[GlenW]

Multiple techs from all sides have spent three days on install and run problems. And now I have a crippled computer. Hands on techs have declared the computer OK. Their advice. Bury the Roxio software and walk away. Not good on Roxio. Rebuild frustrations have led me to submit this:



Occasionally one comes across malicious software. It normally happens by accident. One pays for it in the long run. In this case it is malicious software that one pays for upfront. It took 7 hours of my time and Roxio technicians time without success and another day of a paid technician's time to install. In the process it wiped out my antivirus program, my printer, my internet program and portions of Windows. It has destroyed portions of my computer. It has put my livelihood in jeopardy. And on top of all that effort the program simply doesn't work. It crashes. It (doesn't) burn. It is in the end, functionally useless.
The store has a no refund policy. I fully expect to see you refund my $79.09 Canadian dollars and I will remove this software and relegate the offending material to a landfill site where it belongs.

[grandpabruce]

Multiple techs from all sides have spent three days on install and run problems. And now I have a crippled computer. Hands on techs have declared the computer OK. Their advice. Bury the Roxio software and walk away. Not good on Roxio. Rebuild frustrations have led me to submit this:



Occasionally one comes across malicious software. It normally happens by accident. One pays for it in the long run. In this case it is malicious software that one pays for upfront. It took 7 hours of my time and Roxio technicians time without success and another day of a paid technician's time to install. In the process it wiped out my antivirus program, my printer, my internet program and portions of Windows. It has destroyed portions of my computer. It has put my livelihood in jeopardy. And on top of all that effort the program simply doesn't work. It crashes. It (doesn't) burn. It is in the end, functionally useless.
The store has a no refund policy. I fully expect to see you refund my $79.09 Canadian dollars and I will remove this software and relegate the offending material to a landfill site where it belongs.

We can't refund your money. We are just users of the software, and you posted to a users forum, not Roxio Customer Service. To get your message to them, click on the big Support icon to the upper right of your screen. Good luck.

[GlenW]

We can't refund your money. We are just users of the software, and you posted to a users forum, not Roxio Customer Service. To get your message to them, click on the big Support icon to the upper right of your screen. Good luck.

Already done. Have spent the last six hours reconfiguring and redownloading drivers. Just posting experience.

This post has been edited by GlenW: 13 April 2008 - 07:06 PM

[REDWAGON]

I hope youn didn't have to pay the hands on techs. Just getting rid of the EMC program is not that hard if you have some knowledge of how the computer works. But sounds like you have already been through those hoops. Sorry for all your problems and good luck.

Frank...

[Jim_Hardin]

Already done. Have spent the last six hours reconfiguring and redownloading drivers. Just posting experience.

Yes you have experienced incompetent Techs that you trusted and believed!

Others should be leery of anyone who blames rather than fixes. It is an indication of incompetence!

Roxio is going into over a million PCs every month. If there was really a serious flaw wouldn't it show up in all of them?

[GlenW]

Yes you have experienced incompetent Techs that you trusted and believed!

Others should be leery of anyone who blames rather than fixes. It is an indication of incompetence!

Roxio is going into over a million PCs every month. If there was really a serious flaw wouldn't it show up in all of them?

I would agree with the basics of your statement but would also apply the concept towards the software designers here. When you ask about serious flaws, perhaps you should look at the forum posts. They are there en masse. If multiple mechanics can't get your car to run, it would be wise to assume that all of the mechanics are incompetent?

The mounting evidence seems to indicate that the software is ambitious but wants to run standalone. I have no problem with that. We run the AVID professional editing software. Standalone to ensure it remains dedicated.

But Media Creator 10 is consumer fare. It has to be able to run in a shared environment. It is entertainment and hobby software. Yet it appears to want to run standalone. It isn't happy with portions of Windows software, antivirus programs, hardware, etc. It's chilling to compare that freeware can download clean, run flawlessly and uninstall clean where the "professional" (in terms of packaged and paid for) can't. Perhaps a lofty goal to aim for?

[grandpabruce]

I would agree with the basics of your statement but would also apply the concept towards the software designers here. When you ask about serious flaws, perhaps you should look at the forum posts. They are there en masse. If multiple mechanics can't get your car to run, it would be wise to assume that all of the mechanics are incompetent?

