Win 7

Apple is going to love this.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9139991/Windows_7_endless_reboot_answer_evades_Microsoft

Don't they pay people to check this stuff?

[Malware Removal Specialist]

Same issues happened with vista and xp. Many times it's user error but people would rather blow it all out of proportion than admit they might be at fault. Everyone couldn't wait for the free betas. Now it's final those same people will do everything they can to try and bury it.

How unfortunate. All the systems here that I installed it on worked fine. Microsoft definitely pays people to test for these things but unfortunately with PC's there are billions of different configurations so it's impossible to make a full proof install of an OS.

I have to agree, it's bad enough installing a clean copy of a Windows OS with god knows what kind of hardware, video cards, sound, motherboard, etc. but the upgrade install throws all sorts of software variables into the mix- it's really inevitable that some combination will prevent proper upgrade, and also that a few combinations will cause these sorts of stalls- it's pure combinatorics Infinite Diversity in Infinite combinations yields infinite ways for things to go wrong

Apple, as has been covered, doesn't have to go through these sorts of pains. the hardware is known, and the software is generally inconsequential. The fact that apple does not diversify amongst numerous components and hardware manufacturers can hardly be called an "advantage"... (except perhaps asthetically)

I have to wonder how much of that could be caused by some of the software people use.

Those darned apps that people install that scan the drivers and supposedly updates them all for you. 
Then there are the registry 'fixing' utilities.
Of course viruses and malware could come into it.

exactly, Microsoft tested windows... not malware. I doubt malware and half of those "fixing" programs go through half the lashings that MS puts Windows through. as hard as it is for many to accept- the Quality control at MS is better then almost any other software company. It's the companies that write their software for Microsoft's operating systems, or applications based off office macros/VBA that are badly tested, not the platform.

Short story is: MS says "hey, programmers, don't do this. It works, but we'll probably remove it in the next version". Some Stubborn continue to to it that way. MS removes support in next version. User upgrades Windows OS. finds program is broken. blames Microsoft.

"Compatibility" Is one of the sore spots for me when it comes to windows. Whatever Microsoft does- it's wrong. People complain that there is too much "backwards compatibility" cruft in windows, so MS removes a good deal of it from Vista. People complain about that. And with something like this- stuff written right into the EXE loader, you can't feasibly make it an option, either. (well you could, but it would probably require another year or so of testing). Remove the shims, and Windows is "a compatibility nightmare" that "refuses to run common applications", but if MS keeps it in, it's a "bloated beast filled with code to keep old applications usable" it's a lose-lose, and MS has been in a lose-lose scenario for some time within many circles. Slashdot doesn't count, they don't even consider that what MS does might be a good idea, and the first thing slashdot readers try to do is get a hold of the gnome/KDE source and implement the exact opposite.

[Malware Removal Specialist]

Same issues happened with vista and xp. Many times it's user error but people would rather blow it all out of proportion than admit they might be at fault. Everyone couldn't wait for the free betas. Now it's final those same people will do everything they can to try and bury it.

Well after my accusations I went to use the upgrade from Dell. Went through the process..........straight into a boot loop! 

Well after my accusations I went to use the upgrade from Dell. Went through the process..........straight into a boot loop! 

'doh, You'll have to let us know what resolves it. I'd imagine your system of all systems wouldn't be infected with malware. So likely some other issue. I haven't had the chance yet to do much research on the issue (doesn't help it didn't happen to me) but maybe this is only happening on disc from OEMs? All my discs are retail.

[Moderator]

Well after my accusations I went to use the upgrade from Dell. Went through the process..........straight into a boot loop!

Was this a DLoad .iso ? ?
I've heard of issues for customers who pre-ordered from Digital River and some OEM's...
If so has provided a link for a fresh DLoad .iso directly from MS...
I'll dig out the link if this is the case...

[Malware Removal Specialist]

this is only happening on disc from OEMs?

Was this a DLoad .iso

Yes/No  

It was the upgrade disk from Dell. Two disks were sent. One was a compatibility test. Had to uninstall Google Toolbar and iTunes then it told me to proceed with the install disk. Went through that and when it rebooted came the message 'This install failed' (or something similar) and it will roll back to the previous version. Over and over and over...

Tried a repair install. No go.

Tried the install option. No go. Everything resulted in the boot loop coming back.

Had a relative look at it. He somehow figured out that it not only failed but also wiped the drive clean. The log ins were there but that was it. I did have most everything backed up luckily.

I wasn't around for the whole process so no details. He put Vista back on and then somehow got 7 installed. Helps to be an actual computer tech when something like that happens.

I'm not a computer tech. I just play one on the Internet.

[Moderator]

BTW, just as an aside - you don't really have to uninstall iTunes, but Win 7 at least wants you to deauthorize the computer before installing. You can reauthorize immediately after.

[Malware Removal Specialist]

That did puzzle me. MS must really dislike Apple.

[Moderator]

EF don't be so hard on yourself...it may just have been a PEBCAK error on his end...

I did however get a kick outta this:

I'm not a computer tech. I just play one on the Internet.