Vista - 1, Dogtail - 0
In yesterday's mail I received my upgrade for Vista. It was timed perfectly with the rest of the Vista launch. I sat down last night to upgrade a test laptop. My intention is to "test drive" a copy first before upgrading my day to day laptop. I followed all the prompts to confirm the laptop (older but still in great condition) would be capable of running the new platform. I downloaded the recommended scan tool, which was a maze in itself sending me to multiple downloads, and confirmed my laptop was ready. After a two hour upgrade process (yes, two hours) I was done. I must say at this point I was rather excited to check out this heralded new upgrade. Unfortunately, as soon as I booted up I was notified that my network drivers were not supported. The problem with network drivers is you can not access the internet. If you can not access the internet, then it is difficult to find and download the new drivers you need...
The lesson for us all is that as the new computers roll out, you may be tempted to upgrade your existing machine. If you do, be prepared for a worst case scenario. Make sure you have an up to date backup, as well as easy access to any existing hardware and XP install CD's in case you need to roll back and reinstall. Also prepare yourself that it may be an adventure over several hours.
I'm sure I'll resolve my issues and be moving soon, but like anything else, it pays to plan and "Be Prepared" (yes I was a Boy Scout in a previous life).
Have a great day!!!
