Now for that rant...
Aug. 4th, 2005 12:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
morrigirlI am furious with Dell Tech Support. FURIOUS!!! My computer has been in the midst of a severe malfunction for the last TWO WEEKS and they have yet to provide me with ANY form of helpful assistance.
Our story begins on the evening of July 26th. I Arrived home from work, turned on the AC, stripped, shoved a Digiorno pizza in the toaster, and turned on my computer. Upon loading the desktop Windows Installer suddenly popped up displaying the message "Please wait while Windows configures PhotoGallery." Having never seen this before I waited to see what would happen. It took a moment to load and then displayed the message "The feature you are trying to use is on CD-ROM or other insertable disk that is not availible. Please insert the PhotoGallery Disk and click OK." This is where I got confused. I don't own any software called "PhotoGallery" and as a result do not have any PhotoGallery Disk or CD-ROM. I clicked cancel hoping to end the erroneous install. I got the message "Error 1706 No valid source could be found for product PhotoGallery. The Windows Installer cannot continue." Great! So I click Okay at the bottom of the installer window and what happens? The entire process begins all over again starting with "Please wait while Windows configures PhotoGallery."
The process has been on a never ending loop for the last two weeks. I boot up my computer, Windows Installer tries to install this software I don't own, and it continues to do so until I shutdown the system for the night. As far as computer malfunctions, it could be worse. I can still get on the internet, still sign on to AIM. However I can't install any new programs or software, and I can only play music or play Sims 2 for maybe 15 minutes at a stretch before the programs freeze or shut down.
So, having no idea what the problem is or how to fix it, I call the Dell Tech Support hotline where I wait 20 minutes to speak to a technician before my cellphone loses the call. I call back and stay on hold for 30 minutes before my cellphone cuts out. This continues until I grow sick of waiting and turn to the Dell website for answers. On their support websire Dell has a chat feature that allows you to troubleshoot with a tech specialist in real time. GREAT! So I try to log on and I can't. I try again, no cigar. I try for almost an hour and still can't get through. So now I must resort to plan C: just send Dell Support a plain old email. I write a very clear and detailed email message asking for advice on how to resolve my problem. Then I turn off my compy and go to bed.
The next day I receive a response from a Tech Support Specialist named Trupti. Trupti tells me I should try uninstalling and re-installing Windows Installer and sends me the following step by step instructions on how to do so:
Uninstall and reinstall windows installer:
1. Click the Start button.
2. Click Control Panel.
The Control Panel window appears.
3. If you are not using Classic View, click Switch to Classic View.
4. Double-click Administrative Tools.
The Administrative Tools window appears.
5. Right-click Windows Installer, and left-click Stop.
6. Close the Administrative Tools window.
7. Click the Start button.
8. Click Run.
9. Type the following text in the Open: field:
cmd
10. Click the OK button to open the Command Prompt window.
11. Type the following text at the C:\> prompt:
cd /d %systemroot%\System32
12. Press the key.
13. Type the following text at the C:\Windows\System32> prompt:
ren Msi.dll msi.old
14. Press the key.
15. Type the following text at the C:\Windows\System32> prompt:
ren Msiexec.exe msiexec.old
16. Press the key.
17. Type the following text at the C:\Windows\System32> prompt:
ren Msihnd.dll msihnd.old
18. Press the key.
19. Close the Command Prompt window.
Reinstall windows installer:
1. Insert the Office XP CD.
2. Click the Start button.
3. Click My Computer.
The My Computer window opens.
4. Double-click the Office XP CD icon.
5. The Office XP window appears.
6. Double-click the INSTMSIW.EXE icon.
The Windows Installer Setup window appears.
7. Click the OK button.
Reboot your system.
I read them, they appear to be pretty straight forward, I decide to give em a try. Everything goes fine until I get to step 5: "Right-click Windows Installer, and left-click Stop." Well...I right-click Windows Installer and nothing happens, and there is no "Stop" button to be seen anywhere on the screen. I'm confused and I'm afraid of skipping what might be a necessary step so I email Trupti, explain my problem and ask for clarification on step 5.
