Update April 14 2013: Windows7 default Image-Viewer does not support animated-GIFs... why the guys at MicroAndSoftBrains decided that removing that ability was the height of cleverness leaves me rather confused

Fortunately I solved the problem by downloading Irfanview ( www.irfanview.com ) and setting it as my default picture and image viewer.  So far it seems free of malware or spyware, is powerful enough to open Photoshop files, and even allows to edit pictures and images.

There is no way to have a preview image of a Photoshop file in Windows Explorer, as was the case in Windows XP.  Another <sarcasm>einstenian flash of inspiration</sarcasm>to be sure

Funny thing is Neverwinter Nights (the original) remained after installing Windows7, and now plays without the DVD.  I lost extra modules and the default playable-characters, but the customs ones I made are still there.  Go figure...
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Original post:

My computer crashed this week for the second time, in what has otherwise been a beautiful and fulfilling relationship.  I had it checked and the hardware is good condition, but WindowsXP just got old and decided it was time to go to that great cybercloud in the sky (or whatever software considers Heaven).

The people at the computer store gave me 2 options:

1) Buy a new computer with Windows8.
2) Keep the old computer, format the hardrive, reinstall WindowsXP.

Neither option appeals to me.  The research I made regarding W8 shows that it's even less popular than Vista, plus I have other more pressing expenses.  I went through the ordeal of reinstalling WXP about 2 years ago, and since it will no longer be supported by Microsoft after January 2014, I really didn't feel it worth the time and effort

What is it with the guys at Microsoft anyway? Consider the following:

W 98 = crappy (my first computer ran on W98se)
W 2000 = great!
W Millenium = crappy-crap-crap
W XP = good and quite decent
W Vista = I haven't heard much good about it
W 7 = reputedly good
W 8 = geared towards touch-screens, not that good for laptops and desktops

So are they doing it on purpose to take away all that made a system great, screwing up and then seemingly learning from their errors until the next system comes out?

Anyway, the solution was that I got a genuine Windows7 disk, and so I installed it and I've been learning to use it.  Some things I like, others I'll have to get used to

Fortunately Photoshop seems to work in W7, as does Neverwinter Nights 1 and, surprisingly enough, Dungeon Keeper 2 which is a game from 1999 that would not start in W-XP.

Unfortunately NwN2, Fable, Oblivion the Elder Scrolls, and Angry Birds will not work no matter what I do  The only solution I was given was to update my video card's drivers, but it seems my poor old computer is too old

Fortunately I backed up most of my files before the crash, among them a fanart of Azula, a running animation of a Drowtales character, and several sketches.

Unfortunately I lost all the work (inking and coloring) on drawings for my NwN2 comic

Always remember Murphy's law, "If something can go wrong, it will"

Oh well, when there's life there's hope, right?

Gotta go now, supper is almost ready

Vic