Hello fellow Aliens!
Firstly, I started this new thread because I think that this could do with some urgent attention from Dell to allow us to properly use the AlienRespawn software after a full clean operating system. I have been trying to successfully install AWR and create a user defined recovery image for some time now and each time, I end up with some kind of error or failure that I do not think is in relation to anything I have done wrong - I could be mistaken, but I don't see how. This software WAS working well to carry out this procedure not too long ago, so I'm not too sure about why it isn't working now. I have my suspicions, but other than that, it's a right royal pain in the proverbial.
I didn't want to post this in the current Respawn thread as indicated above - hopefully someone can chime in from Dell and explain or look into this in more detail. I'd love to be able to use the AlienResapwn software but it is so tempremental right now that I cannot even install it without it throwing a wobbler on me.
Okay, so here goes. I'll lay out the procedures that I have done and maybe it can be replicated or fathomed out.
Firstly, I grabbed the Respawn software from this link: http://alwdownload.alienrespawn.com/alwdownload-en.html - I'm currently running Windows 7 Ultimate and the software from this link: http://www.alienrespawn.com/en-us/Index.html won't even try and work on my OS - possibly would be a good idea to have one version that encompassed all OS's, right? - that was my first thought....
I then went on to clean install my OS. Booted from the Dell OS disk and at the "Install Now" screen, I Shift/F10'd to allow me to raise a CMD prompt. I did this to use the "clean" command before installing the new OS. I did that and also did a quick format in diskpart by running the command "format fs=ntfs quick". At this stage, I assumed that I have a nice clean drive to install afresh to. Exited the CMD prompt and hit install now. Great. Got to the "where do you want to install" screen, made sure that there was only one partition marked as totally unallocated and continued to install as usual.
Windows installed, as it normally does, just fine. I always then turn of disk defragging, windows updates and change device install setting to NOT update via Windows. That's my normal protocol.
Re-install ALL of the relevant system drivers for my machine and updated ALL important/recommended and Optional Updates prior to finally installing Command Center. Perfect. All good. Working 100%.
Re-install pre-loaded software which included:
Made sure that each of those programs was up-to-date via their built in updaters - again, no problems. Also installed any new Windows updates for installed programs. No problem.
Installed some programs and tools that I use regularly. These included:
All this time, I have been checking the event viewer for any warnings/errors that I wanted resolved before running the AWR install and got event viewer down to zero errors or warnings. At this time, I felt it good to go and ran the AWR installer and BAM - error city. This is where the fun started!
Okay, so initially, AWR looks llike it is installing just fine, creates a base image etc and prompts for a reboot. Upon reboot you get greeted with a "not enough space" error and consequently prompted to uninstall AWR. Funny thing is that for me, it DID create a recovery partition on my first attempt. I could clearly see it and the size was around 24gb marked as Y: - Ive tried several times after several clean installs but this initial attempt has been the same - recovery partition gets created but no software is installed. I have actually elected to NOT uninstall AWR when prompted and I can access AWR but options to create backup/recovery images are greyed out and nothing is available - consequently, a complete waste of time.
So, as this was failing, I deleted the recovery partition that WAS created and extended the volume to take up the unallocated space. Try again I thought.....BAM. AWR is now telling me that my disk is full when I try and run the installer!
Below are the timeline of screenshots that I got when trying to run the installer I'll put the pictures in the spoiler below:
I also get a notepad file placed in my root called RPSetup.exe and it's contents seem to point to various failures - not for me to fathom out what's going wrong but I'll again pop the copied text into a spoiler below for the attention of any engineer!:
Now, I know that my disk cannot possibly be full as indicated by this pic - again, in the spoiler below:
I'm hoping that someone can assist with this problem, it's driving me nuts - all I wanted to do was to create a recovery USB and "possibly" upgrade to the full version of AWR - as it stands right now, I cannot do either! - I know that Mr. Fox is experiencing problems with AWR too: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alie...ml#post9136126 so there is more to this than meets the eye. It's a problem with both versions, it seems to me. Fox was trying to use the newer version and I the older one. Both will not work.
I should say that quite oddly enough, I tried installing AWR right after the OS with no drivers or Windows updates and it did create a recovery partition and it did allow/prompt me to make a recovery image but there is little to no value in doing so on a bare OS without drivers and Updates. My suspicions about it's failure to do so on a machine that has drivers and updates installed is that one or the other is fouling up the process big time - my money would be possibly Windows Updates. I haven't tried a OS/Driver only install yet as I have wasted far too much time on this already - I just hope it can be resolved.
Anyway, thanks to anyone who bothered to take the time to read, if you did. Comments are more than welcome!
