Re: WinNews Vol. 2 No. 17, October 2, 1995
Microsoft(R) WinNews Electronic Newsletter
Vol. 2, #17, October 2, 1995
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As more people install Windows 95 WinNews wants to provide content
that will help you with the desktops you support. To this end this
issue has a new feature where answers are provided to some
frequently asked questions.
Regarding products, Microsoft is looking at ways to improve
accessing and using the Internet. Among various efforts, features
and functionality of our World Wide Web browser, Internet Explorer,
are being increased. Information is provided in this issue on a new
beta for Internet Explorer 2.0 as well as on Windows 95 ISDN
capabilities.
This issue of WinNews contains:
1. "WINDOWS 95 HINTS AND TIPS"
Our regular feature offering some helpful ways to
use Windows 95. Hints provided in this issue focus on
using the keyboard for various functions.
2. "MICROSOFT SHIPS BETA RELEASE OF INTERNET
EXPLORER VERSION 2.0"
Here is the latest beta of Microsoft's Internet
Explorer Web browser. In addition to the current
functionality of Internet Explorer, support is
provided for secure transactions, tables, multimedia
and 3-D graphics. This new beta can be downloaded
from http://www.windows.microsoft.com.
3. "MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES ISDN SUPPORT FOR WINDOWS 95"
If you are looking for more information about going
on-line with an ISDN connection, here is some
important news about Windows 95 support for ISDN.
4. "CHINESE GOVERNMENT, MICROSOFT SIGN AGREEMENT"
Two key state agencies in the People's Republic of
China agreed to make Microsoft Chinese Windows 95
the software development standard for China.
5. "ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS"
Here is the first installment of a new regular
feature of WinNews. Our Product Support team is
providing answers to questions they are asked most
often to help you support and run Windows 95 in
your organizations.
This issue contains answers to pre-installation and
set-up/installation FAQs.
6. "NEW POSTINGS TO WINDOWS 95 WEB SITE AND FORUMS"
Our regular information of new postings to various
on-line servers locations - and how to access these files.
QUICK NOTES
We encourage you to let us know topics that you would
like to see in WinNews. If you have a suggestion, please
send e-mail to WinNews@microsoft.com. We will try to
provide articles on the most common topics requested.
Jay Goldstein
WinNews Editor
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WinNews is published twice a month, on the first and
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1. WINDOWS 95 HINTS AND TIPS
The following are a few useful hints and tips that will
result in a more productive work environment.
This issue focuses on hints for using the keyboard
with Windows 95.
A. When the desktop is active you can access the "Find"
function by simply pressing the F3 key. Find is also
available from the Start Menu.
B. The Keyboard provides right-mouse button (or alternate
mouse button) capabilities.
- On the desktop select SHIFT+F10 for the desktop right-
mouse button menu. Options here include arranging
icons, opening Display Properties or opening a new
desktop folder or shortcut.
- Selecting CTRL+ESC will open the Start Menu. From there
press ESC then press SHIFT+F10. This will open the
right-mouse menu for the Start Button. (Choosing
"Open" will allow you to easily edit the contents
of your Start Menu).
C. Selecting ALT+ENTER brings up properties information
in many areas of Windows 95.
- From the Start Menu is brings up Taskbar Properties
- When you select "My Computer" ALT+ENTER brings up
the Systems Properties dialog box from Control Panel
- ALT+ENTER also allows you to toggle between a Windowed
and a Full DOS Screen
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2. MICROSOFT SHIPS BETA RELEASE OF INTERNET
EXPLORER VERSION 2.0
New Features Provide More Powerful Web Support, Secure
Transactions, Multimedia, 3-D Capabilities
Sept. 28, 1995 - Microsoft Corp. today announced it is
releasing beta copies of the Microsoft Internet Explorer
version 2.0, the newest version of its Internet browser for
the Windows(R) 95 operating system. Internet Explorer 2.0
enhances the World Wide Web support already provided in
version 1.0 and adds new functionality such as support for
secure transactions, tables, multimedia and 3-D graphics.
