacker News and it does seem to specifically target iOS versions between 18.4 and 18.7. I am on 18.2 so idk.

Trying to rebuild Morrowind I got an error message for msvcr100_64.dll missing from my system when trying to open Morrowind Code Patch.

Long story short, I come across a web page promising an easy fix but then it starts listing all the things wrong with my gaming computer, mostly missing & outdated drivers, which makes sense because I'm in the habit of NOT accepting updates from Microsoft over many years, but I'm working with a brand-new drive, so that's weird. The web page/program lists a driver for an Nvidia GT-640 graphics card being out of date which makes sense because that was the original card in my machine, which I no longer use for years now...

Further into this project, a page shows up on which I can choose what to update and what not to mess with at all. It asks for my email and name, and *HERE IT COMES* -- some money. Which damn,,, makes me nervous. And it sucks. All I want to do is game today. Wondering what to do, maybe should I even just take the entire computer to some geek shop? I just have this feeling something's gonna get screwed up, especially relying on third-party sites like the one I found.

One thing that comes to mind to this non-techie is to consider some due diligence on that web site. A few searched via google or such should determine (via several sources) if it is legit / any good or simply trying to get into your wallet.

This is really pissing me off. I got rid of the third party crap entirely. It began randomly spewing messages for 50% off and so on, and none of that seemed right. Thank the Gods it uninstalled. Early in this thread I read something about never allow something which ... dang, can't remember. Okay, here it is.




There, the underlined part. What I just found did open from an .exe I think. But now it's gone.

I found another site I trust a bit more called Livewire, 'Tech for humans'. I think I'm a human, so that's what I tried next. It says to try downloading the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015, which sounds more official to me. Gosh darn I'm dumb! I tried doing this only to get a message all that is already on my gaming computer, what the heck? So I uninstalled those files from my C drive and installed the Visual C++ stuff from that site. Which all seems official to me, valid Microsoft stuff, it seems. Except the same stupid code: "The code execution cannot proceed because MSVCR100.dll is not found. Reinstalling the program may fix this program....."

Exact same code shows up.


I do a search of the C drive for MSVCR100.dll and GET THIS. A long line of files with that code are already on my gaming computer's C drive, in many different variations I'm seeing x86_NETFX4-msvcr100.dll for instance and about twelve other variations of that configuration of MSVCR100, all dynamic link library files.

I give up. So I've been at this now for three hours I think. Gosh I'm so dumb! I'm giving up, before something really BAD happens. Yea [censored] all this I'm watching Netflix until somebody who knows what's wrong shows up.

You're certainly not dumb, Renee. This stuff of getting old software working on new hardware is not easy which is why I've bought so many old computers. Maybe some sort of virtual equivalent to DOSBox for Arena and Daggerfall can do it. If it exists.


Best of luck

This is not about a computer issue but instead about a change in browser extensions, spelling and grammar checkers, to be specific. I've used both Grammarly and LanguageTool in the past, to varying degrees of contentment. Just recently I gave QuillBot a try and find that I like it better than either of the two forementioned checkers. I particularly like the sentence restructuring advice it gives me; unlike with Grammarly, I almost always agree with its recommended rewordings. I don't always act on its advice, likely to my detriment. (QuillBot offered no restructuring advice for this posting but suggested changing "and find that" to "and found that," which I believe is incorrect in this particular instance.) QuillBot is also teaching me the proper use of the semicolon, which I have been clueless about in the past.

PFFT, finally got this mess sorted, I think. Without going into extreme detail, I had numerous errors for missing .dll files; not for the games themselves but for auxiliary programs like LOOT AND Morrowind Code Patch. I've been putting off looking for solutions because it's been nice outside and reading books on the back porch does not require .dll files. BUT, finally I've made progress. The solution just now was to download the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages again, following the links for whichever versions are supposed to be the "latest". I tried this in the past, difference this time was I ran three different installers: vcredist_x86.exe, vcredist_x64.exe, and an executable called "VC_redist.arm64" which I" got previously from a third party site I think, which is not part of the Microsoft page I just linked to.

Finally, after running all three of those, LOOT and several other programs which previously spewed missing .dll file errors, sometimes even if those .dll files were definitely on my gaming computer, finally these programs open just fine.

At this moment, I'd say Fallouts 3 and New Vegas are closest to running, though I don't want to jinx my their progress by saying when I'll get them running.

