[thxbb12]

 ........  so what's changed all of a sudden that I'm risking ??

You risk your computer getting hijacked/infected/taken hostage by a boat-load of discovered security flaws that have been left unpatched since Windows 7 update support was basically dropped. Of course, using Windows 10 does not make you immune to new types of attacks, but it limits the scope of discovered flaws quite a bit.

I am at risk using my macs too, as this guy from Microsoft security support keeps calling me to tell me that my computer is infected. Regrettably I never find out what to do about it, as I am quite allergic to his thick Indian/Pakistani accent/dialect so I hang up before they can help me.

As I wrote above, you can simply put in a USB3 card in your computer like this:
https://www.amazon.fr/Cuifati-Adaptateur-dextension-linterface-Windows8-1/dp/B08GQ5RL6P/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?__mk_fr_FR=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&dchild=1&keywords=USB+3.0+PCI+Express+Card%2C+windows+7&qid=1620207461&s=computers&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&smid=A2OUWHX00DW2XC&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRTNISzJIS0NWQ05MJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTA5MDcxM0pMTlpMSlFWUk5MRCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDE5NTg3MzBBOVcxUks2VzdUNCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

That will bypass your firmware-caused lack of USB 3-ness.

  Thanks for that BC ...... your such a good source of stuff

  Will it just plug in to my Gigabite motherboard ??

   If so I will certainly go for that !!

It should ....
But do update to Win 10 please. I'd hate to see you lose anything, or worse, everything.

BTW, I do assume you use a good security suite, to protect your PC from virus attacks and other stuff?

If not yet, I'd recommend ZoneAlarm Security Suite. IMO there isn't anything better currently.

HTH, kind regards, Wim

P.S.: there is a free tool from Microsoft which will allow you to check if your PC is compatible with Win 10.
Starting point fro this may be: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/planning/windows-10-compatibility

If your main concern is security, then running Windows (whichever version) is a bad choice
Linux + RawTherapee or Darktable + gimp is a great choice for image post-processing.
Secure, free and extremely customizable.
And if you're super paranoid, then you should consider QubesOS (https://www.qubes-os.org/)

[toni-a]

The positive side of living in Lebanon...all banks are broke, hyperinflation, no foreign transfers allowed, nothing to be stolen even if the gets my credit card number

[wim]

If your main concern is security, then running Windows (whichever version) is a bad choice
Linux + RawTherapee or Darktable + gimp is a great choice for image post-processing.
Secure, free and extremely customizable.
And if you're super paranoid, then you should consider QubesOS (https://www.qubes-os.org/)

I know you winked, but that is just plainly not true anymore, provided you use a good security suite, like I suggested.

FYI, the worst security experiences I have ever had in my 35 years as an IT-professional, were with Unix/Linux, the last one in 2010 . Whatever system / OS you use these days, you will still need some form of protection against external threats, although that oen in 2010 on CentOS was unavoidable due to a tiny, exploitable hole in cPanel, and an infected server at the registrar I since left behnd ....

As to image processing: the best tools, IMO, are available only on Windows, and partially on Mac. If you insist on using free tools, Windows or Linux are probably best, but you won't necessarily get ease of use or ease of workflow, and neither will you be using the best tools available .

Kind regards, Wim

[davidmanze]

Well, I decided to look into this USB 3 socket scenario ...... things took an immediate turn for the worse when I pulled out the PC from it's hole ........ the HDMI "mini socket" didn't like that idea and promptly spat out a few pins ...... 
   What manufacturer would use only one  piddly fart mini HDMI socket on a graphics card that weighs several kilos?? ....... derr!
....... I de-dusted it and connected it to the screen using the alternative older video socket ....... "boot management not found"!! ........ I looked to see if anything was untoward but saw nothing ........ rang my friend and he said to bring it over ...... it takes two to get the thing out of the boat and and my friend lives on the second floor ...... two days later he said he'd found a plug not fully inserted and to come and collect it ........ 
  Anyway I got it home and working ...... I think the paracetomol helped but my osteopath advised that I hang upside down from the ceiling for a day or two ... vertigo set in after only a few minutes ..... so I doubled the paracetamol dose ..
 ....... now I look back on it, why the hell did I buy this thing ????

...... all in all I'm absolutely delighted to have it back working with all the same USB 3 issues .....

 .... all in all I realize that my fixed infinity focused eyes are just not what they used to be .... however my glasses collection is blooming .......
  
Maybe I'll look out for a decent S/H laptop that has it all in one package, Windows 10 and USB3, I think my back and my liver will appreciate that !!

