Call for DELL resource CD ???

Question

Hi,   I have a Dimension 9150 with XP PRO Media Centre OS.   The machine is just out of warranty and as it had proved problemmatical I took it to my local PC shop to have the OS reinstalled from the DELL-supplied disk.  I aslo had the shop change the RAID0 to a RAID1 for added reliability (incidentally it does not appear to have had any noticeable effect on the machine's speed).   The PC appears to work ok but I noticed an odd effect (well odd to me...) when I went to install WinSpy, which I run on another C without problems.  As soon as I start WinSpy I get a message:-   'Please wait while Windows configures the DELL resource disk', followed by:-   'The feature you are trying to use is on a CD-ROM or other removable disk that is not available. Insert the DELL resource disk and clck OK'   Error 1706 is mentioned and I'm informed Windows Installer cannot continue.   I uninstalled WinSpy but now find that when I click on the help file in SysInternall's Process Explorer I get the same error!   This has me completely baffleed!!   Incidentally I did have a DELL folder in the root of the C-drive, this appears to have a lot of drivers and I vaguely remember the shop said they'd copied them there off the CD for convenience should a driver be required later.  I had moved this out of the way to a folder I call 'net downloads' but when this problem appeared I moved it back to it's original place...   Listed under programmes (via 'start') was a folder called DELL Accessories, I also moved this out of the way into the 'net downloads folder. This appeared to be just a shortcut to the DELL resource CD.   I also moved this back when the above problem started.  However I find that whereas Explorer shows it as being in the programme folder it does not appear when I access programmes via the start button...   Can anyone throw some light on thiss 'very' intriguing problem - and maybe point me towards a solution.   The PC appearss to work well in all other aspects...   Thanks,   John

RoHe · Answer

start>run
type in: msconfig
click Startup tab
uncheck everything, except items related to firewall, antiviral software, mouse and video card.
Exit and reboot. Put check in "Don't show this again" box that appears at reboot.

Try installing Winspy again.

BTW: Did they reinstall Dell's Desktop System Software?
http://snipurl.com/1ypxe

Ron

johnbach · Answer

Hi Ron,Tnx fer the suggestion.   I normally try and keep utilities that start on boot-up to a minimum (using TuneUp Utilities).  At the moment I have starting:-   NvCpl  - graphic card utility programme (which I could posssibly disable) ACUMon - Cisco Wireless LAN monitor (my broadband) cfp - Comodo firewall avgnt - AntiVir antivirus ctfmon - an MS Office 'thingy' I believe which if I disable always reappears on re-boot... wwDisp - Windows Washer (temp/browser history cleaner)   I don't 'think' any of these are the problem...   > BTW: Did they reinstall Dell's Desktop System Software? I don't know.  The pc appears to work ok apart frrom the problem installing WinSpy and also when I view the SysInternals help file.   Thanks again for your help,   John

RoHe · Answer

You could try doing the WinSpy install in Safe Mode. And it wouldn't hurt to (re)install the Desktop System Software in Safe Mode first. Find it by starting here:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen

Ron

johnbach · Answer

Ron,

Thanks for your advice - and patience.

I suspect the exe I require is R121089 - and I have this on a blue DELL disc. I've installed this and all appears to go ok. However my problems have not gone away...

Incidentally I have uninstalled Super WinSpy. Both my SpySweeper and TREND on-line scanner flag it up as spywarewhich I think are false positives as I've every reason to believe it's perfectly legitimate software. In any event it's no longer part of the equation.

Typical errors I receive are:-

Warning 1909 - Could not create shortcut DELL Resource CD.lnk. Verify that the destination folder exists and that you can access it.

Error 1708 - No valid source could be found for Product DELL Resource CD. The Windows Installer cannot continue.

I do notice that - 'start'- 'programmes' - lists DELL Accessories which appears to contain a shortcut - examining this under 'properties' however shows Start In as being E - my DVD drive. Is this the problem maybe? The Start In is greyed out so I can't see any obvious way of changing it...

Thanks again for your patience,

John

RoHe · Answer

:) Thanks for telling us what worked, so the next time... Ron

johnbach · Answer

Hi,

Eventually sorted this problem out by downloading a little installer clean-up tool (can't remember it's name) from the Microsoft site and using it to delete the reference to DELL which it bought up - then uninstalling the tool itself.

Thanks

John

johnbach · Answer

> Thanks for telling us what worked, so the next time...   You're welcome, here's the relevant MS link:-   http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301   Take care   John

Windows General

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