Dell and the Story of the Google Toolbar EULA
EULA=End User License Agreement, now on with the story.
Dear Dell
Thank you very much for pre-installing the Google Toolbar on these nice Dell Optiplex GX745 Computers.
I have one comment.
The Google Toolbar EULA that appears automatically when the PC first boots up and gets to the windows desktop for the first time looks like its been designed for a screen running at 1024×768 pixels wide.
This is what you see (click for a larger version)
For your information the default screen resolution of these computers the very first time they reach the windows desktop is 800×600 pixels wide.
Now considering the EULA has no Close option (like every windows application should do) how does one actually close it?
Do you see my problem, its occupying more than 100% of the screen and I can’t close it.
Naturally I figured out what I needed to do.
1) Drag it out of the way.
2) Disable it at start up by using msconfig.
I suspect this fails because you or Google (let’s share the love) have assumed the PC is connected to the internet and the missing I AGREE box cannot be accessed from the net or something.
Whatever the reason, its not a good “out of the box” experience.
If it helps these machines shipped in early Feb, but doing a quick google search I see other people with the same problem.
Office2007 User Interface
February 28th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
[...] You can read about the EULA issue here [...]
March 7th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
I HAVE removed it, but the inaccessible Toolbar EULA screen still comes up everytime I boot up & sign on. I can’t get rid of the dumb thing. And it doesn’t show up as running when I look a the Task Manager. I CAN”T get rid of it. Please help.
March 7th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Hi Debbie.
This Post on the Dell Support Forum might help.
http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=si_newusers&message.id=58934&query.id=292134#M58934
In Particular the last post.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Colin
September 14th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Just wanted to note that this is happening on a Dell Optiplex 745 shipped in September, 2007. I’m trying to set up 5 of them in a public library setting, and really hope the other 4 don’t have the same problem. Thanks for link to the Dell forum and the msconfig adjustment suggested there, Colin!
September 16th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
Hi EC
I know, I am still receiving new computers that do the same thing.
I know, they know about it.
Why on earth they don’t fixed this is beyond me.
I dont envy you setting up computers for use by the public.
Do you have to really lock down the profiles?
Colin
December 5th, 2007 at 12:05 am
Same problem just came up while testing a brand new Dell Optiplex 755 (purchased 11/26/2007). I dragged the EULA window over to the side and changed the screen settings from 800×600 to 1024×768. The window no longer takes up the entire screen. However, it Does Not show you more of the EULA than with the 800×600 settings. Very strange. Will do more research. Thanks for the information!
Sincerely, Michael
December 5th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Hi Michael
I don’t know why they havent fixed this. The EULA issue is very common.
Colin
December 27th, 2007 at 12:36 am
Dear Colin,
Thank you for bringing this problem to light. Intially (see above - 12/5/2007) I used the “msconfig” solution in order to uncheck and prevent the EULALauncher from loading. Today, with the current monitor settings at 1024×768 (and Dell Gold Tech support on the line) I went into msconfig and re-checked the EULALauncher. After rebooting, the EULA screen came up normally with a scroll bar on the right hand side that allowed me to scroll down and finish agreeing to the EULA. A Gold Tech Support Dell representative told me that a possible reason why the EULA (during the initial setup) stayed the same size even when I changed the resolution from 800×600 –> 1024×768 is that the computer system “saw” it as a web program and didn’t resize it properly (keeping the 800×600 resolution for ONLY that window). Restarting the system with the 1024×768 monitor settings resolved my EULA issue. The Dell Rep also mentioned that sometimes the system can also be thrown off if the video properties are set to 120 dpi rather than 96 dpi.
I’m glad my issue was resolved. I agree with you though: I don’t know why they haven’t fixed this.
Personally, I felt lucky in this situation to have the upgraded North American Gold Tech Support (My experiences in general with most overseas Home/Home Office support programs have been iffy at best and mind-numbingly awful at worst).
Thanks again! I hope this information helps!
Sincerely, Michael
December 27th, 2007 at 12:40 am
Thanks for the update Michael.
Colin