Wtf? Vista and Dell

[phattonez]

I just tried to update my display driver, and now my laptop is telling me that my activation key is incorrect and I can't really do anything on the computer besides go online. Damn, I have English work to turn into tonight . . .

[The_Amaster]

*hums happily as he fiddles around on his Mac*

Yeah, drivers drive me crazy (no pun intended). When I installed XP on my Dell, it kept asking me "what driver do you need for your moniter?", "what driver do you need for your keyboard?", making me go online and look them up among hundreds of files labeled stuff like "Samsung GT4-789 Mark III" and stuff. Hell if I know.

[phattonez]

I wish it had done that for me, instead it completely destroyed my computer and I can't do a damn thing with it now. It won't recognize my activation key as correct anymore.

[Kairyu]

Dell
'Sup I found the source of your problems.

[Darth Marsden]

Alternatively...

Vista
I have it, and I hate it. It's all... different!

On a slightly more helpful note, have you tried giving Dell an e-mail? Oh, you were in a rush, right? Give 'em a call then. It may cost you, but if you're in a hurry, best thing I can suggest.

[Archibaldo]

*hums slightly as he fiddles around on his Mac*



At least he's having problems with a real computer.

[phattonez]

Well I got the work done anyway, but I would have rather done it on Word. I'll see if I can email them. This is ridiculous. At least I'm at home now and I can use a computer that works.

EDIT: I can't say that I didn't see this coming, Dell will only let me email them if I have a service tag. So basically, Dell is completely worthless to me.

2nd EDIT: Apparently I have to do it through my laptop, so hopefully my computer didn't forget that too.

[Breaker]

You don't have a service tag? Did you buy the laptop from Dell? The service tags are written underneath them.

[Darth Marsden]

Like how PCs have their Windows code on the case?

[Dechipher]

At least he's having problems with a real computer.

Hey now. Don't knock macs.

[Darth Marsden]

Ok, quick question. Can you play Half-Life 2 on a Mac?

[biggiy05]

Ok, quick question. Can you play Half-Life 2 on a Mac?

You can play virtually any game on a mac that you can play on a pc.

[MasterSwordUltima]

We got Sute's laptop from Dell. Inspiron E1505 with Vista on it. We wiped Vista and put XP on it, because it lagged so incredibly bad [right from the get-go]. So then we had fun putting the drivers on, and none of the Audio drivers would work, until we put Service Pack 2 on it. Now it works great.

Also, your service tag should be pretty much right next to the battery on the bottom of your laptop. I think its like 6 digits long if its from Dell.

[Darth Marsden]

You can play virtually any game on a mac that you can play on a pc.
Yeah, but you can't get a black case for it.

[biggiy05]

Yeah, but you can't get a black case for it.

Mod the mac. My case is modded....nothing compared to some other people but it works.

[erm2003]

Did you try using System Restore to roll back your PC to a time just before you tried to do the driver update? I had an issue with a driver at one point and doing this fixed my problems.

[Ich]

Eww, Vista. If you google for your specific error message in quotes, sometimes that turns up something.

I thought Dell was also selling Linux boxes these days. What happened with that?

[Pineconn]

I've yet to have a Dell-related/Microsoft-related problem with my 2003 Windows XP 8300. The only time something bad happened was due to a virus... due to my lack of scanning for viruses beforehand.

Oh yeah, and my graphics card became corrupt. But that was nVidia's fault, that piece of crap graphics card.

As it looks now, I'll never upgrade to Vista. Maybe if they test their next product, I may invest in it.

[rocksfan13]

There are two words that screwed you here.
Dell
Vista

The first one is bad, but workable.
The second just wipes out anything good that was left.

I trust neither of the 2. And as far as I know, unless you ask for Linux, Dell will issue Vista on all it's boxes. Although, I have heard that the are working on putting Linux on some new ones.
At least that would be a step in the right direction.

[Master Ghaleon]

Vista I wont touch that crap, I still use XP. Now Dell, I never had any problems with them at all.

[Sute]

Vista I wont touch that crap, I still use XP. Now Dell, I never had any problems with them at all.

This is my first Dell. I took Vista off.. and I'm pretty glad, though I keep getting told by one guy to put Vista back on it, but if it doesn't work with MY programs, then there's absolutely no point in having the laptop. I declare that, NotAwesome.

[phattonez]

EDIT: I had a full post and damnit vBulletin.

Well basically Dell service was worthless and I still have the problem, so the only other way is illegal, but what else can I do?

[Darth Marsden]

Vista I wont touch that crap, I still use XP. Now Dell, I never had any problems with them at all.
I wish this were the case with me. Unfortunately it's on the Family PC, and my father (who bought the bugger) actually likes it. He says it's easy to use. Which is fine, no problem. Just as long as I don't have to use it.

Which, due to me having no PC recently, I've had to.

:angry:

[phattonez]

Well, even the illegal route doesn't work, and now I've had it up to hear with this stupid computer. My roommate says that reinstalling Vista might do it, so I'll try that tomorrow I guess.

[ZTC]

Eww, Vista. If you google for your specific error message in quotes, sometimes that turns up something.

I thought Dell was also selling Linux boxes these days. What happened with that?
*goes to check*
That they do, and they still sell systems with XP on em.
Good luck with reinstalling, that's all I can say :(

[phattonez]

I called Dell, and they told me to call Microsoft to activate it over the phone. Microsoft said that I need to product key that's on the CD, but because Dell makes their own CD's, that means I don't have that key. So Microsoft tells me to call Dell to get a real XP CD, and then Dell says that I'll have to do a reinstall because Microsoft won't do anything. They want me to reinstall right then and there (while they are talking to me like an idiot) but I say no way. So now I need to get all of my things off of this computer and then take the time to reinstall EVERYTHING. Grreat, I think that Microsoft should have to do this for me, because this isn't from something that I did, this is just a problem with the OS.