Internet Explorer 2.0 includes support for HyperText
Markup Language (HTML) 3.0 tables; access to Internet
newsgroups; a toolbar button for instant access to the
Web's most powerful search engines; and the ability to run
animations using client-pull technology. The addition of
special Internet tokens, called "cookies," enables Web
surfers to shop at their favorite Internet outlets.
Internet Explorer 2.0 also provides users with a secure
environment. Complete support for Secure Sockets Layer
(SSL) and RSA encryption allows integration with secure
sites. In addition, Internet Explorer 2.0 will support
Private Communication Technology (PCT), which is an
efficient and secure upgrade to the SSL protocol. Internet
Explorer will also support Secure Transaction Technology
(STT), an electronic payment technology jointly developed
by Microsoft and Visa International, as soon as
it is available (for more information on accessing the
Microsoft-Visa announcement, please see "NEW POSTINGS..."
below in this issue - article #6).
Supports Leading-Edge Multimedia, 3-D Animation
Web pages are becoming more sophisticated, and Internet
Explorer 2.0 provides new features and HTML extensions
to take full advantage of their capabilities. It supports
inline AVIs for embedded videos, scrolling banners,
background audio and context-sensitive menus.
Internet Explorer will also support inline Virtual Reality
Markup Language (VRML) for fast viewing of 3-D objects
and animations. Microsoft plans to deliver VRML technology
for Internet Explorer and Windows 95 based on the high-
speed Reality Lab Engine by the end of 1995. The 3-D
support in Internet Explorer is the first step toward
bringing interactive 3-D to the Internet. In addition there
is progressive rendering, read-ahead mode, a multithreaded
user interface and support for HyperText Transport
Protocol (HTTP) Keep-Alive.
Easiest Internet Access, Designed Specifically for Windows 95
The new version of Internet Explorer builds on the advances
introduced in version 1.0, which debuted last month along
with the introduction of Windows 95. Internet Explorer is
designed specifically to take full advantage of the
advancements in Windows 95 and to offer customers easy
Internet access and high performance.
Internet Explorer mirrors the easy-to-use Windows 95
interface, supports Windows(R) Shortcuts to the Internet,
includes an Internet tutorial and comprehensive search
engine, supports full drag and drop of text and graphics,
shields users from Internet jargon (such as "protocols"
and "data types"), and works well with other Windows 95-
based applications.
High Performance, Richer User Interface
In addition to its ease of use, the Internet Explorer
provides fast and full access to the World Wide Web based
on its support for all popular Internet standards. It
supports all industry-standard HTML tags, so users can read
the broad range of Internet content. It supports proxy
servers, making it compatible with corporate security
mechanisms for Internet access. Proxy servers allow
protected access to the Internet through corporate
firewalls. Internet Explorer 2.0 also preserves the
original look of Web-page text and graphics, enabling end
users to view content as authors designed it to look.
The Internet Explorer is also the first Internet browser to
ship with the RealAudio Player, allowing users equipped
with conventional multimedia PCs and voice-grade telephone
lines to browse, select and play back audio or audio-based
multimedia content in real time.
The beta version of Internet Explorer 2.0 is available to
download at no charge (other than the cost, if applicable,
of online time while downloading) from the Windows 95
website at http://www.windows.microsoft.com.
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3. MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES ISDN SUPPORT FOR WINDOWS 95
Enabling Rapid Access to the Internet, Online Services and
Corporate Networks
Sept. 26, 1995 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that it
will add support for the digital ISDN telephone service to
the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system to enable
rapid access to information.
ISDN is an increasingly attractive solution for access to
the Internet and commercial online services, such as
MSN(TM), The Microsoft Network, as well as for remote
access to corporate LANs by telecommuters and other users
who work at home. ISDN solves the need for higher data-
transmission speeds, because users with ISDN service can
expect speeds up to 10 times faster than are available
with a traditional analog modem. In addition, ISDN can be
provided over existing telephone lines.
"As the price of ISDN service continues to decline and the
telephone companies keep expanding availability, ISDN is
emerging as a mainstream solution for computer users
seeking more bandwidth," said Adam Reeves, public network
analyst at Dataquest. "The number of ISDN lines in the
United States is expected to grow by 380 percent by 1999
to over 2 million lines. Adding native support for ISDN
to Windows 95 will be a tremendous catalyst for ISDN
deployment and usage."
