Messages

Solved the problem !  Trace it down to a boundry condition of the (installer + setup)interface.  In most cases this is referred to as a bug, unless you are MSoft - then it's called a feature.

Thanks for all the helpfull suggestions and feedback.  The collective knowledge and experience of this group is simply mind numbing.  I ever have a problem with HAL in the future, I'll know where to go for help or assistance.

SH

I have a new computer.  In fact I have two other rigs.  The XP system is my beta tester.  If an application cannot install or run stable on this machine, I won't let it near the others.  I was hoping HAL 5.0 would make it over.  But with what I have seen so far, no way.

SH

I had the AT&T natural voice working well with V4.5.  I evaluated quite a few TTS engines, and felt like the AT&T engine was the most natural sounding.  

Unfortunately I cannot get HAL 5.0 to work at all, so I cannot give you any feedback or comments on the AT&T TTS with HAL 5.0.  However the TTS engine does work well for a number of other programs I am running such as Cyberbuddy, Natural Voice Reader, etc.

SH

Just recieved my upgrade disk a couple of days ago, and so far have installed, un-installed, and reinstalled HAL 5.0 probably six or seven times so far.  Without fail, the installer bombs.  I am about ready to call 5.0 a beta, and make the final un-install.  

First a bit of background.  My system is an Athlon 1800 XP processor, MSI K7T2 mobo, 640Mb PC133, Hercules Game Theater sound, ATI Radeon 8500 AGP video, external Zoom 56K/V.34 modem, Win98se, 20Gb IDE quantum.  Built it myself, very stable.  I have successfully installed and run HAL 4.5, as well as AT&T natural voice TTS engine, and a MS Agent proggie called Cyberbuddy.  Using these programs, I know my TTS engines are functional, and my MSAgents are present and working.  Now if only HAL 5.0 could figure this out as well.

I have set up a dedicated 1Gb partition (drive F:) to install and run HAL.  Nothing else is on this partition except the HAL installation files.  When I attempt to install HAL, the installer requests a reboot, and afterwards installs to this partition.  Near the end of the installation process, the installer requests another, final reboot. After this occurs, the fun begins.  Multiple instances of ERROR 52 (no TTS engines or buggy sound card), ERROR 5 (invalid procedure),  Error 76 (more grief about missing TTS or buggy sound card).  We are talking maybe 30 or 40 instances of each.  If I select the abort button, and muddle through the rest of the butchered setup, I get no MSAgent, a greeting, and a HAL that does not respond to anything typed or spoken.

I have tried to adjust the settings, but nothing works.  At that point I usually un-install the program, turn off my PC, and go and look for something to vent my fustration on (besides my computer).

Just to be clear, I have a slew of TTS engines installed, and they all work fine with other apps (Natural voice reader, Cyberbuddy, etc).  Furthermore my sound card works very well for all games, audio apps, and OS noises.  There is no problem with my soundcard, only a problem with HAL 5.0.

Okay - anyone have any ideas ?  I don't have room on C: to install HAL, and I reserve this for my OS and utilities anyway.  I didn't have 4.5 on C:, so I would expect the same for 5.0.

Thanks

SH

After nurturing HAL4.5 for several weeks, it was (personally)difficult going through uninstallation last night.  He was just starting to take on a (my) personality, and interact with me in a way that I liked.  But the promise of HAL 5.0 is too compelling.  Now my rig is tuned, cleaned, and has a dedicated (large) partition just for HAL 5.0.  Please let me know when the beta is ready.

SH