DLA Driver Resolution - Support message

[JohnT]

The official Roxio "DLA driver blocked on Vista launch" web page and forum message appears to be incorrect and inconsistent. I can't understand how a "clerical error" caused numerous problems with my Windows Vista Ultimate system after the installation of Easy Media Creator 9 Deluxe. In my case, I don't recall any error message during installation, but after installation, Windows Explorer did not function properly and went into "Not Responding" mode when trying to create a folder for downloading files into (nothing to do with EMC 9 except that Drag-to-Disk was runnng as a start-up program). During an installation of another program which required a restart, the Drag-to-disk mini-app wouldn't close down, and the shut-down would not complete. I waited half an hour before shutting off the power. I'd noticed that the Drag-to-disk mini-app seemed to be not responding to attempts to close it down before. This was extremely annoying because I had not chosen to install any start-up applications such as Drag-to-Disk and would have opted out of doing so had I been given the opportunity. In my opinion, it is extremely bad mannered to install start-up applications without first obtaining permission from the person installing an application, and it goes against all the Windows Vista criteria for compatibility where the user must give permission for installations that might affect the stability or security of the operating system.

As regards the communication issued by Roxio in response to the Microsoft warnings (don't forget that the user can automatically feed back info in crashes and situations where the user has to Ctl/Alt/Del to invoke the Task Manager to stop a running application), can someone please explain why, if Roxio says that its software is fully compatible with Windows Vista, why it was necessary to release a patch! And what kind of "clerical error" requires a software patch to fix it?

I must also say that I was disppointed that no printed manual came with the boxed version, and practically no info about copying video cassettes to the PC or DVD using the Dazzle device. Since the majority of VHS recorders in the UK don't have S-video or the combined video phon jacks, they usually only have Scart connectors, how does one provide a connection from the SCART socket to the Dazzle device? Where is the appropriate info?

[ggrussell]

, if Roxio says that its software is fully compatible with Windows Vista, why it was necessary to release a patch!

A YEAR ago when Roxio was developing this software, all they had was beta version of Vista and it ran fine..... until at the last moment, MICROSOFT changed some stuff. That meant that ALL software companies had to rush to get a patch out and those take time. Testing, etc. If you note the box says 'compatible' and some people do indeed run the first release of EMC9 just fine on 32bit Vista. Roxio decided to wait for MS certification on the 9.1 patch and that takes even longer. The version in the stores should now be 9.1. Look for the MS Vista certification. There is supposed to be an update patch for the rest of us, but I haven't seen it yet.

 

Sounds like you have teh Deluxe version with the Dazzle and it should have come with a manual. At least, I thought it did here in the USA. Anyway, you can download the manual here.

[gi7omy]

As for the 'clerical error' you are going to have to ask Microsoft - that was their excuse when the DLA failed after the zero day patch

[JohnT]

A YEAR ago when Roxio was developing this software, all they had was beta version of Vista and it ran fine..... until at the last moment, MICROSOFT changed some stuff. That meant that ALL software companies had to rush to get a patch out and those take time. Testing, etc. If you note the box says 'compatible' and some people do indeed run the first release of EMC9 just fine on 32bit Vista. Roxio decided to wait for MS certification on the 9.1 patch and that takes even longer. The version in the stores should now be 9.1. Look for the MS Vista certification. There is supposed to be an update patch for the rest of us, but I haven't seen it yet.

 

Sounds like you have teh Deluxe version with the Dazzle and it should have come with a manual. At least, I thought it did here in the USA. Anyway, you can download the manual here.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I bought my upgrade to EMC 9 de-luxe w dazzle from SonicStoresCS@DigitalRiver.com on June 6th (i.e. 12 days ago) responding to the email advert sent out to Roxio EMC registered users (I have had every version since at least V5). The option was for the Boxed deluxe version as opposed to the download version. It arrived on the 8th June in a DVD style plastic case, no printed manual, with the Dazzle device wrapped in a cellophane bag - no cardboard boxed version as shown in all the illustrations. The version which arrived shows up as EMC v 9.0.610, Build 906B10N, R04. So the advert was technically misleading, and it look as if I was provided with an outdated version of software, if the current version is 9.1.

 

I've been fairly happy with the Roxio Easy Media Creator software as it always has done what I've wanted it to do and usually better than other software, but the cost of upgrading for one extra facility does seem a bit steep and I was reluctant to pursue this option until the claims of Vista compatibility made by many software companies were more likely to be true. I know Microsoft keeps changing the goalposts every time it releases newly developed software, but it usually does so in response to alpha and beta trials, and getting the responses on what works and what doesn't, then deciding to leave out a change which does not work, or incorporating a further change to fix the problem. As to timescales, Vista RTM (final release) was in November, it is now June, so I would expect all software companies releasing Vista compatible software to have done post-RTM audits on their software and fixed any problems by now.

 

The question about ensuring that start-up resident programs are not installed without the user's express permission has not been answered. This is a common problem with many software suppliers and needs addressing. It is important to ensure that users are left with a machine on which they have overriding and complete control over what is running on their systems at any time. Agree or disagree?

 

Another reply to my original letter indicates that the "clerical error" referred to was that of Microsoft. In that case, I offer my apologies for any implication that this error was anything to do with Roxio.

 

Finally, can anyone explain how I get the 9.1 version of EMC 9, and an explanation of what DLA stands for and what the DLA driver does?

[gi7omy]

DLA is the driver for Drag to Disc (which most of us just uninstall anyway due to the poor reliability of packet writing software in general)

 

While Vista was RTM back in November, it wasn't public until February when it was hit with the 'zero day' patch that caused the problem

 

In regard to the 9.0 instead of 9.1, I would suggest you contact Customer Services and explain the situation and request that you be allowed to download 9.1 (if it's available)