Unable to install Vista because of "Roxio Backup MyPC?"
Today I tried installing the latest build of Vista and ran into an interesting problem. The compatibility check during installation failed because I had "Roxio Backup MyPC."
The only Roxio app I have is Roxio Easy Media Creator Suite 8, so I went and checked that and the backup portion was deselected in setup. I then started searching around for why I was getting this error. Pulling the log files from setup turned out to be difficult because they got wiped after I closed setup for Vista, so I had to redo the install and grab them before closing. Those revealed that the problem was Sonic Backup MyPC, not Roxio Backup MyPC. Looking in Add/Remove Programs, however, I don't have any Sonic software installed.
The problem turns out to be relatively insidious. Sonic is actually a Roxio subsidiary now, and Sonic's Backup MyPC comes with Easy Media Creator. In fact, it turns out that regardless of whether you select to install the backup component of Roxio's suite or not, they will always install the Sonic Backup MyPC bits. I'm not sure whether that is a bug or not, but they do. Only by manually removing the directory %program files%\Sonic and then finding and removing all references to it in the registry was I able to proceed with the installation.
I thought this might be useful to others who, like me, want Vista on a machine with Roxio's Suite.