you can download a browser such a Google Chrome, which is not supported by the Dell Download Manager. Since it's not supported, you are not being forced to install that download manager (which wouldn't install on any of my computers). In Google Chrome, all the download links bring up the path to the executable file you chose, which can then be saved and run at your leisure.
~Sovereign
I received a laptop from a customer that he wanted fixed. It was highly infected with malware and I wasn't able to remove the spyware and viruses with the tools I usually use... not even in safe mode. I ordered Dell's recovery discs and received them successfully, however the drivers that came on the CD are not compatible with the older system that I have. This was possible expected since it is a old laptop (E1505). I was trying to downloaded the drivers from Dell's Web site, however I'm required to install Dell's download manager for single downloads and multi-downloads. During my attempt to install the manager, it gets stuck at 72% of the download.
Here are the error details:
PLATFORM VERSION INFO
Windows : 6.0.6002.131072 (Win32NT)
Common Language Runtime : 2.0.50727.4016
System.Deployment.dll : 2.0.50727.4016 (NetFxQFE.050727-4000)
mscorwks.dll : 2.0.50727.4016 (NetFxQFE.050727-4000)
dfdll.dll : 2.0.50727.4016 (NetFxQFE.050727-4000)
dfshim.dll : 2.0.50727.4016 (NetFxQFE.050727-4000)
SOURCES
Deployment url : http://xserv.dell.com/dm/DownloadManager/DellDriverDownloadManager.application?c=us&l=en&filelist=118437,150083,169465,199461,210212,307954,190215
Server : Unauthorized-Use-Prohibited
X-Powered-By : ASP.NET
Deployment Provider url : http://xserv.dell.com/dm/downloadmanager/DellDriverDownloadManager.application
Server : Unauthorized-Use-Prohibited
X-Powered-By : ASP.NET
Application url : http://xserv.dell.com/dm/downloadmanager/Application%20Files/DellDriverDownloadManager_1_0_0_0/DellDriverDownloadManager.exe.manifest
Server : Unauthorized-Use-Prohibited
X-Powered-By : ASP.NET
IDENTITIES
Deployment Identity : DellDriverDownloadManager.application, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c8a6012355de1b2d, processorArchitecture=msil
Application Identity : DellDriverDownloadManager.exe, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c8a6012355de1b2d, processorArchitecture=msil, type=win32
APPLICATION SUMMARY
* Installable application.
* Trust url parameter is set.
ERROR SUMMARY
Below is a summary of the errors, details of these errors are listed later in the log.
* Activation of http://xserv.dell.com/dm/DownloadManager/DellDriverDownloadManager.application?c=us&l=en&filelist=118437,150083,169465,199461,210212,307954,190215 resulted in exception. Following failure messages were detected:
+ Downloading http://xserv.dell.com/dm/downloadmanager/Application Files/DellDriverDownloadManager_1_0_0_0/Xceed.Compression.dll.deploy did not succeed.
+ The operation has timed out.
COMPONENT STORE TRANSACTION FAILURE SUMMARY
No transaction error was detected.
WARNINGS
There were no warnings during this operation.
OPERATION PROGRESS STATUS
* [10/7/2009 3:23:26 PM] : Activation of http://xserv.dell.com/dm/DownloadManager/DellDriverDownloadManager.application?c=us&l=en&filelist=118437,150083,169465,199461,210212,307954,190215 has started.
* [10/7/2009 3:23:37 PM] : Processing of deployment manifest has successfully completed.
* [10/7/2009 3:23:37 PM] : Installation of the application has started.
* [10/7/2009 3:23:37 PM] : Processing of application manifest has successfully completed.
* [10/7/2009 3:23:41 PM] : Request of trust and detection of platform is complete.
ERROR DETAILS
Following errors were detected during this operation.
* [10/7/2009 3:28:50 PM] System.Deployment.Application.DeploymentDownloadException (Unknown subtype)
- Downloading http://xserv.dell.com/dm/downloadmanager/Application Files/DellDriverDownloadManager_1_0_0_0/Xceed.Compression.dll.deploy did not succeed.
- Source: System.Deployment
- Stack trace:
at System.Deployment.Application.SystemNetDownloader.DownloadSingleFile(DownloadQueueItem next)
at System.Deployment.Application.SystemNetDownloader.DownloadAllFiles()
at System.Deployment.Application.FileDownloader.Download(SubscriptionState subState)
at System.Deployment.Application.DownloadManager.DownloadDependencies(SubscriptionState subState, AssemblyManifest deployManifest, AssemblyManifest appManifest, Uri sourceUriBase, String targetDirectory, String group, IDownloadNotification notification, DownloadOptions options)
at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.DownloadApplication(SubscriptionState subState, ActivationDescription actDesc, Int64 transactionId, TempDirectory& downloadTemp)
at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.InstallApplication(SubscriptionState& subState, ActivationDescription actDesc)
at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.PerformDeploymentActivation(Uri activationUri, Boolean isShortcut, String textualSubId, String deploymentProviderUrlFromExtension, BrowserSettings browserSettings, String& errorPageUrl)
at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.ActivateDeploymentWorker(Object state)
--- Inner Exception ---
System.Net.WebException
- The operation has timed out.
- Source: System
- Stack trace:
at System.Net.ConnectStream.Read(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size)
at System.Deployment.Application.SystemNetDownloader.DownloadSingleFile(DownloadQueueItem next)
COMPONENT STORE TRANSACTION DETAILS
No transaction information is available.
--- I've tried it on two different machines, one running Windows 7 one Windows Vista. One is 64bit one is 32bit. I tried downloading it in IE8 and Firefox (latest version). In either case it gets stuck at 72%. I glanced at the error log but it doesn't tell me anything that I find useful. Is there something in the log that can help me get this resolved?
Thank you,
~Sovereign

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