Firstly, I started this new thread because I think that this could do with some urgent attention from Dell to allow us to properly use the AlienRespawn software after a full clean operating system. I have been trying to successfully install AWR and create a user defined recovery image for some time now and each time, I end up with some kind of error or failure that I do not think is in relation to anything I have done wrong - I could be mistaken, but I don't see how. This software WAS working well to carry out this procedure not too long ago, so I'm not too sure about why it isn't working now. I have my suspicions, but other than that, it's a right royal pain in the proverbial.
I didn't want to post this in the current Respawn thread as indicated above - hopefully someone can chime in from Dell and explain or look into this in more detail. I'd love to be able to use the AlienResapwn software but it is so tempremental right now that I cannot even install it without it throwing a wobbler on me.
Okay, so here goes. I'll lay out the procedures that I have done and maybe it can be replicated or fathomed out.
Firstly, I grabbed the Respawn software from this link: http://alwdownload.alienrespawn.com/alwdownload-en.html - I'm currently running Windows 7 Ultimate and the software from this link: http://www.alienrespawn.com/en-us/Index.html won't even try and work on my OS - possibly would be a good idea to have one version that encompassed all OS's, right? - that was my first thought....
I then went on to clean install my OS. Booted from the Dell OS disk and at the "Install Now" screen, I Shift/F10'd to allow me to raise a CMD prompt. I did this to use the "clean" command before installing the new OS. I did that and also did a quick format in diskpart by running the command "format fs=ntfs quick". At this stage, I assumed that I have a nice clean drive to install afresh to. Exited the CMD prompt and hit install now. Great. Got to the "where do you want to install" screen, made sure that there was only one partition marked as totally unallocated and continued to install as usual.
Windows installed, as it normally does, just fine. I always then turn of disk defragging, windows updates and change device install setting to NOT update via Windows. That's my normal protocol.
Re-install ALL of the relevant system drivers for my machine and updated ALL important/recommended and Optional Updates prior to finally installing Command Center. Perfect. All good. Working 100%.
Re-install pre-loaded software which included:
- Home & Student Office 2010
- Cyberlink PowerDVD 9.6
- Roxio Creator Starte
- Webcam Central
- SoundBlaster X-Fi
Made sure that each of those programs was up-to-date via their built in updaters - again, no problems. Also installed any new Windows updates for installed programs. No problem.
Installed some programs and tools that I use regularly. These included:
- GPUz
- CPUz
- HWiNFO64
- ThrottleStop 5.00
- EVGA Precision X v 4.00
- CCleaner
- Driver Sweeper
- Wireless Controller for XBOX
- NVFlash for Windows
- Origin & Steam
- Two games - Crysis 3 and Skyrim as I play them most often.
All this time, I have been checking the event viewer for any warnings/errors that I wanted resolved before running the AWR install and got event viewer down to zero errors or warnings. At this time, I felt it good to go and ran the AWR installer and BAM - error city. This is where the fun started!
Okay, so initially, AWR looks llike it is installing just fine, creates a base image etc and prompts for a reboot. Upon reboot you get greeted with a "not enough space" error and consequently prompted to uninstall AWR. Funny thing is that for me, it DID create a recovery partition on my first attempt. I could clearly see it and the size was around 24gb marked as Y: - Ive tried several times after several clean installs but this initial attempt has been the same - recovery partition gets created but no software is installed. I have actually elected to NOT uninstall AWR when prompted and I can access AWR but options to create backup/recovery images are greyed out and nothing is available - consequently, a complete waste of time.
So, as this was failing, I deleted the recovery partition that WAS created and extended the volume to take up the unallocated space. Try again I thought.....BAM. AWR is now telling me that my disk is full when I try and run the installer!
Below are the timeline of screenshots that I got when trying to run the installer I'll put the pictures in the spoiler below:
Spoiler :
I also get a notepad file placed in my root called RPSetup.exe and it's contents seem to point to various failures - not for me to fathom out what's going wrong but I'll again pop the copied text into a spoiler below for the attention of any engineer!:
Spoiler :
Now, I know that my disk cannot possibly be full as indicated by this pic - again, in the spoiler below:
Spoiler :
I'm hoping that someone can assist with this problem, it's driving me nuts - all I wanted to do was to create a recovery USB and "possibly" upgrade to the full version of AWR - as it stands right now, I cannot do either! - I know that Mr. Fox is experiencing problems with AWR too: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alie...ml#post9136126 so there is more to this than meets the eye. It's a problem with both versions, it seems to me. Fox was trying to use the newer version and I the older one. Both will not work.
I should say that quite oddly enough, I tried installing AWR right after the OS with no drivers or Windows updates and it did create a recovery partition and it did allow/prompt me to make a recovery image but there is little to no value in doing so on a bare OS without drivers and Updates. My suspicions about it's failure to do so on a machine that has drivers and updates installed is that one or the other is fouling up the process big time - my money would be possibly Windows Updates. I haven't tried a OS/Driver only install yet as I have wasted far too much time on this already - I just hope it can be resolved.
Anyway, thanks to anyone who bothered to take the time to read, if you did. Comments are more than welcome!