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Old 09-13-18, 09:38 PM   #1
Reece
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Icon9 Win 10 Major Problem

Hi, I switched to Windows 10 a week or so to install iTunes but wouldn't unless I updated Windows. I done so and it took about 2 hrs and rebooted quite a few times. I installed iTunes and noticed that my old slideshow wasn't running and the screen background was black but at the time just shut it down.
I am having issues on my old XP machine as it isn't supported so I thought I'd go back on my laptop and try to run Win 10 again.

I right clicked on the screen, selected personalize/Slideshow but when I browse the folders are empty. If I check with a file browser program the files are actually there. Also If I browse to "This PC" it only shows some of the folders the file browser program shows folders and files are actually there!!
Seems the updates stuffed my old system up or something!!!

Anyone have any idea what is going on or what I could do?
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Old 09-13-18, 10:31 PM   #2
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Hi Reece. I had quite a few probs. with Win XP about 10 years ago. All sorts of bad stuff going on. So I rang Microsoft at their North Ryde Head Office ( Sydney ) and got put through to one of their "engineers"???? ( only a local call too ) and together we fixed everything by phone ( took about an hour ) and didn't cost me a cent.

No doubt other people have had different experiences.

But give them a go you got nothing to lose.

Cheers from "The Cross".
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Old 09-13-18, 10:58 PM   #3
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This problem is in Windows 10, my XP works fine just can't run thing like iTunes, outlook express etc, not supported.
It's odd that I can't get the windows 10 desktop background to play slideshows, in fact not even a solid color and browsing in that mode shows a lot of files, folders and pictures are empty or don't exist but running explorer shows the folders, files, pictures exist.
BTW, before it updated I had some games installed, not anymore!!!
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Old 09-14-18, 09:32 AM   #4
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Software is looking for the correct paths into folder structure...? Can easily get messed uzp if using several users on one platform, or various partitions, and files not placed in preset default places.
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Old 09-14-18, 07:34 PM   #5
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Where it's look the files are there but the desktop/slideshow browser shows nothing there. I am the only user. It worked fine before the update, If I place files in another folder it can't find them either (folders and files).
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Old 09-15-18, 01:28 AM   #6
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I just tried this and got the same result. But, here's the catch: when I selected a folder, it appeared empty in the explorer window. It just said "No items match your search." However, if i pressed the "Choose this folder" button, the pics I had in there showed up in the slideshow.


Here's what I think is happening (as stupid as this sounds): the explorer window is not looking for pictures - it's only looking for which folder you want to use. I noticed that the usual drop down menu containing choices of file types to look for is absent. Also, the box at the bottom which usually says "File name:" now says "Folder:"


So, my question for you is: have you tried going ahead and selecting the folder you want to use anyway - even though it appears empty in the explorer window? If not, could you give it a try and let us know what happens?
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Old 09-15-18, 10:31 PM   #7
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I can select the folder but the preview window still shows nothing, however, I did get it going. Seems that the slideshow browser is looking for slideshow files not pictures (I think as I don't know how to save a slideshow).
If I select picture from the slideshow folder it shows it, then if I select slideshow it works. I would purchase a book but I am amazed at the difference in the various versions of Windows 10. I tried a few things like trying to stop the screen from going to sleep and getting the screensaver to work but the various versions didn't match mine!!
I am running Windows 10 Pro 64bit and I actually purchased a genuine key!!
I still hate it though!!
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Old 09-15-18, 11:05 PM   #8
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I use a program called Classic Shell and a few other tricks to make Windows 10 look and work as much like Windows 7 as possible. IMHO, that was the last "good" version of Windows. Sadly, the developer of Classic Shell is no longer updating it, so there is a chance that one day it will become incompatible with Windows.



I do still have an unopened install disk for Windows 7, too. Just in case.
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Old 09-16-18, 12:16 AM   #9
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My main computer is XP, love it, but sadly no support, there is still firefox versions done by volunteers that work well with XP, also Mozilla Thunderbird is supported so can still use it for emails.
I can't get rid of XP since most of my apps only work on XP, I do have an original install disk for it and and install disk for Windows 7, just never installed it, not worth it now though!
I installed XP in a virtual desktop in Win 10 but too many problems trying to get drivers to work, I gave up.
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Old 09-17-18, 02:51 AM   #10
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Is the program you are trying to use a part of Win10, or is it 3rd party?


If part of W10, then it may have a bug since the last patch set.


If it is a 3rd party program, it may have incompatibilities with W10 since the last patch.





Quote:
Originally Posted by Reece View Post
...
I installed XP in a virtual desktop in Win 10 but too many problems trying to get drivers to work, I gave up.

