Sierra On-Line
Hoyle Solitaire CDROM Troubleshooting Guide
Revised 7/31/96

Sierra Technical Support provides this documentation as a reference to Sierra customers using Sierra software 
products.  Sierra Technical Support makes reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in this 
documentation is accurate.  However, Sierra makes no warranty, either express or implied, as to the accuracy, 
effectiveness, or completeness of the information contained in this documentation.

SIERRA ON-LINE, INC. DOES NOT WARRANTY OR PROMISE THAT THE INFORMATION HEREIN 
WILL WORK WITH ANY OR ALL COMPUTER SYSTEMS.  SIERRA DOES NOT ASSUME ANY 
LIABILITY, EITHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL, FOR THE USE OF THE INFORMATION 
HEREIN, INCLUDING ANY AND ALL DAMAGE TO OR LOST USE OF COMPUTER HARDWARE OR 
SOFTWARE PRODUCTS, LOSS OF WARRANTIES, OR LOST DATA BY THE CUSTOMER OR ANY 
THIRD PARTY.  NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY SIERRA, ITS 
EMPLOYEES, DISTRIBUTORS, DEALER OR AGENTS SHALL CHANGE THE RESTRICTION OF 
LIABILITY OR CREATE ANY NEW WARRANTIES.  IN NO CASE SHALL SIERRA'S LIABILITY 
EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE SIERRA SOFTWARE PRODUCT.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR HOYLE SOLITAIRE CDROM

MINIMUMS:					RECOMMENDED:

486DX 33					486DX 66
MB RAM					16 MB RAM	
SVGA 640 X 480 @ 256 COLORS		SOUNDCARD W/ DAC
MOUSE
2X CDROM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1 - INSTALLATION PROCEDURES 
SECTION 2 - COMMON INSTALLATION PROBLEMS
SECTION 3 - FREEING UP SYSTEM RESOURCES
SECTION 4 - SOLVING GENERAL TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH SOLITAIRE AND OTHER SIERRA 	
			          PRODUCTS
SECTION 5 - VIDEO PROBLEMS
SECTION 6 - SOUND PROBLEMS
SECTION 7 - WINDOWS 3.1 BOOT DISK INSTRUCTIONS
SECTION 8 - CONTACTING SIERRA FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE

SUPPLEMENTS:	Sierra Technical Support Request form
Sound Card Configuration reference chart

SECTION 1 - INSTALLATION PROCEDURES 

WINDOWS 3.1x

Insert the CD into your CD ROM drive. From the Program Manager menu bar, select File, then Run. In the 
Command Line Box, type in D:\SETUP.EXE and press <Enter>. If your CD-ROM drive is a drive other than D, 
substitute the appropriate drive letter.  The process for installing diskette games should be the same as long as 
you substitute the appropriate letter for your disk drive.  For further installation assistance, see the game-specific 
documentation.

WINDOWS 95 

Products developed specifically for Windows '95 support CD autoplay.  To activate autoplay, you just put the 
CD in the drive and close the door: you will be prompted automatically to install the product.  If your product 
does not support autoplay or it is not enabled on your system, go to the Start menu, choose Run and then type in 
the installation command.  For example, if the install command is SETUP and you are installing from D:, type 
D:\SETUP and press <Enter>.  When the installation procedure is started, follow the on-screen prompts.

SECTION 2 - COMMON INSTALLATION PROBLEMS

WINDOWS 3.1x

Problem:  Errors like "Not Ready Reading Drive X:", "General Failure Reading Drive X:" or "CDR 101 - 
Abort, Retry, Fail".
Solution:  These problems mean that the computer cannot read the installation disk or CD properly.  Check the 
shiny surface of the CD.  If you see any smudging or debris, clean it off gently with a soft, lint-free cloth.  
Finally, check with your system manufacturer to assure that the driver software that your CD drive uses is up-
to-date as outdated CD drivers can have difficulties reading newer CD's.

If you need a replacement disk or CD, Sierra will gladly do so for you.  If your request is within the first 90 days 
of purchase, replacement is free of charge.  After this warranty period, there is a $10.00 processing charge.  
Send CD, along with a note with your name, mailing address, daytime phone and a copy of the sales receipt 
dated within the last 90 days or a check or money order to Sierra On-Line for $10.00 back to us.  Our address is: 
Sierra On Line Fulfillment, PO Box 485, Coarsegold, CA 93614

Problem:  Running SETUP results in a General Protection Fault in the module SETUP.EXE.
Solution:  The installer with some Sierra products was developed before some of the newer CPU's like the 486 
DX4/120, 486 DX4/133 and NextGen P5's were on the market.  These processors, along with some others, will 
not be properly recognized by the installer during the hardware test and will result in the GPF error.  Simply 
choose "No" when asked to test your hardware and install the product anyway.

Problem :  Your computer fails the memory test.  You get a message stating you do not have enough memory to 
run your product.
Solution:  See Section 3- Freeing Up System Resources.  If the processes explained there do not solve the 
problem, make sure the you have at least the minimum amount of RAM installed to your system that is listed on 
the white System Requirements Label on the product box.  If you do, try installing the product anyway.  Note 
that the product may not perform optimally if your system does not have the required amount of memory 
available.