[wim]

Well, I decided to look into this USB 3 socket scenario ...... things took an immediate turn for the worse when I pulled out the PC from it's hole ........ the HDMI "mini socket" didn't like that idea and promptly spat out a few pins ...... 
   What manufacturer would use only one  piddly fart mini HDMI socket on a graphics card that weighs several kilos?? ....... derr!
....... I de-dusted it and connected it to the screen using the alternative older video socket ....... "boot management not found"!! ........ I looked to see if anything was untoward but saw nothing ........ rang my friend and he said to bring it over ...... it takes two to get the thing out of the boat and and my friend lives on the second floor ...... two days later he said he'd found a plug not fully inserted and to come and collect it ........ 
  Anyway I got it home and working ...... I think the paracetomol helped but my osteopath advised that I hang upside down from the ceiling for a day or two ... vertigo set in after only a few minutes ..... so I doubled the paracetamol dose ..
 ....... now I look back on it, why the hell did I buy this thing ????

...... all in all I'm absolutely delighted to have it back working with all the same USB 3 issues .....

 .... all in all I realize that my fixed infinity focused eyes are just not what they used to be .... however my glasses collection is blooming .......
  
Maybe I'll look out for a decent S/H laptop that has it all in one package, Windows 10 and USB3, I think my back and my liver will appreciate that !!

Ooops!
Glad it worked out regardless.

Having said that, laptops are not necessarily the fastest in processing image files. And you may still want to consider an upgrade to Win 10 . Just back up your boot drive first .....

Kind regards, Wim

[davidmanze]

Well, I decided to look into this USB 3 socket scenario ...... things took an immediate turn for the worse when I pulled out the PC from it's hole ........ the HDMI "mini socket" didn't like that idea and promptly spat out a few pins ...... 
   What manufacturer would use only one  piddly fart mini HDMI socket on a graphics card that weighs several kilos?? ....... derr!
....... I de-dusted it and connected it to the screen using the alternative older video socket ....... "boot management not found"!! ........ I looked to see if anything was untoward but saw nothing ........ rang my friend and he said to bring it over ...... it takes two to get the thing out of the boat and and my friend lives on the second floor ...... two days later he said he'd found a plug not fully inserted and to come and collect it ........ 
  Anyway I got it home and working ...... I think the paracetomol helped but my osteopath advised that I hang upside down from the ceiling for a day or two ... vertigo set in after only a few minutes ..... so I doubled the paracetamol dose ..
 ....... now I look back on it, why the hell did I buy this thing ????

...... all in all I'm absolutely delighted to have it back working with all the same USB 3 issues .....

 .... all in all I realize that my fixed infinity focused eyes are just not what they used to be .... however my glasses collection is blooming .......
  
Maybe I'll look out for a decent S/H laptop that has it all in one package, Windows 10 and USB3, I think my back and my liver will appreciate that !!

Ooops!
Glad it worked out regardless.

Having said that, laptops are not necessarily the fastest in processing image files. And you may still want to consider an upgrade to Win 10 . Just back up your boot drive first  .....

Kind regards, Wim

    I've downloaded W7 USB drivers just in case they're missing ........ I guess I'll end up with W10 ...... "if"...... I get USB 3 to function it will be worth it, if not it's money down the pan ........
   Off to get my first astrazeneca jab now .........

[davidmanze]

Wim.

Read here about the Gigabite motherboard USB 3 issues:

https://forums.tomsguide.com/threads/gigabyte-z68x-ud3h-b3-usb-3-0-issues.308901/


thanks

[Brightcolours]

Is there a reason you can't/don't want to revert to F12 BIOS version? That version still allows the USB 3 (both controllers, for the back ports and for the maybe installed front ports) to work as they should, and gigabite says that version is compatible with win10 is you want to "upgrade" to that windows version anyway.

[davidmanze]

Is there a reason you can't/don't want to revert to F12 BIOS version? That version still allows the USB 3 (both controllers, for the back ports and for the maybe installed front ports) to work as they should, and gigabite says that version is compatible with win10 is you want to "upgrade" to that windows version anyway.

  I have no idea if it's possible to "revert to F12 Bios version" BC as I don't understand it ........ and I wouldn't know even where to start .......  the link I posted  shows that particular motherboard is bugging right down to not even booting up sometimes and with all sorts of issues when trying to run USB3 ....... far far better tech heads than I have struggled for some time to get the USB3 ports to function and most if not all failed ....... 
 
........ better I think to buy another new motherboard (maybe) that is compatible with my processor and other parts that has working USB3 ports and is known to be relatively bug free ..... they are not expensive ..
  I've sent a link of compatible motherboards for my processor to Wim to see if he could see a way through this ....... if not ..... well that's life after all .....  

thanks though nonetheless !!

[Brightcolours]

If my guess is correct, the version of firmware on your motherboard now is Uh1, the 1st version to give the board UEFI, replacing BIOS.

If you flash the BIOS back to F12 (one before the Uh1 UEFI version), the on-mother-board USB controllers should work again.
https://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php?topic=9819.msg74216#msg74216
BIOS F12 firmware version for Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 (rev. 1.3):
https://drivers.softpedia.com/get/BIOS/Gigabyte/Gigabyte-GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3-rev-13-BIOS-F12.shtml