The mounting evidence seems to indicate that the software is ambitious but wants to run standalone. I have no problem with that. We run the AVID professional editing software. Standalone to ensure it remains dedicated.

But Media Creator 10 is consumer fare. It has to be able to run in a shared environment. It is entertainment and hobby software. Yet it appears to want to run standalone. It isn't happy with portions of Windows software, antivirus programs, hardware, etc. It's chilling to compare that freeware can download clean, run flawlessly and uninstall clean where the "professional" (in terms of packaged and paid for) can't. Perhaps a lofty goal to aim for?

The folks who aren't posting here, aren't having problems with the software. Do you think that folks, who aren't having problems, would post here?

[sknis]

I would agree with the basics of your statement but would also apply the concept towards the software designers here. When you ask about serious flaws, perhaps you should look at the forum posts. They are there en masse. If multiple mechanics can't get your car to run, it would be wise to assume that all of the mechanics are incompetent?

The mounting evidence seems to indicate that the software is ambitious but wants to run standalone. I have no problem with that. We run the AVID professional editing software. Standalone to ensure it remains dedicated.

But Media Creator 10 is consumer fare. It has to be able to run in a shared environment. It is entertainment and hobby software. Yet it appears to want to run standalone. It isn't happy with portions of Windows software, antivirus programs, hardware, etc. It's chilling to compare that freeware can download clean, run flawlessly and uninstall clean where the "professional" (in terms of packaged and paid for) can't. Perhaps a lofty goal to aim for?

Are you trying to run the software in a business shared environment? It won't work.

Yes, there are some very good freeware programs out there and there are many other pro-sumer programs that also work well. I stay with this program because it gives me all the options I need and, for me, didn't crash as much as other programs. I find the interfaces very logical.

[GlenW]

The folks who aren't posting here, aren't having problems with the software. Do you think that folks, who aren't having problems, would post here?

Just to keep a sense of humour here...

Based on that argument, there has never been a serious issue with Microsoft.

And no, not using this software in a pro environment. Home only. For fun and relaxation (????)

This post has been edited by GlenW: 14 April 2008 - 11:35 AM

[gi7omy]

Just to keep a sense of humour here...

Based on that argument, there has never been a serious issue with Microsoft.

And no, not using this software in a pro environment. Home only. For fun and relaxation (????)

OK - something bombed during your install - that happens but in the vast majority of cases, it's not down to the app but the environment the app is being installed into (aka MS Doze). The installer is .msi (which stands for MicroSoft Installer). An out of date Windows Installer can screw things up, as can leaving apps running during the install (such as anti-virus). You did read the bit where it said to turn off any running apps before install didn't you?

As for the 'mass of posts' (en masse btw is basically French for everyone going together - check with a Quebecois ), look at it this way. The number of people on this board is a total number of people who have enquired about different things (and not all problems with installation - some are looking advice on different ways to do something) but that includes users of programs back to ECD4 and also Mac software dating back a number of years. There are also sections for Roxio Labs software (nothing to do with EMC0. Now the total number of people who registered is, at the latest count, 43,706, so, bearing in mind what I said earlier, do you honestly believe that Adaptec/Roxio/Sonic have only sold 44,000 copies of ALL the software, going back a lot of years?

I've had problems with installing software myself - and not just Roxio (actually that hasn't given me as much trouble as some other apps) but I keep an image copy of muy hard drive and update that regularly (I use the old PowerQuest DriveImage program but others are using Norton Ghost). If something screws up, I simply re-install from the image and have all my apps back (documents and files are kept on a separate drive so they never get touched).

It's a bit late, unfortunately, to remind you of the first three rules of computing: backup, backup and then backup

[grandpabruce]

[snip]

Just to keep a sense of humour here...

Based on that argument, there has never been a serious issue with Microsoft.

You are comparing apples to oranges, if you are talking about the Microsoft Operating Systems.

Although the Roxio/Sonic software isn't perfect, most of the problems that folks have are due to poor maintenance of their computers, operator errors, or their computers don't have the horses to run the software.

[Jim_Hardin]

If multiple mechanics can't get your car to run, it would be wise to assume that all of the mechanics are incompetent?

