AST Advantage! 6066d (250-0404/412) Common Questions Faxback Doc. # 3556 The following information is a list of common questions and possible solutions to these questions. They are generic and pertain to a variety of computers. How to install a printer for use with Windows 3.1. 1. Go to the program manager. If you are in the AST Works desktop click on file and choose run program manager. 2. From program manager, locate the icon labeled main and double click on it. This will open the main group. 3. From main, locate the icon labeled control panel and double click on it. This will open the printer dialog box. 4. From the control panel choices locate the icon for printers and double click on it. This will open the printer dialog box. 5. From the printer dialog box, click on the button labeled add. This will open a box below with a list of different printers in it. 6. Using the up or down arrows, locate your printer in the list. If you are unable to locate your printer in this list, please contact the manufacturer of your printer for assistance or refer to your users guide. 7. After you have chosen your printer from the list click on the button to right of the list labeled install. 8. At this point you will be asked for one of your Windows 3.1 diskettes. Insert the diskette required and change the path indicated, if needed. Example, if the path states D:\ type in drive letter A or B, and then :\ and press the enter key. 9. After this is done check to make sure your printer choice is listed in the box list of installed printer and is shown in the default printer box. If your printer is not listed the default printer box click on the printer listed in the installed printer box then click on the button labeled set as default printer. 10. Click on the OK button and close the control panel. You are set to print. Unable to Print from paintbrush. Paintbrush unable to print with 256 color or greater video drivers. 1. Exit the Paintbrush Program and from the program manager locate the main group icon and double click on it to open it up. 2. Locate the icon labeled Windows setup and double click on it. 3. Check the display driver, if it is configured for more than 16 colors it must be changed down to either VGA or another 16 color driver. 4. The reason for this, is that paintbrush does not print when using a 256 or greater color driver when used in conjunction with certain printers or printer drivers. Unable to print from Microsoft Encarta Known problem with Encarta 1. Determine the text that you would like to print and select that area with your mouse. click on the word edit and choose copy, then exit Encarta. 2. From Program Manager locate the icon labeled Accessories and double click on it. From the accessories locate the icon labeled Write and click on it. 3. From Write, click on Edit and then click on Paste. This will paste in the information from Encarta and then click on File and Print. 4. This is a known problem with Encarta when used in conjunction with certain printer, video driver combinations. How do I change video drivers for Windows 3.1 1. Check to see if windows has a group in Program Manager called VGA Utilities or ATI Flexdesk. If so, please exit this prompt and go to the choice that corresponds to your system. 2. If you are still in Windows please exit windows. Alt F4 will exit quickly. 3. Type CD/WINDOWS and press the enter key. This will take you to the windows directory. 4. Type SETUP and press enter. This will start the Windows Setup Program. Look for the line that reads Display. This will tell you the current video driver that is to be used by windows. It is a good idea to write this down on a sheet of paper in case you make a mistake. 5. Using the up arrow key on your keyboard you can move the highlight bar up and highlight the display driver shown, after that press the enter key and you will be taken to another screen. this will be a list of video drivers that are installed on your system. Choose the one from the list that corresponds to your system, i.e. a driver name that starts with AST would be one to look for. 6. If you are unable to locate a driver that corresponds to your system, then you may have to use a display driver diskette that you would have made using the AST disk utility program when you first started your system if you have not made that disk. Then press the F3 key to exit the setup program and go to windows and make the required video drivers disk. 7. After you have found the driver you wish to use, press enter and you will be taken back to the first screen. Now the driver you have chosen is listed in the driver line. Press enter to accept the configuration chosen. You may be asked to a) accept the driver already installed, or b) to insert a floppy disk with the updated display driver. 8. After this is done the program will shut down and you can now reboot your system. If Windows does not restart correctly, repeat the process and choose the driver you wrote down earlier in the process, or contact product support for further assistance. When windows starts the video is scrambled or kicks back to a DOS prompt. Incorrect or corrupt video drivers. 1. From the C:\> type CD/WINDOWS and press enter this will take you to the windows directory. 2. Type SETUP and press enter. This will start the windows setup program. 3. From the list locate the word display write down the driver name on the sheet of paper. 4. Using the up arrow key on your keyboard, move the highlight bar up to the display line then press enter. 5. This will take you to a list of drivers. From that list, locate the driver labeled VGA. Highlight that and press enter. You will be taken back to the first screen and display will now say VGA. Press enter and the program will terminate when finished. 