Corrupt, Absent Or Not Writable

A little while ago my computer was thought beyond repair. When you switched it on it would helpfully inform you that:

STOP: c0000218 (registry file failure) The registry cannot the load the hive (file):\systemroot\system32\config\software or its log or alternative. It is corrupt, absent or not writable. Beginning dump of physical memory. Physical memory dump complete. Contact your system administrator or technical support group for further assistance.

And then nothing. Some friends informed me what a corrupt registry meant and that I should probably resign myself to losing all the scripts I'd written and photographs I'd taken and learn a valuable lesson about not backing things up.

Go and back your stuff up now. Go on. I'll wait. You'll thank me later.

Nice to have you back. Not having decent access to a computer in this day and age is more frustrating than I expected. People sent me scripts I couldn't read, people wanted me to send them scripts that may no longer have existed and you can't watch Doctor Who on the iPlayer if you miss it. Astonishingly this blog has somehow managed to carry on regardless while I have been without a computer. Maybe it doesn't need me anymore. Maybe it will see me as an inconvenience and decide it is better off without me. Maybe it will try and kill its creator like Frankenstein's monster.


Then again maybe not. Maybe it will run out of pre-prepared blogs just before I manage to pick up my now-fixed laptop and force me to write some filler material in a crowded and noisy library because the computers here won't allow me to embed another Pulp video. When I was a kid the only sounds you'd hear in a library were the datestamp, the crackle of stickyback plastic on a book as it opened and a bit of shushing. This library is more like a forum for open debate with a large spoonful of gossip thrown in.

The good thing about this development is that I can take this opportunity to thank Kev, Abigail, Dave, Nathan, Z & Cage for their IT advice and Neil, Sarah & Tom who have actually fixed the laptop. Thank you very much, you really went above and beyond the call on that one.

P.S. I know you didn't really go and back up your stuff, but one day you'll wish you had.