So, I'm a little sleepy because I was up until 1am last night trying to fix my computer... Settle in for a small grumble-thread!

It all started when I installed a new SSD, and realised I should update my motherboard BIOS, as it was really very out of date...

Version 1.9 from 2014, in fact, and I saw many newer SSDs (and Windows 10, we'll get back to that) didn't run on pre-2015 BIOSes.

"Easy," I thought, as updating it was pretty trivial. Download some files, get them on a USB, reboot. And so it was... apart from the BSOD it caused

"Ah... okay, well maybe I just revert the BIOS? Wait, why does the support section only have BIOS versions from 2 upwards? Where is 1.9?"

So, I ended up using my old Win 7 install disc to get into a command prompt so I could check the drives. Oh, they've all been reordered...?

But at least they were there, including the new SSD.

"Sigh, fine, I'll just reinstall Win 7 to get back in..."

And so I did, and it went fine. Problem is, my Win 7 disc is a launch version, meaning zero updates... ah.

Because it turns out that it's now seemingly impossible to update Win 7 from that state. Windows Update broke itself due to 'security issues', which required Windows Update to update itself to fix, which it couldn't because it couldn't update due to requiring an update.

Also, the valid key I have wouldn't activate, because Windows Update needed to update. In fact, basically nothing would work at all, not the Nvidia drivers, the Win 10 upgrade, nothing.

"Fine, I'll just download and install SP1 manually... what do you mean 404, Microsoft!?"

Okay, fine, I'll get it from a somewhat suspicious archive website, download it and run it manually.

...Update Failed.

Okay, breathe... What if I get an ISO of Windows 7 with SP1 already included. They're a thing, right? I go to Microsoft's website, put in my key... wait 5 minutes and... Error Validating Key.

Fffffffffffffffffffffffff!

(My 'favourite' thing at this point was Microsoft's website telling me Internet Explorer was not a valid browser for the page, and it stopping Firefox from accessing it by getting into an infinite loop trying to login and crashing... despite the fact I never tried to login?)

Okay, fine. On my laptop I'll go to the page, use my key, get the ISO, put it on a USB key and boot from that.

Oh, I need a special application to do that? Fine, I'll grab that, run it to make a bootable USB key...

"Files copied, failed to set the USB as bootable"

Okay... okay... but my PC is booting now, so maybe I can just update it from the USB while Windows is running?

Ah! Yes, it sees the update program! But... won't do an upgrade because it can already see Windows 7.

Oh, and it's now saying it can't install because there is an MBR?

One furious reboot later and... it turns out that the USB drive absolutely IS bootable from, and runs absolutely fine.

Deep breaths... deep breaths...

Right, still the MBR issue, but by this point I've installed Windows 3+ times on my C drive, so I'm happy to wipe it.