CD ROM won't "boot up" to allow installation new Dragon software

[Guest]

OK guys, help me out here:
purchased (from a reseller?) a copy of Scansoft's Dragon Naturally Speaking
8 preferred (with headset).

Now all went pear shaped when my CD ROM refused to "read" the CD. Using a
Compaq EVO800v with Windows XP Professional (of course - that's why I'm in
this newsgroup). The disc appears good: will be read in Win ME and Win98
machines.

Here's another puzzle - I tried installing it in my wife's machine - runs XP
Home - gueess what - it would install. (I should mention I actually
cancelled the install in all the machines that did "accept" it).

Here's another puzzle: I tried it in ALL the CD drives (and a DVD drive) at
work and none of the XP Pro machines would recognise it.

So next I look around the Scan soft site and this newsgroup for anything
similar. Scan soft no help, this newsgroup had some similar issues but
nothing exact.

I tried the little programme Autofix but that didn't help.

I even tried the ISObuster app but that didn't help. Surprised me 'cos the
blurb with it said it by passed Windows to look at the disc direct (I thought
that might tell us if XP was the issue).

Now here's where some of you may shake your head and think I was stupid but
I was getting frustrated and desperate: I put the CD in a Win98 drive
connected to our work server, copied it to a folder there then copied it to
my note book. All installed smooth as silk BUT after Registering and then
"activating" the software I get a "allowable activation" exceeded message
..... and I'm really getting nowhere!

Can any one help me with:
1) Why won't my note book or any of the other machines running XP Pro
recognise and read the CD? Is the software bad?

2) Is the activation exceeded thing 'cos I "copied" the CD? Is it a sign I
have bought pirated software?

I appreciate any expert and sage advice out there.
Thankyou

 

[Malke]

OK guys, help me out here:
purchased (from a reseller?) a copy of Scansoft's Dragon Naturally
Speaking 8 preferred (with headset).

Now all went pear shaped when my CD ROM refused to "read" the CD.
Using a Compaq EVO800v with Windows XP Professional (of course -
that's why I'm in
this newsgroup). The disc appears good: will be read in Win ME and
Win98 machines.

Here's another puzzle - I tried installing it in my wife's machine -
runs XP
Home - gueess what - it would install. (I should mention I actually
cancelled the install in all the machines that did "accept" it).

Here's another puzzle: I tried it in ALL the CD drives (and a DVD
drive) at work and none of the XP Pro machines would recognise it.

So next I look around the Scan soft site and this newsgroup for
anything
similar. Scan soft no help, this newsgroup had some similar issues
but nothing exact.

I tried the little programme Autofix but that didn't help.

I even tried the ISObuster app but that didn't help. Surprised me
'cos the blurb with it said it by passed Windows to look at the disc
direct (I thought that might tell us if XP was the issue).

Now here's where some of you may shake your head and think I was
stupid but
I was getting frustrated and desperate: I put the CD in a Win98 drive
connected to our work server, copied it to a folder there then copied
it to
my note book. All installed smooth as silk BUT after Registering and
then "activating" the software I get a "allowable activation" exceeded
message .... and I'm really getting nowhere!

Can any one help me with:
1) Why won't my note book or any of the other machines running XP Pro
recognise and read the CD? Is the software bad?

2) Is the activation exceeded thing 'cos I "copied" the CD? Is it a
sign I have bought pirated software?

I appreciate any expert and sage advice out there.
Thankyou

These are all questions for Scansoft tech

support.http://support.scansoft.com/

There are phone numbers at that site. I would call them and ask them.

Malke

 

[Guest]

I appreciate the rapid response Malke but it doesn't give me an indication of
what is going on.
I'd like to have an idea of what I am likely to be dealing with before
talking the Scansoft.
The other issue quite frankly is I live in New Zealand and a call to America
is not cheap.
I also still find it intriguing (I wish I needn't) that the CD would read in
XP Home but not in any of the XP Pro machines. Now that is a question that
this newsgroup could ponder at least.
I do appreciate your reply though.

 

[Malke]

I appreciate the rapid response Malke but it doesn't give me an
indication of what is going on.
I'd like to have an idea of what I am likely to be dealing with before
talking the Scansoft.
The other issue quite frankly is I live in New Zealand and a call to
America is not cheap.
I also still find it intriguing (I wish I needn't) that the CD would
read in
XP Home but not in any of the XP Pro machines. Now that is a question
that this newsgroup could ponder at least.
I do appreciate your reply though.

Well, you might get someone reading your post who uses the app. However,
the reason I suggested contacting Scansoft (and they have email if no
overseas phone numbers) is that they will know about any issues with
Home vs. Pro. Without knowing the app, my guess would be that it is a
permissions problem. You might try running one of the Systernals free
apps that tracks where an app is trying to write. Maybe Regmon?

http://www.sysinternals.com/ProcessesAndThreadsUtilities.html

Good luck,

Malke