OK, so the Dell finally got so slow I decided I had done all I could for it and it was time for a new PC.
So, I buy an HP pavillion from Best Buy, take it home, hook it up and voila- I cannot connect to the internet. Call HP (AKA India) after 4 hours the "tech" tells me to "Open the computer because the modem may have come loose in shipping" It was at this point I hung up. Take the HP back (it had given me a modem hardware malfunction message) and got a new one.
Guess what. Modem cannot detect a dial tone. (connection is fine I checked it). Called HP (aka India) "tech" tells me to OPEN THE COMPUTER because....yes, you guessed it "The modem may have come loose in shipping" can you say 'script". I asked how it's possible that two brand new computers can have 'loose modems' the answer "it can happen".
So, this afternoon I go to Best Buy again with blood in my eyes. The saga continues.
And, Boys and Girls all the while, Rome: Total War sits on my desk cooling it's heels.