New Software Installer Sucks

Message

dagordon · #1 Post by **dagordon** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:59 pm

Yikes. The Software Installer was a brilliant utility. What happened?

Version 3.50.0603, released yesterday.

1. It's finding what it thinks is a new version of Sonic DLA from the Internet: version 5.2 build 09a. It sees version 5.2.0 as installed, and thinks that's older. a) The Software Installer can't install 5.2 build 09a. The "Manual Installation" button doesn't even work, it gives an error. b) As far as I can tell, version 5.2 build 09a IS just version 5.2.0.

2. It's finding what it thinks is a new version of PC-Doctor for Windows: 5.00.3286.01. But after it seems to succesfully install this, it still thinks that it's not installed. I've tried manually installing what it downloads. It seems to do nothing. I have no idea where it's pulling 5.00.3286.01 from. There's no trace of it on the Lenovo site.

3. The BIOS update from March 22 still won't run after restart. After the Software Installer runs, the BIOS Update program runs, and the computer restarts. But the utility never starts; Windows loads up normally. Although, I guess this isn't a Software Installer issue per se, as manually downloading and trying to run the BIOS update doesn't work either.

Frustrating.

JHEM · #2 Post by **JHEM** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:12 pm

I'll report your findings to the fellow who wrote the installer.

All reports from users are welcome, good or bad.

Regards,

James

dagordon · #3 Post by **dagordon** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:30 pm

JHEM, thank you!

Also: on one of my T40s, the process of connecting to the Internet to search for updates takes about 10 seconds. On the other, it takes about a half hour. The one on which it goes quickly used to have a previous version of the Software Installer installed; don't know whether this is relevant.

Thanks.

simms · #4 Post by **simms** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:41 pm

I don't know if they are aware of this, but I can't update the BIOS. I try using software installer, and it restarts but does nothing.

pae77 · #5 Post by **pae77** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 3:52 am

dagordon wrote: Version 3.50.0603, released yesterday.

1. It's finding what it thinks is a new version of Sonic DLA from the Internet: version 5.2 build 09a. It sees version 5.2.0 as installed, and thinks that's older. a) The Software Installer can't install 5.2 build 09a. The "Manual Installation" button doesn't even work, it gives an error. b) As far as I can tell, version 5.2 build 09a IS just version 5.2.0.

3. The BIOS update from March 22 still won't run after restart. After the Software Installer runs, the BIOS Update program runs, and the computer restarts. But the utility never starts; Windows loads up normally. Although, I guess this isn't a Software Installer issue per se, as manually downloading and trying to run the BIOS update doesn't work either.

Frustrating.

I'm having the same problem with the Software Installer and DLA.

I never use the SI to install BIOS updates. I manually installed the bios update without any problems.

dagordon · #6 Post by **dagordon** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:27 am

Simms,

I posted a couple of days ago about the BIOS issue (http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=22500). I'm having this problem on THREE machines -- a T40, a T40p, and an R50p.

It doesn't matter whether I try to run it manually or through the software installer -- after rebooting, nothing happens.

David

cmarti · #7 Post by **cmarti** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:34 am

I updated the installer to the latest version and i don't have any problems with it works fine on mine

(Thanks god)

Goobie · #8 Post by **Goobie** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:42 am

The Software Installer use to work fine, but the latest version (3.50.0603) doesn't work on my T41.

I click the red icon in IE and it opens up. If I select the last 2 options (UNINSTALL CURRENTLY INSTALLED SOFTWARE or VIEW DRIVER AND APPLICATION VERSION) the program just terminate itself. If I select the first option (INSTALL OR UPGRADE DRIVERS) I get to the next screen but when I click NEXT it starts SEARCHING for a while and then just terminates.

Is it my machine or is anybody else experiencing this?

thanks

JHEM · #9 Post by **JHEM** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:08 am

Goobie wrote:Is it my machine or is anybody else experiencing this?

Location??

