diff --git a/src/drivers/win/7zip.cpp b/src/drivers/win/7zip.cpp
index e9f6c504..9ceec129 100644
--- a/src/drivers/win/7zip.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/win/7zip.cpp
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ static BOOL CALLBACK ArchiveFileSelectorCallback(HWND hwndDlg, UINT uMsg, WPARAM
 	return FALSE;
 }
 
-void do7zip(HWND hParent, std::string fname)
+void do7zip(HWND hParent, std::string fname, std::string* innerFilename)
 {
 	LibRef libref("7zxa.dll");
 	if(!libref.hmod) {
@@ -389,7 +389,21 @@ void do7zip(HWND hParent, std::string fname)
 					fileSelectorContext.items.push_back(item);
 				}
 
-				int ret = DialogBoxParam(fceu_hInstance, "7ZIPARCHIVEDIALOG", hParent, ArchiveFileSelectorCallback, (LPARAM)0);
+				//try to load the file directly if we're in autopilot
+				int ret = LB_ERR;
+				if(innerFilename)
+				{
+					for(uint32 i=0;i<fileSelectorContext.items.size();i++)
+						if(fileSelectorContext.items[i].name == *innerFilename)
+						{
+							ret = i;
+							break;
+						}
+				}
+				else
+					//or use the UI if we're not
+					ret = DialogBoxParam(fceu_hInstance, "7ZIPARCHIVEDIALOG", hParent, ArchiveFileSelectorCallback, (LPARAM)0);
+
 				if(ret != LB_ERR)
 				{
 					FileSelectorContext::Item& item = fileSelectorContext.items[ret];
@@ -402,8 +416,8 @@ void do7zip(HWND hParent, std::string fname)
 						FILE* outf = fopen(tempname,"wb");
 						fwrite(&data[0],1,item.size,outf);
 						fclose(outf);
-						void ALoad(char *nameo,char* actualfile);
-						ALoad((char*)item.name.c_str(),tempname);
+						void ALoad(char *nameo,char* actualfile,char* archiveFile);
+						ALoad((char*)item.name.c_str(),tempname,(char*)fname.c_str());
 
 					} //if we extracted the file correctly
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/win/7zip.h b/src/drivers/win/7zip.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a0a1d6fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/drivers/win/7zip.h
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+//if you want to autopilot this, pass in an innerfilename to try and automatically load
+void do7zip(HWND hParent, std::string fname, std::string* innerFilename=0);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/drivers/win/window.cpp b/src/drivers/win/window.cpp
index fc170556..a7737ac5 100644
--- a/src/drivers/win/window.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/win/window.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #include "tasedit.h"
 #include "oldmovie.h"
 #include "movie.h"
+#include "7zip.h"
 
 #include "guiconfig.h"
 #include "timing.h"
@@ -113,6 +114,14 @@ static int vchanged = 0;
 
 // Internal functions
 
+void SplitRecentArchiveFilename(std::string src, std::string& archive, std::string& file)
+{
+	src = src.substr(1);
+	size_t pipe = src.find_first_of('|');
+	archive = src.substr(0,pipe);
+	file = src.substr(pipe+1);
+}
+
 static void ConvertFCM(HWND hwndOwner)
 {
 	std::string initdir = FCEU_GetPath(FCEUMKF_MOVIE);
@@ -349,32 +358,40 @@ void UpdateRMenu(HMENU menu, char **strs, unsigned int mitem, unsigned int basei
 	// Recreate the menus
 	for(x = MAX_NUMBER_OF_RECENT_FILES - 1; x >= 0; x--)
 	{  
-		char tmp[128 + 5];
-
 		// Skip empty strings
 		if(!strs[x])
-		{
 			continue;
+
+		std::string tmp = strs[x];
+		if(tmp[0] == '|')
+		{
+			std::string archiveName, fileName;
+			SplitRecentArchiveFilename(tmp,archiveName,fileName);
+			tmp = archiveName + " <" + fileName + ">";
 		}
 
+		//clamp this string to 128 chars
+		if(tmp.size()>128)
+			tmp = tmp.substr(0,128);
+
 		moo.cbSize = sizeof(moo);
 		moo.fMask = MIIM_DATA | MIIM_ID | MIIM_TYPE;
 
-		// Fill in the menu text.
-		if(strlen(strs[x]) < 128)
-		{
-			sprintf(tmp, "&%d. %s", ( x + 1 ) % 10, strs[x]);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			sprintf(tmp, "&%d. %s", ( x + 1 ) % 10, strs[x] + strlen( strs[x] ) - 127);
-		}
+		//// Fill in the menu text.
+		//if(strlen(strs[x]) < 128)
+		//{
+		//	sprintf(tmp, "&%d. %s", ( x + 1 ) % 10, strs[x]);
+		//}
+		//else
+		//{
+		//	sprintf(tmp, "&%d. %s", ( x + 1 ) % 10, strs[x] + strlen( strs[x] ) - 127);
+		//}
 
