----- Original Message -----
From: "civileme" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Carroll Grigsby" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2001 1:23 PM
Subject: Re: [newbie] Windows eXPerience, MandrakeLinux saves the Day-ta
> On Thursday 01 November 2001 07:21, Carroll Grigsby wrote:
> > civileme wrote:
> > > I knew that extra phone listing might be handy someday. Fussing with
a
> > > download that wouldn't md5sum and needing it very badly, I was only
too
> > > happy for the break when the phone rang and I picked it up, saying
> > > "Mandrakesoft".
> > >
> > > "Errr, I have a REAL problem. "
> > >
> > > "Is it with one of our systems?"
> > >
> > > "No," he replied, "but I'll buy the most expensive boxed set if your
> > > system can help me."
> > >
> > > In the course of a few minutes I learned that this fellow hadf a Dell
> > > Dimension P-II 400 with STB Velocity card and Turtle Beach Montego II
> > > Sound card, and he had been running Win98 successfully. He had a
> > > Microsoft-badged optical mouse and Microsoft-badged USB keyboard.
> > >
> > > When WinXP came out, his father was the first person in line at
CompUSA
> > > to buy it at 12:01 am October 25th.
> > >
> > > So he installed the update.
> > >
> > > Keyboard and mouse promptly stopped working.
> > >
> > > His plan was to install linux, copy his vital data over to it, then
> > > format the winpartition and reinstall XP cleanly as Microsoft Support
> > > (Two hours on hold long distance to Redmond ) assured him if he did
that
> > > that his keyboard and mouse would work.
> > >
> > > I told him where to pick up the download edition of 8.1 and he took
them.
> > > An hour later I had a call, "It won't resize Windows small enough."
> > >
> > > By now it was 7 pm. I went to his computer and brough along a spare
10G
> > > disk. I added it temporarily on the spare connector and let him
install
> > > ML 8.1 to the second disk, making sure he chose GRUB to boot with.
> > >
> > > Everything worked, and his cable modem connected out of the box--only
the
> > > advisory popped up to visit sourceforge about the sound card.
> > > Transferring his 2.2G of files was a snap, then diskdrake was called
to
> > > clean up the messy hda, partitioning 3/4 of it for windows and leaving
> > > the rest for his "rescue system".
> > >
> > > WinXP balked and insisted on seeing the win98 CD, then it installed,
> > > taking out the boot record entry for linux (but we had a boot disk).
The
> > > mouse and keyboard worked fine until the final reboot then
communication
> > > ceased.
> > >
> > > Now out with the win98 disk but it refuses to install over XP. Back
to
> > > Linux and diskdrake from a terminal su'ed too root to wipe clean
again.
> > >
> > > Win98 now loads after an old installer trick of copying the win98
> > > directory to the hard drive and installing from there.
> > >
> > > And linux restores the 2.2 G of files it had saved. Now the extra Hdd
is
> > > removed and win98 is running using mouse and keyboard.
> > >
> > > Back to CompUSA goes the XP even though one mouse worked long enough
to
> > > send Redmond the info for the activation Code. Into CompUSA is placed
an
> > > Order for ProSuite. He already has the Aureal drivers from
sourceforge.
> > >
> > > I know sometimes our system has trouble with a wheelmouse, and a lot
of
> > > trouble if someone sets the wrong mouse type (3-button emulation kills
> > > wheelmice), but this is something I don't think we have ever done.
> > > Certified Hardware not running on a new system is a serious flaw, and
> > > even a billion dollar advertising campaiggn and midnight starting
sales
> > > will not correct that sort of flaw.
> > >
> > > Civileme
> >
> > Civileme:
> > Exactly which support option covers house calls?
> > -- Carroll
> Well, you buy the new ProSuite coming out soon--the one with a long
support
> option....
>
> Then you move to Anchorage, Alaska...
>
> Civileme
>
>
Civileme,
Typical corporate linux profiteering.
I'll bet you 99:2 (Am Ex accepted) that he was using a P/S2 mouse and
keyboard. I've had that experience as well with XP Home Edition (though not
Professional).
A better solution (compatibility with Win32 apps) would be to buy the
"cheapest boxed set of PS/2 mouse and keyboard" - because that's a system
that can help him.
Regards,
_nasturtium
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
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> Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
>
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