Account Adventures

So I posted on the Customer Service forum and asked about how to get the account back. I got a blue response saying that the first step was to make sure my computer was completely secure, and the second was to ring their phone number and see about getting the account back.

My experience with Windows has been that the only way to ensure that it is reasonably secure is to reinstall from scratch. Given that I haven't done that since I got this computer, I'm probably due for it anyway. So I went to do that, but then realised that I don't know where my XP CD is.

I then had the thought of using Linux, since I feel that that is the only real way I can be truly safe from keyloggers anywayz, but I haven't been able to get Ubuntu working since my nVidia video card died last year, and I've had to revert to using an onboard ATI Radeon 200 Xpress. As (bad) luck would have it, from what I've been reading, this particular video card seems to enjoy around the same level of Linux support as a Lucent Winmodem which I had the excruciating misfortune of owning and cajoling into working with Linux several years back. OpenGL in Linux is also more resource intensive than Windows on the same hardware, and I'm already forced to run at 800x600 in Windows as it is.

I've downloaded some drivers from ATI's site, but I am predicting that the process of getting them working with my current install of Ubuntu is going to be a pain; and the Linux equivalent of grinding grain and making butter by hand really isn't something I have a lot of enthusiasm for any more, to be honest.

I guess I'm just going to have to grit my teeth and try to get it working.

I have a feeling that before I've finished with this, I'm also going to be strongly tempted to lodge a formal complaint with the Australian Chinese embassy. ;-)

EDIT:- I've just remembered I have a copy of Spybot Search and Destroy. I'm going to run that and see what it comes up with, and also look for a couple of other malware detection programs as well. It will be easier than having to completely reinstall; I just hope it's enough.