I posted this exact question on a newsgroup a while back and got a ton of helpful replies. Don't sleep on Usenet — comp.* groups are full of people who actually know what they're talking about, way more than some web forums full of script kiddies.

Be REALLY careful what you download to fix this. Half the 'free fix-it' programs you find are spyware in disguise. Stick to known-good stuff like the tools from major sites, and always scan downloads with your antivirus before running them.

I dealt with this same issue last year. The key thing is to make sure you're using the latest version of your software and check forums like Slashdot or Ars Technica for specific fixes. Technology changes so fast that advice from even 6 months ago can be outdated.

I've been using computers since the early 90s and the answer to this has changed dramatically over the years. Right now, the best approach is to use open source alternatives when possible — they're usually free and often better than commercial products.

I'd wait a few months before jumping on this. New technology always has bugs and the price drops fast. Remember how DVD players were $600 and now they're $40? Let the early adopters work out the kinks and pay full price.

I learned the hard way to always back up before messing with this kind of thing. Burn a CD-R of anything important first. It takes 10 minutes and could save you from losing everything if something goes sideways.