So, I came home from work Friday to find my home computer dead. I just would not boot. Something about corrupted startup files. I of course, set out to fix it, but by about midnight, I realized that there was no recovering the OS. I managed to back up all of the files on the C Drive, which was a feat in and of itself, but there was no getting out of rebuilding the box from scratch. However, seeing as the last time I had to do this was in may of 2004, it seemed fair.
So, I set rebuild the beast in XP, seeing as there are still lots of issues with Vista in the wild. After spending a few hour hunting down my old XP key, I was finally on my way. I reinstalled the OS, and was rolling along, when I noted that Intel had a BIOS update for my motherboard. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, so I installed that too. Bad idea. My OS crashed again, although I supposed I deserved that one.
So now we are into Saturday, and the second fresh install. I get that one running, start installing all of the updates, etc., but now the sound card won't work. Hmm. Clearly it must be a driver issue, since it was working just fine the last few years. So I download the lastest drivers, and start to install them. Bam! Blue screen. Like I really need this right now. Every time I so much as touch the sound card drivers the computer reboots itself. Uninstall the dirvers? Blue screen. Disable the drivers? Blue screen.
After hours of trying different things (we're into Sunday and Monday now, minus time out for final Xmas shopping), I decide that perhaps if I reinstall XP again, and go with the new drivers from the start, that might work. Any guesses? That's right, same shit. It's finally dawning on me that perhaps the BIOS update and the sound card don't like each other. But it's Xmas now, so what can you do.
Fast foward to Wednesday. After still more time battling the damn drivers, I decide to just give in and buy a new soundcard. $30. Clearly, it was worth spending three days of my time avoiding that $30 expenditure. So, anyway, I get that card home last night around 5, when I have another hair-brained idea. What about Vista? Maybe my problem is with XP? I mean, I'm using Vista at work now, for about a month or so, and it seems ok. Can my machine handle it?
According to the Upgrade Advisor, I'm covered. I don't really buy it, since I'm still running a Pentium 4, but what have a got to lose. I might still be able to take back that pesky $30 sound card yet!
Well, of course, no such luck. Vista doesn't crash over the card, mind you, which is a welcome improvement, but it still doesn't work. However, in the mean time, Vista is working really well! After spending a few hours playing around with it, I decide that if I'm going to go through this hell, I might as well take the plunge and go with Vista. No use going through this all over again in a few months when SP1 comes out. Besides, this Aero this is kind of cool.
So I take one last plunge. I replace the old sound card with the new one, and then reinstall Vista again from scratch, just to make sure it's all clean and fresh. Around Mmidnight last night I started downloading the updates. Reboot. Ah, sound is coming from the speakers. Finally. After a little more tinkering, I happly wandered off to bed about 2am.
And this morning? So far, so good. I actually like Vista (minus the UAC - more on that later).
It only took 5 days of my life, but my home machine is fresh and happy again. But man, did that suck.