Problem:  Your computer fails the video test. It either states that it is not running with 256 colors or that it fails 
the pixels per second transfer rate test.
Solution:  See Section 5 - Video Problems

Problem:  Your computer fails the sound test.  You cannot hear the voice and fanfare in the Wave and MIDI 
tests. 
Solution:  See Section 6 - Sound Problems

WINDOWS 95

Problem:  Errors like "Not Ready Reading Drive X:", "General Failure Reading Drive X:" or "CDR 101 - 
Abort, Retry, Fail".
Solution:  These problems mean that the computer cannot read the installation disk or CD properly.  If X: is a 
diskette, try cleaning up the memory environment as much as possible by following the steps in Section 3.  If 
problems persist, the diskette is likely corrupted and will need to be replaced.  If X: is a CD ROM, try the steps 
in Section 3.  Additionally, check the shiny surface of the CD.  If you see any smudging or debris, clean it off 
gently with a soft, lint-free cloth.  Finally, check with your system manufacturer to assure that the driver 
software that your CD drive uses is up-to-date as outdated CD drivers can have difficulties reading newer CD's.

If you need a replacement disk or CD, Sierra will gladly do so for you.  If your request is within the first 90 days 
of purchase, replacement is free of charge.  After this warranty period, there is a $10.00 processing charge.  
Send disk or CD #1, along with a note with your name, mailing address, daytime phone and a copy of the sales 
receipt dated within the last 90 days or a check or money order to Sierra On-Line for $10.00 back to us.  Our 
address is: Sierra On Line Fulfillment, PO Box 485, Coarsegold, CA 93614

Problem:  Running SETUP results in a General Protection Fault in the module SETUP.EXE.
Solution:  The installer with some Sierra products was developed before some of the newer CPU's like the 486 
DX4/120, 486 DX4/133 and NextGen P5's were on the market.  These processors, along with some others, will 
not be properly recognized by the installer during the hardware test and will result in the GPF error.  After 
clicking the Install button, you will be asked to test your hardware; click on No.  You may be told you fail some 
of the hardware tests, but install anyway.

Problem :  Your computer fails the memory test.  You get a message stating you do not have enough memory to 
run your product.
Solution:  See Section 3- Freeing Up System Resources.  If the processes explained there do not solve the 
problem, the white System Requirements Label on the product box.  Make sure that you have enough RAM 
installed on your system to run the product.  If you do, ignore the test try installing the product anyway.  Note 
that the product may not perform optimally if your system does not have the required amount of memory 
available.

Problem:  Your CD-ROM drive fails the kilobytes per second transfer test.  You are certain that your CD ROM 
drive is sufficient for the game.
Solution:  See Section 4 under the Check CD ROM cache size section.

Problem:  Your computer fails the video test. It either states that it is not running with 256 colors or that it fails 
the pixels per second transfer rate test.
Solution:  See Section 5 - Video Problems

Problem:  Your computer fails the sound test.  You cannot hear the voice and fanfare in the Wave and MIDI 
tests. 
Solution:  See Section 6 - Sound Problems

SECTION 3 - FREEING UP SYSTEM RESOURCES

WINDOWS 3.1x

Despite having sufficient RAM installed on your system to run the Sierra product that you purchased, you may 
find that you experience errors such as "Out of Movable Memory" or "Insufficient Conventional Memory" or 
other symptoms of low system resources such as slow performance.  Sierra products are not designed to 
multitask and will operate best when given all possible free system resources.  Here are the best ways to 
maximize available resources:

Make a boot disk.  A boot disk is a diskette that your system uses to restart with a minimal, standardized 
memory configuration.  This configuration helps to assure that as much of the system's resources are available 
for your Sierra product as possible.  Additionally, the boot disk allows you to make changes to the memory 
environment that are strictly temporary in nature.  If you have a Boot Disk Maker icon in your product's 
program group, give it a try.  If this does not work, see Section 7 for manual boot disk instructions.

Shut down all active Windows programs in the Task List.  Windows tends to load many utilities and programs 
automatically when it starts.  To see a list of these, press <Ctrl-Esc>.  The only program that is required is 
Program Manager.  For all other tasks, highlight them individually and click on the End Task button.

Disable alternate Windows desktop shells.  There are many alternate Windows desktops available for computer 
systems; many of them come pre-installed.  These included Norton Desktop for Windows, PC Desktop, 
Tabworks, Navigator and others.  Disabling these will free up system resources.  Specific instructions  to disable 
them will vary by product, so you will need to check the desktop's documentation.  However, as a helpful tip, 
using the command WIN PROGMAN to start Windows will frequently bypass them. 

Check virtual memory settings.  Windows creates a swap file to use hard drive space as a replacement for RAM 
memory.  If this swap file is not set properly, performance will suffer.  Go to the Main program group, choose 
the Control Panel icon, choose the 386 Enhanced icon and then choose the Virtual Memory radio button.  This 
will show the current swap file settings.  The best setting for Sierra products will be a permanent swap file of 
8000-10000 kb in size.  If you need to change this setting, choose the Change radio button and do so.  Once 
done, Windows will prompt you to restart your system for the changes to take effect.

Reduce video resolution and color palette.  Running at a video resolution higher than 640x480 or with a color 
palette of greater than 256 colors uses more system resources and does not improve the graphics quality of most 
Sierra products.  See Section 5 - Video Problems for information on how to change video modes.

