stephan wrote:... Gotta be freeware tho...broke as glass these days,and every penny counts.
My PROBLEMA also, I fly with obsolete hardware & software. My HP Pavilion Entertainment PC, a year ago had a screen like mother board was KAPUT. But after conecting a second monitor, it became stable again. About 4 months ago, it started the NO START thing. When I was closing the lid, just when it was almost closed
(two inches aperture) I saw a glow, waited & it started well. It turns out the FREE antivirus
(Avast) was doing that. I replaced it with Avira
(also free) and
problema solved!. The BiOS reports the hard disk needs replacment, but when I do a Windows Scan Restart, alles is GUT!! The most modern OS my Lap will accept is ViSTA, wich I learned here at Simviation's Q&A how to Tweak it,
(thank you Nick!) and it works as well as Windows 7 now. So there you are Stephan, I live with Freeware as in Free Software & Free Hardware, do my own PC maintenance, repairs & reinstalls -after the ocasional virus I clicked in my Email, disguised as a friend I trust, sending me something "I'd LOVE to see"...
(then tell my friend his Mail was kidnaped)...

BUT I never give up & keep trucking in my VW Transporter T2 1973 vintage
(because I worked at VW's repair shop from 1967 till 69: I am my own mechanic with all needed tools) & thanks to a classic by John Muir:
