Nero 7.0.1.4 Error / Info Tool

[bobmitchell]

C:\Windows\System32=cmd.exe

SYSTEM\Current Control Set\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers.VDD. Virtual Device Driver format in registry is invalid. Choose "Close" to terminate the application.

This is what I get when I start up Infotool, each and every tine...

Also...Nero Home does not install.

Nice!

[bigblu91]

I wonder where the conflict is? The infotool is working fine on my Nero 7.0.1.4 install. The only thing I see as of now is the "demo" issue in the add\remove list. This release has fixed the scanner issue I had with the previous releases. I didn't have an issue with NeroVision either.

NeroHome installed also. I just tried it out and it does something, I just don't know what to do with it. The thing I did have problems with on NeroHome is I couldn't find a way out. I had to kill it with the task manager.

I hope you or they can figure this out. Good Luck!

[bobmitchell]

Found the issue. If Craig Campbell can figure this one out...he gets the Nobel Prize. In order to install Nero 7 without a hitch...I had to uninstall my entire McAfee Security Suite (antivirus, firewall and security). Seems that I couldn't just turn it off...I had to uninstall it...then Nero installed perfectly. What is that??????

[pranav81]

Might be some compatibility issues with McAfee's drivers that are loaded in memory.


::Pranav::

[bigblu91]

Found the issue. If Craig Campbell can figure this one out...he gets the Nobel Prize. In order to install Nero 7 without a hitch...I had to uninstall my entire McAfee Security Suite (antivirus, firewall and security). Seems that I couldn't just turn it off...I had to uninstall it...then Nero installed perfectly. What is that??????

I know this can be a hassle, but I ALWAYS disable(not just turn off) all antivirus before installing programs that may change my system this much. This includes large games, video drivers, whatever may make huge changes. It's not that hard though really and I have found it saves headaches in the end. Just make sure you trust the program you are installing and that it doesn't contain a virus. Now assuming you have Windows XP:

Open "msconfig" from "run" and click the "Services" tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" then click "Disable All". Now all non-MS services will be disabled after reboot, but don't reboot just yet.

Now click the "Startup" tab and disable all those startup items which will include several McAfee items especially if you are running Internet Security. If they aren't all checked just write down the ones that are if you need to. Click OK and reboot. After the reboot install Nero or whatever program that is of this magnitude. After your done turn everything back on that you turned off. After you do this a couple of times when installing some software you can do it all in under a minute. I actually learned all this from trying to get Roxio EZ Creator 5 to install correctly a few years ago. I continue to do this now on large software installs and I have few problems except for the ones that are truely created by the developers.

I have McAfee's newest A\V and F\W and this is what I did and Nero installed as good as this version will. McAfee made some changes in the latest version that makes it impossible to disable their software completely unless you do it as suggested. I guess that is because some viruses have found a way to turn off McAfee services without a reboot. It sucks though if you don't want McAfee slowing you down when playing a CPU intensive game.

Bottom line, you don't have to reinstall and re-update McAfee. I have to say also, McAfee can be overly intrusive (really bad if you use Internet Security)when you don't want it to be. Norton is the same way. Blame that on the jerks that make viruses. I guess it would be impossible to make an AV that covers all the bases without creating problems somewhere else.

[dodecahedron]

that's what comes from the public getting used to stupid ass software companies releasing buggy software to the market. everyone's come to accept it and live with it.

if i have to go to these lenghts to disable anti-virus and firewall software to be able to install an app and not have it mess up the system, it's the apps failure (and the software company that wrote it). period. not the safety software. that should be on at all times.
if a company can't write a program that installs while Norton, McAfee etc. are running in the background they shouldn't release it.

[bigblu91]

that's what comes from the public getting used to stupid ass software companies releasing buggy software to the market. everyone's come to accept it and live with it.

if i have to go to these lenghts to disable anti-virus and firewall software to be able to install an app and not have it mess up the system, it's the apps failure (and the software company that wrote it). period. not the safety software. that should be on at all times.
if a company can't write a program that installs while Norton, McAfee etc. are running in the background they shouldn't release it.

That would be nice in a perfect world. That is a big problem in pc software. There doesn't appear to be strict standards in the industy. Hell, the industry can't agree on standards for anything. (Bluray, DVD-,+,whatever). As I said, McAfee changed and added some security services to protect systems from software disabling them. You can't blame Nero for problems created from this. They can't know every configuration on every pc and without strict industry standards, how can they deal with it.

YOU CAN BLAME Nero for the many other problems with their software AND for releasing this as a retail and not Beta version. They should have not released this in stores knowing that all the functions did not work. It may be time to give businesses like NTI a try or maybe try Roxio again. I can't afford to be out that money right now.

The other thing you could do is allow Microsoft to own all the software companies so they would all follow whatever standard that makes Bill happy.

[bobmitchell]

Not sure where the bug is...but two things give me success...but one in particular gives me consistent success. If I uninstall McAfee Security Suite...OR...shut off Webroot Spysweeper...then install Nero...then re-activate. Seems that Spysweeper is the "root" of the issue. It won't allow Nero to write certain values in the registry. Older versions of Spysweeper did not do this...but will do with every single version of Nero 7...so now I understand the drill. Not a big problem...as long as I remember to disable Spysweeper before upgrading.

