Wednesday, March 19, 2008 5:20 PM
jstengel
What happened during my Vista SP1 installation...
It all started with my upgrade to VS 2008. I've been using the trial version and only had 3 days left...time to do the deed.
IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: If you are using the trial version, you don't need to do a full uninstall/reinstall. I saw this option the very second I clicked the "uninstall" button. That cost me an hour and a half. Live and learn.
Back to the story...at the end of the Visual Studio upgrade I got the option to check for updates which I always do. I am reckless with updates and proud of it. I seem to be addicted to see what's going to happen. Will it work? Will it fail? If it fails, will it be spectacular? OMG, what have I done!...It's so exciting.
For the most part the installation was quite uneventful and I spent most of it daydreaming about my vacation next week.
Then comes the REBOOT! This is the best part of any major update. This is where it can go really really bad, really really fast. I love this part.
System loads. It pauses before the login screen to install the final 3 parts of Service Pack 1. In big bold letters is the warning, "Do not turn your computer off". I'm starting to sweat and my pulse races as it finishes part 1 and moves to part 2 (like I should care what part it's on--but I do!).
Part 2 is almost done then...BAMMMM! It's the final episode of Sopranos!
My screens goes black. The only thing displayed in all three monitors is a cryptic message only a machine could produce.
"!! 0xC00000 !! 255/73694 (_000000000000000.cfg-ms)"
I knew the exclamation points could only mean something tremendous had happened. Clearly, to tremendous to put into words.
I sit there, trembling. I wonder, "Is it dead? Should I leave it and just go home? Should I turn the computer off? No, it said not to. Computers know best, right?"
My hand shook as I held in the power button. Not from fear--from excitement! It's been a long time since I've had this much fun with an update.
I held my breath as it began to restart. My heart was pounding. I'm given a choice "Repair Windows Startup" or "Start Windows Normally".
What's the logical choice? "Repair", you say? As I selected "Start Windows Normally" (honestly, why wouldn't I want it to start anything but "normally"), I sat frozen, hoping it would be okay but at the same time hoping for some kind of explosion.
The update finished normally, and my machine seems none the worse for wear.
Now, isn't there an IE8 Beta out there somewhere...
Filed under: Vista