Problems with Windows 10 (no surprise there, right)

[Woodenhead]

This will be clean install #2 on this f'r. I'm beginning to think the original manufacturer has some shiznit in it somewhere.

You should be using an imaging program to back up your drive c such as MacriumReflect. They used to have a FREE unlimited program, but that was for version 6. They have moved on to version 7, but they have taken away the free unlimited version. they do have a trial version that is good for 30 days.

It will copy ALL of your drive C, windows 10 and any installed software. To restore the drive will take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to completely restore your drive. You will be back up and running in no time. Painless and worth the money. It can also back up your other drives or partitions you have on your computer.

After you do your clean install of windows 10 and all the software you will be using on that computer, go download Reflect 7, trial version and back up your drive C. Do not save the image on Drive C though! Save it to a 10 to 60 GB thumb or external drive. (the size of the drive depends on how big your drive C is) Then from within the program, make a bootable thumb drive that you will use to restore your computer from the image you created.
https://www.macrium.com/

This individual knows what they are talking about. I can't recommend this general course of action enough.

[kgcayenne]

Win 10 is re-installed; I had a nap. I moved some project files back in, and StudioOne actually found them, but were extra quirky, and I think easier to fix than starting over. Is there s way to install and run programs off an external hard drive? I experienced quirky library access with Lightroom between computers (predating Adobe CC), so I'm inclined to think these two programs have ties beyond where the library or song data is kept. What is a way to isolate this stuff? I'm case you're wondering, I'm suspecting StudioOne in the prior problem on this machine, as song data vanished one day at the same time as our prior bout with Win10 nastiness.

[Bsuds]

If you are working with a desktop then you could install an SSD as your boot drive and your programs and files on your HD.
One advantage to this is if you do reinstall windows for whatever reason you won't lose anything as well as booting faster.
You might be able to install to an external drive but I suspect things would load very very slow.

[kelownman]

This will be clean install #2 on this f'r. I'm beginning to think the original manufacturer has some shiznit in it somewhere.

You should be using an imaging program to back up your drive c such as MacriumReflect. They used to have a FREE unlimited program, but that was for version 6. They have moved on to version 7, but they have taken away the free unlimited version. they do have a trial version that is good for 30 days.

I found a link to version 6 in case anyone wants to try it out...it is a full version except it wont do, i think, incremental backup.

https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree