Easy Desk Software
http://www.easydesksoftware.com
(516) 587-9015
INTRODUCTION
Please print and read this file before
installing WinSafe98.If you have any questions or need any assistance please contact us via E-mail or telephone. We will respond to E-mail the same day.
Proper installation of WinSafe98 is essential to insure the restorability of your system in case of a crash.
WinSafe98 does not attach itself to your
system by altering the Registry or other system files as other programs do. Instead, it stands alone in order to be able to independently restore your system. Should your system subsequently crash your WinSafe98 installation and setup time will have been well spent.You will find
installation instructions in this file. If you have your Windows directory on a drive other than the C: drive or If your C: drive is compressed Read SPECIAL NOTES at the bottom of this page.The setup program must be used to install WinSafe98. Follow these instructions carefully! WinSafe98 will not work properly unless you follow the steps in the Setup Program.
The setup program will give you on screen instructions. Due to differences in hardware and software, WinSafe98 must be programmed to your individual computer. WinSafe98 finds and backs up all Hidden, Read Only and System files. Most other programs overlook these files and so are unable to restore a crashed system.
If you reinstall WinSafe98, you do not need to uninstall the existing WinSafe98. Once you have reinstalled Windows 95/98 click on the Backup Current Files button, then reboot, and then select from the
Menu Bar Item Restore and select the Menu Item Save Old Configuration, then Backup Current Files one more time. Be sure all Windows programs are closed.If you already have WinSafe98 installed, use the setup program. The setup program will automatically detect the version on your system and make the nessecary adjustments to allow to to udate with out uninstalling your current version.
Please note that once WinSafe98 is installed you should never have to reinstall it unless you delete the WinSafe98.ini file, even if you reinstall
Windows 95/98. Just be sure to update the files in the Safe folder. Use the Save Old Configuration. See the Help Manual for Save Old Configuration instructions.Follow the on screen instructions. Once the WinSafe98 interface starts you can access the Help file to assist you with the installation. The help file is located under the Menu Bar Item Help on the WinSafe98 interface.
You will need to have your Microsoft Windows CD (not the manufacturers CD) available to install some optional files. If you do not have the Windows 95/98 CD then WinSafe98 can
install these files at another time. These files are available on our Web Site. To install these files later, simply click on the MSD button and the System Info buttonHOW TO INSTALL:
Copy or unzip all files to an empty directory (folder). (e.g. C:/unzipped/WS95). You may not use a directory (folder) named C:\WinsafeNOTES: Never force WinSafe98 to Backup a corrupted system.
Multiple reboots may clean the
To run DriveSpace.
NOTE: If DriveSpace is not in the Systems Tools folder, use the FIND Files or Folders feature available by clicking the START Button
If it does not find them, the Installer will ask you for their location. If they are not on your hard drive you may copy them to your hard drive now, then press yes when all the files are copied. Be sure to also copy the Setup program and all files found in this directory to your hard drive. If you wish to copy these files later or not at all, click No.
To copy these files, insert your Windows 95/98 CD, Open it in the Explorer, Right click the Win95 folder, Copy & Paste it into a new folder on your C: Drive.
To enable WinSafe98 to reinstall Windows 95/98 in the future from DOS or Safe Mode, click on "Reinstall Windows 95/98" under the Menu Bar Item Restore on the WinSafe98 interface. This option is useful if you are unable to get Windows 95/98 up and running. WinSafe98 can then reinstall Windows 95/98 for you from DOS or from Safe Mode if your CD fails to load.
When you first click on Backup Current Files WinSafe98 will verify all system files. If it finds on that is zero bytes the backup will stop. Read the Detail Report located under the Menu Bar Item Files. Look for a zero byte file in Windows. Replace the file if WinSafe98 did not already do so. Then click on the Backup Current Files button again.
Once the first backup is completed WinSafe98 will ask you if you want WinSafe98 to verify system files when exiting Windows. If you click yes, WinSafe98 will place an Icon on your desktop to use in place of the Windows Start button shutdown. This feature will is explained in the Help file.
You will need to delete all Chklist.ms files first (if they exist on your system). These files will be recreated during the report process. Periodically check our Website for updates and enhancements.
SPECIAL NOTES
If you place the Windows Directory (folder) on a drive other than the C: Drive, that drive may not be available to you or WinSafe98 from Dos in case of a crash. WinSafe98 will only be able to restore your system in Safe Mode if the other drive is unavailable from DOS.
Be sure that Windows is not on a slave drive. WinSafe98 will create all the files needed no matter whether Windows is on a slave drive or a compressed drive. WinSafe98 will install as per your instructions. However, it may not be able to restore Window from DOS.
It is not recommended that you compress the C: Drive. If you compress the C: Drive the Host drive may not be available to restore from Dos or even safe mode. You are better off creating Empty Drive on C:. Compress other drives such as D: or E:. This will have no effect on restoring. As long as the Windows folder and WinSafe98 are on a drive that Dos can see (in a major crash) WinSafe98 will be able to restore the Operating System.
RECOMMENDATION: Install Windows to an uncompressed C: drive. Then install WinSafe98 to the same drive. If your C: is a slower drive then the add on, swap the hard drives in the computer and Install Windows to C: on the faster drive. This could save you from formatting and restoring. Losing all you data. Swapping drives will take about 1 hour including Installing Windows. You will need to uninstall and the reinstall Software that will change drive letters.
You now have the software to recover from any crash. Now with WinSafe98 on the job, you will never be reformatting and reinstalling again.
GLOSSARY
Crash: A term used to reference the various causes of a computer or one of its components, to fail or refuse to operate. Most simple problems with a program or device can be fixed by simply rebooting the computer or clicking on a First-Aid type Fix-It button. Serious physical problems such as fire or head crashes usually require component replacement.
In between are the Windows 95/98 OS problems that occur when an important system file becomes corrupt that does not fix itself by simply rebooting. This is where WinSafe98 comes to the rescue.
Empty Drive: An empty drive is like a compressed drive with one important difference. An empty drive is not compressed. Like a compressed drive it is a virtual drive whose data resides in a file that is located on a HOST drive. For all practical purposes, it is a drive partition.
Menu Bar Item: The words that are at the top of the interface, Files, Restore, Setup, Utilities, and Help.
Menu Item: The item list found under each of the Menu Bar words.
OS (System): The special software that enables all your hardware and other software to communicate is called the Operating System (OS). WinSafe98 was created to protect your Operating System (Windows 95/98) from software disaster. It is also simply referred to as the system.
Taskbar & Tray: The graphical device on the Windows 95/98 desktop with the Small Windows Flag on the START Button.
The Tray is a small area near the Clock with tiny icons for Volume Control, System agent and any number of other items, including, if you have them, Background Virus Check, and other Utilities.
Windows: Windows is a loose term that can mean different things.
A Window is a graphical box that appears in a screen. It can feature independent properties. In Windows 95/98 the screen is known as the desktop. Windows 95/98 is the operating system of your computer. (Unless you have DOS, Apple, Amiga, NT, OS2, UNIX, Linux or other OS.) Windows is the name of the directory or folder in the Windows 95/98 OS that contains the files needed to operate your computer.