On July 30th I get a response from a Tech Specialist named Surendra. Surendra has deemed it best to completely ignore my question about step 5 and instead provide me with a new set of possible solutions. Um, okay. He suggests I try using the Microsoft System Configuration Utility to fix the problem. He links me to this article and includes the following instructions on how to run MSCONFIG:
? Uncheck all the startup items except the Anti-virus option in the
startup tab.
? Locate the Anti-virus program if you have Norton antivirus, the items
in the startup tab will be as ?ccap?. And if you have MacAfee the items
will be mc. Please check these options in the startup tab.
? In the Service Tab, click on ?Hide all Microsoft tab? and uncheck all
the other options
Sounds easy enough. He also suggests I install the Windows Installer Clean up Utility when I'm done running MSCONFIG. No prob.
So I follow the MSCONFIG instruction to a tee. And it works! Upon re-boot I've no Windows Installer pop-up! Unfortunately I can no longer open anything on my computer. I can't access the internet, can't open any Office XP applications, can't do anythig other than stare at my useless desktop. Thanks Surendra. So I go back into MSCONFIG and undo everything I've just done. I re-boot, everything is back to normal, but Windows Installer is still going haywire. Now I turn to the Windows Installer Clean up Utility. I try to install it but, guess what? Since Windows Installer is already in "use" it can't install the program. Fiddle dee dee. I send ANOTHER email to Dell Support detailing my latest problems with their solutions, and wait.
On August 1st I receive a response from a Tech Support Specialist named Yesudas. Yesudas has sent me links to two articles he thinks may be of help. Unfortunately neither of the articles has anything to do with the problem I'm experiencing. Three strikes Dell, you're out. In my FOURTH email I reiterate the specifics of my problem and give an overview of all the unhelpful advice I've gotten so far. I close with "I would appreciate a thoughtful and helpful reply this time."
Yesterday I get a response from a Tech Support Specialist named Lalit. Lalit tells me to run Nortin Anti-Virus, that should clear up the problem.
WTF!
Do they really think I'm that fucking dense?! I email a FIFTH time informing the next person who stumbles upon my problem that I've been running Norton, Spybot, AND Ad-Aware upon start up every day for the last two weeks and it has not solved anything.
I am currently awaiting the latest piece of dribble from the idiots at Dell. I expect our correspondence could go on for months. But I know a couple of the people reading this are pretty handy when it comes to computers. So? What do you guys think? Have you got any suggestions? AM I dense? Am I missing something? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.
Our story begins on the evening of July 26th. I Arrived home from work, turned on the AC, stripped, shoved a Digiorno pizza in the toaster, and turned on my computer. Upon loading the desktop Windows Installer suddenly popped up displaying the message "Please wait while Windows configures PhotoGallery." Having never seen this before I waited to see what would happen. It took a moment to load and then displayed the message "The feature you are trying to use is on CD-ROM or other insertable disk that is not availible. Please insert the PhotoGallery Disk and click OK." This is where I got confused. I don't own any software called "PhotoGallery" and as a result do not have any PhotoGallery Disk or CD-ROM. I clicked cancel hoping to end the erroneous install. I got the message "Error 1706 No valid source could be found for product PhotoGallery. The Windows Installer cannot continue." Great! So I click Okay at the bottom of the installer window and what happens? The entire process begins all over again starting with "Please wait while Windows configures PhotoGallery."
The process has been on a never ending loop for the last two weeks. I boot up my computer, Windows Installer tries to install this software I don't own, and it continues to do so until I shutdown the system for the night. As far as computer malfunctions, it could be worse. I can still get on the internet, still sign on to AIM. However I can't install any new programs or software, and I can only play music or play Sims 2 for maybe 15 minutes at a stretch before the programs freeze or shut down.
