Evidence (actually having a package delivered at this time and the app showing a message) points to this sms message being legit, but NOTHING ELSE ABOUT IT LOOKS ANYTHING BUT SUS.

Never send your users random messages to domains not associated with your brand and expect them to click it.

Most will, sure. But most are idiots.

@gudenau RIGHT?! I noped that message so hard. I honestly expect more from Amazon. On the other hand, can't actually picture a scammer using a single letter dot com domain. That'd be a baller move for a scammer.

Honestly annoyed with myself for waiting so long to reinstall. I know damn well Windows doesn't keep any stability over time. Used to be I would reinstall every six months as a matter of course. Then I went Mac and didn't come back for a decade and this foolishly lulled me into a false sense of security that operating systems actually behave themselves.

No longer annoyed, because yup. Hardware IS fubar. Crashes slowed off for a bit, but they're back. :~(

@paulgatling Yeah, that was all top of my diagnostic list. Eventually there are only so many possibilities left though.

Spoiler, I wrote that toot while the install was already underway and so far.... looking pretty good, actually.

Now for the (hopeful) return to normalcy:

I suspect my desktop's motherboard has simply shit the bed. Frequently get whole system lockups, especially in early boot phase and the video card isn't even recognized in one of the two PCI slots. Evidently adding/removing USB devices exacerbates the problem.

So either:
1/ The south bridge is on its last legs, and I'm out $$$ to replace the whole board.

2/ Window has lost its damned mind and I need to reinstall.

Option 2 would be cheaper and quicker to validate so I'm trying it now. Wish me luck.