Microsoft(R) WinNews Electronic Newsletter Vol. 2, #15, September 5, 1995 *********************************************************** As many of you may have seen or heard, the launch events all over the world were quite a success. There were free newspapers in England courtesy of Microsoft, midnight madness sales - with the first copy being bought in New Zealand, a four-story box of Windows 95 sailing into Sydney harbor, the lights of the Windows flag on the empire State Building and the event here in Redmond, Wash. There are lots of other great events that will be happening as the product launches in other countries. All the event were very exciting, but now that Windows 95 is on the systems of end users, WinNews will continue in its goal to provide important information on using and supporting Windows 95. This issue of WinNews contains: 1. "HINTS AND TIPS" - Our regular feature offering some helpful ways to use Windows 95. 2. WINDOWS 95 CUSTOMER ADVISORY - BAD DISK 2 PROBLEM Details on a problem with disk 2 in the Windows 95 install disks, which a small number of customers have reported to us. This problem is caused by a previously existing viral contamination on the customer machine prior to the installation of Windows 95. 3. "MICROSOFT ONLINE INSTITUTE GIVES USERS OF WINDOWS 95 NEW WAYS TO LEARN; "VIRTUAL CAMPUS" OPENS DOORS TO GLOBAL LEARNING COMMUNITY" - Details on support and information for users of Windows 95 on The Microsoft Network 4. "MICROSOFT REPORTS RECORD SALES FOR WINDOWS 95" This article provides details on the strong support for Windows 95, as well as some important details on Product Support. 5. "MICROSOFT JUMP-STARTS MIGRATION TO WINDOWS 95 WITH SEMINAR BLITZ" - For people who are migrating Windows 95 to businesses or organizations, here is information on getting input from support professionals. 6. "MICROSOFT SUPPORT DESKTOP" Find out about getting information online, direct from Microsoft Product Support Services. 7. "MICROSOFT STATEMENT CONCERNING WORD MACRO ISSUE" Some of you may have heard about a Word macro that is affecting the "Save As" function of some Word documents. Here is information direct from Microsoft on help on this macro. 8. "'LEARN! WINDOWS 95 GETTING STARTED' VIDEO" Details on a new video from former Microsoft Product Managers. 9. "NEW POSTINGS TO WINDOWS 95 WEB SITE AND FORUMS" QUICK NOTES A. DEVWIRE - A ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER FOR DEVELOPERS DevWire is an electronic newsletter for developers. Subscribers receive biweekly headlines of Microsoft developer news, events, and information via e-mail. It will provide abstracts of the latest material on the developer Web site, and point to pages on the Web from where the listed material can be obtained. The last mailing included topics such as: Building Three-Tier Client-Server Business Solutions, The Reviewers Guide of Visual FoxPro and Upcoming Developer Events. To subscribe to this free service, send email to: DevWire@microsoft.nwnet.com. In the body of the message text write: Subscribe DEVWIRE Jay Goldstein WinNews Editor *********************************************************** SUBSCRIPTIONS If you know someone who might be interested in WinNews, please instruct them to: 1. Send Internet e-mail to: ENEWS99@MICROSOFT.NWNET.COM 2. Send the message from the account that you wish to subscribe (some people use more than one e-mail account). 3. Subject line should be blank. 4. Body of message should ONLY have in the text: SUBSCRIBE WINNEWS You may also feel free to forward this document, provided you forward it in its entirety, as per the copyright notice below. If you wish to stop receiving WinNews, send mail to enews@microsoft.nwnet.com with a blank subject line and the body of the message should only have in the text: UNSUBSCRIBE WINNEWS. WinNews is published twice a month, on the first and third Monday of each month. Special editions of WinNews may also be sent out occasionally. *********************************************************** 1. HINTS AND TIPS The following are a few useful hints and tips that will result in a more productive work environment. These are some of the most powerful features in Windows 95. A. Opening Additional Windows In Single Window Browse Mode If View Options are set to Browse Folders Using a Single Window for each folder, you can open an additional window in the folder by holding CTRL while you double click. B. Suppressing Startup Shortcuts Hold down the CTRL key while entering Windows. This will keep items in the Startup folder from launching. C. Master Volume Control Panel On the Audio page of the Multimedia control panel applet, select the 'Show volume control on Taskbar' option. Once enabled, clicking the speaker icon on the Taskbar will launch the volume control slider. Double-clicking the speaker icon will launch the full volume control applet. *********************************************************** 2. WINDOWS 95 CUSTOMER ADVISORY - BAD DISK 2 PROBLEM Background: Although this has NOT been a significant call generator on our support lines, there have been some isolated reports of customers experiencing an error message during setup of our floppy disk Windows 95 upgrade saying that setup cannot read the cab file on disk two. Because we think we understand the cause of these reports now we are publishing what we know. Customers will be able to find this information along with any subsequent updates to it shortly in the Microsoft KnowledgeBase which is located on MSN or on Microsoft's Web site (www.microsoft.com). The Symptom: When the floppy setup gets to Disk 2 it can halt with a message indicating a bad disk two. The user will be required to exit setup at that time. Since it is early in the process there should be no effect on the customer's ability to