So, having no idea what the problem is or how to fix it, I call the Dell Tech Support hotline where I wait 20 minutes to speak to a technician before my cellphone loses the call. I call back and stay on hold for 30 minutes before my cellphone cuts out. This continues until I grow sick of waiting and turn to the Dell website for answers. On their support websire Dell has a chat feature that allows you to troubleshoot with a tech specialist in real time. GREAT! So I try to log on and I can't. I try again, no cigar. I try for almost an hour and still can't get through. So now I must resort to plan C: just send Dell Support a plain old email. I write a very clear and detailed email message asking for advice on how to resolve my problem. Then I turn off my compy and go to bed.
The next day I receive a response from a Tech Support Specialist named Trupti. Trupti tells me I should try uninstalling and re-installing Windows Installer and sends me the following step by step instructions on how to do so:
Uninstall and reinstall windows installer:
1. Click the Start button.
2. Click Control Panel.
The Control Panel window appears.
3. If you are not using Classic View, click Switch to Classic View.
4. Double-click Administrative Tools.
The Administrative Tools window appears.
5. Right-click Windows Installer, and left-click Stop.
6. Close the Administrative Tools window.
7. Click the Start button.
8. Click Run.
9. Type the following text in the Open: field:
cmd
10. Click the OK button to open the Command Prompt window.
11. Type the following text at the C:\> prompt:
cd /d %systemroot%\System32
12. Press the
13. Type the following text at the C:\Windows\System32> prompt:
ren Msi.dll msi.old
14. Press the
15. Type the following text at the C:\Windows\System32> prompt:
ren Msiexec.exe msiexec.old
16. Press the
17. Type the following text at the C:\Windows\System32> prompt:
ren Msihnd.dll msihnd.old
18. Press the
19. Close the Command Prompt window.
Reinstall windows installer:
1. Insert the Office XP CD.
2. Click the Start button.
3. Click My Computer.
The My Computer window opens.
4. Double-click the Office XP CD icon.
5. The Office XP window appears.
6. Double-click the INSTMSIW.EXE icon.
The Windows Installer Setup window appears.
7. Click the OK button.
Reboot your system.
I read them, they appear to be pretty straight forward, I decide to give em a try. Everything goes fine until I get to step 5: "Right-click Windows Installer, and left-click Stop." Well...I right-click Windows Installer and nothing happens, and there is no "Stop" button to be seen anywhere on the screen. I'm confused and I'm afraid of skipping what might be a necessary step so I email Trupti, explain my problem and ask for clarification on step 5.
On July 30th I get a response from a Tech Specialist named Surendra. Surendra has deemed it best to completely ignore my question about step 5 and instead provide me with a new set of possible solutions. Um, okay. He suggests I try using the Microsoft System Configuration Utility to fix the problem. He links me to this article and includes the following instructions on how to run MSCONFIG:
? Uncheck all the startup items except the Anti-virus option in the
startup tab.
? Locate the Anti-virus program if you have Norton antivirus, the items
in the startup tab will be as ?ccap?. And if you have MacAfee the items
will be mc. Please check these options in the startup tab.
? In the Service Tab, click on ?Hide all Microsoft tab? and uncheck all
the other options
Sounds easy enough. He also suggests I install the Windows Installer Clean up Utility when I'm done running MSCONFIG. No prob.
So I follow the MSCONFIG instruction to a tee. And it works! Upon re-boot I've no Windows Installer pop-up! Unfortunately I can no longer open anything on my computer. I can't access the internet, can't open any Office XP applications, can't do anythig other than stare at my useless desktop. Thanks Surendra. So I go back into MSCONFIG and undo everything I've just done. I re-boot, everything is back to normal, but Windows Installer is still going haywire. Now I turn to the Windows Installer Clean up Utility. I try to install it but, guess what? Since Windows Installer is already in "use" it can't install the program. Fiddle dee dee. I send ANOTHER email to Dell Support detailing my latest problems with their solutions, and wait.
