Phaeton :: Computer Malfunction - Command Center Locked Up

I had a serious issue arise today while simply trying to reprogram the radio settings on the infotainment system. When I hit the autostore button (which I had done many times before), the system kind of ground to a halt, wherein it found and programmed a new station, then a couple of others, but it took forever to finish - something that had never happened before. So I hit the autostore button again, with no effect.

Then suddenly, the whole system rebooted - the screen went black, then the welcome VW sign, then the radio started blasting again, but with only 1 or 2 stations showing. Nothing I could do to change anything worked. I couldn't switch to the CD player, I couldn't manually tune the radio, and then I found out that I didn't even have control of the temperature settings in the climate control any longer. the whole front control system seemed to be completely frozen.

And then it rebooted again - after only about 20 seconds of playing. this cycle repeats itself, over and over again. I have no control over anything on the front dashboard. I tried powering down the system, but that didn't work. So I pulled the fuse and then started it all up again, only to have the same issues again. Then frustrated, I took my key out, got out of the car, and closed the door. the damn thing kept doing the same thing. Even removing the key and locking the car up didn't slow it down. I took it to the dealer and explained the problem, and when we went out to the lot to look at it, some 5 minutes after I had arrived there, there was the system playing away all by itself, and then rebooting itself. they did a couple of checks on it and said something like - the whole command center is screwed = you need a new one.