Disable wallpaper on the desktop.  The default Windows wallpaper selections take up a minimal amount of 
memory.  On the other hand, custom pictures used as wallpaper can be very memory-intensive.  To disable 
them, go to the Main Program Group, choose the Control Panel icon, choose the Desktop icon and select 
"<none>" as your Wallpaper option.

WINDOWS 95

Despite having sufficient RAM installed on your system to run the Sierra product that you purchased, you may 
find that you experience errors such as "Out of Movable Memory" or "Insufficient Conventional Memory" or 
other symptoms of low system resources such as slow performance.  Sierra products are not designed to 
multitask and will operate best when given all possible free system resources.  Here are the best ways to 
maximize available resources:

Make a boot disk.  A boot disk is a diskette that your system uses to restart with a minimal, standardized 
memory configuration.  This configuration helps to assure that as much of the system's resources are available 
for your Sierra product as possible.  Additionally, the boot disk allows you to make changes to the memory 
environment that are strictly temporary in nature.  Note that automatic boot disk makers that some games ship 
do not work in Windows '95; see Section 7 for manual boot disk instructions.

Shut down all active Windows programs in the Task List.  Windows tends to load many utilities and programs 
automatically when it starts.  To see a list of these, press <Ctrl-Alt-Del>.  The only program that is required is 
Explorer.  For all other tasks, highlight them individually and click on the "End Task" button.

Disable alternate Windows desktop shells.  There are many alternate Windows desktops available for computer 
systems; many of them come pre-installed.  These included Norton Desktop for Windows, PC Desktop, 
Tabworks, Navigator and others.  Disabling these will free up system resources.  Specific instructions  to disable 
them will vary by product, so you will need to check the desktop's documentation. 

Check virtual memory settings.  Windows '95 creates a swap file to use hard drive space as a replacement for 
RAM memory.  By default, the system handles these settings internally; however, if they are manually set 
problems can occur.  To check the virtual memory settings, go to the Start menu, choose Settings and then 
Control Panel.  Choose the System icon and the Performance tab.  Select Virtual Memory and make sure that 
"Let Windows manage my virtual memory." is checked.  If not, check it and click on Apply.  Also, make sure 
that you have plenty of hard drive space as the swap file can be extremely large.  For optimal performance, try 
to keep at least 40 MB available on your C:\ drive.

Reduce video resolution and color palette.  Running at a video resolution higher than 640x480 or with a color 
palette of greater than 256 colors uses more system resources and does not improve the graphics quality of most 
Sierra products.  See Section 5 - Video Problems for information on how to change video modes.

Disable wallpaper on the desktop.  The default Windows wallpaper selections take up a minimal amount of 
memory.  On the other hand, custom pictures used as wallpaper are very memory-intensive.  To disable them, 
go to the Start menu, choose Settings, Control Panel and then Display.  Click on the Appearance tab and then 
set the Background option to (none).  Click on Apply and then OK.


SECTION 4 - SOLVING GENERAL TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH SOLITAIRE AND OTHER SIERRA 
PRODUCTS


Problem: The game installs, but locks up with a "hand" cursor when you go into a game.

Solution: This is caused by one of two things.  Either you do not have a sound card on the computer or the High 
DMA channel is not working properly on the sound card.  If you do not have a sound card you can either install 
a 16 bit sound card or obtain a patch from Sierra that allows you to play the game without a sound card.  The 
patch is called SOLITAR.EXE.  See Section 8 for details on obtaining patches.  If you have a 16 bit sound card 
and are having this problem you will need to set up the card so the High DMA channel is functioning.  Many 
sound cards come with diagnostic software that will allow you to test the DMA channels and set them up 
properly.   Installing updated sound card drivers can also solve this problem. Contact your sound card 
manufacturer for further assistance.  

GENERAL TROUBLE SHOOTING

WINDOWS 3.1x
Many different types of errors can occur with Windows products.  These range from Windows errors like 
General Protection Faults and Illegal Operations, to product specific errors or even lockups with no error 
messages at all.  The tips outlined below will resolve most of them:

Check the troubleshooting documents for the specific product.  The problem that you're experiencing may have 
a known solution.  Most Sierra products have a "readme" file that can be viewed by running the SETUP 
program or with Windows Notepad.  Additionally, Sierra Technical Support has documents with common 
problems and solutions discovered after product release.  The end of this guide has a list of ways to obtain 
troubleshooting documents from Sierra.

Streamline the memory environment.  These errors are often the result of conflicts between multiple programs 
loaded into memory.  Follow the steps listed in Section 3 above to minimize the chance of this occurring.

Insure a clean product installation.  File corruption is a common cause of game problems.  To avoid it, use the 
following process to insure a clean install:

Delete any previous installation of the product from the hard drive.  Use the Uninstall option through the setup 
program if it has one.
Check for errors on the hard drive.  Close Windows, run SCANDISK from a DOS prompt on the hard drive and 
fix any errors that are found.  (If you are using MS  DOS 6.0 or earlier beneath Windows, you'll have to use 
CHKDSK /F instead.  Do NOT use CHKDSK /F with Windows '95!)
Check to insure that there is enough hard drive space. Exit to a DOS prompt and type DIR <Enter>.  Note the 
number of "bytes free" at the bottom of the file listing.  Make sure that the amount of space available exceeds 
that required by the product.  If the drive that you are installing to is compressed with DriveSpace, Stacker or a 
comparable program, make sure that the amount of free hard drive space reported by the system is double the 
stated required amount for the product.
Reboot the system with your boot disk to eliminate memory-resident programs that may cause problems and 
reinstall the product.

