“This installer be run on Windows Vista only”
That is the exact error message that my friend’s Dell Inspiron 530 with Windows Vista Home Premium had when I tried to install an IOGear Bluetooth Adapter (Model GBU221). The device is just a Broadcom device that IOgear has slapped their logo on and the setup was from Broadcom themselves. Going online for a solution proved to be fruitless, various people had this error and some of the solutions were so ridiculous that I wasn’t even going to attempt it.
When attempting to exit the installer a nice little Visual C++ runtime error popped up. Big clue here folks. A quick visit to Vista’s “Programs & Features” option in the Control Panel (come on Microsoft what was wrong with Add/Remove Programs. When I select Classic mode on the left pane I expect Classic wording too) showed me that Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 runtime was installed not once but twice. One was ~460kb and the other was ~2mb. It seems that Dell has created a small problem in their install image. Perhaps they were trying to install both 2005 and 2008 but decided to install 2005 twice. Not sure really. However this could explain that the only other people getting this error (so far at least) are Dell owners. Another reason that anything Dell continues to suck, but that’s a topic for another time.
Solution time:
I proceeded to download Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86) and Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86). Removed both runtime packages then rebooted, installed (2005 first, then 2008) the two downloaded runtime packages, rebooted but of course once more and suddenly the setup recognized I had Windows Vista and no more runtime error.
Ah the joys of Vista and Dell….
Tags: bluetooth, broadcom, dell sucks, microsoft, problems, Vista
and you’re literally in Rockefeller center on the night Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
Imagine the following situation:
- Gigantic crowd, closed subway station at 47-50th because of the chaos at Rockefeller center and streets closed off
- Hotel is 9 street blocks north of you with your luggage (gigantic suitcase)
- The plane at JFK will leave with or without you.
That is the situation I found myself in yesterday. I literally had to push my way through a crowd of thousands of people to get to the hotel to pickup my crud. Finally got there at 5:25. Rushed upstairs got my stuff and thought about options on how to get to JFK.
* Taxi cab – $45, takes about 80 minutes.
* Subway Line A to Howard Beach station – $2 + $5 for Airtrain, takes about 70 minutes
* Subway Line E to Jamaica Station – $2 + $5 for Airtrain, takes about 60 minutes + time to get to Line E
* LIRR to Jamaic Station – ~$8 + $5 for Airtrain, takes about 35 minutes + time to get to Penn Station
Cab was out of the question. Battle came down to Line A (since it was right next to the hotel) or a trek to Penn Station. With the fact that having a giant suitcase on a subway at rush hour is *no* fun at all, I decided on the railroad. Made it to Penn Station at 5:40pm, train left at 5:45pm and I was pulling into Jamaica station at 6:15pm.
I thought to myself the entire way that I can’t even make it in 35 minutes by car or any form of public transportation to Seatac when stuck in Bellevue at 5pm… whereas in a city just barely under 10 million people and about the same distance to the airport I have options and the ability to do exactly that.
Soon, very soon, options wil become available in Seattle….
Tags: JFK, new york, traveling, work
