PC Media 3/PC MEDIA CD03.iso/share/udos/pwr100/problems.doc

Text File | 1992-10-10 | 7.6 KB | 190 lines

                   Having problems?


                   BAD DISK?  It seems that in hot weather we are more
           likely to get complaints about "bad" or unreadable disks.  Floppy
           disks are susceptible to heat, moisture and magnetism.  A disk
           that sits all day in a hot mailbox or truck where temperatures
           exceed 100 degrees is likely to be damaged.  Disks which have
           been exposed to magnetism may become unreadable.

                   Before assuming a disk is bad, try it on another com-
           puter.  It may be that your computer's drive heads are dirty or
           slightly misaligned.  Suspect this if you often get disk error
           messages with different disks.  An inexpensive head cleaning kit
           may help solve the problem.

                   Sometimes the round disk gets trapped inside its square
           casing and generates an error because it can't rotate freely.
           Remove the disk from the drive and tap each of the four edges
           sharply on the surface of your desk.  This may loosen the disk.
           Try reading the disk again.

                   In any case, if we sent you an unreadable disk, we will
           be happy to replace it with a fresh copy of the same program.


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                   TROUBLESHOOTING:  "It doesn't work" may sum up your feel-
           ings about a problem, but these words are useless if you need
           help from your consultant or programmer.  You can minimize
           frustration and save time by learning to provide specific details
           that will lead to a solution.

                   Remember that nearly 80 percent of computer problems are
           caused by user errors.  Before running any software, read the in-
           structions.  You don't have to read every word just to get
           started.  You can find the sections of the manual that tell you
           how to begin, and those that apply to the task you are trying to
           perform.  There is a table of contents and an index.  Skim these
           to familiarize yourself with the topics that are discussed.  Then
           you'll know where to look when you have a question.  The manual
           is relatively short, so you may want to go ahead and read the
           whole thing.  It's embarrassing to mail a long letter or make a
           long distance phone call to a BBS or CompuServe E-mail, only to
           find that everything you needed to know was on page 2.

                   Before assuming a program "doesn't work", check a few
           simple items.  Is the computer plugged in and turned on?  Are all
           necessary devices (such as the monitor and printer) connected
           properly and turned on?  Did you spell the command correctly when
           you typed the command?  Are you logged onto the right disk drive
           and directory?  Is it possible that the program has a system re-
           quirement that you don't meet, such as a type of video adaptor,
           or a certain amount of memory?  If memory seems to be the


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           problem, do you have "memory resident" programs (also called TSRs
           or "pop-up" utilities) which can be removed from memory?  Try
           running the program on a different computer.

                   If the program worked in the past, but doesn't now, can
           you think of anything that has changed since the last time you
           used it?  Have you moved the computer or made changes in any of
           the connecting cables?  Is it possible there has been damage of
           some kind, or that files have been erased?  Have you added any
           new memory-resident programs or device drivers which might cause
           a conflict?

                   If you see an error message on screen, copy it completely
           and exactly.  Don't try to remember it!  If possible, make a
           print-screen of the message.  On most computers, you can do this
           by holding down the SHIFT key while you press the PRINT SCREEN
           key (sometimes abbreviated to PRT SC).  Some may not require
           pressing the SHIFT key.  The purpose of the error message is to
           convey specific information to the programmer so that the problem
           can be solved.  Your consultant will need the exact wording of
           the message in order to interpret it correctly.

                   When reporting a problem, be very specific.  What were
           you trying to do?  How did you do it?  What did you expect to
           happen?  What actually happened?  Exactly what did you do just
           before the problem occurred?  What did you do afterwards?  What
           did you see on the screen?  Have you had different or similar
           results in the past?  Can you reproduce the problem and describe
           the circumstances under which it occurs?  Is there a consistent
           pattern of some sort?

                   We support our users, and are happy to answer your ques-
           tions and help solve any difficulties you may have.  Please un-
           derstand that there is a limit to the amount of help we can give
           you with software which we did not write.  If you are having con-
           tinuing difficulty with DOS commands, you probably need to study
           your DOS manual or contact MicroSoft for help.  If you are
           baffled by your menu system which is not a part of out software,
           your best bet is to talk to the person who installed it, or to
           the author of the menu software.

                   The best way to get our help is to write to us, including
           full details of the problem or question.  Support by mail is al-
           ways available.  You can also receive support on CompuServe or
           via BBS.  All mail will be answered.  Note that we reserve the
           right to limit or terminate support if, in our judgment, a user
           is abusive or unreasonable, or if the user has system problems
           which go beyond the scope of our products.

                   We have found that less than five percent of our users
           request technical support.  Unfortunately, for those who do use
           support, most of the questions are already answered in the
           documentation provided with the software.  Please, before you
           call or write, read all the instructions.  You will save your
           time as well as ours, and you will help keep registration fees
           low by keeping support costs down.



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                   We have also discovered that a large number of "support"
           questions do not relate directly to our products, but are ques-
           tions about basic computer operation, DOS commands, and retail
           software applications.  Although we cheerfully answer these ques-
           tions when we can, we hope our users will understand that we can-
           not provide training for products we did not produce.  Your best
           sources of information for basic operations are your DOS manual
           and computer user's manual.  You will get much more satisfaction
           from your computer if you become an informed user.


           --Michael D. O'Connor, Author















































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