Microsoft

[Griffin NoName]

Someone save me from an early grave.

I have a problem flagging up on my PC saying " Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services to report this error. "

Product Support actually gives some hotfix info on-line vaguely relating to my problem. BUT. It says contact Microsoft Product Support Services to get this hotfix. instead of the normal download option.

Product Support has no way of being contacted except by giving them my credit card number.

Should I:

a) down a bottle of scotch and swear a lot.
b) pack my PC up and send it to B.Gates labelled explosive.
c) find out B.Gates credit card number and use that.

OK. I need this sorted. It's stopping my firewall working properly. It's a known MS issue which manifests in a variety of guises. Mine is specific and a variant. They need to know about it. I need it resolved.

SO How Do I TRANSMIT It To Them?  (without spending hours on the phone arguing) ?

Yes, I have tried googling "how do I do what MS tells me to do without paying them to do what they say they need me to do"  

-------------------------

The error:

The COM+ Event System raised an unexpected access violation at address 0x005D3DE7, attempting to access address 0x00000000.  Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services to report this error.
MsnMsgr+0x1d3de7
MsnMsgr+0x1ce862
MsnMsgr+0x1cedfe
MsnMsgr+0x1cf555
MsnMsgr+0x1cf39e
USER32!GetTopWindow+0x47bc
USER32!DefWindowProcW+0x6a
USER32!GetWindowDC+0x4a
ntdll!KiUserCallbackDispatcher+0x13
USER32!PeekMessageW+0xe5
ole32!OleSetClipboard+0x11fb
ole32!OleSetClipboard+0x1408
ole32!OleSetClipboard+0x14b9
ole32!OleSetClipboard+0x1268
ole32!CoGetPSClsid+0xde0
ole32!UpdateDCOMSettings+0x7b15
ole32!DllDebugObjectRPCHook+0xd3
ole32!WdtpInterfacePointer_UserSize+0x1b7e
ole32!StgGetIFillLockBytesOnFile+0x1ad3f
ole32!CoGetPSClsid+0xc1a
ole32!UpdateDCOMSettings+0xb410
RPCRT4!NdrProxySendReceive+0x4c
RPCRT4!NdrClientCall2+0x4f5
RPCRT4+0x66f9c
RPCRT4!NdrServerMarshall+0x1810
ole32!CoWaitForMultipleHandles+0x1027
ole32!CoInstall+0x46fa
ole32!StgGetIFillLockBytesOnFile+0x81dc
ole32!CoRegisterSurrogate+0xc8
ole32!CoGetClassObject+0x19
es!DllUnregisterServer+0x4a0c
es!Ordinal3+0x22a0
es!DllUnregisterServer+0x4c40

(just in case anyone feels like solving it; it's to do with subscriber not being released (or recognised) - in this case it is Symantec Liveupdate - it only happens with this process - repeatedly whenever it signs off - Symantec say its MS problem and for once I agree with them - another clue - it's quite likely to be permissions issues on a w2k (NT) folder or file(s)).

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Sorry to hear about your issues with Microsoft.  It would be much better if they made the fixes for their faulty products all readily available, wouldn't it?  I don't really have any pearls of wisdom on that issue other than "Microsoft can suck sometimes".

But back to your original problem, I suspect that a "hotfix" with a hammer will stop all of your error messages.   

Edit: FWIW, if you have a contact number for them, I know on this side of the pond, usually some combination of 0,9,* and # will take you to a live operator.  If it's a critical problem (and you have a spare afternoon), you can try punching in *9, #9, ##9, 99#, **0, etc., etc... until you get through to a person you can explain your situation to.

[Griffin NoName]

Actually I am perfectly adept at getting through to them on the phone. I have a number of "methods". But I resent the time when it's their crap.

Crisis over. Much ferriting has revealed a little MS tool named "User Profile Hive Cleanup Service". Vernacular - it's a mop.

Not only does it resolve the particular issue it has also cleared up a whole host of other ones that are too tedious to describe but have nearly driven me to jump off a high bridge.

MS should give this away with every installation.

