-pops-

I recently bought a Zotac Z Box barebones machine and installed 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD with W10. The machine is fanless and, with the SSD, i.e no moving parts whatsoever, is totally silent. The whole thing clicked together very easily and I am very happy with it.

You're not alone in this. It's happened to me several times over the years on different forums (including PC Advisor with the notorious whatshisname - with whom, if we had had any physical presence, would have ended in a fight, I'm sure). All will be good in the end.

Very nice!!

This type of drive is so cheap it is folly not to retain a backup copy of all data on a second drive - or even a third if you're that concerned.

I doubt it. There are a number of operating systems available, some have general uses, some have more specialised applications but the day when all computers come under the control of one conglomerate will not happen.

Hardly a day goes by without at least one rubbish new member. I am here almost every morning and evening to prune these things but, it does get quite wearisome when this garbage carries on and on and.............. I'm not the only mod who does this culling of the crap.

Do you treat zeniths with nadir ointment?

I also look in regularly and prune the never-ending flow of rubbish members that plague all forums (as I know the other moderators do). There is a problem with the whole forum format. It cannot compete with the so-called social media platforms and is regarded by many as being as modern as Noah and his Ark. Coupled with the fact that the whole raison d'être of Windows Forum is effectively obsolete doesn't offer much hope that anything can be resurrected. Sad? Perhaps but things must move on.

Pasta, probably linguine, with a tomato & cheese sauce. The tomato & cheese sauce comprises my own tomato sauce (see recipe in another section of the forum) with strong Cheddar cut into 1cm cubes and stirred in immediately before serving. Done this way the cheese just melts but doesn't properly mix with the tomato - a ripple effect.

The fundamental problem with the forum - and other forums dedicated to computer problems - is that since Microsoft have improved their product(s) so much there is not nearly as much difficulty experienced by users, thus less forum activity. Look at what has happened to PC Advisor (and its forum). It is not only computer forums, though. Forums dedicated to a whole range of other subjects are feeling the effects of more modern communication systems, collectively called social media. Personally, I don't get on with systems like Facebook and whatever the other similar things are. They are too immediate for my ageing brain and I think that may apply to some other members here who do still make an, albeit infrequent, appearance.

Yesterday was a beef curry. I cheated by using a bottled (Sharwoods) Madras sauce. Today is (completely) homemade leek & potato soup with the addition of Silesian (Polish) sausage (that part not homemade). Served with bread (made in the breadmaker).

Just shows how well we are doing our job. I also delete/ban several people a week who are trying either to sell things or subvert the forum in other ways.

There was a Belatucadrus absence from October 8th to November 28. My 'silent' visits are to try and keep a check that postings do not contravene the law or common decency.

Yesterday was fresh mussels in tomato sauce with rice. Today is hake but not sure how it will be cooked yet. Edit: the hake will be breadcrumbed and shallow fried, served with Actifry chips and cooked frozen peas.

Formatting should be the last process in tried in speeding up an errant computer.