Integral operating system support for ISDN dramatically
broadens the range of applications available. Instead of
requiring specialized applications that work only with
ISDN, users will be able to run any networked Windows(R)
-based application over ISDN. The ISDN support software
for Windows 95 is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter
of 1995 and will be available through Microsoft sites on
the World Wide Web, MSN and other Microsoft online sites
at no charge.
Microsoft has been collaborating with the hardware
community to help ensure broad support for ISDN
peripherals. Windows 95 shares a common device driver
architecture with the Windows NT(TM) operating system,
allowing hardware vendors to develop a single driver for
the Windows platform. Twenty-four leading vendors of
ISDN equipment today announced that they are developing
ISDN drivers for Windows 95, including 3COM Corp., Alchemy
Telecom, Boca Research, Inc., Cardinal Technologies, Inc.,
Cirel Systems, Corelogic, Dassault A.T., Diamond
Multimedia Systems, Inc., Digi International Inc., Elmic
Systems, Inc., Excelltech, Inc., Intel Corp., ISDN*tek,
KORTEX International, Mitsubishi Electronics America,
Motorola Information Systems Group, National Semiconductor
Corp., Newbridge Networks Corp., Racal, Soliton
Systems K.K., Stollman E+V GmbH, U.S. Robotics, Xircom,
and ZyXEL.
"Windows 95 underscores Microsoft's efforts to make
computing easier than ever for the personal computer
user," said Joseph A. Diodati, vice president of marketing
at Digi International. "Since many of these users are
working at remote sites, Digi has integrated its ISDN
adapters with both Windows 95 and Windows NT in order to
provide convenient, high-performance, end-to-end ISDN
remote access solutions for at-home and branch office
workers as well as telecommuters. We are excited about
Windows 95 and its easy-to-use remote access capabilities."
The Microsoft Network plans to offer nationwide ISDN access
in the United States in the first quarter of 1996. MSN
will support single and dual B channel access allowing
members to connect to MSN and the Internet at ISDN speeds.
For single B channel access, the current member pricing for
MSN will apply.
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4. CHINESE GOVERNMENT, MICROSOFT SIGN AGREEMENT
Windows 95 Selected as Software Development Standard for China
BEIJING - Sept. 20, 1995 - The Chinese State Bureau of
Technology Supervision (CSBTS) and the Chinese Ministry
of Electronics Industry (MEI) announced today that they
have signed an agreement with Microsoft Corp. to
standardize the Microsoft Chinese Windows 95 operating
system as the software development standard for China.
The agreement is aimed at speeding the development of
Chinese Windows 95 by expanding the scope of cooperation
and strengthening the foundation of software development
in China.
MEI and Microsoft reached the agreement according to the
terms of the Memorandum of Understanding on Chinese
Windows 95 which was signed by the two parties on
December 8th, 1994 in Beijing. Today's agreement states
that CSBTS and the Chinese System Platform Standardization
Technical Committee (CPTC), under MEI's assigned Committee
on Information Technology Standards (CITS), are to
formulate software development procedures in accordance
with China's industrial standard for Chinese Windows 95.
"Microsoft respects the Chinese government's policy on
standardization and the technology transfer method agreed
upon mutually by Microsoft, CSBTS, and MEI," said
Jia-Bin Duh, general manager of Microsoft China, at the
signing ceremony this morning.
"We look forward to working closely with the Chinese
government in setting national standards for software
development and applications," said Charles Stevens, vice
president of Microsoft's Far East Region. "Microsoft will
provide all the information, software tools, and technical
support necessary for the process."
According to the contract, MEI and CSBTS agree to endorse
Windows 95 as a preferred product and recommend it to
computer users. As part of the software development
process, CSBTS will propose the scope and standards of
software evaluation.
Also in line with the agreement, the character set of
Chinese Windows 95 is to include all characters in the
GB2312 and all Chinese characters in the GB13000. Chinese
Windows 95 will follow the Standard Chinese fonts and Input
Method as recommended by the CITS. The committee will
transfer the technology to Microsoft at reasonable terms
and conditions as determined by the Chinese government.
