Microsoft Stuff

12 March 2007:
The Dell Vista Express Upgrade package arrived last week.

I tried to upgrade my brand new - and allegedly "Vista Capable" - Dell laptop today and it stalled out at STEP ONE.

Yeah, the Dell Upgrade Assistant DVD doesn't even boot up and the first screen never even appears. Try to start the disc manually and the system freezes.

The sad, sad thing is I tried the DVD in a non-Vista laptop and it started correctly.

I downloaded updates to the DVD drive (an "urgent" one related specifically to my DVD drive model and Vista) and Windows Media Player v. 11 (just for the heck of it), but to no avail.

I'm sure the crack Dell support team will help me out... eventually.

No breath holding, please.

14 March 2007:
No word from Dell. As expected.

To Michael Dell I pose this question: Why is it so aggravating to deal with your company? And how could I have a brand new Vista-capable laptop that can't even read the install DVD? Read the Dell Hell chapter of Beer and Loafing in Zooropa for more on this miserable saga.

17 March 2007:
Still no response from the pinheads at Dell.

22 March 2007:
Did a Web chat with Dell support. They advised me to do a regedit on a couple filters.

Did it.

Still can't start the DVD.

Did a second chat with a real gem of a pinhead.

24 March 2007:
Tried the second chatter's recommendation. Didn't help.

E-mailed Dell support since the chat line was backed up.

Replied to Dell's absolutely worthless automated "recommendations." Waiting for a REAL answer...

... and the reply? I need to phone tech support and speak with a support person.

Great. No doubt I'll be on perpetual hold again.

Stay tuned...

25 March 2007:
Did the phone call. The guy, although a wee bit smug when explaining what the DVD needed to do, pointed me in the right direction. It wasn't enough to turn off virus scanning; I had to totally uninstall McAfee. Apparently the privacy shield was blocking the DVD's system access.

However, even after uninstalling McAfee, it didn't look like the issue was resolved. I left the frickin' DVD in the drive for quite some time (several minutes) then the Upgrade Assistant screen finally appeared.

I've reinstalled McAfee and I'll get back to the full upgrade when I'm good and ready. At least I'm back to the point where the silly thing looks like it'll run.