Your alternative number for microsoft support was in fact for a company called I-yokie, who charged me £29.99 for advice, and tried first to sell a full year's troubleshooting cover. The advice worked, although I hadn't expected to be forking out at all.

I should have mentioned the number. It's 0800 6359644. So: not Microsoft.

Yup, that's the one. I would have preferred to get Microsoft. It was a simple question about a simple problem and I could have done without I-yokie's hard-selling techniques. The trouble with Microsoft, though, is that they seem permanently out to lunch.

Sorry but Microsoft are PERMANENTLY out to lunch !! If you ever get a return call you'll be lucky.
Did you try ringing  the numbers in Eire. I had more luck with those getting a human contact but again I still got a link to the Knowledgebase. That fixed my problem so I've no problem. It was just that when I searched there for the problem, I couldn't find it.

As for emails - all that they will do is answer your email (maybe!) again with a link to the Knowledgebase. There aren't many problems they haven't come across before.

The alternative is paying someone at £1.50/min for help. Don't you think that the annual support charge to this company works out A LOT cheaper than that ??