On August 1st I receive a response from a Tech Support Specialist named Yesudas. Yesudas has sent me links to two articles he thinks may be of help. Unfortunately neither of the articles has anything to do with the problem I'm experiencing. Three strikes Dell, you're out. In my FOURTH email I reiterate the specifics of my problem and give an overview of all the unhelpful advice I've gotten so far. I close with "I would appreciate a thoughtful and helpful reply this time."
Yesterday I get a response from a Tech Support Specialist named Lalit. Lalit tells me to run Nortin Anti-Virus, that should clear up the problem.
WTF!
Do they really think I'm that fucking dense?! I email a FIFTH time informing the next person who stumbles upon my problem that I've been running Norton, Spybot, AND Ad-Aware upon start up every day for the last two weeks and it has not solved anything.
I am currently awaiting the latest piece of dribble from the idiots at Dell. I expect our correspondence could go on for months. But I know a couple of the people reading this are pretty handy when it comes to computers. So? What do you guys think? Have you got any suggestions? AM I dense? Am I missing something? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.
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no subject
Date: 2005-08-06 02:12 am (UTC)I swear, I should be an on-call Computer Service Technician or some bullshit. *laughs* I know how to reinstall windows without formatting the hard drive. Just have to convince windows that it doesn't exist. Oh, how I love doing that.
But, unfortunately, shit happens. This is why I partitioned my hard drive. I will admit, I've had to format my boot partition a number of times. Ah, but everything else remains on my trusty hard drive! Such luck. Especially when I was building Roxanne, I was using my old hard drive. I couldn't get her to boot off my SATA. I lost my patience and just installed windows on my old boot drive. I know it's possible to boot off an SATA, I just. Eh. Couldn't figure out which button to press. : D
Also, your directions, your long-winded directions, look slightly flawed. The way to disable windows installer may be in adminstrative tools, but it's in Services.
Let me explain something. Now and then, for whatever reason, my mom will claim the printer is "uninstalled". It would claim that the printer spooler was stopped. Through sheer persistence, I ended up in the Services tab and saw Printer Spooler. I thought "Eureka!" I tried to turn it on, and got a message saying something it was dependent on was disable. I scratched my head, looked for what it said it was dependent on (LexBce Server, whatever that is). It was disabled. Put it on automatic. Enabled the printer spooler. Did a test print in notepad, and I was good to go. This problem has happened THREE TIMES, completely at random.
So. Could we have fixed this? I don't know. I'm sure you're stubborn enough to try all you can.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-07 04:58 am (UTC)I've actually figured out a temporary fix to my problem. The solution? Task manager. Don't know why I didn't think of it before. Sure I still get the same pop-up when I tunr my compy on but at least now I can get rid of it.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-07 05:41 am (UTC)I remember when The Sims got corrupted and I had to convince Windows that it didn't exist so I could reinstall it. I literally went through the registry and obliterated any mention of "The Sims". It worked.
I was going through some privatized entries and saw one from you. I have another friend who's been going through computer troubles and I felt compelled to put my piece in, yet again. My LJ has been nudie-free since Rutgers smited my webspace. (Because I left Rutgers and am no longer a student there. *nods*)
Hrm. If only I had broadband. If I did, I'd suggest letting me do remote assistence to float through your computer. My strategy usually involves using the "find" function. Well, that's my ONLY strategy. I'd use "installer" as my search query, then look for an entry that seems to indicate it loading on startup.
Don't know...
no subject
Date: 2005-08-08 01:20 pm (UTC)After shutting down the installer using taks manager I was able to install the Windows Installer Clean up Wizard and that seems to have solved the problem...for now. Mind you it ws strangers on an internet forum who were able to tell me how to fix it NOT our friends the Dell people. I think I shall kill Dell. With a big stick!
no subject
Date: 2005-08-08 05:11 pm (UTC)I had a job for a while, but was fired for flipping off one of my managers when she wasn't looking. For the best - I'll be going to county this fall. It'll take me forever, but I'll find my way through school. It's at least a distraction while I figure out what the hell to do with myself.