Venting

I had hoped to be blogging about my trip to Bath. I have taken photos of quilts shops and needlework exhibitions at the Abbey and the like. Sadly, that is not what this blog is to be about

The morning I turned on the laptop and for the next hour went round some crazy set up loop with the laptop steadfastly refusing to boot up. It is apparently missing its 'hive file'. Whatever that is. ( I can tell you that I am developing hives due to stress but I am sure that is not what it is referring to.)

En route to Man United's football ground to lecture for an hour, I took it to a computer shop. They didn't know what a hive file was either but offered to let me book the laptop in a week on Tuesday. I did no more than look at the technician and he offered to print some instructions off to enable me to self-remedy what he diagnosed as a Windows problem. ('It just happens sometimes').

The version which might possibly have saved my data didn't work and so the laptop is now up and running but I have been sent back to the factory settings. Not eveything was backed up so all the photos I downloaded last night have gone as has other bits and bobs. Most annoying though is the lack of programmes.

Adobe Acobat downloaded fine. Norton Security webiste told me I had to uninstall my non-existant programme before I could reload it. However, they have a nifty little chat facility where someone tells you what to do. He gave me a link to get my 2007 version that I have paid for., Rather suspciously I seem to have a 2004 version with a free option for 90 days upgrade to more recent virus protection. Why 90 days when I have already paid for a years subscription in 2007? I think I will fight that battle another day.

Then to reload the Micrsoft Office works suite. In goes the infomatoin for Internet registration. Won't do it. I expected that because I have been through this before and because the product key has been used already they need to speak to you to check that you are not inappropriatley using a friend's disc. So I go to the telephone option as instructed. The toll free number doens't work. It has too many digits so I suspect is a US number. The other option works and defaults me to an automated service. It requires me to enter the 16 digits of the ID number on the installation wizzard. There are only 12. I sit there yelling "Help." "Assistance?" "Customer Service!" until eventually the machine lets me have a person. The person is a polite Indian man who is now very puzzled because I should have 16 digits. In fact I have an numerical ID deficit. ( This may explain a lot in life!) I have to ring back in half an hour when he has spoken to the technicians.

I have a shedful of work I cannot do without a copy of Word. I am not a happy bunny!! I will update you.