run their previous configuration. The Cause: We have tracked down a handful of disk sets nationwide from customers that have reported this problem. In every case the second disk turned out to have been corrupted by a virus on the customer's machine that had infected the second disk during install. To be clear the virus was on the customer's machine prior to installation of Windows 95 and not caused by the Windows 95 disks. This generally happens on disk two because this is the disk where customer registration information is stored during install so setup writes to this disk. The virus, which installs itself undetected on a typical floppy disk, is exposed because of the unique high density format used for Windows 95 distribution diskettes. How can a customer prevent this: There are two things a customer can do that should prevent this problem. First, since there are several viruses that might cause this problem, the best thing to do to eliminate the problem for good is to run an anti-virus program and scan the machine for viruses before upgrading. This is recommended right on the disk labels in fact. The second thing is to flip up the tab in the upper left corner of the diskettes as you look at the back of them thereby physically write-protecting them. This will trigger a warning during setup that Windows 95 could not store the user's registration information, but setup should complete with no problem. This solution is only a workaround since it will not eliminate a virus that might be present on the machine. What should a customer do if this happens: Once the virus has infected the diskette, it is bad. The customer can 1-800-207-7766 to receive a new disk one and two. Product Support will also be able to handle this problem. *********************************************************** 3. MICROSOFT ONLINE INSTITUTE GIVES USERS OF WINDOWS 95 NEW WAYS TO LEARN; "VIRTUAL CAMPUS" OPENS DOORS TO GLOBAL LEARNING COMMUNITY Microsoft has announced the Microsoft Online Institute, an interactive education service that provides a convenient, low-cost way for users of the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system to learn product and technical skills from their PCs through MSN(TM), The Microsoft Network. By visiting the virtual Microsoft Online Institute campus, MSN members worldwide can view training materials from their desktops, take online classes from experts around the world, access product and program information, and communicate with users of Microsoft products from around the world in online forums and user groups. "The Microsoft Online Institute represents a fundamentally new approach to learning," said Nancy Lewis, director of education and certification at Microsoft. "It is built on the concept that learning, and the information that promotes learning, needs to be more accessible and more affordable to users worldwide. With the Microsoft Online Institute, we're using technology to enhance the learning process, share information, and encourage a global community of educated users." Since December of 1994, the Microsoft Online Institute has delivered classes online to a limited customer base by pairing users with self- study materials and a third-party trainer online. Data collected from those pilot classes helped to develop and refine the system shipping today. In addition, Microsoft has been working with worldwide experts in fields such as instructional technology and intelligent tutoring to shape advanced system features, including online assessment and curriculum mapping, expected to be released in future versions of the Microsoft Online Institute in the next year. "Crafting effective training online differs considerably from crafting effective training in other media," said Elliott Masie, president of the Masie Center in Cambridge, Mass. and a lead consultant on online instruction techniques for the Microsoft Online Institute. "The Microsoft Online Institute is the first system to deliver technical education to the desktops of the world's workforce while continuing the special relationship between the learner and the content expert." Today, more than 20 authorized third-party training organizations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Africa are offering classes on the Microsoft Online Institute to users of Windows 95 who subscribe to MSN. Microsoft anticipates that within 60 days of the release of Windows 95, 1,000 students will be taking online classes about Windows 95, the Microsoft Windows NT(TM) 3.5 Workstation operating system and Server network operating system, the Microsoft Visual FoxPro(TM) database, the Microsoft Visual Basic(R) programming system, Microsoft Access, and the Windows Operating Systems and Services Architecture (WOSSA). Microsoft anticipates that by June of next year, more than 200 authorized training organizations will be online offering classes to approximately 18,000 students on the Microsoft BackOffice(TM) integrated family of server software, developer and Microsoft Office products, and on related technologies. The Microsoft Online Institute rounds out a suite of education and certification options on Microsoft products, including traditional classroom training through Authorized Technical Education Centers; Microsoft Official Curriculum in CD-ROM, paper and video formats; and step-by-step Microsoft Press(R) books. The Microsoft Online Institute can be found on MSN by using the GO word "MOLI." *********************************************************** 4. MICROSOFT REPORTS RECORD SALES FOR WINDOWS 95 Consumers Flock to Stores for Opening Weekend REDMOND, Wash. - Aug. 29, 1995 - Microsoft Corp. announced today that it estimates that more than 1 million copies of Microsoft Windows 95, the upgrade to the Windows(R) operating system, were obtained by customers