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Since I upgraded to Vista last week I have not been able to use my ATI WOnder Elite (PCI-e) TV tuner card. I have a Dimension e521 (AMD X2 4600, 160GB HD, DVD, DVD\RW, 1GB Ram, GeFore 7900GS).   During the initial reboot on install the computer would hang right before the loading Windows Screen. I manaed to get VISTA installed by removing the TV card (came with my system from Dell and is Vista compatible). I had no problems on the install and no problems running Vista without the TV card. I installed the card after Vista was up and running and Vista would fail at the same point in the boot process. Safe mode does not work and the computer will not boot.   I have looked all over and can not find a difinitive answer. What I have found is the the Nforce 4 series (430 is my Dimension) have a number of problems with Vista. One being with the South bridge chipse, PCI-e cards and Vista. I have even read about SATA issues (I am not running raid system)   I borrowed a friends Hauppage 150 TV card that is PCI (Dell sells the same card) and it works flawleslly.   I tlaked with tech supprt last week and they sent me a new card (refurbished) TV Wonder ELite even though I told them it would probably not work. It did not work. Same problems as the orginal card.   I again talkd with Tech Support for 2 hours on Monday of this week. All they could do was send me the same card that does not work. I told them that I belive it is PCI-e problem and would need a PCI card like the Hauppage card they sell. They are not able to send me a card that was not inlucded with my system. They could only send me the same card that does not work but as wold by Dell as a part of a Vista Compatible system and ATI says is Vista compatible.   I talked witht a supervisor and I will be getting a call from a 3rd Tier support person who might be able to authorize them sending me card that will actually work.   This is such lunacy. They would keep sending me the same card that dows not work over and over rather then send me a card that works, they sell and is cheaper the what it cost to add the TV Wonder Elite.   If anayone has any suggestions as how to get Dell (Computerr is still udner Warranty) to get of their rear and listen to a customer and actually help a customer I would be very grateful.   Thanks,   Mark Message Edited by Mark0824 on 04-25-2007 10:24 AM

Joseph Krugler · Answer

I've been getting the runaround,

I got a new Dell system. Yea....not!
After 3 hr. on the phone with a supervisior (so he claimed) dell suport went as far as giving me fake case # and disbatch # just to avoid dealing with my problem. when i called back (another 2 hr. on hold) thye told me there was no such #s. then i was given new case # and tihs time it was emaild to me to confirm it, then i was promised a call back within 24hr. to resolve my inital problem. well 24hr. has come and gone.......another lie. i have over 9hr. on the phone and still no resolution.
I say another because I was told to wait 6-7 days to recive new xp disks to fix my system...they were never sent, thats where the first fake case #s came from. GRRRRRR...

i would like to talk to someone that speaks english clearly, so they can understand me and i could actuly understand them.

Fing · Answer

Joseph... Unfortunately it appears the E521 has a lot of "issues with vista. Just on it's own not even talking about add on hardware...

I've got one myself. Came with Vista preloaded. I've switched it over to XP and all is well.

Vista did run pretty good on it, but I kept having to many hardware and software problems to keep it.

I've found the easiest ways to deal with tech support is either via e-mail or online chat.

Mark0824 · Answer

The biggest problem I have is that it has become apparent that the e521 do have tons of problems with Vista. Reading here and on Nvidia's on forums. It seems the nfroce 4 (the e521 has the 430) is a real lemon. It has trobules with Vista, SATA, PCI-e etc..   If this issue does not get worked out I will insist on a new computer but even with that I doubt it will fix my troubles.   I even tried to install VISTA from the boot drive and could not get past the loading files screen right after boot up. It would just go black.

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