------------------------------------------------------------ README for MSN Internet Access 5.1 February 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------ (c) Copyright 1996 - 2000 Microsoft Corporation Thank you for your MSN Internet Access membership. This document contains late-breaking information for MSN Internet Access 5.1. For the most current information about MSN Internet Access, always check online at http://memberservices.msn.com/ ------------------------- HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT ------------------------- To view Readme.txt on the screen in Notepad, maximize the Notepad window. To print Readme.txt, open it in Notepad or another word processor, and then choose the Print command from the File menu. Table of Contents ================= 1. System Requirements 2. Video Cards and Display Problems 3. Hard Disk Location of MSN Internet Access Program Files 4. Installation Problems 5. Known Problems with This Release 6. Outlook Express Mail & News 7. Connection Problems 8. Turning off MSN Internet Access 1. System Requirements ======================= * Computer/Processor: 486DX/66 MHz or higher processor * Operating System: Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows 2000 * Memory: 16 MB (megabytes) of RAM minimum. * Hard drive space: - Required for installation: 110 MB (100 MB for Microsoft Internet Explorer and 10 MB for MSN Internet Access components) - Required to run: 65 MB (5 MB if Internet Explorer 5 and Outlook Express 5 are already installed). * Modem or Internet connection * CD-ROM drive (if installation is done from a CD-ROM) * VGA or higher-resolution graphics card * Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device * Sound card (optional but recommended) 2. Video Cards and Display Problems ==================================== FEWER THAN 256 COLORS: MSN Setup will run if your display is set to 16-color mode. However, it is designed to run at 640x480 resolution or higher, with a minimum of 256 colors. If your display is set to show 16 colors, we strongly recommend that you change your display setting to show 256 colors or more. If you experience problems with display colors, check your color configuration: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click the Display icon. 3. Click the Settings tab. 4. In the Colors list box, click 256 Colors. MORE THAN 256 COLORS: MSN is designed to look even better at higher color settings. You will find that much of the text is more readable and the images are much clearer when you set your display resolution to 16-bit (65,536 colors) or higher. Some video cards may encounter problems when using accelerated video drivers, video drivers with more than 256 colors, or high-resolution video drivers. If you run into display problems, try the following: 1. Switch to a driver supplied with your operating system. 2. Change to a different display mode. An alternative to using a different driver is to change your video mode to a standard mode, such as 640x480 resolution with 256 colors. For details on changing drivers or switching to a different display mode, see your Windows documentation. 3. Hard Disk Location of MSN Internet Access Program Files =========================================== MSN requires that its files be installed on your system disk (the drive from which your computer boots, which is generally drive C). You must have enough space on your system disk to install and run MSN Internet Access. If you need to make more room, Setup notifies you. 4. Installation Problems ========================= VERSION CONFLICTS: Your computer may contain files that cause a "Version Conflict" message to appear while the MSN Setup program is running or when you log in for the first time. If the Version Conflict message appears asking if you want to keep a file, click Yes. PROGRAMS RUNNING DURING SETUP: During MSN Setup, we notify you of any currently running programs that might interfere with the MSN installation. To ensure a successful installation, close those programs before continuing with Setup. Some programs, such as anti-virus applications that load automatically at startup, may be more difficult to close than others. If you are unable to close these programs, you can continue with MSN Setup by clicking Next and then clicking Yes when asked if you want to continue. In most cases, MSN Setup will complete successfully. However, if problems occur (for example, your system stops responding for several minutes during Setup), please follow the steps below to disable all running applications before installing MSN. Recommended steps to disable programs that load during startup: 1. Restart your computer. 2. While Windows is loading, hold down the Shift key. 3. After booting up, but before running other programs, press CTRL+ALT+-DELETE keys simultaneously, but press them only ONCE. A list of programs will appear. You will need to leave the Explorer and Systray programs in the list, but select any other programs running and then click the End Task button. Programs in the Startup folder could start automatically. You can move their icons into a temporary folder or to your desktop until MSN completes the installation. Once finished, you can move them back into the Startup folder. Moving icons between the Startup folder and a temporary folder: 1. Create a temporary folder for safekeeping, using a name of your choice. 2. In your Windows folder, double-click Start Menu, then Programs, and then Startup. The icons in Startup appear as shortcuts. 3. Move the program icons from your Startup folder to a temporary folder. 4. Restart your computer so the changes take effect. 5. Run the MSN Internet Access setup program. 6. Move the program icons from your temporary folder back to the Startup folder. 5. Known Problems with This Release ==================================== MSN SIGN-IN APPEARS AFTER YOU DISCONNECT: Some programs, like Outlook Express and some Web-based content like MSN Money Central Investor, periodically check for updated information. If you are not already connected to the Internet when these checks occur, MSN will attempt to dial in to the Internet for you. There are two ways to prevent this from happening: * Close all Internet applications after you disconnect from the Internet. * Disable the default dialer option for Internet access. To do this: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click the Internet Options icon. 3. Click the Connections tab. 4. Select the option called Never dial a connection. 