Vista - Re-install after WAU

Let me kill some rumors:

1. Yes, you can get the Product Key from the WAU license, but it will not
let you re-install the version of Vista as an upgrade to itself so that you
can retain all your other program installations.

You MUST perform a Clean Install of the prior version (the one you
upgraded from) and it must have the correct Product Key for that version and
be Activated before the WAU license will allow you to update to your most
recent purchase.


2. If your prior version was an upgrade also, you are looking at three
consecutive installations of an OS to finally get to the point where you can
start correcting the drivers and installing your software.

Hope you had all your data backed up!

~~~~~~~~~
How did I get here?

After a month of minor problems, I finally had Vista working well. Then,
today, it all starting melting...
I first noticed that Computer Properties no longer recognized my
Processors and did not display my current Windows Experience (even if I
updated it.)
Then, in Control Panel | Personalize, all the text disappeared. The icons
remained and they worked.
Next, the Recycle Bin disappeared, but the text remained. If I deleted a
file, it reappeared.
Next, Restore Points could no longer be created... error messages.
Backup PC no longer worked... error messages.
Disk Management no longer worked... stated it was missing...
even if I clicked on the file directly.
It kept going down hill, so I reinstalled everything. (Five hours
later... I'm done.)
Should I run a backup?