By the way (and not at all incidentally) - All the things discussed here are *illegal* and *blocked* under the new windoze vista.
Whereas we believe (rightly) that we have the right to maintain our systems and recover from problems, microsoft does *not*. When xp came out the trend was clear: lock users into windoze; build windoze around drm; move windoze and office to a subscription model where users pay annually for their software to operate; get control of drm such that microsoft has to be paid every time you see a movie or listen to a song.
Don't get me wrong, I like windows (2000) it's the biz practices being implemented that are the problem. Win2K Pro is my last microsoft os unless these biz practices change, and I'm strongly encouraging my client base to do the same. I'm exploring alternatives, but right now linux has a slight lead on the Mac.
Have to get back to work, but will offer a few interesting links:
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=196602058
http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?newsid=7675
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36653
http://www.gripe2ed.com/scoop/story/2006/10/24/0456/5625
http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/useterms/ -- (search for vista)