Check for swap file corruption.  If the virtual memory swap file is corrupted, Windows will have problems 
running programs.  You need to reset your swap file to "None", exit Windows to run SCANDISK  and then set 
the swap file back to the suggested size.  (See Section 3 for how to change virtual memory.)

Update Windows hardware drivers.  Drivers are the software that allows Windows to control the hardware on 
your system.  If a driver is more than a few months old, it has likely been revised by the manufacturer to fix 
known problems and help insure compatibility with the newest software.  Driver updates can be obtained from 
your system or component manufacturer; usually they are free of charge if you can download them from a BBS 
or Web site.

Check for sound related problems.  Sound card conflicts can result in a wide variety of problems, ranging from 
error messages to lockups.  See Section 6 for sound card troubleshooting tips.

WINDOWS 95

Many different types of errors can occur with our Windows products.  These range from Windows errors such 
as General Protection Faults and Illegal Operations, to product specific errors or even lockups with no error 
messages at all.  The tips outlined below will resolve most of them:

Check the troubleshooting documents for the specific product.  The problem that you're experiencing may have 
a known solution.  Most Sierra products have a "readme" file that can be viewed by running the SETUP 
program or with Windows Notepad.  Additionally, Sierra Technical Support has documents with common 
problems and solutions discovered after product release.  The end of this guide has a list of ways to obtain 
troubleshooting documents from Sierra.

Streamline the memory environment.  These errors are often the result of conflicts between multiple programs 
loaded into memory.  Follow the steps listed in Section 3 above to minimize the chance of this occurring.

Insure a clean product installation.  File corruption is a common cause of game problems.  To avoid it, use the 
following process to insure a clean install:

Delete any previous installation of the product from the hard drive.  Use the Uninstall option through the setup 
program if it has one.
Check for errors on the hard drive.  From the Start menu, choose Run, type in SCANDISK and press <Enter>.  
Fix any errors that are found.
Make that there is enough hard drive space.  Open up My Computer on your desktop and right-click on the 
drive to which you're installing.  Click on Properties and note the MB value for Free Space.  If your hard drive 
is compressed with a program like DriveSpace, the listed available space will need to be approximately double 
the requirement stated in the Sierra product documentation.  Compression techniques will not have much effect 
on many of the installed files.
Reboot the system with your boot disk (see Section 3) to eliminate memory-resident programs that may cause 
problems and reinstall the product.

Check CD ROM cache size.  When Windows '95 installs, it can incorrectly determine the speed of your CD 
ROM drive and allot an improper memory buffer for it.  From the Start menu, go to Settings and then Control 
Panel.  Choose the System icon, the Performance tab, the File System button and then the CD ROM tab.  Make 
sure that the Optimize Access Pattern For option is set properly for your drive.  When done, click Apply, then 
OK and then Close.  Restart your system and see if this helps.  If this doesn't help, try changing the Optimize 
Access Pattern For setting to No Read Ahead.

Make sure that all of your hardware is directly supported by Windows '95. .  Drivers are the software that 
allows Windows to control the hardware on your system.  Some hardware is not supported with drivers under 
Windows '95.  Instead, it uses older Windows 3.1 drivers.  While this is sufficient for basic system operation, it 
can cause problems with intensive tasks like games.  You can check the Device Manager to make sure that you 
have true Windows '95 drivers for your system.  From the Start menu, choose Settings then Control Panel.  
Choose the System icon and the Device Manager tab.  You will see a "tree" with you computer listed at the top 
and all of the Windows `95-supported devices on your system.  The following devices are most often missing 
from this list: CDROM, Display Adapters, and Sound, Video and Game Controllers.  Double-click on these 
lines and make sure that a driver is present for each.  If any are missing or appear with a thunderbolt or 
exclamation point symbol listed on them, contact your system manufacturer for assistance.

Update Windows '95 hardware drivers.  Many manufacturers have already released revisions to the drivers that 
shipped with Windows '95.  These fix known problems and help maintain compatibility with the newest 
software on the market.  Driver updates can be obtained from your system or component manufacturer; usually 
they are free of charge if you can download them from a BBS or Web site.


SECTION 5 - VIDEO PROBLEMS

WINDOWS 3.1x

Windows video problems usually fall into two categories: display quality problems and display speed problems.  
Quality problems can appear as black screens or distorted graphics.  Speed problems can lead to choppiness in 
video playback or failure of the pixels per second transfer rate test that our Setup program performs.  In both of 
these cases, the solution will likely be found in the following process:

Streamline the memory environment.  Conflicts with memory-resident programs can cause graphics problems 
and loss of performance.  See Section 3 for help with freeing up system resources.

Reduce resolution and color palette to 640x480x256 colors.  While many new video cards are capable of more 
detail, Sierra products are still written to work best at a resolution of 640x480 with a 256 color palette.  You can 
usually go to the Main program group, choose Windows Setup and view the Display line to note the current 
resolution/palette of your video mode.  If this line does not give you this information, consult the documentation 
that came with your video card for directions on determining the current video resolution and color palette.

