i should be working (but i'm fixing my computer).

... because I haven't used it.  All my computers originally came with one form of MS Windows or another, and I maintain the O/S installs in case I have something I want to run that won't run in Linux.  Or until, as often happens with my older computers, Microsoft quits supporting the OS.  Remember Windows ME, anyone?

...

So, actually, one of my better computers is my Sony Vaio.  I haven't been using it much of late because my two newer netbooks fit my work needs better.  And, oddly enough, my hp zd7000 with the 17" screen turned out to work quite nicely as my "in the office" work machine, so I set the Vaio aside while I decided what to use it for.  It's got a lot of work-related tools on it, so I have wanted to keep it available and not demote it to oh, say "Netflix" duty.

Which is where today's problems came in, actually.  Because, I've got a much less capable Compaq laptop providing Netflix to my tv.  But, it's really pretty annoying because it's from the "noisy fan" generation.  And, it's only got 512 meg. ram.

So, my daughter and I were going to watch Netflix, but the Compaq commenced downloading MS updates and wasn't functioning well.  We got out the Sony Vaio -- but this only added to the problem, because it started consuming massive bandwidth downloading its own 43 updates.  Or 50.  Who can really tell, since as soon as you reboot, MS update finds yet MORE updates.

So, the first 43 installed just fine.  But, the last seven won't install.

I don't mean, "try again later."  The error message says there is a corrupted "CBS manifest" and I have to "reinstall Windows" but this won't hurt any of my programs or data.

Hmmmm.  There were no defective manifests while installing the first 43 updates.  How do we suppose the manifest got corrupted, hmmm?

So, I am instructed to get out my original install disks.  Small problem there, this computer did not come with any disks.  However, I did have the foresight to burn them (reaching way, way back in the blog archives, we'll note that the repeated reinstalls that were necessary when the computer was NEW prompted my conversion to all Linux all the Time, not to mention my permanent disappointment in all things Microsoft.)

You would think the situation would be under control, then.

But, you would be wrong.  The restore disk can't find the Windows Vista partition -- I suppose because my system boots from Grub.  Now, Linux did not have any problem working with Vista, but one shouldn't hope for Microsoft to return the favor.

So, the native Vista that came with the Sony -- and, oh, by the way, the Sony also has a completely legal copy of WindowsXP on it as well, since I purchased that in frustration when the computer proved to be essentially non-functional with Vista.

No way am I going to reinstall all of my software!  Three operating systems, and if I recall correctly, Vista has to go on first, and putting XP on a second partition was something of a chore I do not wish to repeat.

So, I guess I will have a permanently borked and not updated version of Vista.  Fortunately, I don't use it for anything important.

I resent very much that these computers are only good for a couple of years and then the software is so pathetic the computer has to be replaced.   Granted, hardware gets old, even obsolete.  But, it's not like I'm complaining that my original Osborne computer doesn't work anymore.  (Actually, maybe it does.  I'm not certain -- but in any event, it never suffered from the chronic bloatware of "security updates.")  I've willingly scrapped out a whole series of computers -- but when I can put Linux on a computer and it works just fine, then it seems to me it should also still work "just fine" with the OS that was on it when I purchased it.

If computer and software manufacturers are selling a two year "license" and not an actual computer, they should say so.  Its unfortunate, because at the moment I don't have ANY computers that capably run my Windows software any more.

Fortunately, for the most part all of the software I purchased at  considerable expense has been replaced by FOSS of one sort or another and so the obsolescence isn't as noticeable as it otherwise would be.