@doswasbest,
One common issue with Dashboard install is that users have non-standard TEMP folders assigned in Windows. If that is your case, please assign those folders to the default locations for the duration of the install. You also need to make sure you have internet connected, firewall isn’t blocking anything, etc. There is also a standalone installer which can be given out via Customer Support if you need it to install offline, but that will not fix the TEMP folder issue for example.
By the way, you asked this question:
"underneath the WESTERN DIGITAL logo on the dashboard install screen are the words “install version 4.0.2.0:…which means exactly…what?”
There are 2 version numbers shown, the version for the Dashboard software (3.1.2.5) and the version for the Dashboard Setup software (4.0.2.0). The Dashboard Setup is just the installer itself, and not every release of Dashboard will also have a new release of Dashboard Setup so the versions separate.
Like you mention, if you want to give up on installing Dashboard it will not actually affect the usability of your device. If you want to go a bit further, if you contact Customer Support they can guide you through some typical fixes and then forward you on to the dev team if nothing works.
By the way, here is a post from another user who had the TEMP folder issue.
