Drum Roll..........

Fanfare.............

Chorus of Heavenly Angels................

It is complete. The beast is purring quietly beside me in all it's black shinyness (with blue neon lights). Vista (ultimate 64 bit) is installed and working. All is well. Well sort off. I had unexpected expenditure in the form of a new modem, because my impeccable planning missed one tiny element. Interested then pull a up a chair and I will regale you with the story (if not read NLPH's blog as listed at the side because that is funny) For those still with me it goes something like this. I had downloaded all the drivers required for the graphics card, I had ensured that all the software I had was compatible, all system disks present and correct. Loaded Vista, went like a dream, loaded drivers, super smashing great, loaded system disks excellent, plugged in all the peripherals (printers etc) recognised them first time, brilliant. Attach Broadband modem....umm why is there only 1 red light when there should be 2 green. Attempt to load software, no joy, use a variety of geeky tricks nothing, zilch, zero. Last ditch ring orange (my Internet provider, used to be called wanadoo and prior to that freeserve). Nice lady called sue answered. Somewhere south of Bombay. Ahhhh. Very Helpful but.... After some protracted discussion, it was finally established that Vista doesn't support my modem or vice versa. I was informed that I could try XP as it would work with that. I put the phone down. Got the car keys and drove to the nearest PC World. One round trip later (50 miles) new router/modem plugged in, installed and surfing to my hearts content. I consider myself quite tech savy and genuinely thought that as the modem was only an external device designed to enable my phone line to be broadband compliant that it would work irrespective of the operating system employed. Wrong with a capital W. It only goes to show that there is always something to learn. And yes, I did indeed swear a lot and curse microsoft, but I should have checked. I also bought Office 2007 (not the complete version because that is, wait for this FIVE HUNDRED QUID!!!!!!!. It was bad enough shelling out £99 for the abridged home office version. Who on earth spends £500 on an office application (probably the same ones who spend a fortune on their computer. (Yes it is an emoticon but I couldn't figure out a way of me going um, er ).

Anyway I am now typing this incredibly slowly on a really fast computer but thats progress.

Keep well