Bob

[[H]omer]

That is a big problem in pc software. There doesn't appear to be strict standards in the industy. Hell, the industry can't agree on standards for anything. (Bluray, DVD-,+,whatever). As I said, McAfee changed and added some security services to protect systems from software disabling them. You can't blame Nero for problems created from this. They can't know every configuration on every pc and without strict industry standards, how can they deal with it.

I am well aware of Microsoft's failure to adhere to industry standards, since I work extensively in cross platform development and RPM packaging and QA for a certain GNU Linux distro, and have to deal with cross-platform quirks and queries on a daily basis, but nevertheless Microsoft has clearly documented mechanisms for dealing with open files and locked handles, which are covered in detail in their various SDKs. These mechanisms are also employed and documented in the InstallShield software and other distribution packages. Other software distributions manage to cope with locked conditions and antivirus software just fine, and many of these packages are considerably bigger and more complex than Nero.

I find it totally unacceptable that any software installer should require the disabling of any security related software in order to complete an install successfully. That is, quite frankly, bullsh*t. Roxio's latest suite, warts and all, installs fine with antivirus (NOD32), registry protection (Ad-Block), and a firewall (Outpost including all blocker modules), installed and active just fine, but this is apparently a problem for Nero. Somebody at Nero is taking shortcuts either based on time constraints or ignorance; in either case I have completely lost confidence in their integrity.

I am not unrealistic, and yes I do understand the development cycle only too well, but this release of Nero is little more than an Eye-Candy update, which is why I am so surprised that it seems to have completely broken the back-end components. The only time I ever usually see something like that happening with a software package, is when it has been taken over by a new design and/or engineering team who basically don't have a clue what they are doing with somebody else's code.

I haven't seen such a poor commercial release of any software since "Adobe Photoshop Album 1.0", and that was about the worst I've ever seen in over 20 years - words like shocking and embarrassing come to mind. The folks at TrollTech must have wet themselves with laughter when they saw what a mangled mess Adobe spewed out of their code.

In the OSS world I would tend not to be overly critical over such teething problems, but this is a comercial product that has been released as a non-beta paid upgrade, but is quite obviously still Alpha IMHO. Somebody at Nero is either getting very greedy or very stupid or both.

[bigblu91]

I find it totally unacceptable that any software installer should require the disabling of any security related software in order to complete an install successfully. That is, quite frankly, bullsh*t. Roxio's latest suite, warts and all, installs fine with antivirus (NOD32), registry protection (Ad-Block), and a firewall (Outpost including all blocker modules), installed and active just fine, but this is apparently a problem for Nero. Somebody at Nero is taking shortcuts either based on time constraints or ignorance; in either case I have completely lost confidence in their integrity.

It sounds like you have much more experience than I have discussing this situation. My main point is when installing something you trust security wise, which I would like to believe I could trust Nero for(security speaking obviously), then with all the problems just use the steps I know others use to try to get the best possible install.

Sure, I would like to see being able to install under whatever circumstance but I have yet to see that. I quit taking chances beginning with Roxio years ago as you HAD to do this to get a clean install. The software package then wasn't this big. I find it to be a very small thing to do shutting down items through MSCONFIG. By doing this on large software installs and even some smaller ones it gets me very familiar with what is running on my system. I have no problem knowing what to turn back on after an install plus I get to know exactly what the new install created and can shut it down when it's not necessay.(real player and quiktime crap comes to mind)

I guess this is why places like Circuit City gets $28.99 to install software, and that is just the starting fee.

Those people that are still trying to stick with Nero through this crap release I think needs to try to cut out ANY possible issue with the software installation. It's not right but.....

The main thing I want is a program that does what the box or website promises and Nero 7 ain't cuttin' it. The least of my concern at this point is if I have to disable security software fully to get the best possible install. The other point is you don't have to uninstall one product fully just to get another one installed, which is what bobmitch did. I was just trying to give him an alternative to having to reinstall and re-update McAfee which I'm familiar with and know what you have to go through right after the new install of McAfee.

This will be the last time I spend my money on Nero software and I would guess others last time too. I doubt they care though since they chose to release it this way anyway.

[[H]omer]

I find it to be a very small thing to do shutting down items through MSCONFIG.

Case scenario: There's an encrypted virus sitting in your cache that periodically polls for the presence of an antivirus service through the Security Centre service. In the event that no antivirus scanner is active it decrypts the main code segment (the actual virus) and releases its payload.

You disable the antivirus service in order to install Nero, become infected, lose a days-worth of data (or more without backups), and spam everyone in your address book with offers of Viagra and penis enlargers - including your boss who isn't amused. You lose your job, can't repay your mortgage, lose your house and your wife leaves you and takes the kids with her. In your grief you kill yourself.

Too extreme?

Maybe.

The bottom line is; I do not want to disable security software for any reason ever, period, least of all to compensate for some third-rate programmer’s incompetence.

Security software exists for a reason, which is completely defeated if you disable it for trivial purposes. It is very far from being a “small thing”.