I haven't been able to reach the board from my home computer since I had to reformat my hard drive and reinstall everything. Here's a Christmas story: I have a Gateway computer that came with Windows XP Home edition (apparently Gateway's little version of it). When I was prompted by Microsoft update program to install Service Pack 1 for Windows XP, I did it since I have never had a problem with an update or Service Pack before on any of their operating systems. Well, it gets about 1/3 through and hangs, the Cancel button is disabled so I can't do that, CTRL+ALT+DEL doesn't bring up the Windows Task list so I can't end it that way. I finally decide to try to power down the CPU which isn't the best deal but that doesn't even work. So, finally, I turn off my power strip and restart the computer knowing what has occured. Sure enough, it comes up in DOS with 3 numeric codes in the upper left hand corner. I call Gateway, we try rebooting from a couple of their CD-Roms that came with the computer (Driver one, Windows XP one) and nothing works. So I'm told I have to reformat and make a Windows XP boot disk from a website (little hard to do at that time since my computer won't even boot up). Anyway, my nephew and I reinstalled everything (actually upgraded versions since he had Windows XP Professional, Zone Alarm Pro, etc). Oh, BTW, Gateway said that they had lots of calls from people encountering the exactly the same thing, which I found incredibly interesting since they have 3 differerent ways to contact me from my original purchase and warranty return, yet they didn't even bother to TRY to contact me to warn me or anyone else. What apparently occurs according to them is that the SP1 is looking for files that it can't find and gets hung during that part of the installation. Geez, I guess it would be too much to ask to have a timeout on a particular operation or attempts it x amount of times and quit OR even check for all the files BEFORE the installation even starts. And some people on this board claim I'm against business in this country. I'm NOT against business in this country, I'm against INCOMPETENT BUSINESS in this country. Here are SOME of the criticisms 1) Gateway should be selling a 100% compatible version of Windows XP O/S 2) Gateway obviously knew about the problem and did NOTHING to warn people of it 3) MS SP1 should check for the files before it even begins to install the SP 4) MS SP1 should timeout or quit attempting after a certain number of attempts searching for the file Bottom line is that if technology was treated like automobiles or insulation or any other commodity, they would be held accountable for putting out substandard products. To have a service pack actually cause a problem is ludicrous. You apply a service pack to AVOID problems, NOT CAUSE them. Anyway, I'm having trouble getting to the board from home, because what I believe is the correct userid and password to attain registration is not working. I have sent my cookie file that Tigerforums puts on my computer here to my home computer and will see if that will bring up the site that way.
