This page contains answers to common questions handled by our support staff, along with some tips and tricks that we have found useful and presented here as questions.  All of the following are suggestions and the user makes the final decision whether to implement them or not.  Always make a backup of your computer before attempting any changes.  If you have any doubts about making changes, wait and talk to someone experienced with your type of changes.

Note: In these answers we will follow a few shorthand conventions for describing user-interface procedures. Key combinations will be presented like this: Ctrl+Alt+Delete, which means that you should press and hold down the Control key, the Alt key, and the Delete key at the same time. Menu selections will be presented like this: File->Open, which means that you should open the File menu, and then make the Open selection.

  1. How do I ... ?

  2. Where can I find ... ?

  3. Why doesn't ... ?

  4. Who is ... and ... tech support ...?

  5. What is ... ?

  6. When is ... ?

How do I ... ?

 

1. How do I change Bmp Icons to Thumbnails?

  1. Go to Start Menu -> Run -> type in Regedit.exe  Click OK

  2. Click Hkey_classes_root

  3. Then scroll to Paint.picture and Click on it

  4. Highlight defaultIcon in left pane

  5. Double Click default in right pane

  6. Delete old value in value field of edit string dialog box

    Old value C:\progra~1\access~1\mspaint.exe,1 (drive letter may be different)

    Type in new value  %1

     

  7. Click OK

  8. Close regedit window

  9. Go to Start Menu -> Programs -> Windows Explorer

  10. Click on view in menu bar at top of explorer window

  11. Click on large Icons

  12. Files in Windows Explorer should be indicated with Thumbnails

 

2.How do I change file associations?

        One way is to search through the list of file associations and edit the entry for your file.  A second way would be to following the instructions below.

  1. Open Windows Explorer

  2. Highlight one of the files of the type you wish to change

  3. Hold down the shift key and right click the file

  4. The menu that pops up will have an Open with option

  5. This will allow you to change the program associated with your file.

  6. Also you can check the box that will make the change for all files of this type, if you wish. 

 

3. How do I create a URL Link when typing it into a table?

             If it is not automatically created after you typed it in, highlight it then right click.  Choose hyperlink, then choose "OK".  A shorter method after typing it, leave the cursor after the last character of the URL and press enter then press backspace.  A URL hyperlink should have been created.  If the short method doesn't work, the first method will.

 

4. How do I delete the contents of the Start Button-Documents?

  1. To delete all short cuts at once ( in documents )

  2. Right Click Taskbar

  3. Click Properties

  4. Click Start Menu Programs

  5. Click Clear

  6. Click OK

 

  1. To delete one short cut at time ( in documents )

  2. Go to Start Menu -> Programs -> Windows Explorer

  3. Locate win95 or Win98 folder and click on it

  4. Highlight Recent Folder ( which may be hidden )

  5. Short cuts will be in right pane

  6. Note: Show all files must be checked under view options in windows explorer or folder, to be able to see the Recent Folder if it is hidden.

  7. From here you can delete which ever short cut you choose.

 

5. How do I disable the Windows Password?

      Go to Start Menu -> Settings -> Control Panel Click the Password Icon. On the user profile tab, select all users of this computer use the same profile & desktop settings.

 

6. How do I find missing files?

      You started an application and got an error "File Missing".  You can check and see if the is on your hard drive.  Click Start, then Find, then Click on file/folder, type in missing file name with extension, Click Find Now.  If it finds the file, you can copy and paste it to the location you need it in.  If it doesn't find the file, you can search the Internet for it.  One web site to try is www.winfile.com .

 

7.How do I get FireWire on my computer?

      That depends on two things: Whether your system supports FireWire and how comfortable you are opening up your computer's case and installing a FireWire card.  Consult your systems documentation or contact its manufacturer to find out about compatibility issues.  If your not comfortable working inside your computer, contact the manufacturer for information about authorized technicians.  If your system's motherboard has an available PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) slot and you would like to try adding a FireWire PCI card, you can find one at a local computer store or online, complete with installation instructions, for between $30 and $90.  The price depends on how many FireWire ports are on the card and whether the card has additional ports usually (USB).  Adaptec, Belkin, IOGear, Universal Buslink and many other companies manufacturer FireWire cards.

 

8.How do I get my sound to work?

  1. Sound at beginning of sound file only

  2. Sound chopped up into short sounds

  3. All sound files fail to play

  4. File plays with no sound

  5. MIDI files play ok but WAV files fail to play

  1. Check all devices for proper IRQ's and DMA's

  2. Check all devices for any conflicts using Device Manager

  3. Check BIOS settings

  4. Check memory

  5. Check cache

    Note: If you are using IRQ9 for your sound, this has been found to cause problems, change it to another IRQ such as IRQ5.

 

9.How do I get Network Adapter device drivers to load?

