DevonB

I'm not understanding why you say it's scare mongering when you clearly avoid doing actions that the updates are clearly there to help protect you from the things you intentionally avoid? If you live and operate like that, and you're happy, I won't argue. But to claim it's not necessary is reckless for the rest of the world who do live with technology for 2020, not 2003. At least, you come off like it's unnecessary for everyone else too, when your situation doesn't apply to most of the rest of the online world. Maybe I just misinterpreted what you were initially trying to say? After you explained it, yes, I would tend to agree it's not necessary for your situation. Context helps. Devon

No, it's more than that. It is OS file updates as well. Latest patch for Win10 was a big deal just from 2-3 days ago. It updated the crypt.dll file within the OS. Bad actors could spoof that they were a legit vendor and install their own software like they were the 'legit' company. Just one of many examples that is nothing to do with their antivirus, firewall, IE, or email client. Great start and that's everything I do today. That doesn't necessarily mean you're 100% protected. Seriously, I've gotten viruses on Facebook. One of the main problems comes from banner ads. If the site is using a banner provider who isn't 100% strict on their ads, that's where they come from. Not the site directly. I've also had my virus scanner and firewall block other legit sites for the same reason.Haven't had it happen in a few years though. It's not scare mongering, it's reality. All of your above steps do help, but over time, the protections become weaker with known issues uncovered in security within the OS files themselves. If they never get patched, then the problem is forever. None of my Win10 installs have an MS account attached to them. It's not necessary and a step that's easy to skip on install. Remove network connectivity during install and it'll allow you to skip. I've done it multiple times now. I will not lose my MS license by failure. All of my licenses are from Win7 upgrades. I still have my license key for all of them. I just enter it again. Writing into the BIOS chip is for OEM vendors like Dell or HP. Not for when you build your own and have a retail copy of the product. Read up on it here if you like - https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/does-windows-10-write-code-into-a-motherboard-bios/5cb48c90-0cc2-4c69-bf28-68f7c74f9618 And we all have choices. Go use Ubuntu. Then you'll get security updates and never have to worry about becoming a part of the Borg. Devon

If you never connect your machine to the Internet, then you're mostly covered. Just wrote about this in Recording Magazine.

I'd say it's a design issue or whatever heatsink is on the video card has come loose. The video card that CAME WITH THE LAPTOP should not thermal down a laptop, period. Sure, it's possible that a driver is in a runaway loop and pushes an overheat, it's possible. I doubt that's it though. You could try the raw nVidia drivers out there too if you like. Fortunately, many CPU's come with on chip video chips now. At any rate, I've had a few laptops with nVidia chips that work just fine and do not overheat. Devon

Fantastic, glad to hear. Still means something is wrong as it shouldn't be overheating, but for what you want it for, it doesn't matter, and it'll give you more legs for making the laptop last for now.

I wouldn't doubt the thermal paste has dried up and needs to be re-applied with fresh paste.Not having a good 'seating' can dramatically change the temps.

I miss the days of buying a piece of software, and it just works forever until it breaks with a host or OS update eventually. All these subscriptions, and in app purchase stuff, 'eh, not liking it very much. I guess technically yearly updates that are paid are close, but I don't have to authorize with their website every few days either. I just don't want to be nagged to buy stuff and certainly not while I'm actually making music. Almost bought into the Roland Cloud last year with their subscribe for the year and get two synths instead of one at the end. In the end, I just really wanted the D-50, so I bought a D-05 instead and didn't subscribe. At least whenever Roland decides to abandon Cloud, my synth (hopefully) will continue to work for years to come, or I can buy a replacement. Too many promises and too much stuff abandoned over the last ~25 years of electronic music for me to trust things are going to be there and work tomorrow.It's worse when it relies on the internet connection to authorize, which is my main consternation. More careful where I invest my money these days.

Nord Stage 3 has waterfall keys too. Devon

I have access to a few on there still - Eventide Racks Pulsar Scope XL-1 (EMu) korgms2000 CZSynth mrzr (Ensoniq) Aelsis-ion I got the contents of the Eventide group at least.

Like this -

There are three different types of keys for a synthesizer; diving board, waterfall and lipped. It's making reference to the shape of the key. Waterfall is smooth on the end and rolls over like a counter top. Diving board looks just like it sounds. Lipped has a lip on the end that extends past the end of the key. I personally don't have a preference. It just has to feel 'right'.

Trust me, I get that. Sorting to find posts is terrible compared to Yahoo. But you do have file storage, and you have the advantage of it's the largest platform on the planet right now.Compared to Yahoo that's been a ghost town for years....

Create Facebook groups and start moving the data NOW would be my suggestion.

Lot of files from synths too. Sysex galore! Devon

XP? Probably not. That laptop is what? 15? 20 years old? There is a checker to see if Windows 10 can run on it though. Give it a shot. Devon