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76 of 79 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Warning Windows 2000 Pro Users, December 11, 2001
WARNINGIf you try and load Easy CD Creator 5.0 Platinum edition on a computer (running Windows 2000 professional and boots from a SCSI hard drive using an Adaptec Controller card) put your (money) back into your pocket and step away from the product. Here is my horror story. I had been running Easy CD creator 4.0 and was interested in version 5.0 for some features that would help me in transferring my old LP collection to CD. I tried to get an update, but I guess the fact that I had 4.0 registered on line was not sufficient to qualify. The ongoing emails were not worth the cost savings, so I decided just to shell out the (money) and get a full retail version. Since Version 4.0 was purchased when it was part of Adaptec (and now is was Roxio), I guess computer registration information doesn't translate between companies. On Saturday I was in (a local store) and decided to purchase the full version. It would have been less painful for me to just burn the (money) instead of going through the events of the following week. I want to point out the packaging clearly states this product works with Windows 2000. The only disclaimer is that it won't work on Windows 2000 server. I went to upgrade from version 4.0 to version 5.0. Most well written software, from the same vendor, knows how to handle an upgrade from one version to another. Not in this case, after the reboot the screen put up an error message stating no supportable CD/RW device was detected. After further investigation, the event log reported errors that DCOM could not find specified file. I then read the installation instructions that said to uninstall version 4.0 first. With that information I knew I needed to uninstall version 5.0. First it told me it could not uninstall because it did not have rights to delete a registry key that the installation process created. I had to go into the registry to change the rights on the KEY so I could manually delete it. Now, I could complete uninstalling version 5.0. Then I removed version 4.0 with out any problems. I rebooted the computer and tried to install Version 5.0 and got the same results it did not work. I then visited Roxio's WEB site and downloaded the patches that were posted. I uninstalled version 5.0 and had the same rights issue with the registry. Now I tried to install version 5.0 using the instructions from the WEB. The instructions say to apply both patches before doing the reboot of the computer. The first patch loaded fine. The update patch said no valid version of Roxio product was detected on this machine or something to that effect. I rebooted thinking maybe the registry needed to be refreshed and tried to load the update and got the same error message. I am now into Sunday with this problem. I decided that since the computer has been running for over a year with no major problems that maybe the registry has some corruption. So, I reload the Windows 2000 operating system. Same result as before, version 5.0 still does not load correctly. Now my weekend is gone, and I am at work Monday morning. I decide to call Roxio's tech support line. The line is not toll free. I was on hold for one hour before a technician came onto the line. I tell him the problem and the configuration of my computer. He tells me he has heard of this before, and said the fix is to uninstall the Adaptec SCSI card and load the software. He also says that I need to go into the registry and delete any key that makes reference to Adaptec. This sent shivers down my spine!
My problem is I have no IDE drive and boot from the SCSI subsystem. At the technician's suggestion, I removed the Adaptec drivers replaced, them with the generic drivers, hacked the registry, and loaded version 5.0. I rebooted the computer and got the same error messages. Now I have a new problem. The computer detects the Adaptec card and wants to load the appropriate drivers. So, I do. Every time I reboot the computer it detects the Adaptec controller and wants to load the drives. This obviously was a result of hacking at the registry. To fix this problem, I had to reload Windows 2000. Monday night I decided to go to Roxio's WEB site and post the problem on line. I can't afford an hour of long distant charges to their tech support. I recap the problems and ask for a document that would allow me to take this product back to (the store) and get my money back. (The store) will not take back software they will only exchange software with bad media for same software.) This is not bad media, just bad programming. Wednesday I get e-mail from tech support suggesting something else to try. There is no mention of me getting my money back. I try the suggestions, same results. I went back to the WEB site, posted the results. It's been almost a week now and all I have for my (money) is a shiny box the software came in, an hour of long distant phone charges and an unstable computer from trying to load Easy CD Creator 5.0. I have a feeling, the ploy at this point, is to keep running suggestions to me until the free support runs out so they can charge me more money. I am not that stupid Roxio. Save yourself and stay far, far, far, far away from Easy CD Creator 5.0. At this point I will not even install Easy CD creator 4.0. I am researching other CD burning software solutions. Rick Shope
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