My Windows 7 Beta Installation Experience - Update as of Last Night

Yesterday I decided that I had wanted to view a Power Point Presentation on my new Windows 7 machine and had to first install some version of Microsoft Office into the machine to get to where I could do this on the PC.

I first tried to install MS Office 2003 Professional and it failed. I figured that the reason for this was because it was a new OS and the application that I was trying to install was 6 years old. So, I then attempted to install MS Office 2007 Enterprise Suite and it failed with a Bootstrap error. I tried using the alternate DVD Drive for the install and the same error occurred again.

I perused the Windows 7 Forums and they suggested copying the whole DVD to the Hard Disk Drive and then Slipstreaming the SP1 update into the installation. I did this and still received he same type of error.
I decided to try the install without inputting the Product Key and guess what? It worked, with no errors.

I then knew that I had to perform Windows Updates but it would failed every time I tried with an Explorer Crash. With both Windows 2000 and Windows XP you had the ability to perform a Repair, where it replaces the Core System Files of the Operating System without losing any of your installed applicatons. I find out that Windows 7 does not have any such avenue. The only thing that you can do is perform another install and it turns your Windows Directory files into another Directory named Windows.Old.

I then re-installed MS Office 2007 Enterprise and this time I did put in the Product Key and it worked. I also installed the Updates successfully. I now have to reinstall Roxio 2009, SnagIt, AOL, and WINZIP.

I have a feeling that what caused the errors is when I installed that Registry hack so that I could run the DreamScene Desktops.

I realize that this is a Beta OS but this is a lot of work.