Use Care When Installing Software Preparation Can Save Headache Of Trying To Make Technical Fixes

If entertainment software was part of your Christmas loot, instead of sitting on your sofa sipping eggnog, you may be sitting on the phone, seeking technical support.

Software that won’t load or that runs erratically is always a pain. When it’s a hotly anticipated Christmas gift, it’s enough to make you ho, ho, holler!

Finding quick solutions isn’t easy. Some software companies have 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year technical support, but many don’t. And even if you happen to connect to the support line at Almagamated Gameworks Inc., chances are you’ll have a lengthy wait.

The same lock-ups, crashes and read errors that prompted your call are being repeated in zillions of homes that purchased the same software.

Short of tech support, solutions can be hard to come by. Every computer is different, so the tweak that worked for the cyberplayer next door may send your system into a screen-darkening death spiral.

What to do?

The experts say there are some basic techniques that will help any computer user rise to the challenge of skittish yuletide software.

“Identifying the problem is the first trick,” says Paul Reichlin, associate quality assurance coordinator for Sierra On-Line.

And a good trick it is.

During the complex and exacting process of loading software onto a hard drive and then running it through memory and microprocessor, any number of things can go wrong.

Chief among them, says Reichlin, is a conflict between the data from the new software and existing information in the computer’s memory.

For Windows and Mac users, the solution is fundamentally the same: Load cleanly.

Before installing any software, says Reichlin, make sure that there are no other programs running in the background. Windows users can check by highlighting “search for” in the Program Manager menu. The only program that should be visible in the dialog box is the Program Manager itself.

Use the “end task” button to terminate any other programs, including front ends and extra desktops. It is especially crucial that you turn off any screen savers and antivirus software. These programs use an interrupt sequence that may kick in during installation, creating problems that may only become evident after the software is in use.

The easiest way to make sure your memory is clean is by turning off the computer and restarting it, says Brian Jamison of Jamison/Gold Consulting.

If you’re a Windows 95 user and you have a program in your start-up window, you can keep it out of memory by pressing the left shift key during boot-up, Jamison says.

Avoid loading DOS games in Windows, since this may interfere with the software’s ability to locate hardware drivers - small programs that run devices such as sound cards and printers.

Some problems simply defy simple solutions. Memory-related problems are a common but complicated nuisance, especially for DOS programs.

Even if you have lots of RAM, it may not be configured in a way that will work with a given piece of software. Many newer programs come with onboard memory managers. But the best way to resolve memory problems may be to create a boot disk.

A boot disk is a floppy containing a small configuration program. The computer is started with the floppy in its drive, causing the system to boot from the configuration file on the disk and not from the one on the hard drive.

Entertainment software, easily the most taxing programs for computers, often come with instructions on how to prepare a boot disk or can create one automatically. Be sure to have a supply of floppies on hand.

Tim McMahon, senior technical-support representative for Activision, says the best way to avoid installation problems is to not create them.

McMahon says the first thing to do with any new software is to make sure it will run on your computer.

“Check the minimum requirements listed on the side of the box,” he says. “If your computer can’t handle those, then don’t even unwrap it. A lot of stores won’t take back software once it’s been opened.”

McMahon warns against plowing into new software without reading the instructions. He recommends that even experienced users take a moment to read through their manuals.

Windows 95 users should be especially cautious since no one can yet predict how the new operating environment will react with some programs.

If you do manage to get the software installed but have problems getting it to run, check the program’s “read me” file. In Windows, the file will appear in the software’s window. In DOS, it will appear in the program’s directory, typically under a file name such as readme.txt.

You can read the file in DOS by going into the software’s directory and typing: edit readme.txt

Jamison advises Internet users to seek solutions on-line. Troubleshooting tips often can be found in newsgroups devoted to a given game or web sites set up by game manufacturers or devotees.

“That’s where you’ll find late-breaking information,” Jamison says. “It’s usually quicker and easier than trying to reach tech support.”