Technical : it releases left-over-should-have-already-been-released handles. Especially useful for avoiding having to remove battery to force CD disk to be released and other similar joys.

[ivor]

I have Unbuntu in my DVD drive.  I'll never buy another Microsoft OS, especially Vista.

[beagle]

It's outrageously priced over here; the Sterling price is almost double the US Dollar price.  Means it usually makes sense to replace the hardware too and get an OEM bundled version of the OS.
Mind you, I'm working with Solaris as well at the moment which makes Vista look like a bargain. Surely Sun can design a disk filing system that doesn't require half an hour with fsck each time there's a power glitch.

[Griffin NoName]

Why do you think it's called fsck?

Sweet Solaris. I miss it.

[Griffin NoName]

Struth !!  Why don't Microsoft market a brain fix for running out of patience.

I decided to do one last belt and braces back up - an additional one to existing ones. I can't use the tape drive as once I upgrade to XP the tape drive is dust {unless I buy new software and track down new drivers but that's all a waste of time}.  So I am backing up to a separate hard disk. Using Win98 MS Backup so it's in handy MS format. Primary reason to have a sure fire way of restoring Win98 if it all goes pear shaped upgrading to XP and it won't recognise my other backups and copies or they are missing anything (despite endless checking).

Three hours in (four to go) it says xxxx.dll file already backed up to file being used for backup, put in fresh media. Ok or cancel.

Clicking OK simply gives the same message again.

Like..... if one is backing up to a file on a disk - not a tape - .... why the hell doesn't it allow one to put in a new file name - ie. effectively "new media".

RHETORICAL RANT.

How many people does it take to upgrade a lamp bulb?

[Alpaca]

Try inserting large amounts of money into your CD drive. That might help!

[Griffin NoName]

I found  the answer to the above problem (but no cure). It's when the backup file gets above a certain size. Not because of space on the drive, but because some insane MS person decided there should be a limit on file size. A feature. Just can't win.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Files bigger than 1Gb? You will have limitations once you get there, AFAIK the only way around is with a 64 bit version (of XP, please save yourself the trouble and don't do Vista, it is the worse thing that you can possibly do).

[Griffin NoName]

AFAIK the only way around is with a 64 bit version (of XP, ...

Insane loop; I was only trying to do the back up as an additional safety measure BEFORE upgrading to XP, LOL.

(I've given up with this particular backup idea. Moved onto better things.).

[Griffin NoName]

SH*T SH*T SH*T

Used N.Systm.((Works NOT)) to delete redundant active X controls prior to upgrade.

It's wiped me out. I am getting the dreaded setup windows 98 message on boot asking for the product key.

I have the product disc but not the key. I do actually own it - but it's one that was bulk bought on licence and the key is long gone dust.

I know there's a work around, but I guess I'd be better to try a restore - with no backup.

Why was I so stupid as to try a clean up. DONT ANSWER.

EDIT EDIT EDIT scanreg /restore worked. Panic over. Roll on the next one.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Let me get this: you have only one computer? Didn't you have a laptop too? Are you networked? Can you move your backup files to the laptop (via network)? Are you trying to *upgrade* (as opposed to a clean install, which BTW is recommended)? Is it because you bought the upgrade instead of the *full version*?

The easy way to do the thing is to backup and install new with a full format (to NTFS unless you want to be able to write from Linux in which case keep FAT32). Forget about old SW versions on the 98 box, BTW, I believe it will allow you to do a dual boot with the old 98 on one side and the new XP in other (at least that works going from 2K to XP).

[Griffin NoName]

I am doing an upgrade. The cheapest version to buy is an upgrade !

All installed applications I need to keep will work on XP.

There's not really any need to do the extra work of a format/install and the upgrade should be fine. There's very little that needs cleaning up. It's all in fairly good shape.

I have backups - on other external hard discs.

I just thought I'd do an additional MS backup. That was a silly idea as I found out.

[anthrobabe]

Try inserting large amounts of money into your CD drive. That might help!

my tech support consists of yelling/screaming

"Bill! The #$%^ computer is broken again."
(our tech guy at work  -- he hates me, I can't even explain what is wrong coherently)