FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 062 (17/06/97)

TRIAL AND ERROR

I recently signed up for a three month trial of an internet service. I have since decided not to continue -- far too much extraneous information -- I want a service that provides just internet access and e-mail. The installation CD ROM has no instructions about how to remove the software and it’s not listed under the Add/Remove icon  on the Control Panel. How do I delete it, without there being a risk of conflict when I install a new internet program?

Richard R Dolphin

A

The Add/Remove utility only works on programs written specifically for Windows 95 but there really is no excuse for software companies not to include an uninstall routine on all of their products. You can stop it becoming a problem in the future with packages like Clean Sweep, Uninstaller and WinDelete etc., they monitor new software installations, to make sure they can be completely removed. Nevertheless, it’s never too late and all of them should be able to safely delete your unwanted internet access program; there’s no guarantee an odd file or two won’t be left hanging around the system, though the chances are they won’t cause problems.

SLOW FLASH

I bought US Robotics Sportster Flash modem in February on the promise that I would be able to upgrade it to X2 (56Kbps) speed. I was also told that I would be kept  informed about the upgrade launch in the Spring. I’m still waiting... Despite browsing their US web site and bulletin board I have not seen any mention of it. There is plenty of info on upgrading Sportster Voice models etc., but not mine. Have I been sold a Turkey?

I.P.Kear

A

US Robotics explained to us that they fully intended to launch the upgrade in the Spring but it was held up, due to some last-minute fine-tuning. The software is country-specific and the UK version took longer than expected to refine. Upgrades for the Flash, Courier and Win Modem models have now been released in France, Germany, Sweden and the US, and according to US Robotics the UK upgrade is now ‘imminent’. Roughly translated that means some time in the next few weeks; you can find out exactly when by phoning their UK sales office on freephone 0800 887777. They also operate a faxback service on 0118-922 8299, or you can get the latest news from their UK web site at: http://x2.usr.co.uk.

RAM JAM

I have inherited a Dell 320SX PC, with a Cyrix 386-486 upgrade. The motherboard has two 30-pin SIMM sockets, and is fitted with a pair of 4 megabyte SIMMs.  Is there any way I can increase the total RAM from 8 megabytes to 12Mb or even 16Mb?

Leonard S. Klar

A

Normally it’s not a problem. On most PCs the simplest solution is to fit a ‘SIMM-Saver’ card, with slots for four memory modules. The card plus two additional 4Mb SIMMs typically costs between £50 to £70. However, from the sound of it you have a ‘revision-2’ motherboard, that supports a maximum of 8 megabytes as standard. To increase the size of the RAM, and keep your existing SIMMs, you will need a specially-designed 8Mb expansion card. They’ve been out of production for some time and few companies seem to stock them anymore. The best quote we could get was £176 (plus VAT) from Kingston Memory (0800 008 006). That’s probably more than the machine is worth and it’s unlikely the performance gains will justify the cost.

TINY TROUBLES

Recently the hard drive on my ‘Tiny’ computer malfunctioned. Apparently one of the components had melted, so it was replaced. The company supplying the hard drive managed to rescue the old files and transfer them to the new drive. However since that time I cannot get the machine to recognise the CD ROM. Everything else seems to be working correctly. What can I do to restore this facility.

Tony Piercy

A

Assuming the PC is still under warranty, you are entitled to expect that it will be returned to you in full working order. You should contact Tiny, the vendor, or whoever was responsible for carrying out the repair, and insist that they put it right. The most likely causes are the repairer failing to re-connect the cables to the CD ROM, or the driver software has been lost or corrupted. You can establish the type of fault and if necessary re-install the software yourself. It’s not difficult and should only take a few minutes. From the Start menu select Settings, then Control Panel, click on the ‘System’ icon. Select the Device Manager tab and CD ROM from the list. This will show if the drive is connected and working. If you need to re-install the driver software, click on the ‘Add New Hardware’ icon, also in the Control Panel window. A ‘wizard’ (simple to use interactive help program) will take you through the set-up routine.