Funny kind of fix, that, seeming to mean 'disappear' rather than 'repair'. When it finished and I had a look at my recent files there was clearly something amiss, something I couldn't ignore. Fortunately I had cut a new CD-Rom backup only the day before the system started acting up so all is not lost. In fact I can't find anything not there that ought to be there, if you see what I mean. There isn't one.
Computers go wonky every now and then.
If you take frequent backups it's not so bad when one of those wonky sessions hits ya. Oh, and leaving a convenient Dolly-spot right next to the tower case is probably not a good idea, either. Nothing of importance lost, though. In fact I've rather enjoyed being obliged to seek my entertainment elsewhere. It's still mild enough to be out of doors for quite long periods, and I've started a little gentle gardening out on the catio, trimming and fixing, tilling the soil where there are bare patches, and planning what to put in them.