at retail during the first four days of availability in North America. The upgrade to the MS-DOS(R) operating system, version 6, previously the fastest-selling software product, took 40 days to reach the 1 million mark, and the Windows 3.1 operating system took 50 days to achieve a similar feat. Sales of Microsoft Plus! have also exceeded expectations. Approximately 20,000 retail stores nationwide took part in the sales launch, which featured a variety of consumer promotions and sales events, and kicked off at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 24 at many locations. Product Support Record sales of Windows 95 have had an impact on Microsoft's Product Support Services as well. Despite an unprecedented level of preparedness, sales of Windows 95 have resulted in calls that have temporarily exceeded the phone capacity for Microsoft and its support partners. As a result, Microsoft is returning busy signals to some of the calls to its standard phone support lines, rather than place some customers on hold for a long time. Microsoft expects calls to Product Support Services to be high during the first several weeks after the launch of Windows 95. "We're doing everything we can to help customers access the technical information they need and apologize for this inconvenience," said Deborah Willingham, vice president of support at Microsoft. "The good news is that the types of questions we are receiving are in line with our expectations." Willingham added, "Phone support is only one resource for customers; we also have vast amounts of technical information on Windows 95 available online and in the product itself." Microsoft offers a wide range of technical information about Windows 95 on the Internet, the MSN(TM) online service and other online services. Online information includes software and hardware compatibility lists, a member-to-member forum on CompuServe(R), the Microsoft Knowledge Base, the Windows 95 Migration Planning Kit and the Microsoft Download Library. Microsoft's FastTips (800-936-4200) is a no-charge phone service available 24 hours a day with prerecorded and fax-back answers to the most commonly asked questions about Windows 95. As previously announced, Microsoft has extended its standard support hours in the United States for Windows 95 for the first several months of product availability to help customers get up and running. Standard product support hours are 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, including the Labor Day holiday. Microsoft will update customers daily with information on support tools and service via the Windows 95 home page on the Internet at http://www.windows.microsoft.com in the What's New area. "We are off to a great start at retail in North America, but we still have work to do," said Chase. "We need to continue helping organizations widely deploy Windows 95 and support the software and hardware companies designing Windows 95-based products. Windows 95 will increasingly come preloaded on new PCs and will be available worldwide in close to 30 languages in the coming months. We are committed to Windows 95 for the long term." *********************************************************** 5. MICROSOFT JUMP-STARTS MIGRATION TO WINDOWS 95 WITH SEMINAR BLITZ More Than 5,000 Two-Hour Seminars to Provide Insight Into Migration Strategies and Tools REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 24 -Microsoft Corp. today announced it is offering two-hour Windows 95 Migration Jump Start seminars designed to introduce support professionals to key issues related to migrating business and organizations to the Microsoft(R) Windows 95 operating system. Hosted two to three times weekly by more than 400 Microsoft Authorized Technical Education Centers (ATECs) across North America, the seminars focus on the Windows 95 desktop client and discuss how to plan for the migration, how to roll out Windows 95 in an organization, and key tools that are available to assist with the migration. Seminar content is based in part on feedback collected by Microsoft product development teams during Windows 95 migration projects at corporate beta sites. The seminars, which will cost approximately $50 (U.S.), are scheduled to begin Sept. 18, 1995, and run for 60 days. Attendees will receive a Windows 95 Migration Planning Kit CD and a coupon for a discount on either the two- or five-day Supporting Windows 95 class (discounts of $100 or $250, respectively). Information on how to become a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and Microsoft Certified Product Specialist on Windows 95 will also be included. Windows 95 Migration Jump Start seminars will be available at select ATECs in the United States and Canada. More information on seminar dates, locations and registration is available by calling 800-SOL-PROV (765-7768). *********************************************************** 6. MICROSOFT SUPPORT DESKTOP The Microsoft Support Desktop began on August 24th on the World Wide Web and MSN. Each site showcases the rich content from Microsoft Product Support Services. The Microsoft Support Desktop is made up of Microsoft Frequently Asked Questions for easy access to the answers of the most common questions, the Microsoft Software Library containing an integrated library of software and fixes, and the Microsoft Knowledge Base, a comprehensive collection of detailed articles with technical information about Microsoft products. Integrated with the rich content are the Microsoft Member BBSs, where Microsoft Network members from around the world meet together for daily advice and answers on using Microsoft products. Additional services include Microsoft Wish and the Microsoft Support Network. Microsoft Wish forwards suggestions to the Microsoft product groups on services and