 		// Insert the menu item
-		moo.cch = strlen(tmp);
+		moo.cch = tmp.size();
 		moo.fType = 0;
 		moo.wID = baseid + x;
-		moo.dwTypeData = tmp;
+		moo.dwTypeData = (LPSTR)tmp.c_str();
 		InsertMenuItem(menu, 0, 1, &moo);
 	}
 
@@ -512,10 +529,10 @@ void FCEUD_HideMenuToggle(void)
 	ToggleHideMenu();
 }
 
-void ALoad(char *nameo,char* actualfile)
+void ALoad(char *nameo,char* actualfile,char* archiveFile)
 {
-	bool isvirtual = (actualfile==0);
-	if(isvirtual) actualfile = nameo;
+	bool isvirtual = (actualfile!=0);
+	if(!isvirtual) actualfile = nameo;
 	if(FCEUI_LoadGameVirtual(actualfile, nameo, 1))
 	{
 		pal_emulation = FCEUI_GetCurrentVidSystem(0, 0);
@@ -525,8 +542,13 @@ void ALoad(char *nameo,char* actualfile)
 		SetMainWindowStuff();
 
 		//todo-add recent files from archives somehow
-		if(!isvirtual)
-			AddRecentFile(nameo);
+		std::string recentFileName = nameo;
+		if(archiveFile)
+			recentFileName = (std::string)"|" + archiveFile + "|" + nameo;
+		else
+			recentFileName = nameo;
+		
+		AddRecentFile(recentFileName.c_str());
 
 		RefreshThrottleFPS();
 
@@ -576,7 +598,6 @@ void LoadNewGamey(HWND hParent, const char *initialdir)
 		//if the user selected a 7zip file, then we have some work to do..
 		//todo - scan file instead of checking extension
 		std::string fname = nameo;
-		extern void do7zip(HWND hwnd, std::string fname);
 		if(fname.substr(fname.size()-3,3) == ".7z")
 		{
 			do7zip(hParent, fname);
@@ -731,8 +752,18 @@ LRESULT FAR PASCAL AppWndProc(HWND hWnd,UINT msg,WPARAM wParam,LPARAM lParam)
 			// A menu item from the recent files menu was clicked.
 			if(wParam >= MENU_FIRST_RECENT_FILE && wParam <= MENU_FIRST_RECENT_FILE + MAX_NUMBER_OF_RECENT_FILES - 1)
 			{
-				if(recent_files[wParam - MENU_FIRST_RECENT_FILE])
-					ALoad(recent_files[wParam - MENU_FIRST_RECENT_FILE],0);
+				char*& fname = recent_files[wParam - MENU_FIRST_RECENT_FILE];
+				if(fname)
+				{
+					if(fname[0] == '|')
+					{
+						std::string fnamestr = fname, archiveName, fileName;
+						SplitRecentArchiveFilename(fnamestr,archiveName,fileName);
+						do7zip(hWnd,archiveName,&fileName);
+					}
+					else 
+						ALoad(fname,0);
+				}
 			}
 			switch(LOWORD(wParam))
 			{
diff --git a/src/drivers/win/window.h b/src/drivers/win/window.h
index 94ff1507..83cc8b7e 100644
--- a/src/drivers/win/window.h
+++ b/src/drivers/win/window.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ void ByebyeWindow();
 void DoTimingConfigFix();
 int CreateMainWindow();
 void UpdateCheckedMenuItems();
-void ALoad(char *nameo,char* actualfile=0);
+void ALoad(char *nameo,char* actualfile=0, char* archiveFile=0);
 void LoadNewGamey(HWND hParent, const char *initialdir);
 int BrowseForFolder(HWND hParent, const char *htext, char *buf);
 void UpdateCheckedMenuItems();
diff --git a/vc8/fceux.vcproj b/vc8/fceux.vcproj
index e2df3bdb..921f7013 100644
--- a/vc8/fceux.vcproj
+++ b/vc8/fceux.vcproj
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
 			/>
 			<Tool
 				Name="VCPostBuildEventTool"
-				CommandLine="xcopy /d $(ProjectDir)\..\src\drivers\win\7zxa.dll $(OutDir)"
+				CommandLine="xcopy /y /d $(ProjectDir)\..\src\drivers\win\7zxa.dll $(OutDir)"
 			/>
 		</Configuration>
 		<Configuration
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@
 			/>
 			<Tool
 				Name="VCPostBuildEventTool"
+				CommandLine="xcopy /d $(ProjectDir)\..\src\drivers\win\7zxa.dll $(OutDir)"
 			/>
 		</Configuration>
 		<Configuration
@@ -707,6 +708,10 @@
 					RelativePath="..\src\drivers\win\7zip.cpp"
 					>
 				</File>
+				<File
+					RelativePath="..\src\drivers\win\7zip.h"
+					>
+				</File>
 				<File
 					RelativePath="..\src\drivers\win\args.cpp"
 					>