Back to the Basics

I've recently had to reformat and reinstall Windows on my home desktop computer. Something is seriously wrong with that machine, and I don't think my troubles are over.

Anyway, I have been taking the reinstalls very slowly, just to be sure everything is ok before I take the time and effort to reset everything back to normal. So after the most recent reinstall of Windows XP Professional, I let the system run for about two weeks before installing any other programs.

One of the first programs I installed was Real Rhapsody 3.0. For those of you who don't know, it allows you to listen to thousands of tracks of music without buying each one. In essence, you are renting music. It's kinda cool, as it allows you to discover new music before you buy, and also borrow music you may not want to own.

However, I ran into a problem this weekend: Rhapsody won't let me authorize my account on my desktop. It tells me that three computers are already authorized for the Rhapsody service on my account, so I can't authorize a forth. Here's the catch: One of those three computers IS my desktop. I had previously authorized the program on my work laptop, my home laptop, and the home desktop.

Yet, because my home desktop crashed I was unable to "de-authorize" Rhapsody (and, come to think of it, iTunes as well). So, in order to fix this, Rhapsody's answer is to have me call an 800 number, wait for 15 minutes, and convince some service representative that I'm not trying to break the rules.

Well, I may have just had enough with "authorization" and "activation." I think I'm going back to listening to short clips of music on the internet and buying CDs of artists who I like. Plus, I have XM radio, which has free online streaming.

Oh, and that desktop: It is screwed up again. I think there's something seriously wrong with it.