Fourteen minutes of my life I’d really like back. Vista News Discuss Fourteen minutes of my life I’d really like back. in the Windows Vista forums; Good Times with Dell Tech Support Posted by Anthony Hecht on March 27 at 11:39 AM Fourteen minutes of my life I’d really like back. 03/27/2007 ...

[Snuffy]

Good Times with Dell Tech Support
Posted by Anthony Hecht on March 27 at 11:39 AM

Fourteen minutes of my life I’d really like back.

03/27/2007 01:08:32PM Agent (RTS Shelia S): “Thank you for patiently waiting. You have reached Dell Hardware Warranty Chat Support. My name is SHEILA and I will be assisting you today. In order for me to help you, can you provide details about the issue you’re having?”
03/27/2007 01:09:52PM Anthony Hecht: “I’m trying to install Vista, but it won’t boot from the DVD drive. I’ve successfully booted from CDs in the drive, but the Vista DVD media won’t boot. I pressed F12 to go to the boot menu, selected the CD-ROM device option, but it just goes right ahead and boots XP

03/27/2007 01:11:04PM Agent: “Anthony, have you chatted with Dell about the issue with installing Vista?”

03/27/2007 01:11:27PM Anthony: “no”

03/27/2007 01:12:01PM Agent: “To ensure we are working with the correct system, are you chatting about the *DIME521* listed on your account?”

03/27/2007 01:12:10PM Anthony: “yes”

03/27/2007 01:13:13PM Agent: “I understand the issue you are having with installing Vista, I will do all I can to resolve your issue in my scope of support.”

03/27/2007 01:13:23PM Agent: “Are you currently on the system?”

03/27/2007 01:14:08PM Anthony: “yes”

03/27/2007 01:14:49PM Agent: “What troubleshooting steps have you done?”

03/27/2007 01:16:48PM Anthony: “i’ve checked the DVD-ROM drive’s firmware, and installed the latest update from your site, no change. I’ve tried booting from both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the Vista DVD Media, neither worked. I’ve gone into the BIOS options (F2) and set the DVD drive to boot before the hard drive, as well as hitting F12 during start up and telling it to boot from the DVD that way. In all cases, the DVD drive spins up for a second, but then the XP loader takes over and XP loads from the hard drive.

03/27/2007 01:18:23PM Agent: “Did you purchase your copy of windows from Dell?”

03/27/2007 01:19:12PM Anthony: “The copy of XP that is currently installed on the machine is from Dell. The copy of Vista is not.”

03/27/2007 01:20:40PM Agent: “Did you purchase your copy of windows from Dell?”

03/27/2007 01:21:22PM Anthony: “you already asked me that. The copy if Windows XP that is installed on the machine is from Dell. The copy of Windows Vista was purchased from Microsoft.”

03/27/2007 01:21:44PM Agent: “Okay thanks.”

03/27/2007 01:22:45PM Agent: “I will not be able to assist you with installing the third party software.”

Funny but its REAL... it also keeps old farts like me (Like Vista Babble also) in BUSINESS assisting people on how to Install Vista and other stuff...

Taken from the Seattle Stranger NewsPaper.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Author?oid=31664

[ProCookie]

That take the biscuit that does! Just because it wasn't purchased from Dell she didn't want 2 know. The DVD drive wasn't doing the job and the problem was not with the media disk. Even just reading stuff like that makes me angry lol

[felix8406]

Is not as bad as the conversation from the AOL ex-customer that just wanted to cancel his account. Technically, the issue should have been reported to Microsoft or to vendor if OEM because (I'm assuming) the PC was working fine with Win XP. We can assume hardware problems, but there's also the possibility of a bad or not genuine copy of Vista.

[crabby]

As the customer has not tried the media on a different drive, we would come to the logical conclusion that it is either the media at fault or a problem with the DVD laser specifically?

crabby

[Snuffy]

03/27/2007 01:16:48PM Anthony: “i’ve checked the DVD-ROM drive’s firmware, and installed the latest update from your site, no change. I’ve tried booting from both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the Vista DVD Media, neither worked. I’ve gone into the BIOS options (F2) and set the DVD drive to boot before the hard drive, as well as hitting F12 during start up and telling it to boot from the DVD that way. In all cases, the DVD drive spins up for a second, but then the XP loader takes over and XP loads from the hard drive.

I have a buddy in Lenexa, Ks who had the same problem...He did purchase his copy of Vista thru Microsoft .. Dell told him almost the same story...He then called Microsoft and they sent him the link on "How to Flat Install".
Reference Article ID : 928633
Last Review : March 15, 2007
Revision : 1.4

Note A flat installation is a software installation that is performed from files that have been copied to a hard disk instead of from other installation media, such as a disc. You must have an additional 3 gigabytes (GB) of free disk space on the hard disk to install Windows Vista from a flat.

To install Windows Vista from a flat on the hard disk, follow these steps: a. Right -click Start, and then click Explore.
b. Locate and then click the CD or DVD drive that contains the Windows Vista disc.
c. On the Edit menu, click Select All.
d. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
e. On the hard disk, open the folder in which you want to create the flat.
f. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Folder.
g. Type Windows Vista Flat, and then press ENTER.
h. Double-click Windows Vista Flat, and then on the Edit menu, click Paste.
i. After the files are copied from the Windows Vista disc to the "Windows Vista Flat" folder, double-click Setup.exe.
j. Follow the steps in the Windows Setup Wizard to complete the installation

PS: Only 79 to go for 2000

[Wiggles]

That Sucks! Completely out of order, just because the software wasn't bought from Dell!!

I feel sorry for the guy.

Its stuff like that that really ticks me off.

[Snuffy]

That is also why I build my own. or special Order - .. Guess where my support comes from? I do not build Laptops but I do special Order them...
and my buddy in Lansing, he has me for support... so guess who is Emailing the solutions .. if he can not find...
PS: He also will be dual booting... XP and Vista... I offered him the link to VB, and his comments were. I have you, what more do I need?
PSS: No comment was my reply... I have VB if I run into problems...
God Loves the Members here.. and I do also.

[Wiggles]

Pretty cool, always wanted to build a pc...but how harder is it to build a laptop though?

P.S Cheers for the VB comment!

[ProCookie]

i build desktops and i make a lot of money out of it. I have always said building a computer is like grown-ups lego. Just a matter of knowing were everything go's.

[felix8406]

Building a PC is a lot of fun, you just have to be careful. The part I hate the most about the business is when someone wants to replace their hard drive and have Win XP install as well. I am currently installing Win XP in a PC with an Intel 2.2 CPU, 2GB Ram and excellent specs. So it's a fast computer, even by today's standards. So far, it has taken me over an hour to setup XP with all the updates, over 100 of them; and I haven't finish yet. The installation of the HD took me just a few minutes.

With Vista I would have been done by now; but some people are still attached to XP and for them it's hard to let go. Hope MS can deliver that SP3 for XP soon.