NotHereToPlayGames

Not sure on Win7, but never trust an Uptime claim on Win10. Why? Because you can "hibernate" and then leave the computer in the attic for DECADES. Then launch it DECADES later and the "uptime" will SAY it has been "up" for that ENTIRE time.

Do you have a link of where you obtained PDF-Xchange?

I have an FM Transmitter that I've modified to "jam" any radio within 50 feet. Overrides a local FM radio station and plays DEAD SILENCE instead. Not sure if I'm breaking any FCC rules or not. BUT it is a GODSEND for my SANITY! Why? Because I do not (and will not!) listen to COUNTRY MUSIC !!! :)

It's not that bad, IF you tweak the CRAP out of it! I strongly (strongly!) suggest learning how / teaching yourself how to create installation media that removes the CRAP *BEFORE* the install! Do not (do not!) install FIRST then remove the crap LATER. You GOTTA remove the crap FIRST. There are some very good "scripts" (PowerShell) that make "decent" attempts at removing AFTER-THE-FACT (install first, remove later), but you really are BETTER-SERVED in not allowing the bloat to be installed in the first place. Install first then remove later method always (always!) leaves a "tangled mess" of a Windows Registry behind. For your radio station needs, I suspect that Win10 *1511* is really all that you need. I currently stick with *1607* and *21H2* the best I can (hardware-dependent). Good Luck! Don't "fear" Win10. Fear the BLOAT of "standard user, default installs", but don't fear The De-Bloated Advanced-User. Oh, last but not least, do not (do not!) save yourself legwork by using anything called "tiny" or "lite" or the names creatively change more than the underlying "debloatifying". Just trust me, you will NOT be satisfied unless YOU do the legwork. But do be warned, there *IS* a "learning curve". But I have no doubt whatsoever that you are smart enough to take on the task.

I would certainly recommend that over any "AI-generated" list! We are YEARS away from "AI" being a trusted and reputable source! In my not-so-humble opinion. AI, for now, is nothing but "Junk in, junk out". I get some reasonably good STARTING POINT javascript code from AI, but it is NEVER perfect or good-to-go without HUMAN intervention.

I'm not familiar with "PDF-Xchange", but your screencap cites it as PORTABLE. So what happens if you copy the folder (archive it somewhere), then DELETE the portable apps "profile" then launch it? Just speculating as all of my portable apps have their own "bin" (profile) where files and registry is saved within itself (as opposed to Win Registry / Program Files Folder / User Data Directory / etc). ie, force PDF-Xchange to start BRAND NEW / FIRST-RUN.

Is it IE5 or a different web browser? Seems to me it's an IE setting telling it to use %TEMP%.

Copy the FOLDER NAME, delete the FOLDER, then create a *FILE* with the same exact NAME but *without* any file extension. Windows will not allow a FOLDER and a FILE by the same exact NAME. The presence of the FILE *prevents* the folder of the same name from being created. ie, you will never have to delete the folder ever again because it cannot be created.

ie, will the win32k.sys file get you what you need? or is the KB....... that it was pulled from required?

I have at least ONE in your list. BUT please note that I did not do XP Updates in the past by way of KB....... files. I slipstreamed from well-known Update Packs so I technically have this/these as a "WIN32K.SY_" file inside an XP install disk's "I386" folder. It's just a zip-compressed "win32k.sys" so 'inside' is the untouched file embedded inside an Update Pack.

Go to your Windows Updates settings and set your ACTIVE HOURS to the hours that you do not want machine reboots to occur during. Reboots due to updates will only occur OUTSIDE of the "active hours".

For XP and Vista, you will also very likely need "VMware Tools 10.0.12". They can be found at the Internet Archive - BUT since they seem to also contain items in violation of MSFN forum rules, I feel it best to not "link" them here. Google/Bing/DuckDuckGo for "archive.org vmware player 12.5.9" then do "parent directory" browsing until you stumble upon "VMware Tools 10.0.12". Some people label them as "legacy" or "preVista". edit: have not used, I tend to stick with VirtualBox versions 5.1.22 and 7.0.26 as I have my system configured to use BOTH OF THEM at the same time. I use 5.x for everything except Win11 testing, which needs 7.x (maybe 6.x, don't recall) or higher. and on second thought, the archive.org links "should" be safe to post here at MSFN. according to Wikipedia, VMware has been *FREE* since mid-2024 (news to me, free is why I've always used VirtualBox instead).

I really think it is time for you to stop festering roytam over your YouTube playback issues. Roytam has replied and you keep festering, festering, festering. @Dave-H - can you please add this to your "watch list"?

It is possible that the SP3 you used for comparison was somehow corrupted. On my hardware, SP3 was indeed "faster" than SP2. I am not a "gut feeling" type of guy. I took quantifiable and repeatable measurements that led me to using SP3 over SP2. Hard facts that were repeatable. No "gut feeling", no "placebo effect". That's not to say that you are "full of it", lol, it is POSSIBLE that SP2 is "faster" on your hardware. Just saying that was not the case back in the day when I compared the two. One POSSIBLE factor is that I *never* install a Service Pack 'on top of' an existing installation - I SLIPSTREAM IT INTO MY INSTALLATION DISK. Then FORMAT and INSTALL brand new.

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If you ***REALLY*** want your video playback looked into, it's kind of ON YOU to do some LEGWORK in NARROWING IT DOWN. *Shoot the messenger* all you want. But that really is the reality of the situation. We (you!) need to tell roytam "playback WORKS in this month-day-year release, but it is BROKEN one week later with the month-day+7-year release".

I've never done what you are attempting, I admit, so I am only going by "educated guess". We use Acronis at work for the task you are attempting. But it's also one of those things we only need to do once every 18 months or so. We all forget the process and have to reinvent the wheel every time.

Did originally. Forgot as time went on, lol. If it were me, my next step would be to uninstall your current version of VirtualBox (which I have to assume is "new") and drop down to the 5.x branch. I'd have to research further, but you want a version that PRE-DATES hardware capabilities like "TPM". Just a hunch...

This sounds "too easy" of a fix, but I'll go ahead and say it out loud -- have you tried booting into "safe mode"?

Or this -- https://backupchain.com/i/vhd-to-vhdx-vmdk-vdi-physical-disk

Try this -- https://sourceforge.net/projects/vmma/

@roytam1 I believe that he is asking not about xpi min-ver issues, but rather his issues with video playback in Serpent.

I am on GitHub. But... You won't like this answer. I technically no longer subscribe to "keep XP alive" or "keep 7 alive". The endeavor is a great endeavor, don't get me wrong. But what we end up with instead is spoon-feeding a sect of society that *CAN* afford a newer mode of internetting (and most even confess HAVING NEWER) but think that they are somehow "entitled" to the rest of the world keeping their XP or 7 capable of "everything".

Nope. I run v140 (OT to Supermium but you did specifically call out "all Chrome variants", so it seems this time that OT = On Topic) and the Recently Closed Tabs is dead-on accurate. I've never had to use the Hamburger for the purpose of recent history.