Falcon409, it's sounding like your harddrive has some bad sectors. Sometimes these can be repaired, sometimes not, but I would think a full reformatting should fix it if it is fixable.
As for the operating system, I liken Windows Vista to Windows ME, lots of new stuff, but it doesn't always work. I think Windows 7 will be more like Windows XP in terms of stability and usefulness. The confusing side to Windows 7 will be in selecting the version that best suites your needs. Windows 7 will come in six flavors, but only two (Home Premium and Professional) are slated to be widely available on the retail level.
As for the operating system, I liken Windows Vista to Windows ME, lots of new stuff, but it doesn't always work. I think Windows 7 will be more like Windows XP in terms of stability and usefulness. The confusing side to Windows 7 will be in selecting the version that best suites your needs. Windows 7 will come in six flavors, but only two (Home Premium and Professional) are slated to be widely available on the retail level.