6. Outlook Express Mail & News ================================ If you want to use more than one computer to access your MSN e-mail account, you must install MSN 5.1 and Microsoft Outlook Express on each computer you use. CHANGES IN EXISTING MSN E-MAIL ACCOUNT ADDRESSES: As you receive replies to the messages you send, you might notice that your e-mail address is listed as msn_member@email.msn.com (where msn_member is the name you use to sign in to MSN) instead of msn_member@msn.com. This DOES NOT mean that your e-mail address has changed. The addition of the word "email" after the "@" symbol is simply a behind-the-scenes mechanism used to ensure higher levels of performance on the new MSN mail platform. Your e-mail address is the same as it was before. 7. Connection Problems ======================= AOL USERS WHO INSTALL MSN 5.1: In order to use both MSN and AOL at the same time, you must configure AOL to use TCP/IP access. To do this: 1. At the AOL Sign On screen, click Setup. 2. Select Edit Location. 3. Choose TCP/IP for the type of network. AT&T WORLDNET USERS WHO INSTALL MSN 5.1: If you have any problems connecting to AT&T Worldnet or using AT&T Worldnet to access the Internet, check the "Connection Configuration of MSN" section below for instructions on how to manually configure your Internet connection. If you are unable to fix the problem manually, then you should re-install AT&T Worldnet to reset your connection configuration. PRODIGY USERS WHO INSTALL MSN 5.1: If you want use both Prodigy and MSN at the same time, start your connection with Prodigy first. Once you connect to Prodigy, MSN will start. CONNECTION CONFIGURATION OF MSN: To reconfigure any of the connection settings in the table below, first: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click the "Internet Options" icon. 3. Click the Connections tab. 4. For any configuration in the first column, follow the associated instructions in the second column: DESIRED CONNECTION SETTINGS IN INTERNET PROPERTIES CONFIGURATION CONNECTION TAB ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dial Up Using MSN In the Dial-up settings section, make sure that MSN is the selected connection and then select the option called Dial whenever a network connection is not present. Click the LAN Settings button, and then clear the check box named Connect using a proxy server. Dial Up Using In the Dial-up settings section, select other Internet the service you want to use, and then Service Provider select the option named Dial whenever (e.g. MCI, AT&T) a network connection is not present. Click the LAN Settings button, and then clear the check box named Connect using a proxy server. Note: If the service you use is not listed, see the next topic below about proprietary ISPs. Dial Up Using other You might not be able to use MSN with Proprietary ISP other proprietary online services, such as AOL. Direct Connection On the Connections tab, click LAN Settings to the Internet or, and then select the check box named Use a Remote Winsock Proxy proxy server. Connection via LAN Note: Only Remote Winsock Proxy 2.0 or later is supported. LAN Proxy Connection You can set up Internet Explorer or MSN to use a LAN Proxy server. In the Proxy Server section, select the check box named Connect through proxy. MODEM ACCESS WITH WINSOCK PROXY (WSP): If you have Remote Winsock Proxy 2.0 or later installed on your computer and would like to access MSN 5.1 with a modem, you will need to turn off Remote Winsock Access. To turn off Remote Winsock Access: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click the WSP Client icon. 3. Clear the check box named Enable WinSock Proxy Client, and then click OK. 4. Click Restart Windows Now. 5. Double-click the Internet Options icon in Control Panel. 6. Click the Connections tab. 7. Click LAN Settings. 8. Clear all the check boxes. WHICH CONNECTION CHOICE TO SELECT: This 5.1 version of MSN ships with a new version of Connection Manager that replaces the dial-up manager from previous versions of MSN. The new dial-up Connection Manager creates an entry in your Dial-Up Networking folder called MSN, but it does not delete your old entries: The Microsoft Network and The Microsoft Network (backup). Either of these old entries will still work with the new MSN dial-up Connection Manager, but they will disable the autodial support for Internet Explorer and Mail. When you access Dial-up Networking within Outlook Express Mail, Exchange Mail, or Chat, you are presented with all three choices for connection to MSN. For dial-up access to MSN, always select MSN. DIAL-UP NETWORKING: If you haven't tried installing MSN Internet Access 5.1 yet, install the version of Dial-Up Networking (DUN) that comes with your operating system. To do this: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs. 3. Select the Windows Setup tab. 4. Under Components, select Communications. 5. Click Details. 6. Select the Dial-Up Networking check box. 7. Click OK, and then click OK again. 8. Insert the Windows CD-ROM disk, or navigate to the location on your hard drive if prompted. 9. Restart your computer. If you did not have DUN installed on your computer before you installed MSN, you may need to reinstall your network card drivers in order to connect to the network again. To do so, you must have the network card drivers either on a disk or on your hard drive. To reinstall the card: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click Network. 3. In Notepad or by hand, write down all the items in the components area. Note: If you are not familiar with the components in the networking control panel or their settings, contact your network administrator. 4. Click OK. 5. In Control Panel, double-click System. 6. Select the Device Manager tab. 7. Click the "+" next to Network adapters. In the list, select your Network Card. 8. Click Remove, and then click OK if prompted. 9. Click Close. 10. Restart your computer. 11. If prompted, install the Network card driver as directed. 12. After installing your network card, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 13. Double-click Network, and then verify that the items previously noted appear in the Components window. 14. If the items do not appear, click Add, and then add them. 15. Click OK to exit the Networking Control Panel. 16. Restart your computer if prompted. 8. Turning off MSN Internet Access ============================================================== It takes only two steps to successfully turn off MSN Internet Access. To turn off MSN Internet Access: 1. Click MSN Quick View (the small hand icon next to your clock in the Windows taskbar). 2. Point to MSN Options, and then click Turn MSN Off. IMPORTANT: Turning off MSN Internet Access DOES NOT cancel your MSN account. If you want to cancel your MSN account, you must call Customer Support. You can find the latest support numbers at http://memberservices.msn.com/ ================================== For the most current information about MSN, always check online at http://memberservices.msn.com/ Microsoft, Windows, MSN, and MSN Internet Access are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Other product and company names herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.