Should you find that Windows is set to run in a mode other than 640x480x256, you will want to change the 
video driver.  Before doing this, do two things.  First, write down the name of the current driver in case you 
need to change back to it at a later date.  Second, locate the diskette that came with your system that has your 
video card's specific drivers on it.  If you cannot locate this diskette, you will need to contact your system 
manufacturer to obtain replacement drivers.  NOTE: Do not attempt to use the drivers that come installed with 
Windows 3.1x like Video 7 and AT&T/Olivetti.  Using an incorrect Super VGA video driver can prevent 
Windows from booting up properly.  

While in Windows Setup, click on the Options menu and Change System Settings.  Scroll to the bottom of the 
selection list and select Other Driver.  From your driver disk, select the driver that specifically works in 
640x480 with 256 colors.  When done with this, you will need to restart Windows.

If Windows will not restart properly for any reason, do the following:  Go to the Windows directory and run 
SETUP from DOS.  In general, you can do this by typing C: <Enter>, CD\WINDOWS <Enter> and then 
SETUP <Enter>.  From here, you can restore the previous driver, if you wrote the name down, or the driver 
simply called "VGA".  For further assistance, you will need to contact your system manufacturer.

Update your Windows video driver.  As previously mentioned, drivers are the software that controls the 
hardware in Windows.  When drivers are updated, they are usually reworked to run faster.  Video drivers are 
available from your system manufacturer.  If you can download them from a BBS or Web site, they are often 
free of charge.

WINDOWS 95

Windows video problems usually fall into two categories: display quality problems and speed problems.  
Quality problems can result in black screens, color distortion and the like.  Speed problems can lead to 
choppiness of video display or failure of the pre-installation pixels per second transfer rate.  In both of these 
cases, the solution will likely be found in the following process:

Streamline the memory environment.  Conflicts with memory-resident programs can cause graphics problems 
and loss of performance.  See Section 3 for help with freeing up system resources.

Reduce resolution and color palette to 640x480x256 colors.  While many new video cards are capable of more 
detail, Sierra products are written to work best at a resolution of 640x480 with a 256 color palette.  Go to the 
Start menu, choose Settings and then Control Panel.  Select the Display icon and then the Settings tab.  Make 
sure that the Color Palette setting is set to 256 color and the Desktop Size slider bar is set to 640 x 480 pixels.  
When done, click on Apply.  You will be prompted that the video resolution change is about to be made; click 
Yes.  If the resulting screen looks proper, click OK; if not, wait 15 seconds and the previous desktop will be 
restored.  If you are already running at 640x480 and you have problems, also try running at 800x600 resolution.  
If you have problems setting your system's resolution and color depth, consult your system manufacturer for 
additional assistance.  

Check video performance settings.  From the Start menu, choose Settings and then Control Panel.  Select the 
System icon and the Performance tab.  Choose Graphics and make sure that the slider bar is set all the way to 
the right.  If not, move it and click OK.  You will be prompted to restart your computer; click OK here also.

Update your Windows video driver.  As previously mentioned, drivers are the software that control the 
hardware in Windows.  When drivers are updated, they are usually reworked to run faster.  Video drivers are 
available from your system manufacturer.  If you can download them from a BBS or Web site, they are often 
free of charge.


SECTION 6 - SOUND PROBLEMS

WINDOWS 3.1x

Sound problems can manifest in numerous ways.  They can range from distorted, missing or clipped sounds to 
error messages like "Waveout Open" or "Rave" to system lockups.  Here are the steps that will help resolve 
most of these problems:

Insure that the sound card is not being used by any other applications.  When the sound card is in use by a 
background utility, it will not work properly.  Follow the steps in Section 3 to minimize the chance of this 
happening.

Check the mixer.  Most sound cards have a Windows mixer that they use to balance the different types of 
sounds the computer uses.  Run this program - usually located in the sound card's program group - and make 
sure that not only the master volume is at an acceptable level but also that the relative levels of the different 
sound types are equally balanced.  If you are experiencing distorted sounds, try turning all sound levels down to 
about two-thirds of maximum.

Check to assure that all Windows sound drivers are installed.  Sound cards require many Windows drivers.  To 
check them, go to the Main program group, select Control Panel and select Drivers.  All sound cards require the 
following five drivers: MIDI Mapper, Timer, [MCI] CD Audio, [MCI] MIDI Sequencer and [MCI] Sound..  
Additionally, there will be two or three more drivers that are specific to the sound card.  For example, the Sound 
Blaster 16 uses the following: Creative Sound Blaster Wave and MIDI, Creative Sound Blaster Auxiliary Audio 
and Voyetra Super SAPI FM Synthesis.  (Check your sound card documentation for the specific names.)  If any 
of these drivers are missing, they will need to be reinstalled from either the Windows installation disks or sound 
card driver disks.

Check the MIDI Mapper setup.  MIDI is a standard used for music reproduction; the MIDI Mapper is used to 
regulate this process.  Make sure that the MIDI Mapper on your system is set up properly.  From the Main 
program group, select Control Panel and select MIDI Mapper.  After the MIDI Mapper dialog box opens up, 
look at the name of the map in use.  For 16-bit sound cards, like the Sound Blaster 16, Pro Audio Spectrum 16 
and most compatible cards, your MIDI map should be named "All FM" or something similar.  If you do not 
have this option, you will need to make one.  

