Computer anxiety

The last few days I’ve been dogged by computer problems.
The old adage states “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” applies particularly to computers, as many of you will know. However, sometimes one feels one must update software because of warning messages telling of all the terrible things that might cross one’s path if one doesn’t, or because the new version offers new irresistibly exciting possibilities.

One thing I have learnt the hard way is always to make a restore point before changing anything in the computer. System Restore is the time travelling component of the Windows operating system that can make the computer somewhat younger so that it forgets everything that has happened to it since a certain time. This does not guarantee to solve all problems for there are bits and bytes that burrow so deeply into the system that they become unreachable to even the most inventive hunters. A reinstallation of Windows may then be the only solution, a traumatic event for most if not all.
Recently, a sudden popup informed me that there was an update to the DivX media player, which I use to watch videos via the computer. After doing so, I had problems starting Windows XP, which either refused to do so or did but agonisingly slowly. Eventually, I got Windows to start normally – don’t ask me how. A search of the DivX forum informed me that others were having similar problems and that it was probably caused by a continuously active DivX update component, and that this unfortunate programming error would be corrected in the next version. Well, thank you very much!
This sort of bungling makes one immediately search for alternatives. I did for a while and though there are other players purporting to provide similar functionality, I could find none that gave me that YES response. I decided in the meantime to remove the new DivX version 8 and replace it with the old version 7, which had served me well and without problems.
Today, Firefox reminded me that the Flash player was tottering about on failing legs so I decided to update that to the latest version.
After making a restore point, I downloaded the file from the Flash site and installed it. Unfortunately, I had overlooked the small print advising one to uninstall the old version first – information that should have appeared not only in large print, but also with flashing (no pun intended) brightly coloured letters. Anyway, the site informed me that the installation hadn’t been successful and that the old version was still on my computer.
In the event of problems, the site advised using their special uninstall program, which I then did. After restarting the computer, I then installed the new version again but on checking, the site told me that the old version still inhabited my computer.
Are you still with me?
Thoroughly disillusioned, I decided, ‘To hell with the update’ and used the restore point I’d made to get back to normal. When I checked again, out of curiosity, the Flash site informed me that I had the latest version. Huh! Do I or don’t I?
Anyway, I decided to let things well alone and hope for the best.
Why can’t software developers make sure that their software behaves itself and takes care of its own business? If it makes a note of what it has installed and where, then if should be able to find it again and do what’s necessary, one might think.
Phew! Now back to writing.

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