Regards,

James

Goobie · #10 Post by **Goobie** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:25 am

South Africa

thanks

#11 Post by **jdhurst** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:20 pm

With respect to the latter issue, Software Installer was not working in some countries (Canada for one) because the second (main) IP address was unreachable. That was fixed about a week ago and remains fixed for me (just ran SI to test). The IP addresses used now are common, reachable IP's that point to IBM in Boulder. I am not sure why it wouldn't work in your country. ... JD Hurst

venik · #12 Post by **venik** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:57 am

I also have the same problem with the software installer and DLA. Since it told me that an update was available, I alllowed it to try. When it failed (because I already had DLA installed), I uninstalled DLA, and now the UPGRADE (dla52u.exe) will not run, because it cannot find DAL to upgrade.
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(please).

Dennis Henderson · #13 Post by **Dennis Henderson** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:15 am

venik wrote:I also have the same problem with the software installer and DLA. Since it told me that an update was available, I alllowed it to try. When it failed (because I already had DLA installed), I uninstalled DLA, and now the UPGRADE (dla52u.exe) will not run, because it cannot find DAL to upgrade.

Try downloading and installing this one first, then upgrade to the current version.

#14 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:41 am

venik wrote: I uninstalled DLA, and now the UPGRADE (dla52u.exe) will not run, because it cannot find DAL to upgrade.

Run Setup.exe from the following directory to reinstall the original version of DLA:
C:\IBMTOOLS\APPS\DLA

jonnnny · #15 Post by **jonnnny** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:00 am

I find it better to install/update drivers manually, software installer seems to install unnecessary software.

Take the soundcard for instance, you can either just install the driver for the sound card and have everything work, or install all those SoundMax applications which not only take up memory but have a really ugly icon.

Just my 2 cents.

#16 Post by **Kyocera** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:54 pm

software installer seems to install unnecessary software.

You can select what to and what not to install to keep the things out you don't want/need.

#17 Post by **bill bolton** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:54 pm

jonnnny wrote:software installer seems to install unnecessary software.

If you pay attention to the SI screens, you have complete control of over what is installed and can easily choose not install anything at all if you wish!

Cheers,

Bill

yossarian · #18 Post by **yossarian** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 8:16 pm

Looks like they don't have a fix for the DLA problem yet even with the newer Software Installer [just installed one today], but in the changelog it does look like they have fixed the bios flashing problem.

venik · #19 Post by **venik** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:01 am

ANY piece of software that requires you to install an older version just so that the upgrade versoin will be able to UNINTALL it before proceeding is nuts. I sure hope these programmers are not writing really important stuff, like air traffic control systems...

Anyway, reinstlling the original DLA from IBMTOOLS/APPS/DLA did provide that vital service, and now I have DLA upgraded. If I only knew why I really need DLA I could be a happy man.

yossarian · #20 Post by **yossarian** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:38 am

venik wrote:Anyway, reinstlling the original DLA from IBMTOOLS/APPS/DLA did provide that vital service, and now I have DLA upgraded. If I only knew why I really need DLA I could be a happy man.

DLA lets you access your optical drive like you do HDDs. [Limitations on CDRs of course.]

#21 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 7:48 am

venik wrote:ANY piece of software that requires you to install an older version just so that the upgrade versoin will be able to UNINTALL it before proceeding is nuts. I sure hope these programmers are not writing really important stuff, like air traffic control systems...

This software is commercial software provided by IBM/Lenovo for their ThinkPad line. It is from Sonic, not IBM. As such, you can only download updates, but not the full version that will work on its own. IBM/Lenovo cannot provide the full version as a free download (where just anybody could get it). It is the same thing with WinDVD or Windows XP. You cannot download Windows XP for free, but you can keep it updated (up to a point).

http://www.sonic.com/products/consumer/recordnow/

#22 Post by **KristianJ** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 5:49 am

Software Installer found a hell of a lot of new software packages when I updated it today (but then again, my old version of it was the first one that was compatible with T40s, so that doesn't surprise me). Seems to be installing them fine so far

If only the previous owner had known of the benefits of keeping the IBM apps updated.

New Software Installer Sucks

New Software Installer Sucks

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Software installer is TERRIBLE!

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