What an ugly depressing Vista

I consider myself at least semi-literate when it comes to the sometimes hideously confusing world of computers and their operating systems, but over the two and a half years I've had to put up with Windows Vista, I have had numerous bloody annoying problems with what has to be the biggest pile of runny poo Microsoft have ever come up with.

When I got my current 'pooter in November 2008 with Vista as the then up to date OS. I was asked if I'd prefer XP and boy do I wish I had taken up the offer. Anyways, everything runs fairly smoothly until sometime in late 2009 when Vista SP2 was released. For some reason my machine refused to install the Automatic Upgrade version, and a subsequently manually downloaded version,  in spite of my trying to find what the problem was by deleting Windows Security Updates in reverse order from when the non-installation first occurred. After weeks of trying with no success I thought sod it, I'll just keep running SP1 until it becomes obsolete and make a decision then as to what to do.

That moment is upon us as MS will shortly be pulling the plug on security updates for SP1. It will still work, but there may be security issues in the future. I had decided to upgrade to Windows 7, even though it would mean a complete reinstalltion of all the dozens of programs I've got - a real time consuming pain in the ass. By pure coincidence I had recently installed ESET security on the recommendation of a computer wizard mate. Being a tight bastard I've been using various free anti-virus and firewall jobbies for quite some time, and ESET is the first security software I've actually paid real cash money for in years.

So, ESET is installed, I run a virus check and it finds some unwanted gubbins in Java that I duly deleted. On restart, the old "Windows has uninstalled updates" (Vista SP2) message reappears, so methinks I'll try it one more time on the offchance. Well, slap me in the face with a kipper if it doesn't actually install the bloody thing!!! Blimey, fuck me, etc etc - hats off to ESET. Of course as this upgrade is now several months overdue, there follows many Windows Security Updates to install, and 28 restarts later my 'pooter is seemingly up to date.

One of the updates asks me if I want to install Internet Explorer 9, why not I thought? I've been running IE8 with no problems, although I had dabbled in Google Chrome and Firefox, I'm used to IE, and although others may think it's shite, I've had no problems with it.

After restart, there's IE9 up and running. First off I'm not sure I like its new look, nicked wholesale off Chrome, but more worryingly all my computer sounds have stopped working. If you know me and my music obsession this is like a coke fiend running out of marching powder. Not good. Several hours of trawling through forums and applying fixes that have made no difference, I thought I'll uninstall IE9 and go back to IE8. With IE8 running suddenly gmail won't load, and I've still no sound. So, Firefox is loaded, gmail works fine, but still no sound. Perhaps it was one of the security updates that did for my my aurals? Hope not as it's going to be a reet bugger hunting down the culprit. I reckon it's another glitch with f*ckin' Windows f*ckin' Vista myself.....I'll keep you informed.

By the way if any of you lot reading this know a solution, do tell!!