6. You may now restart your system. If this does not correct the problem, contact AST tech support. How to change video resolution for Windows 3.1 using the Setres Utility. Use of Setres Video Utility 1. Locate the icon in program manager that is labeled VGA Utils or VGA Utilities, double clock on it and this will open the group. 2. Locate the icon that may be labeled SET RES and double click on it. This will start the Set Res Program. 3. Within Set Res using your mouse pointer, you can click on the resolution and number of colors that you wish to use the choices that are available to you will be in black those that are not available will be gray. 4. Once you have decided on your choice, click on the button labeled OK. You will then be told to restart Windows. Click on the button labeled Restart Windows. 5. Windows will restart with the new configuration. If Windows fails to load or your get distorted video or bleeding colors contact AST product support. How to change resolution and number of colors using the ATI Flexdesk. Use of ATI Flexdesk 1. In Program Manager locate the icon labeled Flexdesk or ATI Flexdesk and double click on it. From within there locate the icon labeled Flexdesk or ATI Flexdesk and double click on it. 2. From within there you can click on your choices for resolution and color. The choice available to you will be in black. Those that are not will be in gray. 3. Once you have made your choice, click on the button labeled OK. You will then be told to restart windows. Click on the button labeled restart windows. 4. If Windows does not restart properly or the display in Windows is distorted or colors are bleeding, contact AST Tech support for further assistance. I cannot get any sound from my speakers. 1. Check your speaker connections. Use the "SPK OUT" or the SPKR" connector on the back of your PC. 2. Set the Amp switch on the speakers to the off position if you do not have batteries or if the batteries are dead. 3. Adjust the volume control on the back of the PC. 4. Select the device menu in the Media Player menu. 5. Choose CD Audio in the device list. 6. The row of buttons on the bottom of the Media Player Window control the CD-ROM. The large arrow pointing to the right is the Play button. The next button to the right is the Pause button followed by the stop button. 7. Press play and enjoy! 8. If you would like more help concerning the Media Player go to the help menu in Media Player and select contents. CD Audio is not available in the Media Player. 1. In the AST desktop click on the System Tools button or in the Program Manager open the Main icon group. 2. Open the control panel icon. 3. Double-click on the drivers icon. 4. In the installed drivers list double click on the "[MCI CD Audio]". 5. If this option is not available, click on the Add button. In the Add window, double click on "[MCI CD Audio]". Insert the Windows disk that is requests and click on the OK button. 6. A message will tell you that one CD-ROM has been installed. 7. Click on the OK button to continue. 8. Close the driver window and the Control Panel. 9. Restart Windows. My software program is asking what DMA, IRQ, and Port address my sound card is using. Generally the Creative Labs Sound Blaster boards that AST uses are set as follows: DMA 1, IRQ 5 and Port 220. MediaVision Proaudio Spectrum boards are generally set as follows: DMA 6 and IRQ 7. When used as a Sound Blaster compatible, the settings are : DMA 1, IRQ 5 and Port 220. Program not set up. 1. First check and see if any other CD-ROM software will work. If they do continue with reinstalling Encarta. If not, you may need to install the CD-ROM software instead. 2. In the Program Manager or in the AST desktop click on the File menu. 3. In the File menu, click on Run. 4. Type D:SETUP in the command line box and click on OK. 5. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen. 6. The Encarta Setup Program creates the Microsoft Multimedia group window within the Program Manager. One or more of my icon groups are missing from the Program Manager. Icon groups deleted. Try using the Setup/P option to restore the original icon groups. 1. Go to the Windows Program Manager. If you are in the AST Desktop, click on the File menu and choose Run Program Manager. 2. In the Program Manager click on the File menu. 3. Click on Run. 4. In the command line box, type SETUP/P. 5. This will normally rebuild the MAIN, ACCESSORIES, GAMES and STARTUP groups. 6. If this does not rebuild the group you need, you may have to reinstall the software that originally created the group. My views in AST-Works are messed up or missing. How can I restore them? Possible corruption of files or accidental deletion. 1. Exit AST-Works and Windows to a "C:\" prompt. 2. Insert the AST-Works CD-ROM Disk into your CD-ROM drive. 3. Type "D:" and press enter. 4. Type "CD Original" and press enter. 5. Type "CD Astworks" and press enter. 6. Type "CD Pictures" and press enter. 7. Type "CD Desktop" and press enter. 8. Your prompt should now read "D:\Original\ASTWorks\Pictures\Desktop>", if it does not, you will need to type "CD\", press enter and repeat steps 4 through 7 again. 9. Type "Copy *.DTP C:\Astworks\Pictures\Desktop and press enter. 10. If prompted to overwrite existing files, confirm with "Y". 11. When all files are copied, type "C:" and press enter. 12. Type "WIN" and press enter to return to AST-Works or Windows. The AST Disk Utilities program keeps coming on every time I start Windows. 1. If you have not made the installation disks for your system, you need to make them. After all disks are made the program should remove itself from Startup. 2. If you have made all your disks and AST Disk Utilities is still coming up, then check the "Startup Group" to see if the AST Disk Utilities Icon is present. If it is, follow steps 3 through 7, if not proceed to Step 8. 