Messed up by Win 10 Automatic update, summer 2017

[efmesch]

This past summer I was "treated" to an automatic update by my Win 10 OS (updated for free from Win 7). Ever since then my computer has been an unending source of operational frustrations:

1. My Logitech webcam (C260) has become non-operational.
2. My DVD drive stopped reading disks.
3. Assorted problems turned up in my "office 2007" programs--most specifically, "Outlook" for mailings.
4. I've lost the ability to communicate with my wireless printer (HP MFP M277dw) and can't print anything.

After many wasted hours of repair attempts, I've managed to recover some functions, but am still suffering from a computer that doesn't compare with what it was like before the update.

Here are some of the repair attempts I've made and where I stand now:
I signed up with "Re-image" and had them "fix up" the drivers problems---can't say that they did much good in spite of their sincere attempts.
Using a plug-in DVD driver I was able to re-install Office 2007----but I lost all access to my files from before the re-install.
My webcam still doesn't work
My original DVD drive works with some files and not with others.

My request of anyone who can help me--
Can you tell me what steps to follow to be able to access my old email files?
Can you help me re-activate my webcam?

[Reverend Jim]

Now that you have upgraded, your computer is registered with Microsoft and you will no longer have to validate it. What I suggest is that you do a full backup to external media then completely wipe your system and reinstall Win10 from scratch. I don't know how big your drive is but I suggest windows and apps on the C drive (100-120gig) and everything else on D. You should relocate My Pictures, My Documents, etc to D as well. Install Macrium Reflect (free) or some other disk imaging software on C and take regular images of C to guard against loss/disaster.

[rproffitt]

Small world. A friend had some similar issues but they worked with me and most if not all issues were cured. Their DVDRW drive was very old and slipping a new drive in fixed it. I'm finding folk blame W10 for the old drive failing and do not agree here. In this case the old drive showed problems on another W7 PC so it was clear the 20 dollar DVDRW drive is failing.

As to any file loss most of the time I find the owner does not have backups. That is strange because for decades we've been using PCs and not one OS has been without the need for backups. Well, maybe that Chrome OS?

-> But here's a thing. Drivers are still too hard for everyday users to deal with. Just last night I was at a relative's home and they couldn't print. Another family member had tried over the phone, failed and Geeksquad said all the laptops and printer were fine.

What was it? I don't know because I treated it like a new setup. I went to the printer to pair it to the WiFi network then to the non-printing laptop to remove all printers, install the latest printer driver and it just worked. While I am used to doing this, average Joe/Jane computer owner is lost.

So should we expect owners to keep learning or should we continue with calling in techs to fix our systems in home? I think this is our choice to make. For myself I took the years to learn about computers in general and keep up with the changes. I started way back when with the GE-210, paper tape and core memory. Today I really enjoy what we have. Some folk are really upset about all this. Much like what Douglas Adams wrote

This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

[efmesch]

Thanks for your words, rproffitt. Since I wrote yesterday, I spent several more hours trying to fix my complaints, with limited success. I managed to get my printer to recognize documents being sent to it from the computer, so that's one "plus".
As to the DVD---I'm sure it's not physically incapacitated--it must be something on the software. It recognizes and plays some tracks and not others. For example, I introduced a simple chilld's DVD for playing (The "Nutcarcker suite ballet")---it gives me the music but doesn't play the video pictures.
The Web-cam is still on the blink and I still haven't been able to access my store of previous emails.
Fortunatelly, I'm retired, so I can aply a lot of time to trying to repair my problems---but I do wish that I could get my work done without all the time I have to spend on unsuccessfully repairing them.

[rproffitt]

Good to read you are working on the issues. Here's more about my PC Medic Bag.

When I know I'm going to be working on PC problems I have my PC Medic Bag. Inside are a collection of things I find I use a lot. In there is the USB DVDRW drive, USB WiFI sticks, the W10 Home/Pro 64 Bit OS from Microsoft's Media Creation Kit, some screwdrivers, cutters, electrical tape, USB to MicroUSB cable and all important set of Linux OSes on optical and USB sticks. That last item is a life save when folk blow up the OS and want to get files out.

Item by item from your top list and what I might do.

1. My Logitech webcam (C260) has become non-operational.
   This not only might take you finding the webcam drivers but be sure your motherboard chipset driver is current. Remember what I wrote about this area being stressful to some. Also, I know to try the camera on my laptop for a test as well as the rear USB ports on desktops (long story why.)

2. My DVD drive stopped reading disks.
   I pull out my USB DVDRW to test if there is a drive issue.

3. Assorted problems turned up in my "office 2007" programs--most specifically, "Outlook" for mailings.
   This is a harder one to explain. Outlook's datastore has to be found and in outlook (some menu somewhere), Outlook has to be told to use that datastore (to some this is the PST file.)

4. I've lost the ability to communicate with my wireless printer (HP MFP M277dw) and can't print anything.
   I see I shared what I had to do to fix that at a relative's house above. It's a procedure I've done countless times.
   But if the owner has installed a firewall, well that complicates matters. I usually uninstall that and get it working by my procedure and let the owner break it again later.

I'm sorry if this doesn't help you fix it, but I want to share how I get things working again.

[efmesch]

Well, I've got some good news---don't ask me exactly what the critical repair step was, but after a lot of attempting to reactivate the connection between my computer and the wireless printer, I did it!!
Now I have to hope that i'll manage the other problems. The key word is not to give up.

[rproffitt]

Been on the road and visited a relative. They had a laptop that would not connect to the router. No problem (never think that.)

I did the usual forget the network, etc. but it took an OBSCURE trick to get it to work again. I haven't found out why this works but it does.
When you know the WiFi hardware is good, try the old forget the network trick but if that doesn't nail it, try a boot to safe mode with networking (it usually fails there as well) but on a proper shutdown and reboot usually comes back.

It's a mystery why that works.