Well so far 5 people do not agree with you…

So by your own axiom, either all 5 of us are incompetent or you are mistaken…

(This thread has run its' course or any possible usefulness and is nearing its' time to be closed.)

[JamesTw]

Strange! My copy works without a hitch. I install the DVD, it takes forever to load but then just works ???

I wouldn't use the mechanic synopsis, there's good mechanics, bad mechanics but always expensive mechanics.
None, that I would trust with my life or wife, and least of all with my wallet.

Jim

[GlenW]

Just to dispell a few myths.

Yes I back up files. (Thank God hard drive space is cheap. I come from the age of punch cards and the miracle of a 16k!!! ram pack.) Programs are a different story, especially Windows. My experience has been that if Windows has gone sour a reformat is the only real answer. May have to do that here because I believe that Media Creator wants a clean install. Plus this whole procedure has for sure loosened up some DLL files.

And this is the only problematic program both in install and run I have encountered in recent memory (short of Norton upgrades. If you have been there you know whereof I speak.) Was I methodical enough? Let's see. Disabled antivirus. Disabled the startup menu via msconfig. Went through Regedit. Worked with the Roxio techs who wanted me to uninstall Direct X Service Installer. Uninstalled competing software. Uninstalled Norton. And the list goes on. Enlisted the hired techs. That's a whole lot of work for the one program which doesn't seem to want to be there.

And in the end. Does it run? "Windows must close" errors. Black screen of death. (I have never, ever seen XP brought to it's knees like that under any circumstance.) And a wonderful set of silver party coasters suitable for the summer patio. Would I like to see it run properly? You bet. Will it be worth the level of hassle? On the fence on that one. Since refund isn't in anyone's vocabulary, I can either walk away or fight to try.

So I am contemplating two options here. One, go with a new Quadcore Vista machine, (but that will render several key software progarms like a recent GPS purchase non functional) and start fresh. Two, reformat, reinstall and for the paltry few bucks double the RAM and throw in a fresh burner. (But if that doesn't work I have thrown good money after bad and will be in the same position I am in now.) Rock or hard place?

This post has been edited by GlenW: 15 April 2008 - 12:42 PM

[gi7omy]

You sound as if you've been round the digital scene as long as I have (and I do recall the wobbly 16K RAM packs on the old Sinclair ZX80 which were marketed that side of the pond as a Timex) but then you should also know as well as I do that Windows is about the most flaky OS ever to be foisted on the greater public.

I run a multi-boot system here (would you believe 5 OSs? - XP Pro 32, XP Pro 64, Vista Ultimate 32, Gentoo Linux and Solaris - I need to be able to check stuff out in a variety of systems) but I regularly have to reformat and re-install the MS stuff (the *nix never gives me any problems except when I reinstall doze and then have to reset GRUB because doze WILL overwrite the MBR if it finds any non-MS settings)

So long as you have your main data backed up - I'd go for the re-format and re-install (then ghost the installation before putting any apps on). There's no need for the upgrade - try it that way first and then toss in more RAM and a new drive - it should work fine on the setup you have.

Multi-core CPUs are no real advantage (like the 64 bit OS there is very little, if anything, written to take advantage of them) I've the Core 2 e6750 here and it is a lot faster for rendering but that's simply down to the huge L2 cache and not the fact that it's twin core. The 4 GB of RAM under XP is also overkill (it stubbornly insists that I've 3 GB and not 4 - but that's doze for you )

[Syrallas]

So I am contemplating two options here. One, go with a new Quadcore Vista machine, (but that will render several key software progarms like a recent GPS purchase non functional) and start fresh. Two, reformat, reinstall and for the paltry few bucks double the RAM and throw in a fresh burner. (But if that doesn't work I have thrown good money after bad and will be in the same position I am in now.)

At this point it looks like a crapshoot for you.
Everyone will experience bugs or quirks w/ certain programs, I have w/ this one but most of the time you can work your way through. When you read the posts and see what others are able to do for software under 100 bucks, I'd say its impressive. You've had a string of bad luck w/ it. I guess the questions you have to ask yourself are: i) do I really want to get up and running w/ this; and ii) if so, how much more aggravation / cost is it worth to you to try?

This post has been edited by Syrallas: 15 April 2008 - 05:34 PM