How weird can you make your software?

This problem is in fact solved but it presented an interesting troubleshooting experience that I just had with HP:s "Album Printing software". So I thought I might share it on the forum. Maybe it can even serve as help to someone stuck with a similar problem.

The software had been working fine for some time, (Windows XP SP1) but suddenly it began to generate a number of error messages and then crash.
The error messages said that some specific folders and files were missing and needed to be reinstalled. So I started the famous uninstall/reinstall routine. No change; still the same messages.
When I checked the result of the uninstall I found that quite a few folders and files were still left in the directory where the program had resided, and also a lot of residue in the registry. Naturally I concluded that to be the reason for the "unsuccessful" reinstallation so I called HP support (Sweden) for help. Their answer was that the uninstaller "should work", that some other program prevented its proper function and that the only solution would be to reformat the hard disk, reinstall Windows and then install the HP software before anything else, to prevent any interactions with other programs.
As this was totally unacceptable I decided to try to repair the installation and checked my notebook where the same installation works OK. To my surprise I found that the "missing folders and files" were missing here too! Obviously they were never installed in the first place and the program didn't mind at all.
Another call to HP support to get an explanation for this strange situation, and the name of the routine that generated the messages. The idea being, that I was running a corrupt routine that could be replaced by the working one from the notebook. However HP support didn't know the name (understandable), but would not try to find out, and would not even try to explain why the program was working in one machine but not in another. They insisted on the reformat solution.

Left on my own I then did what I should have done in the first place; I turned to Google.
After about 15 min of surfing I found the fix.
For HP Album Printing to work you need to have indexing enabled for the hard disk where the program resides! I had disabled it some time ago to increase the speed of the box. So I checked the enable box and presto HP Album Printing worked again.

Now why would anyone write a software that requires disk indexing to be enabled?
And if they did, why not state this clearly in the installation process and why not at least inform their support staff about this little "peculiarity".
And why would anyone write error messages that asks for folders and files that are not supposed to be there in the first place?
How weird can you make your software?

Nisse

If I were a high stakes betting man, my money would be on that they got this software from someone / someplace else. (thus NOT knowing a thing about it) If it is anything like the HP stuff I have seen of late, if you look, it probably will say CHINA on it. The last few things that HP is making come from there & I'm sorry to say it is ruining there QUALITY & there REPUTATION.

I have gotten quite a few HP things for a former employer. NEVER had ANY problems with it & it was U.S. then. Got an All-In-One a while back & the software was such a POS that it hosed the other HP stuff. In the process of trying to clean it up, things only got worse to the point I pulled out my backup image & reinstalled. A friend of mine wasn't as lucky. It totally hosed his system & he had to rebuild as he didn't have an image. He DID have regular backups though.

IMO, ALL U.S. companies had better wake up & start making stuff HERE again, (at least not in china) or they aren't going to HAVE a business.

Glad to see you got your problem figured out - (even though tech support was no help in your case)

And there again I'll bet you got some yeahoo across the pond as to why he didn't know <censored>!!!! I got that too & got mad to the point I demanded someone "whose native tongue was ENGLISH". Got someone HERE & resolved the problem easily & I might add HP made things exceeding right with me. ( this was a customers problem I was working on, I might add - even MORE reason I didn't need the hassle)

All in all, I still like HP (if I get the right person in tech support) but as stated above, if they keep the STUPID SUPPORT & CHEAP CRAP (software especially) coming they're cutting there own throats!!!!!