Click on the New button, enter the name "All FM" and press <Enter>.  A screen with four columns and sixteen 
rows will appear.  Click on the word "None" in the third column of the first row and then the small box with the 
down arrow that appears next to it.  Locate a choice that states "FM" or "Synthesis" and use it.  Repeat this 
process until all 16 rows look the same.  When done, check the "SRC Channel" and "Dest Channel" columns to 
make sure that they are the same in each row.  When done, click on OK and close the MIDI Mapper.  For 
further information on MIDI setup for your sound card, consult your sound card documentation.

Compare DOS and Windows sound card settings.  Some sound cards have  Windows-based initialization 
programs that run in addition to the DOS initialization.  If the settings differ between the two, problems can 
result.  To check the DOS settings, you can type SET <Enter> at a DOS prompt and locate the "BLASTER=" 
line.  There will usually be values labelled I, D and A, amongst others.  The "I" is the IRQ address, the "D" is 
the DMA channel and the "A" is the port address.

After getting this info, return to the Drivers section of the Windows Control Panel.  Frequently, by double-
clicking on the Windows driver for your sound card, you can bring up the hardware settings.  Make sure that the 
settings match in both DOS and Windows.

Check the CD Audio cable.  Some games store their sound in the same format that music CD's use.  This format 
requires the presence of a special cable running from the CD ROM drive to the sound card for sound playback.  
To test the possibility of this problem, plug a set of headphones into the jack on the front of the CD ROM drive 
and listen.  If you hear sound there but not through the speakers, the CD Audio cable is either loose or not 
installed at all.

WINDOWS 95

Sound problems can manifest in numerous ways.  They can range from distorted, missing or clipped sounds to 
error messages like "Waveout Open" or "Rave" to system lockups.  Here are the steps that will help resolve 
most of these problems:

Insure that the sound card is not being used by any other applications.  When the sound card is in use by a 
background utility, it will not work properly.  Follow the steps in Section 3 to minimize the chance of this 
happening.

Check the mixer.  Your sound card has a mixer that it uses to balance the different types of sounds the computer 
uses.  You should find a speaker icon in the corner of your screen on your Task Bar.  Double-click on this icon 
to access the mixer.  Make sure that not only the master volume is at an acceptable level but also that the 
relative levels of the different sound types are equally balanced.  With most mixers, MIDI is the music setting 
and Wave is the digital sound effects setting.  If you are experiencing distorted sounds, try turning all sound 
levels down to about two-thirds of maximum.

Check to assure that all Windows sound drivers are installed.  From the Start menu, choose Settings and than 
Control Panel.  Choose Multimedia and then the Advanced tab.  In the device tree that you see, check under 
Audio Devices and MIDI Devices and Instruments.  If you do not have any entries under these categories, your 
sound card is not supported directly by Windows '95.  You will need to consult your system documentation or 
manufacturer for further assistance.

Check the MIDI Mapper setup.  Improper MIDI music setup can result in problems.  From the Start menu, 
choose Settings and then Control Panel.  Choose Multimedia and then the MIDI tab.  Change the setting from 
Single Instrument to Custom Configuration then click on Configure.  You will see a MIDI map with 16 rows 
with a setting like "MIDI for OPL2/OPL3 Internal Synthesis" listed in it.  If you have a 16-bit sound card like a 
Sound Blaster 16, make sure that the setting is listed in rows 1 through 10 only.  If you have an 8-bit sound card 
like the Sound Blaster or Thunderboard, make sure that the setting is listed in rows 13 through 16 only.  If you 
are not sure what type of sound card you have, set this up as an 8-bit.  To remove a setting, highlight it, select 
Change, pull down the selection menu and choose (none).  When done, click Save As, choose a name and click 
OK.  Click Apply and try the game.
Check the CD Audio cable.  Some CD games store their audio tracks the same way a music CD does.  If you do 
not have a special cable running from the CD to the sound card, you will not hear it.  To test this out, play a 
music CD in the drive and see if you can hear it through your computer's speakers.  If you can't, check with 
your system manufacturer about getting a CD audio cable installed.  Alternately, if you plug a set of stereo 
headphones into the jack on the front of the CD ROM drive, you should be able to hear the audio properly.


SECTION 7 - WINDOWS 3.1 BOOT DISK INSTRUCTIONS 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please read the entire instructions prior to starting at Step 1.

STEP 1: FORMATTING THE DISK
To make a boot disk, you must system format a high density diskette in the A: drive. This procedure will 
transfer the "system files" to the disk and allow the computer to boot up correctly.  The disk must be in the A: 
drive; the computer will not boot from the B: drive. At a DOS prompt, type the FORMAT command as follows: 
FORMAT A: /S <ENTER>.  If you get a "Bad command or file name" error message, type: PATH=C:\DOS 
<ENTER> then retype the format command.

If you receive the error again, the MS-DOS FORMAT command may not be on your system, or it may have 
been renamed.  Programs such as PC Tools and Norton Disk Utilities sometimes rename the FORMAT 
command to prevent accidental loss of data.  If you are using a program of this type, check your documentation 
to find out how to format a system disk, then proceed to Step 2. 