"To speed up the joint development of Chinese Windows 95,
the Chinese government recommended the True Type Chinese
fonts and input method as well as the GB2312 expansion
plan," explained Yao Shiquan, deputy director of CSBTS.
"The expansion plan will be the basis for all relevant
Chinese information technology standards. This will
promote the formalization and standardization of Chinese
information technology."
"In jointly developing Chinese Windows 95, we must not only
make full use of Chinese talent in China's information
processing technology, but also leverage Microsoft's
expertise's in software development technology." remarked
Weizhi Qu, deputy minister of MEI. "We are dedicated to
providing excellent software products in compliance with
the Chinese standard and to serving the needs of computer
users in China."
"I believe that through our joint efforts Chinese
Windows 95 will succeed," commented Tianxing Yang,
directory of MEI's Computer Information and Advancement
Department.
Top executives from prominent local and foreign computer
companies, including the Great Wall Computer Group and
Stone Computer Group, were also in attendance at the
signing ceremony. As Microsoft's partners in China these
companies have been greatly supportive of the
standardization of Chinese Windows 95.
Chinese Windows 95 is expected to be available in China by
the end of the year.
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5. ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON WINDOWS 95
In order to help you deploy Windows 95 to your
organizations, we will be looking to regularly provide
you with answers to FAQs on Windows 95. Provided in this
issue are FAQs on pre-installation and set-up/installation.
For more details, we encourage you to contact Microsoft's
Product Support team in your country. They are
highly-qualified professionals who are trained to help you
run Windows 95 smoothly. For the phone number in
your country, please refer to the Windows 95.
PRE-INSTALL QUESTIONS
Q: What versions of MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows can I
upgrade to Windows 95?
A: You can upgrade Windows version 3.0 or later, Windows
for Workgroups version 3.1 or later, or MS-DOS or OEM-DOS
version 3.2 or later.
Q: Should I run the Windows 95 Setup program from MS-DOS
or from an existing version of Windows?
A: Windows 95 Setup runs from MS-DOS, Windows version 3.1
or later, or Windows for Workgroups version 3.1 or later.
If you are running Windows version 3.1 or later or Windows
for Workgroups version 3.1 or later, we recommend that you
run Windows 95 Setup from within Windows.
Q: When I run Windows 95 Setup in Windows 3.0, Setup tells
me that it requires a newer version of Windows. How do I
upgrade Windows 3.0?
A: To upgrade Windows 3.0 to Windows 95, run Setup from
MS-DOS and choose to install Windows 95 in the same
directory as Windows 3.0.
Q: Can I install Windows 95 on a computer that dual-boots
Windows NT(TM) and MS-DOS?
A: Yes. To install Windows 95 on a computer that dual-
boots Windows NT and MS-DOS, start the computer in MS-DOS
and run Setup either in Windows 3.1 or at an MS-DOS prompt.
You cannot install Windows 95 in a directory with a shared
Windows 3.1 and Windows NT configuration. In this situation
you must install Windows 95 in a different directory.
If your computer boots Windows NT, you must configure the
computer to dual-boot MS-DOS and Windows NT and follow the
instructions in the paragraph above. If you start the
computer from an MS-DOS disk and then run Setup, you will
no longer be able to boot Windows NT. However, you can
restore Windows NT by starting the computer from the
Windows NT Boot/Repair disk and then selecting the
Repair option.
Q: Can I install Windows 95 and still boot MS-DOS and
Windows 3.1?
A: Windows 95 supports booting the earlier version of the
operating system if you are using MS-DOS version 5.0 or
later or IBM(R) PC-DOS version 5.0 or later. You cannot
boot any version of DR DOS(R). When you install
Windows 95 in a new directory, Setup automatically makes
the required adjustments so the computer can dual-boot
Windows 95 and MS-DOS. To boot MS-DOS on a Windows 95
computer with dual-boot enabled, press F4 or F8 when you
see the "Starting Windows 95" message.
