thanks for the offer, but it's really my own dang fault. i am terrified to further tinker with my computer until the school term is over. thinking back to what happened the last time i tried to DIY ye olde nerdbox, it's just as well.

supposedly, all i need to do is unscrew the damned thing, count to ten, and then reinstall it for it to resume functionality. so, we'll see. if that doesn't fix it, http://www.newegg.com , here i come!