Liveblog: Updating Parallels from XP Pro to Vista

Why? I’m not sure. I do know that I hatelove to be on top of technology.

Oh wait, you didn’t get the question? Why am I upgrading my perfectly working Windows XP Pro to Windows Vista?

We all caught up now? Good.

I actually tried this earlier today and failed.

My pre-work was creating a snapshot, shutting down, and copying the entire Parallels VM folder to my external HDD.

Also, I’m upgrading to Windows Vista Ultimate. I would like to upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium, but apparently you can’t upgrade Windows XP Professional Windows*Home*. Stupid Microsoft.

9:00PM - At the Agree To the Terms blah blah blah window. Yes, of course. I don’t have time to say No right now.

9:01PM - The installation window says this may take “several hours”. Stupid Microsoft.

9:25PM - Apparently its done “Copying Windows files”. Now its 60% done “Gathering files”. WTF did it copy if it hadn’t gathered ‘em yet??

9:57PM - “Please wait a moment while Windows prepares to start for the first time……………………………………………………………..”

Gonna be playing Rock Band with Specks1 for a few hours.

7:12AM - Played till 1:30 or 2:00 AM. Came back to the upgrade this morning and its asking me a few questions about where the computer is located (Home, Work, public) and whether I want all the auto-updates. Um, no thanks, Microsoft.

7:15AM - Now its checking my computers performance.

7:20AM - I’m at the welcome screen for Vista, but I still can’t do anything… still the first time startup stuff I’m guessing.

7:22AM - OK, it’s at the Personalized Settings window, where its setting up personalized settngs for: Microsoft Windows Mail 7 (the name here should keep changing, right?).

7:25AM - BLUE SCREEN of DEATH!!

7:26AM - Is it just me or should those Microsoft engineers figure out a new way to present total system failures? I mean c’mon. The BSOD is so old now.

7:27AM - Back at the Welcome screen. I wonder if I should go back and increase the VM RAM to 1GB… XP has been working just fine with 512MB, though.

7:32AM - OK it is clearly in a BSOD loop. Hmmm…. back out the changes (thank goodness for Parallels!!!!) or try safe mode? I hate Microsoft so much right now.

7:38AM - I love virtual machines. Restored to my XP state. Bumped RAM to 1GB and video RAM from 16MB to 32MB. None of this should matter, mind you, but we’ll try it see what happens… of course now its gonna take “hours” again to complete the upgrade…

7:45AM - Upgrade is starting up again… starting to wonder if I should just try a fresh install.

7:48AM - Chose not to get the latest updates online this time… hopefully that helps, at least from an install-speed perspective.

8:54AM - Still going….

9:40AM - Checking my computer’s performance again…

9:42AM - “Preparing your desktop”… I think the Personalized Settings window is next… hopefully no more BSODs.

9:46AM - Uh-oh, I wasn’t watching and Windows rebooted… dunno if there was a BSOD.

9:47AM - The Personalized Settings window is up now. Fingers crossed…

9:55AM - Should I be worried? The Personalized Settings window is still up and it still says “Windows Desktop Update”.

9:56AM - Yeah the mouse and keyboard are not responding. I’ll give it another try. Stopping the VM and restarting.

10:08AM - Its still on that window.

Forget this!! I’m going to revert back to WinXP and maybe I’ll try installing Vista separately, some other time.

Windows Vista Rating:
Yes, zero stars. What other rating can you give software that doesn’t even install??

Tags: Mac, OS X, Parallels, Upgrade, Vista, Windows, XP