3. From Program Manager, select the "Windows" option form the menu. 4. Select "Startup" from the list of groups. 5. If the ASTDU icon is present, click on it once so that the icon name is highlighted. 6. From the Program Manager menu select "File", then select "Delete". 7. Confirm the deletion by clicking on "YES" from the dialog box that appears on your screen. 8. From the Program Manager menu select "FILE", then select "RUN". 9. Type "WIN.INI" into the command line box that appears on your screen, then click on "OK". 10. Notepad-Win.Ini will appear on your screen. 11. Locate the line that reads "Run-WRAPPER.EXE" and position your cursor at the beginning of the line with the cursor flashing underneath the "R". 12. Press the semicolon key to insert a semicolon, this will disable or remark out this line so it will not be executed when you start windows. 13. Select the "File" option from the Notepad menu options, then select "Save". 14. Again select the "File" option from the Notepad menu options, then select "Exit". How can I restore my system to it's default configuration? 1. If you are in Windows or AST-Works exit out to a C:\ prompt. 2. From the C prompt, type "CD\AST-SAVE" and press enter. 3. Your prompt should now save "C:\AST-SAVE>" if it does not or if you receive a message "Invalid Directory" repeat Step 2. 4. If you continue to receive the "Invalid Directory" message, you may not have an AST-SAVE directory, check the diskettes you made with the AST Disk Utility when you first used your computer. There may be one labeled "System Configuration Files". If so, insert the diskette and type "A:" and press enter. 5. To restore Windows default configuration files, type "XCOPY *.ini C:\Windows" and press enter. If prompted to confirm overwrite of existing files type "Y" and press enter. 6. Next type "XCOPY *.grp C:\Windows" and press enter. If prompted to confirm overwrite of existing files type "Y" and press enter. 7. To restore your default system configuration, type "COPY *.B AT C:\" and press enter. If prompted to overwrite existing files, type "Y" and press enter. 8. Next type "COPY *.sys C:\" and press enter. If prompted to overwrite existing files, type "Y" and press enter. 9. Reboot your computer to make the restored configuration effective. I was creating my GURU recovery disk and received DOS Error 261, what do I do? Possible conflict assessing a file that is already in use by the computer. 1. Confirm the message to clear it form your screen. Your system will boot as normal. 2. Format a new diskette in your computer and have it ready for the next time GURU asks you to save your changes. 3. The diskette just created is complete with the exception of possibly one file, GURU.INI. The error is not fatal or serious and does not indicate a problem with your computer or affect it in any way. How do I install my programs in AST-Works? 1. Change to the view that you would like the new program installed in. 2. From the menu options choose "File". 3. From the File Options choose "Install". 4. Type in the drive and the executable file name that installs the program on the command line. 5. For example, to install a program from a CD the command line would be "D:\Install", from a diskette the line would be "A:\Install". 6. If you are unsure of the file name that installs your program, check your programs documentation, generally it is either "Setup" or "Install". 7. Click the "OK" and answer any prompts the installation program may ask. 8. Most programs will install their own program group and icon in Program Manager, they may not be able to create a new icon in AST-Works. 9. If it does not create an icon in AST-Works, follow the instructions for adding an icon in AST-Works. When I try to use Notices I get a "Divide by Zero" error message. Video problem reading these particular Bitmap files. 1. Click on the "Reference" view button in AST-Works. 2. Click on the "Graphics Manager" icon. 3. From the menu options Click on "Type". 4. From the Type options select "Choose Type" option. 5. Select "Notices" from the listing. 6. From the list of graphics choose any picture except: "Birth Boy, Birth Girl, Stationary Grid, and Vault." 7. Click on the icon that looks like a "For Sale Sign" in the upper left corner beneath the Menu options. 8. Exit and then Restart Windows. My system did not come with any disks, where do I get them? 1. All of the software that came with your system was preloaded for you. 2. To make your programs installation diskettes you will need to use the AST Disk Utility. 3. If you haven't done so you may have noticed the Important. Notice that comes on when you start your computer. That is the AST Disk Utility asking you to make your diskettes. You can also find the icon to start the AST Disk Utility in the Windows Startup Group and the AST Desktop Group. 4. You will need approximately 15 to 20 diskettes to make all the necessary installation diskettes. 5. Once you start the process you can stop and then come back at a later time to finish. 6. To begin, click on the large button labeled "Click Here to Make Diskettes". 7. This will bring up a menu of programs installed on your system. 8. AST Disk Utility will prompt you from program to program with instructions on labeling your diskettes. 9. You will have the option to remove the disk images from your hard drive to make more space. AST recommends that you do not do his unless necessary. 10. when you are done, store the diskettes in a safe location. 11. It is important that you make the diskettes in the event you need to update or replace any windows drivers or reinstall any of the programs that cam preloaded on your system. (ALL/jss-03/30/95)