Today I booted up my computer and opened Microsoft Office. I use Office daily as I'm a writer and I also send correspondence to newspapers.

I opened a Word file to do some revision and receive this message, "word could not create the work file. Check the temp environment variables".

I closed Office and checked my Log Files: a continuation of errors, Ntfs, Volsnap, VSS, Net Runtime?

I then opened the action Centre white flag there was one problem listed " Windows needs to scan your computer from possible threats"

I clicked on the Microsoft shield to find out the scan operation had been "locked"?

OK, I then went Windows Defender and found everything normal "green background with a white tick.

Clicked on Scan, halfway through, a scan a message "Windows Defender could not scan your PC. Clear History!

I then checked the boxes, Quarantined items, Allowed Items, and All detected items--they were all blank? No history to clear.  

Next to Firewall, same green background with a white tick and yes I was connected to the internet.

Then off to System Restore: last backup date 22/07/2013. Set System Restore in motion.

Messaged received: "cannot restore files some files corrupted". 

So, I checked my Registry, no files are corrupted.

So back into Windows Office opened a file and tried to print out the correspondence; Windows would not allow the process. OK, I managed to copy the correspondence and send the correspondence to a newspaper via Outlook. At this stage I do not no whether I have been successful.

Next I turned to my Apps and found out that Windows thought I was a spy!

I tried to open the Windows Solitaire App and found myself under scrutiny: " Who are you? To prove you are legit enter your password". 

I did this and was allowed to play.

Then I went to my e-mail account and to my amazement discovered this message: "Your are currently signed in an Office 365 e-mail account canot be used with Outlook. com.

Well that news to me there is no Outlook 365 on my hard drives.

The upshot, I cannot use any of my Office 2010 files, I cannot use my printer, I cannot download from the internet (my internet defaults to Excel)

There was nothing wrong with my computer yesterday evening my hard drive was humming along beautifully.

Do you know what my next step is? In order to restore my Office files I will have to "refresh" my files and wipe my hard drive clean of any files that are non-Microsoft. 

This has happened five times since April.

Not impressed, a certain brand of fruit is looking inviting.

John Macleod