Copysoft Trouble Shooting Guide ------------------------------- All the games require a 100% IBM compatible computer equipped with 640k of memory and a VGA card. Your version of DOS must be at least version 3.0 or later. This program has been tested for many hours and has gone through strict quality checks but because of the diversity of hardware and software combinations that exist with PC's there may be problems that we could not possibly test. DON'T INSTALL MORE THAN **ONE** COPYSOFT GAME IN A DIRECTORY !!!!!!! Here is a list of the most common problems that may arise. If you have still problems, we recommend that you call your dealer for assistance. MEMORY RELATED PROBLEMS ----------------------- Q. When I execute the game the program tells me that there is insufficient "Conventional Memory" A. "Conventional Memory" refers to the memory that is up to the 640k limit. This situation arises when your computer has programs that are permanent in memory. These programs are normally loaded through your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT files. The most common categories are TSR'S,Device Drivers or Network Utilities. - If you have a version of DOS that allows you to load DOS high (5 upwards) you may be able to move these programs into the "extended" or "expanded" area of memory. Because of the number of permutations we cannot suggest a full CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT layout and can only refer you to your DOS manual. The lines to add to CONFIG.SYS must be (DOS 5.xx and later): DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS DOS=HIGH,UMB Change also all the DEVICE=... to DEVICEHIGH=... - Another solution is to create a "BOOT DISK": 1. Insert a blank disk in drive A 2. Type FORMAT A: /S 3. Reboot the computer without removing the floppy 4. go to drive C: and run the game You will have to repeat steps 3 and 4 each time you want to run the game. GAME STOPS WORKING OR BEHAVES ERRATIC OR GAME IS SLOW ----------------------------------------------------- Q. When I run the game it "locks" up. A. The most common causes of this are :- 1. You do not have the correct files or files are missing that are needed to run the game. You will need to compare the distribution file (FILES.LIS) with the actual files in the directory. 2. If you have a SOUND BLASTER or compatible card and the program cannot detect it , or is not using it, this can lead to a "lock up" Please refer to SOUND RELATED problems in this document. 3. You have specified that you have a JOYSTICK and it is not connected properly. This causes the program to switch off important interrupts and will either slow down the computer or lock it up. Check that the joystick is connected properly. There is no reliable way for the software to check that the stick is fully connected! Q. The game runs slowly and the scrolling is jerky. A. All the games have been written using the fastest method available. Our games support 256 color VGA and some use advanced "Parallax" scrolling and larger than normal sprites. For this reason your computer must be a 286 or above. Old VGA cards can also be slow and were not designed for todays modern applications. Some 386SX computers are actually slower than 286 based machines! This is because graphic based programs need to move large amounts of data in a very short time and some SX based processors take longer to process these type of loops than a 286 would. It seems a crazy situation but we have had direct experience of this. WE SUGGEST THAT YOU BUY A NEW * 16 Bit VGA CARD * AND THIS SHOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. Q. I have set the JOYSTICK option but the character "drifts" on the screen. A. The game requires you to "CALIBRATE" your joystick and you have not followed this procedure correctly or you have changed the joystick or altered the speed of your machine since you last calibrated. Some joysticks have "trim" controls and these may have moved after you calibrated. As a final measure check that the stick is fully connected. If you are experiencing any fault with the joystick then it is a quick and simple procedure to calibrate it using the built in program. Here are a few tips to help you calibrate correctly. 1. Choose JOYSTICK from the GAME SETUP option. 2. Ensure that any AUTO FIRE capability is SWITCHED OFF 3. Follow the prompts and make sure that when pressing the FIRE button you press the button when you are requested to do so. 4. If your machine has a TURBO facility then note the state of this switch. These settings are saved on the disk so you do not need to set them every time you play the game. SOUND RELATED PROBLEMS ---------------------- The game supports the ADLIB and SOUND BLASTER standards as well as providing support for the internal speaker. The SOUND BLASTER provides an additional function to allow "DIGITAL voice capability". Any problems that may arise will be mainly to do with this voice capability. Incorrect settings can cause your computer to "lock" up. Q. My SOUND BLASTER or Compatible Card does not seem to be recognised by the program. A. The program needs to know two important items of information about your sound card before it can operate properly. The game automatically looks for a SOUND BLASTER card using the default settings of these cards. If your card is set up different from this defaults you will need to run the SOUND BLASTER SETUP utility. You may execute this utility by answering YES to the prompt after leaving this document. Q. I have the SOUND BLASTER option set but when I am playing the game the program "locks" A. Again this means that the SOUND BLASTER may have been detected but the IRQ and BASE IO address settings are still incorrect or there is a conflict with some hardware or software. Refer to your technical information on your sound card to determine how to find these two numbers. After leaving this program you will be asked if you want to alter these default numbers. PLEASE DON'T USE IRQ 10, SKUNNY DON'T LIKE IT. YOU WILL NOT HEAR ALL THE SOUNDS IN THE GAME !! IMPORTANT -------- This game supports cards that ARE 100% Compatible with the Sound Blaster. If you are sure that the settings are correct and the program still refuses to recognise the card then it is most likely that the card is not 100% compatible!. We hope that these notes will clear up any problems that you may have if this is not the case then please contact your nearest COPYSOFT dealer and he will either handle the query himself or pass the information on to us. SOUND BLASTER is a registered trademark of Creative Labs Inc ADLIB is a registered trademark of Adlib Inc IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines SKUNNY and COPYSOFT are Trademarks of EDISYS sc. Document (C) COPYRIGHT EDISYS 1993