Even JiK gets slapped down occasionally.

I had a very nice comment all prepared to go in reply to a question up above, but I decided to look at it one more time before posting.

About 4 hours ago my C:\ drive said "pffftchchchc" and QUIT.

Fortunately, when I got the replacement drive (Seagate warranty) for one that failed in another computer a few months ago, I'd already replaced the other one, so I mirrored the one that just failed onto the spare; but it's about 6 months behind on System updates, and had an obsolete AV program on it.

I have backups of most documents from less than a month ago, so I won't lose much, but can't (don't intend to) hook up the Doc backup drive until I get the main machine cleaned up, so I'm not really sure how recent the last backup was.

Installing my AV update hit a clinker, because the previous version left some little bits when I ran the uninstall. A visit to Symantec found that they've "improved" their website so that the navigation toolbar is "hidden" - preventing me from getting to their download page to get the "super Norton remove everything utility" that I need, to be able to install the new AV.

Start a chat support session (free?). Download of their chat support software fails after 20 minutes. Start another chat support session. Download of their chat support software fails after about 22 minutes.
Start a third chat support session. Software downloads. Chat started, but wait for a rep (6th in line when connected - about a 10 minute wait). Eventually tech support guy is entering the link urls I need, when Microsoft pops in with "You have made major changes to your computer and everything Microsoft will cease working immediately.'

No way to save the links, Notepad, Wordpad, and all Office programs disabled Save, the chat session is in a Frame and won't print (probably Flash?) so request that the tech guy send them via email.
He agrees to send. (Waiting for the email two hours later.

Hook up to Microsoft update, and after about 10 minutes of "checking for updates" I get "the page cannot be opened on your computer. Several suggested help links take about 15 minutes to flip through, finding absolutely nothing.

Two retries at the update site - same result. Open chat support at Microsoft and give them a description of problem. They reply promptly by email to indicate that I should receive an answer "sometime."

Back to Microsoft update, I find that "Custom Install" works, sort of, but requires a 24 minute download of the "Authentication Program" before it will give me any updates.

Authentication never asks any questions, having apparently satisfied itself once the new utility was in place; but proceeds to a list of 34 Critical Updates that I need. (There are half a dozen optionals that I'll want and will get later.) Currently 15 downloaded, but they seem to download the littel ones first, so I expect about 11 hours to get them all - with about 1:45 done so far, if the connection stays up that long (which is sort of rare). Installation, with reboots, should only take a couple of hours once I've got the downloads.

But for now you won't see my lovely comment, since it wasn't backed up. Since it was "abouut Microsoft" I may have other comments later, so stay tuned.

John