Okay, this is getting annoying.
My computer was all patched up and ready to go this morning, so I started installing applications.
The LDraw suite came up in the queue and, for some reason, I trivialized my last bad experience with it. I figured I could make it work this time (last time it overwrote some system DLLs). So, instead of copying the folders across and manually linking them to the menus, I did the install.
Yup, it moved the system files across -- or tried. It would get them in on the re-boot.
So I trolled a bit to find where in the registry it was marked to do this action. I didn't find it, but then, I didn't look that hard.
Cleverly, I thought, I would foil its plans and set System32 to read-only! Woo! I are smart!
Not.
It turns out that the boot process REQUIRES write access to some bullshit log under System32. Blue screens without it. Can't boot in safe mode. Can't even boot off the CD to get a console!
Bastards.
So. I finally get the CD to boot, and I try for a repair. Starts out okay, but it's all confusing since I have two drives each with its own version of windows, and no way to discern which is which at the start. To make matters MORE FUN, the drive letters get swapped around, so my guess is wrong. Did I mention recently how much Windows bugs me?
So that didn't work. I unplug my RAID card so there will be NO CONFUSION.
That drive isn't boot capable. Won't find the OS, refuses to even try to check the boot track. But when I ask for a re-install, it's plenty happy to notice and then delete the existing windows folder.
Bastards.
But that doesn't work. Why? Beats the hell out of me! I started the install and then took a shower. I came back to see it was trying to re-start the install. Reboot. Can't find the OS.
Bastards.
Now I'm re-formatting. Hours (hours!) of dicking around in Windows lost. Ah well, writing is overrated anyway. Who cares if I'm a week behind again? I'll just take it out of my padding -- the padding time I was going to use to CLEAN UP BITS OF THE BOOK.
Bastards.