@stigzler , if you're basing your comments off of the log.txt I attached, then please note that I said my machine is not writing to that file.. that file was what came with the installer.. which would explain the dropbox stuff (I assume, as I don't use dropbox for anything) and the Tom Speirs' machine stuff you saw in the log.
As an update, I have reinstalled a fresh windows 10 install on this machine (it renamed c:\windows and reinstalled it).. I then enabled .Net Framework 2/3 and then installed GameEx Arcade Edition from a fresh download.. I didn't run the setup wizard, but I did set the gameex.exe to "run as administrator".. I fired it off and.. AND.. it crashed.
I then uninstalled it and it's VC++ redistributables, and downloaded VC++ 2008/2010 32bit and 64bit redistributables from MS and installed those.. then reinstalled GameEx.. and.. it crashed still..
I'm essentially out of time for the party tonight.. but now this thing is just ticking me off..
Happy New Year!