And, Auto-Collage for that matter. Both, apparently, are dependent on net framework 3. I just had to do a complete refresh of my system using an 8.1 image on a USB Flash. Another issue, but I could not use - still can't - my HP recovery partition because all that is there is a file called winre.wim - about 300 MB, which I cannot open.

So, I used the recovery stick I made. Started having live update issues ... and that installation issues with net framework 3. It just will not install - or fully download ... I have tried the bootstrapper & the full version. No go. I have tried methods to resole this. That dism solution gave me an error message that "enable-feature" was not valid. So, I got out my Windows 8 64 bit disk that I had used on another computer which is no longer operational, and installed that after wiping the disk. Went through the updates to 8.1, but still nothing.

I keep having to use the live update trouble-shooter to revive that, but nothing seems to work with the net framework 3 issue.

At my wits end. Never had this issue with the HP setup [that was 8.0, initially].

Any resoultions out there?

Barring that, what might be the best what to completely re-format my hard drive and start completely over? I don't know a process for that other than the "remove everything & reinstall windows" option in Windows 8.1. Even the long method doesn't really seem to format the entire drive.

I know I was all over the place with this post. Frustration seeping through.. Sorry.

Any assistance ... big or small solution ... welcomed.

PS - Yes, this was caused by me tinkering with Windows 10, so, I don't expect any pity. :-)