Anyone still running Windows 7?

I find myself wondering about the reasoning behind those little padlock icons appearing next to certain application icons; while I am still able to access the programs without any issues, what exactly is the significance of that lock symbol sitting there beside the icon?

Brian Campbell36 said:I've been wondering about those little padlock icons appearing next to certain app icons on my desktop; I can open everything just fine, but I can't help but feel a bit curious about what that little lock actually signifies.

That's most likely just User Account Control at work, which is pretty standard for how Windows handles permissions.☕

Arthur Lewis2 said:It is most likely User Account Control ☕

I appreciate the response!
However, I am still struggling to understand why my Favorites folder lacks the options for both the desktop and downloading?
While it might not be a catastrophic failure, it is incredibly aggravating that I cannot simply send a single file directly to my desktop.
Specifically, when I select a file intended for transfer using the standard method—by RIGHT-CLICKING the selected file to open the menu—and navigate to SEND, I am presented with nothing more than three meager choices:

1. Send to Floppy disk (A: drive)
2. Send to F: drive
3. Send to Removable Disk H:

Was it not just yesterday that I possessed a full array of commands, such as Send to Mail Recipient or Send to Desktop?
Where have these Windows 7 options vanished to, and why is it that everything functions perfectly normally when I create an entirely new user account?

The directory C:\Users\AppData\Local has become corrupted. 😠

Does this mean I am officially forced to begin the process of installing a fresh copy of Windows 7?

Furthermore, given the circumstances, would it be more prudent to opt for the 32-bit version or the 64-bit version?

My current system specifications are as follows:

Processor: AMD Phenom (tm) 9950 Quad-Core Processor 2.60 GHz
Installed RAM: 4 GB
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce 9800 gt 1 GB
Motherboard: ASUS M2N-VMHDMI

Considering this machine was originally purchased back in 2009, is there any particular component that requires an upgrade to handle this transition effectively? 🙂

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/windows-11-specifications

Joshua Garcia3 said:http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...m-requirements

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE. 🙂
Regarding my current components—what can one truly say about them? Can I reasonably expect to squeeze a bit more life out of this hardware, or is it simply time to cut my losses and invest in an entirely new build?

Honestly, you’ve got a fantastic machine there, so I wouldn't bother upgrading any of the hardware right now. If I were in your shoes, I'd just perform a clean reinstall of Windows 7—make sure you go with the 64-bit version to get the most out of it—and then just try to leave it be without poking around too much in the system settings! 😉

Arthur Lewis2 said:It is a solid machine as it stands; there is simply no necessity for further upgrades. I would suggest a clean reinstallation of Windows 7—specifically the 64-bit version—and perhaps refrain from tinkering with the system settings too aggressively moving forward.😉

However, I find myself increasingly preoccupied with this graphics card; it struggles to maintain even a modest frame rate when tasked with anything remotely demanding.
I am currently weighing whether it might be time to seek a worthy successor for this GPU around $1167.

Brian Campbell36 said:But this GPU is killing me; it can barely handle anything even remotely demanding.
I'm thinking about getting a decent replacement for it around $1167.

So, what kind of game is giving you trouble, for example? 😢

Joshua Garcia3 said:For instance, which specific game is giving you such a hard time? 😢

The latest Grand Theft Auto.

Is there any actual way to resolve the issues I’ve described—specifically regarding my missing desktop icons and downloads, as well as the broken functionality within the Send options—or am I truly left with no choice but to perform a full reinstallation of Windows 7?

If you're planning on jumping into Grand Theft Auto IV, you really should make sure to grab and install the latest patch (1.0.7.0) first.
I remember when I first tried running it on my old rig without the update, and let me tell you, the performance was a bit of a headache! Since the game isn't exactly perfectly optimized right out of the box, getting that patch installed should help everything run much more smoothly for you.

Yeah, just try dropping the game resolution a bit if it’s struggling, but definitely keep it in full screen. For crying out loud, I’m running this on an Intel HD 3200 (256MB) at 800x600 in full screen, and even with everything set to low or off and the latest patch installed, it actually runs. The only issue is that the bank robbery mission is absolutely killing me—there’s way too much police presence outside afterward—but hey, as long as the game is playable, even on this junk 😂
.
Keep this stuff in the gaming thread, not in here 👍

Is there any actual benefit to running two graphics cards in parallel within a single PC, or am I simply inviting technical complications?
I am primarily inquiring about the general behavior under Windows 7; would such a configuration prove useful, or is it ultimately a futile endeavor?

It’s decent enough if you just want to game—but otherwise? Not really worth the hassle.

Douglas Garcia52 said:Yeah, you can definitely run Windows 7 there—just make sure you double-check if all the drivers for your specific motherboard are actually available first.

Older Asus boards can be a bit of a headache with that stuff. 🙂

Alright, regarding those drivers: http://pcsupport.about.com/gi/o.htm?.../mb/Windows_7/ What do you think? Does it look like there's anything for my board?
Since you can see my specs, which version should I go with, 32-bit or 64-bit? If I don't have at least 4GB of RAM, is it better to just stick with the 32-bit version?

Is there any way to get Outlook Express running on Windows 7?
I was using it back on Windows XP... but what about here?
Thanks!

Anthony Stewart2 said:Is it even possible to install Outlook Express on Windows 7?
I was using version six back on my old XP machine, but what about this one?
Thanks!

Why don't you just use Windows Live Mail, which comes included in the Windows Live Essentials suite?

http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials

In any case, that mail client is essentially an upgraded version of Outlook, and if you ask me, it stands as one of the most high-quality mail clients out there... 👍

Zachary Stewart2 said:Alright, about those drivers: http://pcsupport.about.com/gi/o.htm?.../mb/Windows_7/ What’s the verdict? Does it actually list my motherboard?
Since you can see my specs, which version should I go with, 32 or 64-bit? If I don't have 4GB of RAM, is it smarter to just stick with 32?

I can't even get that link to open. Look, if you see driver support for your board on there, then yeah, just install Windows 7.

And honestly, just go with x32 if you're sitting on less than 4GB of RAM. 😉

Anthony Stewart2 said:Is there any way to get Outlook Express running on Windows 7?

Nope. Not happening.

Douglas Garcia52 said:I can't get that link to work on my end—but look, if you see there's driver support for your motherboard, just go ahead and install Windows 7

And honestly, stick with the x32 version if you're running less than 4GB of RAM😉

Gotcha. Just curious though, where'd you get ASUS from? I checked everything and my board is actually a Gigabyte. That’s why I couldn't find anything useful on that ASUS link you sent.

Here's my motherboard: http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/com...ents&os=64-bit Think it'll work?