Windows\system\vgaoem.fon

So, what's this you ask? This is the problem my lap-top had yesterday. It was missing or corrupt.
Let's add context for my non-existent new readership...

I am a PhD student who is writing up the past 3 or so years of work, which I have submitted my own blood, sweat, years off my life through stress, and very close one day, but not quite because I am a man, tears. Right now, my working existance is on my laptop. Only a really good lottery win could ease my stress if it got stolen.

So, I turn on my computer yesterday morning, go have a shower, come back, and it is cycling through booting and crashing. Sorry if you've heard this before (Phil) but my life is kind of dull and boring right now... So, I try several things, starting in Safe Mode, Safe with command mode only, and a few other little tricks (1.5 hrs worth or so). All of which resulted in a crash before the Windows logo even comes up. So, now I'm shitting myself. Apologize for the swear, but really, can you blame me.

So, I call the company where I bought it from (still under warrantee!!!! Yay for me). The guy tells me to try this, I do, but then it shuts itself off before anything can happen. Let it cool down a bit because it might be overheating.... Try again, same result. Nothing

Not happy Jan. Not happy at all.

I guess the good news about the whole thing is that I did learn how to fix it, and now I have a nice "new" laptop. If you ever have this problem:

Drop your XP setup CD into the drive, press F2 to enter setup when you turn your computer on. Go over the "Boot" heading and move CD-ROM drive to the top of the list (use "+" and"-" buttons). Then re-start your system. Your computer will now boot from the CD drive.

When the XP setup CD starts, and asks you what you want to do, press "R" for repair. Then it'll analyze your system and fix the problem.

Now, if you've been good, like Sir Richard Branson, and have just give about 10.2 billion dollars to combat global warming, you may get lucky and this'll work. Now what did that guy standing next to me say when the guy at the tech shop finishing doing justthis..... ummmm

"That doesn't look good."

And no, it wasn't. The solution for all those who may eventually get a corrupt of missing vgaoem.fon, format your hard. Reinstall Windows from scratch. This'll work. And it did.

So, yesterday, my laptop was re-formatted, erasing every little last trace of everything that I had done. But because I am ultra paranoid of this type of problem. I always have back-ups. So fortunately, nothing was lost. Except ALOT of music I had saved on my computer. I bought a 40Gb Toshiba Gigabeat MP3 player a little while ago, and this acts as a portable hard drive. This has all my music on it, unfortunately it's stuck there as you can't pass it back to a computer (a bit crap, but I'm over it), but it has all of my files, twice, as I make it a habit of keeping 2 separate back-ups from different dates... Just in case....

I also hide this MP3 player at night when I'm sleeping so that it doesn't get stolen if we are robbed. And it's always close to me so that if there's a fire, I can grab it on my manly way to get wife and child out of the house. Paranoid??? Ya, but would't you be? And now I'm glad I'm so paranoid. Yesterday could have really hurt me. Really bad.

But as it is, my lap top runs like new, and is set up properly to actually take advantage of the hyperthreading ability on my 3.0GHz Pentium 4 processor. It's heaps faster now. THanks guy at Pioneer Computers Australia, Thanks....

God had a test for Jesus and the devil. They had 2 write a 10,000 word essay on ... ummm... I don't know, how about: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows, or to seek vengeance on those inflicting said slings and arrows until they stop slinging and repent. So, Jesus and the devil sit down to each's computer and write frantically for whichever side they chose. Fire streaming from the fingers of the devil with each key-stroke sounding like a thousand hounds from hell praising his cunning, and surprisingly well reasoned, arguments, and in the crowd, hell's populace cheering(?) him on. On the other side, sat Jesus, and as He typed, a blindingly, captivatingly beautiful light enshrouded him such that all but said hounds of hell could not help but gravitate towards. With the sound of each of His each key strokes echoing the beauty and melodious music that only God's chosen angels could have performed, and even then, only under the strict tutilage and guidance of God, Jesus continued to type. With 5 minutes left though, the fire from the devil's fingers causes a power short and Windows crashed in less than the blink of an eye, leaving both Jesus and the devil staring at a blank screen, reeling at how could this happen with 5 minutes left. Being pretty powerful beings though, they get things up and running with about 1 minute left. Jesus presses a few buttons, including "Print" and then hands his essay in to God, leaving the devil gobsmacked at how Jesus could have produced a 10,000 word essay, and print it in under a minute after loosing everything in the crash!!! The devil mounts a vicious protest citing foul play and cheating with his arms flailing, tail smacking his hounds, and his eyes and skin redder than the most reddist thing you've ever seen times 3 (he's the devil, he hates losing, what do you expect?), but he is instantly silenced by 2 words uttered from an unknown angel in the crowd, "Jesus saves."