improvements. The Microsoft Support Network provides resources from supporting multinational offices to individual needs such as accessing Microsoft libraries for technical information and software updates. The WWW "Microsoft Support Desktop" site is located at http://www.microsoft.com/support/ and the MSN site can be found by using the GO word "MSSUPPORT". *********************************************************** 7. MICROSOFT STATEMENT CONCERNING WORD MACRO ISSUE REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 29 - Microsoft recently learned that Microsoft Word has been a target of a virus-like macro which distributes itself through documents created in Word 6.0 for Windows 3.1, Word for the Macintosh(R), Word for Windows NT(TM) and Word for Windows 95. This prank macro - which changes Word's Save As command - does not cause data loss or other serious system corruption, but is an annoyance. Although the macro does not ship in packaged product that users would buy, they may be exposed to it from imported Word documents and templates. Because it affects customers, Microsoft has moved quickly to develop a scanning tool to address the problem. The company has posted this tool on various Internet locations and on-line services to ensure that customers are no longer inconvenienced and are protected against future occurrences of being affected by the macro. The scanning tool and additional information can be downloaded from the Microsoft World Wide Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/msoffice, or through The Microsoft Network (MSN) using the go word: wordprankfix. It is also posted in the Word forums on other on-line services, such as CompuServe(R) and America Online(R). Customers may also get the tool by calling Microsoft's Product Support Services at 206-462-9673 for Word for Windows, and 206-635-7200 for Word for the Macintosh. Microsoft is also working on an additional tool which will automatically detect any similar prank macros and alert users to their presence before the macro affects their program. The company hopes to finalize this tool and make it available next week. *********************************************************** 8. "LEARN! WINDOWS 95 GETTING STARTED" VIDEO. The experts who taught Microsoft's sales force how to use Windows, announce the availability of their first instructional video tape, WinStruct's "LEARN! Windows 95 Getting Started". The one-hour video, is designed to help all Windows users get up to speed quickly on Windows 95. The video features two former Microsoft Windows Product Managers, and uses their knowledge to provide both home business users with comprehensive lessons on how to take full advantage of Windows 95. The video is divided into easy-to-find, color-coded modules and comes with a corresponding, supplemental review booklet. Customers also receive a diskette "Help Library" with answers to the most common questions asked of Microsoft's Product Support Services as well as notes and solutions for pre-Windows 95 programs with known incompatibilities. Winstruct's "LEARN! Windows 95: Getting Started" video will be followed in October by "LEARN! Windows 95: Advanced Features" and "LEARN! Windows 95: Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts." The LEARN! Windows 95 videos are available individually for $19.95 each or $54.95 for the three-tape set. The videos are currently available by ordering direct at (800) 242-4842 and will soon be available at major retailers. WinStruct can be reached at (206) 821-2246, or by email: keithw@msn.com or tomja@msn.com. *********************************************************** 9. NEW POSTINGS TO WINDOWS 95 WEB SITE AND FORUMS Windows 95 General Information ------------------------------------------------ "Internet Explorer download"- internetexplorer/msie10.exe Technical Information and Support --------------------------------------------------- "Updated Hardware Compatibility List (HCL)" - as of August 23, 1995 - MigrationPlanningKit/hcl.exe "HCL Readme" - MigrationPlanningKit/hclread.txt Windows 95 Compatible Products ------------------------------------------------- "Microsoft Plus! features and benefits" - Plusover.exe "Reviewer's Guide on Microsoft Plus" - Plusguid.exe "Plus Demo" - Plusdemo.exe "Updated Logo Catalogue" - Logo_w31.exe "Logo Catalogue readme" - Logo_w31.txt News & Events ---------------------- "Fortune 1,000 Companies Already Moving to Windows 95" - PressReleases/au 21951.doc "Microsoft Presents: The Start of Something New" - PressReleases/au 21952.doc "Microsoft Windows 95 Is Available Today at Retail Outlets Worldwide" - PressReleases/au 24951.doc "Lighting of Empire State Building Commemorates the Arrival of Microsoft Windows 95" - PressReleases/au 24952.doc "Latest WinNews Newsletter" - WinNews/vol2#14.doc YOU CAN FIND THE ARTICLES LISTED ABOVE, AND OTHER WINDOWS 95 INFORMATION: On the World Wide Web at: http://www.windows.microsoft.com On the Internet: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/PerOpSys/Win_News On The Microsoft Network: Categories\Computers and Software\Software\ Microsoft\Windows 95\WinNews On America OnLine: Use keyword WINNEWS On CompuServe: GO WINNEWS. On GEnie: MOVE TO PAGE 95 On Prodigy: JUMP WINNEWS. *********************************************************** This document is provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to change in market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM INFRINGEMENT. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. This document may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1) All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included; 2) All copies must contain Microsoft's copyright notice and any other notices provided therein; and 3) This document may not be distributed for profit.