The problems all began when my laptop started making such a racket that earplugs were required to make using it bearable. The hard disk was dying.

Okay, a day of migrating all my data, programs and settings to the spare computer and I'd be set to go. Or so I thought.

So began the journey through the darkness of microsoft pain and computer virus nightmares.

It's been four days of tearing my hair out solving problem after problem. I'm out of the woods now, I think. And finally back online.