STEP 2: LOCATING THE CD ROM DEVICE DRIVER
The CD ROM drive requires a device driver loaded in the CONFIG.SYS file.  This driver must be loaded 
correctly or you will be unable to access your CD ROM drive. To make sure that the device driver loads 
correctly on the boot disk, look at the CONFIG.SYS on the hard drive and copy the driver line from there.  To 
display the CONFIG.SYS, type the following at a DOS prompt: TYPE C:\CONFIG.SYS | MORE <ENTER> 
(To type the "|", hold down the <Shift> key and type a backslash.)  The CONFIG.SYS file will display on the 
screen. Look for the line that loads the CD ROM device driver. The line should look something like this:

DEVICE=C:\DRV\CDROMDRV.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:220
DEVICEHIGH /L:14652 =C:\DRV\CDROMDRV.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:220

The device driver in your CONFIG.SYS may differ somewhat from those listed above.  Carefully write down 
the line for use in your boot disk.  If you have a SCSI CD ROM drive, there may be an additional driver in your 
CONFIG.SYS that must be loaded for the CD ROM device drivers to load correctly.  Check your CD drive 
documentation for more information. 

NOTE:  If you cannot locate the driver in your CONFIG.SYS file, check your CD-ROM drive documentation, 
or contact the drive's manufacturer.

STEP 3: LOCATING THE MSCDEX CD ROM EXTENSION 
In addition to the CD ROM device driver in the CONFIG.SYS, your CD ROM drive requires MSCDEX.  If this 
extension is not loaded correctly in the AUTOEXEC.BAT, you will be unable to access your CD ROM drive. 
To display the AUTOEXEC.BAT, type the following at a DOS prompt: TYPE C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT 
<ENTER>

The AUTOEXEC.BAT file will display on the screen. Look for the line that loads MSCDEX. It should look 
something like this:

LH C:\DOS\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 
LOADHIGH /L:14429 C:\DOS\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001

The MSCDEX line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT may differ slightly from the ones above. Carefully write down 
the line for use in your boot disk

STEP 4: LOCATING THE SOUND CARD DRIVERS
Many sound cards have drivers or initialization lines that must be loaded in the AUTOEXEC.BAT or 
CONFIG.SYS.  The attached Sound Card Configuration supplement contains the sound card lines for many 
common sound cards  If your sound card is on this list, you will need to add the appropriate lines to the 
AUTOEXEC.BAT and/or CONFIG.SYS on your boot disk.  If your sound card is not listed, you should check 
your documentation for information on what needs to load in the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS. 

STEP 5: CREATING THE CONFIG.SYS FILE
To create the CONFIG.SYS file on the boot disk, type the following at a DOS prompt: EDIT A:\CONFIG.SYS 
<ENTER>.  This will display the blank (usually blue) screen of the DOS Editor. Enter the following lines:

DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS 
DOS=HIGH,UMB 
FILES=30
BUFFERS=20 

Now add the CD ROM device driver as you wrote it down in the "Locating the CD ROM Device Driver" 
section above. 

Then, if you need to load any sound card drivers, copy them from the "Sound Cards" section now.  When done, 
save the file by pressing <ALT>, <F>, then <S>.  Exit the file by pressing <ALT>, <F>, then <X>.

STEP 6: CREATING THE AUTOEXEC.BAT FILE
To create the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on the boot disk, type the following at a DOS prompt: EDIT 
A:\AUTOEXEC.BAT <ENTER>.This will display the blank (usually blue) screen of the DOS Editor. Enter the 
following lines:

@ECHO OFF
\ 
SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM 
PROMPT SIERRA BOOT DISK $_$P$G 
PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\DOS;C:\SIERRA 
\DOS\SMARTDRV 512

Now add the MSCDEX line as you write it down in the "Locating the MSCDEX CD ROM Extension" section.  
For example:

\DOS\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 

Then, if you need to run any sound card initialization programs or load any drivers, copy them from the "Sound 
Cards" section now. 

Finally, add the command to start up Windows:

WIN /N /3

Save the file by pressing <ALT>, <F>, then <S>.  Exit the file by pressing <ALT>, <F>, then <X>.

STEP 7: REBOOT THE SYSTEM AND START WINDOWS
Reboot your system by depressing the Reset button on your computer or by using the <CTRL-ALT-DEL> key 
sequence on your keyboard.  When the system reboots, Windows should start automatically..

STEP 8: CREATE A CLEAN WINDOWS ENVIRONMENT
Disable all non-essential tasks.  To do this, press <Ctrl-Esc> to bring up the Task List.  Program Manager is the 
only task that should be open.  If you have other tasks, highlight them and click the End Task button.  Repeat 
this process until only Program Manager is open.  When done, start your product.

SECTION 7.1- WINDOWS `95 BOOT DISK INSTRUCTIONS 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please read the entire instructions prior to starting at Step 1.

STEP 1: FORMATTING THE DISK
Place a high-density diskette that you do not have any information on in your A: drive.  Then, open My 
Computer from the desktop and highlight the icon for Drive A:.  Right-click on the icon and choose Format.  In 
the resulting dialog box, make sure that checks are in the boxes for "Full" and "Copy System Files".  Click on 
OK to start the process.

STEP 2: COPYING THE MSDOS.SYS FILE
While still in My Computer, double-click on the icon for the C: drive to open it.  Look for the file called 
MSDOS.SYS in the list of files.  If you cannot find it, click on the View menu, choose Options and then the 
View tab.  Make sure that "Show all files" is checked and that "Hide MS DOS file extensions." is NOT 
checked.  Once you've found the file, right-click on it and choose Send To 3  Floppy (A).  You will be 
prompted to replace an existing file - click on OK.  

