tgp@sei.cmu.edu (Tod Pike) (07/12/90)
I recently got my Windows 3.0 upgrade, and had a problem installing the Daybook software that I'd like to pass along to the net, in case someone else runs into it. The very verbose (sarcasm alert!) instructions that come with Daybook tell you to get into windows 3.0 and run the setup program from the floppy. When I did this, the floppy could not be read. Even outside of windows, trying to access the floppy failed (with INT 24 failure). Floppy 2 of the set was fine. Well, after going through the windows 800 number, being referred to the windows technical support non-800 number, and spending minutes working my way through the automated support system, I got an answer: It turns out that quite a few people have run into this. Apparently there is an interaction with the DOS 4.0X "share" program which prevents the floppy from being read. MicroSoft recommends the following actions: 1) rename "share.exe" to "share.bak" 2) edit your autoexec.bat to remove all "add"'s, "ren"'s and other funny disk things. (They specified exactly what things to remove, but I didn't use any of the others, so I didn't write them down). 3) reboot 4) follow the install instructions 5) put everything back the way they were before 6) reboot and you're finished After I followed the instructions, I still got a disk error on the label read, but after responding "fail" to the error from the DOS level, it read the disk OK, and the windows install worked fine. Note that the Daybook install program modifies autoexec.bat, so you'll have to modify the save copy by hand rather than just rename it back. Now, I'm curious....what did Asymetrix do to this disk to cause the problem? Some kind of bizzare copy-protection scheme? Anyone from MicroSoft (or Asymetrix) out there got the official story? Tod Pike -- Internet: tgp@sei.cmu.edu Mail: Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute Pittsburgh, PA. 15213-3980
hjp@usenet.umr.edu (Hardy Pottinger) (07/18/90)
In article <7842@fy.sei.cmu.edu> tgp@sei.cmu.edu (Tod Pike) writes: > > I recently got my Windows 3.0 upgrade, and had a problem installing the >Daybook software that I'd like to pass along to the net, in case someone else >runs into it. I had no problems installing on both a 386 and a 286 machine. The 286 was even a ps2/50 with an external sysgen drive which needs a separate driver. These are both 5.25" 1.2M diskettes. The stuff runs horribly slow though, even on the 386 which is barely tolerable. Definitely not a practical calendar program. I hope someone has better luck with their toolset. I was not impressed with the demo. -- Hardy J. Pottinger Department of Electrical Engineering, University of MO - Rolla Voice: (314) 341-4520 Internet: hjp@ee.umr.edu
jta@locus.com (JT Anderson) (07/19/90)
I know of two solutions to the Daybook install problem. One is to remove SHARE.EXE as has been previously mentioned. The other is to copy both Daybook disks (3.5 inch. I don't know if there are two 5.25 inch disks.) to a temporary directory on your hard disk and run the installation from there. SHARE.EXE has caused me so many problems that I have permanently done away with it. I don't think I use any programs that use FCBs. (What's the symbol for crossed fingers?) The question is, after starting Daybook, making coffee, reading the newspaper... Has anybody out there used Toolbook? Do you have to put up with those interminable startup displays? Can you create applications that run reasonably quickly? Given the installation problems and the initial performance impression that Daybook makes, I think Asymetrix has done a poor job of introducing their product.
alcmist@well.sf.ca.us (Frederick Wamsley) (07/26/90)
In article <7842@fy.sei.cmu.edu> tgp@sei.cmu.edu (Tod Pike) writes: <explanation of how a disk seemed to be unreadable but worked fine after removing SHARE.EXE from AUTOEXEC.BAT> > Now, I'm curious....what did Asymetrix do to this disk to cause the problem? >Some kind of bizzare copy-protection scheme? Anyone from MicroSoft (or >Asymetrix) out there got the official story? Nothing Asymetrix has sent out has been copy-protected. Last I heard, the diagnosis was some obscure conflict between SHARE and SETUP. Thanks for posting the problem and solution. You probably helped a lot of people. Claimer: I am an employee of Asymetrix. -- Fred Wamsley {ucbvax,pacbell,apple,hplabs}!well!alcmist; CIS 72247,3130; GEnie FKWAMSLEY; USPS - why bother? "There's a perfectly logical explanation for all this"