Hrm, so it looks like it cancelled and restored the original partition info, and the data is all still there - I guess since I did it before it went past the 40GB point. Yay for not having to spend another three hours faffing.

Heh, so this is why I've got a 32GB pendrive with Windows recovery on.

If I'm reading my ramblings correctly, it wasn't any help and there's no reason not to overwrite it ... so why do I feel like the day after I do, Windows will suddenly break on me... :'S

I thought you said the pendrive was useless for windows recovery anyway? Besides, the things are dead cheap.

They are, which is why I went out at lunchtime and just got a new one.

It's frustrating that every supposed-to-be-quick task I try to do turns into an odyssey.

Here's a new-to-me debian based os. Can't tell if it's super-easy, or just dumbed down Gnome

https://endlessos.com/

I vote dumbed down Gnome.

Turns out it's not even proper Debian...
https://support.endlessm.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004795106-Is-Endless-OS-based-on-Debian-
https://support.endlessm.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000097483-Why-can-t-I-use-apt-get-dpkg-dnf-or-rpm-commands-

Does look like a kiddie toy.