NOTE:  Try your boot disk at this point by going to the Start menu and choosing Shutdown and Restart the 
Computer with the disk in your A: drive.  If your computer has Windows '95 drivers for all of your hardware, it 
should work fine.  Otherwise, continue this process.

STEP 3: LOCATING THE CD ROM DEVICE DRIVER (Skip if you can access your CD when using the boot 
disk.)
The CD ROM drive requires a device driver loaded in the CONFIG.SYS file if it does not have native Windows 
'95 support.  To make sure that the device driver loads correctly on the boot disk, look at the CONFIG.SYS on 
the hard drive and copy the driver line from there.  To display the CONFIG.SYS, go to the Start menu, choose 
Run, type in NOTEPAD C:\CONFIG.SYS and press <Enter>.  The CONFIG.SYS file will display on the 
screen. Look for the line that loads the CD ROM device driver. The line should look something like this:

DEVICE=C:\DRV\CDROMDRV.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:220

The device driver in your CONFIG.SYS may differ somewhat from those listed above.  Carefully write down 
the line for use in your boot disk.

STEP 3: LOCATING THE SOUND CARD DRIVERS (Skip if sound works properly when using the boot 
disk.)
Some sound cards have drivers or initialization lines that must be loaded in the AUTOEXEC.BAT or 
CONFIG.SYS.  The attached Sound Card Configuration supplement contains the sound card lines for many 
common sound cards  If your sound card is on this list, you will need to add the appropriate lines to the 
AUTOEXEC.BAT and/or CONFIG.SYS on your boot disk.  If your sound card is not listed, you should check 
your documentation for information on what needs to load in the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS. 

STEP 4: CREATING THE CONFIG.SYS FILE
To create the CONFIG.SYS file on the boot disk, go to the Start menu.  Choose Run, type in NOTEPAD 
A:\CONFIG.SYS and press <Enter>.  Enter the CD ROM and/or sound card driver lines that you have written 
down in Notepad.  When done, choose <File>, <Exit> and <Save>.

STEP 5: CREATING THE AUTOEXEC.BAT FILE
To create the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on the boot disk, go to the Start menu.  Choose Run, type in NOTEPAD 
A:\ AUTOEXEC.BAT and press <Enter>.

If you need to run any sound card initialization programs or load any drivers, copy them from the "Sound 
Cards" section now.

Finally, if you are loading a CD ROM driver in the CONFIG.SYS file, you will need to load the MSCDEX 
DOS CD ROM extension.  You will need to know the /D: parameter on the CD ROM driver; the /D: parameter 
on the example in Step 2 is italicized.  Add the following line:

\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 /M:12

When done, choose <File>, <Exit> and <Save>.

STEP 6: REBOOT THE SYSTEM AND START WINDOWS
Restart your system with the disk in drive A:.  Go to the Start menu, select Shut Down and then check Restart 
The Computer? and click OK.

STEP 7: CREATE A CLEAN WINDOWS ENVIRONMENT
Make sure there are not any non-essential tasks running before starting the game.  Press <Ctrl-Alt-Del> to bring 
up a Close Windows dialog box.  Explorer is mandatory.  For all other items, highlight them and click on End 
Task.  Repeat the process until all are disabled.  Now you can use your product!


SECTION 8:  CONTACTING SIERRA FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE

Sierra On-Line has a full library of help documents available electronically.  You can download them from the 
following sources:

America On-Line: Use "Keyword SIERRA" and choose "Software Libraries", then "Troubleshooting Guides & 
FAQ's"
CompuServe: Use "Go SIERRA", choose "The Sierra On-Line Forum", then search the "Help Documents" 
library.
Go to our home page on the World Wide Web  at http://www.sierra.com and follow the on-screen information.

Additionally, you can get your document via our automated faxback service.  Call (206) 644-4343, choose to 
use the automated technical support system and follow the voice instructions provided.  You will be faxed a 
catalog of all of the documents that we have to offer and you will then be able to get the documents you need.  If 
you prefer, you can also fax us at (206) 644-7697 with your document request.

If you prefer to get assistance from a technician, Sierra Technical Support will be happy to assist you.  All of the 
online services listed above are staffed by Sierra technicians.  Additionally, you can send e-mail to 
support@sierra.com.  

Additionally, a Sierra Technical Support Support request form has been enclosed in case you wish to contact us 
via fax or U.S. mail.  Simply fill it out and return it to us.  Our fax number is (206) 644-7697 and our mailing 
address is:

Sierra On-Line Technical Support
PO Box 85006
Bellevue, WA  98015-8506

For phone assistance, you can reach Sierra Technical Support at (206) 644-4343 between 8:00 am and 4:45 pm, 
Monday through Friday.  Please try to be at your system or have a copy of a Microsoft Diagnostics (MSD) 
report from it when you call.

If you are in Europe, please contact our office in England. 

Sierra On-Line Limited
2 Beacontree Plaza,
Gillette Way,
Reading, RG2 0BS
United Kingdom
Main: (44) 118-9209111
Fax : (44) 118-9875603 
BBS : (44) 118-9875643
World Wide Web: WWW.SIERRA-ONLINE.CO.UK 
Compuserve: GO UKSIERRA.

Thanks for choosing Sierra!
 