If you install Windows 95 in a new directory, you must
reinstall all your Windows-based programs for them to run
properly in Windows 95. If you upgrade your earlier
version of Windows to Windows 95, you do not need to
reinstall your Windows-based programs because
Windows 95 retains your settings.
SET-UP AND INSTALLATION QUESTIONS
Q: When I reboot Windows 95 after I have attempted
installing my computer fails to reboot. What is the cause
of this problem?
A: The following are symptoms that may occur if Boot Sector
Protection is enabled on your hardware:
- Windows 95 stops responding during Setup, when it
attempts to load, or at the License Agreement screen.
- The images on the screen become distorted.
- You receive an error message such as a general protection
fault or a non-system disk.
- You are asked whether you want to overwrite the boot
sector. Choosing Yes may allow you to complete the Setup
procedure, but Windows 95 may then stop responding when
it attempts to load.
After you restart the computer, you receive the following message:
"Windows Setup was unable to update your system files."
These problems may be caused by virus detection that is
built-in to your machine, or by virus detection software
running on your system.
If an anti-virus application is set in your computer's CMOS
settings, that prevents writing to the boot sector
Windows 95 cannot complete its installation, or it does not
load properly. To rectify this problem you should disable
built-in virus detection and you should run the
configuration program for the CMOS that came with your
machine, or contact your machine manufacturer. For
information about accessing your computer's CMOS settings,
please consult your owner's manual or your computer
manufacturer.
To disable virus-detection software that you have running
on your system, you may need to remove the lines that start
the program from your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files.
After you have disabled the virus detection software,
re-start your machine and re-run Windows Setup. Once you
have successfully completed setup, it is okay to re-enable
the virus detection software.
Q: I am using Norton Anti-virus for Windows 3.0 and when
I exit or shut down Windows 95, my computer stops
responding. How can I prevent this from happening?
A: Norton Antivirus (NAVTSRW.EXE) from Norton Desktop for
Windows 3.0 does not restore INT 21 when it is terminated.
This causes Windows 95 to hang when you exit.
To resolve this issue you need to remove or remark out
the NAVTSRW.EXE line in the WIN.INI file.
In the [Windows] section of the WIN.INI file, change
Load=NAVTSRW.EXE to; Load=NAVTSRW.EXE or to :Load=
Q: When I try and Start Windows 95 after the initial
installation, the system appears to stop responding (hang)
at the Windows 95 logo screen. How can I get around
this problem?
A: The probable cause of this is an anti-virus application
warning screen hidden behind the Windows 95 logo screen.
This problem occurs if the system is loading an anti-virus
program from the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to automatically check
for a virus. The anti-virus application detects that
COMMAND.COM has changed as a result of the Windows 95
installation and pauses the system to inform the user and
receive further instructions.
You can resolve this issue by pressing the ESC key. This
will close the Windows 95 logo screen and allow you to
access the anti-virus application. Choose the option that
allows the application to update any affected files. This
prevents the pause from occurring when you start
Windows 95 in the future.
To date the following anti-virus applications have
exhibited this behavior: Microsoft Anti-Virus, Norton
Anti-Virus, Central Point Anti-Virus.
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6. NEW POSTINGS TO WINDOWS 95 WEB SITE AND FORUMS
Windows 95 General Information
------------------------------------------------
New content for the Internet Explorer (IE) for Windows 95
beta version 2.0-"Internet Explorer/ie20read.txt"
Updated Internet Explorer for Windows 95 Questions
and Answers - "Internet Explorer/inetqa.doc"
Internet Explorer for Windows 95 datasheet, outlining
current IE features and new features in the 2.0 release -
"Internet Explorer/inetshet.doc"
Internet Explorer for Windows 95 Reviewer's Guide, a more
detailed look at features and benefits in beta v 2.0 -
"Internet Explorer/ieguide.doc"
News & Events
----------------------
Visa and Microsoft Publish Open Specification To Enable
Secure Transactions on the Internet -
"PressReleases/sp2795v.doc"
Microsoft Publishes Specifications Designed to Help Improve
Security on the Internet - "PressReleases/sp2795m.doc"
Chinese Government, Microsoft Sign Agreement on
Windows(R) 95 - "PressReleases/set2095.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.
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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.
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