My first attempt was foiled by the 62% problem (documented by Microsoft here). So after having read the article, off I go to view the log, and sure enough there are the entries I was hoping to see. Bingo, workaround applied, we’re in business. Or maybe not. The next run through doesn’t even get that far. I get an error stating that it can’t unpack the files, with an error code that a quick Google later seems to suggest that there is a faulty memory stick in my machine. Memtest downloaded and run, but no errors. Odd. So let’s try an old favourite instead. Reboot and try again. But no dice, still failing on the unpacking step. Hmm….

So perhaps I should go down the route of dual booting my machine to at least be able to do a clean install rather than an upgrade. Ah yes, good plan. Except there isn’t enough space to create a decent sized second partition for the install. Damn. Now what to try? Maybe I should free up some space for that partition. Oh hang on, there’s a shed load of temporary Windows install files sat here. Well I can’t need them surely? And that’s them deleted. Ah now hang on. Maybe they were causing the unpacking issues. Let’s try again.

Now that’s interesting, we’re now past the unpacking stage and rattling through installing features. And now we’re into transferring my files and settings, this looks promising. Whistling through and past the 62% point, this is the best yet. And installer is rebooting my machine, fantastic! Starting Windows… Should Starting Windows actually mean that it starts? Hmm… I sense there is something wrong here. After 15 minutes of the Starting Windows screen, with the little flag animation not moving (it did to begin with) I think it’s time for the reset button. Which caused the BSOD with a “Driver_Power_State_Failure message). Please no. Ok, all coming back up ok. And there’s a Windows 7 setup screen. Nooooooo! I was greeted with the “Windows wasn’t installed properly. Rolling back to previous Windows installation”.

So I have to say while I’m getting closer, I still feel a million miles away. One thing I will say for the Windows 7 installation process though, is how well it reverts back to your previous version of Windows when something goes wrong (I’m guessing it only does this if you do an upgrade). It really is the best at “self recovery” that I’ve ever seen a Windows installer be, and I’ve seen a few! So a trawl through my action logs this time show that it had a problem talking to one of my external USB hard drives that seems to have gone to sleep and not woken up properly. Now taking my lead from others on the internet, I reckon the next attempt will involve unplugging the USB drives before I start the upgrade. Fingers crossed that works (and that should also reduce the amount of time to install as it will massively reduce the number of files that need transferring).

Expect more updates to come, but hopefully from a Windows 7 machine…

UPDATE: So after a weekend of more trying, I can finally say, I’m giving up trying to install Windows 7 on my desktop. It just won’t have it. Went through the process of ensuring my external drives were disconnected, went through the install procedure again, but again it is hanging at the “Starting Windows” screen, after a BSOD “Power_Driver_State_Failure” message. So I’ll stick with Vista and I guess I’ll go with Windows 7 when I come to refresh my hardware…

I’d had the warning signs. A couple of weeks ago I found that Tiger Woods was starting to freeze sporadically. But it only happened maybe 3 or 4 times in total. And then this week brought the dreaded red lights. And then the disbelief. The feeling that says “it’ll be alright. I’ll just turn it off and back on and everything will work.”. If only it were true. Some advice I can offer about arranging the repair though. Don’t, whatever you do, try and organise it through the XBox Support website. I did this, and when I rang up to query where my packing label was to send the console back, was told “oh you should have rung us, the website doesn’t really work” (not the easiest thing to make out in broken english!). Great. Thanks for that. Perhaps, rather than telling that to your customers, you should be telling this to the website team so they can fix it?

So UPS have been and taken my console away to the repair centre, and I now have 4 weeks without my XBox. Very annoying. I guess it’ll give me some time to get some levelling done in Lord of the Rings Online instead, and when the console comes back, finish the fight I most certainly will…

Following this, it’s amazing where you can find Microsoft adverts nowadays. For example on the back of a Future Publishing title here in the UK. But not an XBox 360 magazine like you might expect, but in fact on the back page of PSM3 magazine. As can be seen here, Microsoft obviously bought a page of advertising space on the magazine just to rub PS3 owners noses in it (that shouldn’t take long given the non-appearance of the console here in the UK and the rest of Europe yet of course!). As the guys at XBox360 fnaboy say, perhaps PS3 fans should just give in and buy and XBox 360 and Gears of War anyway…

It appears that Gears really is the killer (no pun intended) app that Microsoft wanted it to be. I myself love the game, especially online (read my initial thoughts here) and can see why so many XBox 360 owners have bought into Epic’s title. Now if only Sony had such a following for any of their franchises!!