Gracie, and wish me luck. Hope to be able to join Mirocu especially.

I hope things go smoothly Renee. Good luck!

Geez, couldn't imagine doing all that myself. I've encountered that .dll problem many times throughout the years but only with simple programs and mostly I've fixed it though not every time for some reason. The .dll is there but it keeps saying the .dll is missing, just like in your case.


Well good luck, Renee!

It comes down to necessity. My only other option is to take my gaming device into a local shop. Which, who knows how much that would cost? I took my original (non-gaming) computer to Gadget Guru after its hard drive went bad--it actually began smoking! And something like that was way over my head at the time!!! -- Which cost somewhere around $250. I wanted to see if they could retrieve whatever info they could, see. Because in those days --early days of Covid actually, I had only just begun backing up saves and info. Well, the gurus tried their best, and in fact were able to grab a large amount of info off that drive, which was given to me on an old thumb stick, but none of the info made any sense; it was all jumbled.

Here's an example:

...yea that seems to be a partial backup for one of my story chapters, which originally would've been on a Notepad file. But it's all jumbled.


Mixed results, in other words. I don't want to spend all this money and NOT get what I need. Now, I'm going to tell ya a story, crow. You might want to brew some tea. In the early days, back in 2013 when I got that non-gaming computer from Walmart, I only did so because Microsoft was about to cancel the entire MSNTV service, which was internet on your TV, basically. Very limited internet on my TV. Couldn't watch movies, for instance, only very short .WAV visual files. No YouTube, no Netflix, etc. BUT, I was able to type all those early Kahreem & Lady Saga stories on my television, here at Chorrol or at Beth's original forums. So since MSNTV was going away, I now needed a computer in my room, there was no way to dodge the subject anymore. But where to start? Well, I wound up getting that first non-gaming computer from Walmart (BIG, somewhat Evil corporation of box stores here in America, but...reasonable prices) But before going to Walmart I went to Radio Shack. Which was originally a chain of stores that sold parts for ham radios during the turn of the 20th century. Radio Shack sold everything small, mirocu: batteries, capacitors, diodes, all gauges of wires, etc. I only went there one day in 2013 after I realized they now sold computers. So me...I'm a total dummy, really clueless in those days. And my assumption was that computers are like gaming consoles; like, any computer can be used for hardcore gaming!

But intuition kicked in, and so I decided to ask the Radio Shack employees some questions. So I point to one of the desktops they had on display and ask: "can these be used for gaming? Like, Skyrim and Oblivion and such?"

Well the guys behind the counter just sort of chuckled a bit before explaining that NO, their models were NOT good for gaming! That there are all levels of computers these days, and that the ones sold by the Shack were mostly for school/office/light home use at best. Scanning photos, internet, saving documents. Only games I'd be able to get into would be Solitaire, online Chess, maybe some goofy puzzle games like Beadazzled or Jewel Shuffle.

And so wow, I realized this is going to turn into a 'project'; requiring some thought and strategy. Because now I wanted something which could handle the games. Thaat I wasn't just going to walk out of the Shack with a shiny new toy which could play games as well.

Long story longer, I was now overwhelmed, sort of back to where I started. I decided to ask them one more question, even though I now had a thousand questions, which was something like "How do you learn all the facets of computer gaming?" ....because I knew I was going to get stuck a zillion times on stuff I'd be unable to answer, without bothering Wyrd and others in the forums like some annoying little brat, anyway....

Well, the Radio Shack employees' main answer is one I still use to this day: "Google, Google, Google" He basically explained everyone gets stuck, even the pros who've been computer gaming since the 1960s get stuck. Well I prefer Bing over Google, but otherwise that guy's answer is still my main go-to, assuming nobody here just knows the answer.


There. Is your tea cold? 🍺 ha ha ha

I got ice tea, so no problem


I'm not into the latest specs of graphics cards, sound cards and the like since it's so long since I had to be into it. My computer goes back to 2009 and that's basically the last time I knew my stuff. I probably could read up on it if I had to but the problem now is my gear is outdated and not compatible with the new graphics/sound cards so that would likely be the more pressing issue. And I would hate getting a new computer with Windows 11. Too much crap tacked on that I don't want and sometimes can't just ignore.

It can be quite daunting to get into the world of computer gaming and learn what gear is required with what games etc. I'm impressed with how far you've gotten, Renee, not least with the modding scene. Must have been quite the learning curve but you did it