OK - So I Lied.....

.... an update didn't follow last weekend.

 

But it ain't my fault!

 

Having finally got the landline and broadband restored - we even got our old phone number back - my PC at home has died!

 

Refuses to start, various blue screens reporting all sorts of errors if it does manage to look as if it's OK and if we're lucky enough to get a desktop and start running a programme - it randomly "freezes", the blue screen appears again and a "Your computer has been stopped to prevent damage - try restarting." message appears.

Error codes suggest it's either a new piece of software or a new piece of hardware or the NVidia graphics card causing the problem.

 

Nipped in to PC World last night and asked about repairs. Basically - it's a minimum £50 inspection fee and if they diagnose a new graphics card, or hard drive, or whatever - they add that to the £50 already spent. And it's not done "in-store" any more - they's send it away with a14 to 28 day return estimate

 

I was considering moving to Windows 7 from Vista (don't fancy Windows 8 just yet) and PC World could do that at the same time as the repair but that would add £83 for the software plus (guess what - yes you're right!) £50 to install it.

 

I just need to get the machine through the next 18 months or so because on retirement - I am investing in a new iMac - paid for from the "Lump Sum" part of my pension!

 

Just SO glad I backed up the 59,000 odd photos and video clips on the machine to my external had drive last weekend!

 

I'll keep you advised of progress......