        When the system indicates it is unable to load a device's driver even after several attempts

  1. Go to Start Menu -> Settings -> Control Panel

  2. Click System Icon

  3. Click Device Manager

  4. Find the device that is having problems loading drivers

  5. remove this device then reinstall it

  6. In most cases this should fix your problem

 

10. How do I remove program entries from the add/remove program window, for programs that I uninstalled but still show up?

        Sometimes the uninstall process leaves an entry in the add/remove program window.  You can use the TweakUI utility, which comes on the Win 98 CD-Rom to remove these entries.  A second method is to use the Registry edit utility to make the changes.  If you haven't worked with the Registry, I would suggest not using this method.  If you have and wish to continue, make a backup copy of the Registry First, then click Start, then Run, then type in Regedit.exe.  After it opens click "plus sign" next to Hkey_local_machine.  Click Software, then Microsoft, then Windows, then Current version.  Look for "Uninstall" in the left pane, highlight it and the lines in add/remove programs window should show up in the right pane.  Highlight the entry in the right pane to  remove, then click Edit, then delete.  This should remove the false entries.

 

11. How do I resolve file Vmm32.vxd not found or missing?

  1. Checked System Folder, file was there

  2. Checked to see if file was corrupted, file was ok

  3. Possible conflict with Umax File

  4. Go to Start Menu -> Programs -> Windows Explorer

  5. Locate Win95 or Win98 Folder and click on it

  6. Go to System Folder

  7. Locate system.ini file and click on it

  8. Under 386enh (as shown below )

            device=f:\win95\system\umaxis11.386   (drive letter may be different)

       Place semicolons in front of above line  (as shown below )

            ;;device=f:\win95\system\umaxis11.386

         This should solve the problem

 

12. How do I restore Desktop & Custom Start Menu items I had in my start up menu before I disabled the Windows Password?

       The files that were on the Desktop & Custom Start Menu Items may be restored from your user directory in the windows folder.

 

  1. Go to Start Menu -> Programs -> Windows Explorer -> My Computer Folder

  2. Click on Drive (X:) (X) the drive windows folder is in

  3. Then Click on the Windows Folder -> Profiles Folder -> User Name Folder, the one with your former Logon Name.

        If there is a Desktop Folder &/or a Start Menu Folder in the User Name Folder, drag them to the Windows Folder.  Do not drag any other folders!

 

13.How do I simplify backing up my files?

        One solution to simplify backing up your files is to create a folder for them.  If you are the only one using your computer, a folder with your initials would work.  Such as:    C:\RDF

        Next you might create sub folders for the types of files you have.  Such as:

  1. C:\RDF\ADB            ( Adobe type files )

  2. C:\RDF\MSE            ( Microsoft Excel files )

  3. C:\RDF\MSW           ( Microsoft Word files )

  4. C:\RDF\WPD            ( WordPerfect type files )

        Then when you are ready to save your file, you would do a Save As and go to your folder then to the sub folder for the type of file you are saving.

        If more than one person is using a computer, you could create a folder for each with their initials and make it part of their logon profile.  Each person would only see their folder.  Your system administrator may have to help you with this.  If security isn't an issue, you could create folders for each, which would be visible to all.

        One other solution would be to put your files on their own drive ( partition ), such as D: E: etc.  This way you would have all your applications on one drive and all your personal files on another.  Your personal files would be completely separate from application files.

        Backing up your files is a simple matter of backing up one folder!  It contains sub folders and all your files.  Another benefit to all of this is you always know where your files of a certain type are located.

 

14. How do I chose a DVD recorder?

        First you have to decide how you will be using the DVD recorder, such as authoring (making master DVDs), using it for mass data storage or to record your own videos, etc., then read about each available type.  Once you have an idea of what each type is capable of, you should be able to make a good choice.

The following is a short description of the DVD recorders available.  There are currently six common recordable types of DVD-ROM: DVD-RAM, DVD-R Authoring, DVD-R General purpose, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW.  Most DVD recorders can read most DVD-ROM discs but each uses a different type of disc for recording.  Unfortunately, some players and drives (particularly older ones) cannot read consumer recorded discs, because the discs have different reflectivity than pre-recorded pressed discs.  None of the writable formats are fully compatible with each other but many new drives can now accommodate more than one format.  DVD Multi (a DVD Forum standard) player/recorder reads and writes to DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM discs.  Also some new 'Super Multi' drives can write to DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW but not DVD_RAM.  See below for a description of each type of DVD recorder.

 

15. How do I unspam AOL Email?

        Look over the page located at the link below. Read it carefully before doing anything. If your not sure about what to do after reading this page, you should talk to someone locally for help or follow the directions on the page just to see how your AOL mail controls are set. Then email us and let us know what the settings are and we can go from there.

AOL Mail Control Help

 

 

 
Back to Top

Home | Tech Support | Whats New | FAQ | Bugs | Down Load | Suggestions | FeedBack | Discussion Forum | Search

All products mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.

Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to techsupport@cercurtiss.com.
Copyright © 1998 - 2005 Curtiss Engineering and Research. All rights reserved.
Last modified: Wednesday June 30, 2010 .