I see this statement a lot, so I'll try to be brief in this statement, as it is a bit off-topic.



If by "virtual desktop" you mean a "Virtual Machine", then this applies. Otherwise I'm mis-reading your statement and you can ignore this post.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


A "VIRTUAL MACHINE" is just that, 'virtual' hardware, Software faking hardware.


A "Host" OS, uses a VM program to allow you to install a "Guest" OS.


The Guest only gets to "see" what the Host wants it too.


For example, on an older version Fedora (the "Host"), I had a virtual "Guest" of Ubuntu.
I have an 8-core processor, 32GB RAM, and a 4 drive RAID-10.
(Yes, it's a bit overkill.)
But Ubuntu, was only allowed to "see" a 4-core processor, and 8GB RAM.
And Ubuntu's "hard drive" was a 20GB FILE in my /home directory.
None of it was "REAL".

---
Now, keep that in mind with Video & Sound Cards.

Think about the first boot (on a fresh install) of Win98/WinXP on physical hardware...
The desktops colors on both were probably "washed out".
This is because it lacked drivers, and Windows was defaulting to a basic SOFTWARE PCI video card driver (if memory serves: 98=16 color, XP=256 color).


At this point _as far as *Windows* is concerned_ it is using a "Video Card", not a "Video Accelerator" (one with a GPU).
Which means all of the video work is being performed by the CPU, not the $$$ GPU that you purchased.
(Card/accelerator are both older terms, not really used much now, most video 'cards' now have a GPU.)

Installing the drivers allows access to/boots-up/wakes-up the 'higher' Video functions, and you get things like 3D rendering and 32bit color.


---

Now jumping back to the VM...


The VM Host is software saying to the Guest is "Yes, you have a video card, a -basic- software PCI video card".
What it really means is "You have a video output/buffer that *I*, as the Host, will draw on the screen in the box that the user assigned to you".


So as far as the Guest is concerned, the *physical* GPU doesn't exist.
So you get drivers that won't install, and slow performance with things like games, because the CPU is doing all of the video work.
And since a CPU is NOT a GPU, it really doesn't work all that well (if at all) for 3D video.


So before you ask "is there anyway I can use my GPU on a Guest OS in a VM"?
(You already asked it.... didn't you...)


Yes there is, BUT there are a few limitations on this.
(Of course there is! Why can't anything be simple! )


First, if you only have 1 video card, and your Host is using it, then the Guest can't use it.
If you 'give' it to the Guest OS, then the Host has none, and is referred to as "headless" Host.

Second, if you have 2 video cards you can use a "GPU pass-through". However this is hardware dependent (bios settings, etc).
On Linux this requires some boot parameters to be set, allowing the cards to "pass-through" the VM to the Guest.
(You will also need a 2nd Keyboard and Mouse...)

Some VM software/OS's have trouble if *both* video cards are the same (like mine did at the time).

Some will refuse to 'take' a card, others will take both, etc.
At the very least different "models" of card would be needed, i.e. both of my R9s don't work, but an R9 and a R7 do...

Other VM software/OS's might not have any trouble at all.
There are a few projects that are WIP to work around this, but I haven't checked on them in a while...


So on a laptop this wouldn't work because most don't have 2 video cards.


I've seen some that have an igpu (like intel) for low power 2d work, with a Nvidia GPU for 3d work.
OR, if you got a laptop with an AMD APU (CPU & GPU on the CPU "chip"), and a "discrete" GPU, then you could also make that work as well.
Assuming, the UEFI/BIOS supports doing a GPU passthrough.
----





It is possible, but it's usually not 'simple'...
It's not always explained, and anyone new to virtual machines might not "know" that a "virtual machine" is software, since there are "hardware" requirements.




If you want me to clarify anything let me know...


Barracuda

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Old 09-17-18, 03:40 AM   #11
Reece
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No I mostly understand what you're saying and most of my apps need access to serial ports and sound card input (mic and Aux) so not really a viable option.
I was wondering if I could plug in a usb hdd install XP on it and boot from it if plugged in but man what a job!!
I have a few communication receivers that are getting old (one made in the 80's) and the control programs were all made for XP, 2 of the manufactures don't exist any more JRC and Racal but the radio's are still worth over $1,500 each.
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Old 09-17-18, 04:00 AM   #12
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I just did a quick search, and it appears to be possible for both...


I'll have to see if I can get more details tomorrow (hardware requirements, kernel version, etc).




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Old 09-17-18, 05:58 AM   #13
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Thanks, I appreciated that.
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