I’m on the verge of climbing the tower with a high-powered rifle!

I’ve just spent the last 24 hours (non-stop!) trying to update my Windows XP with all the “patches” because Microsoft programmers are useless and also updating my anti-virus program.

15 patches from Microsoft for Windows XP and Office XP. And when it reaches the last one, it just hangs there. The whole machine freezes and the only way out is to lean on the power button and kill the machine.

Then, I upgrade my anti-virus suite from Computer Associates - Internet Security Suite v3. If I install ANY of it, then none of the programs that run when the computer starts will work, explorer won’t run anything, I can’t uninstall anything via control panel either. All I can do is return to the last system restore point. Nothing I’ve tried works, even the stuff they suggest on their website!

Reassuring that its not just Microsoft programmers that are careless…isn’t it? In the end, I went for AVG Free Anti-Virus. A breeze to install and so far, not a problem in sight.

And to cap it all, on Friday afternoon, the alarm system for either the apartment across the hall or the cleaners’ supply cupboard starts to buzz - constant, high-tone buzzzzzzzz. It’s now 1am on Monday and it is STILL going and I expect it will be when I wake up…if I get any sleep!

So, who’s got the ladder and the ammo? I know a high tree to climb with a good view…