NewDeal Technical Support Document 271

Windows 95 or 98 and NewDeal


Information about using NewDeal software with Windows 95 or Windows 98

Windows 95/98 Basics

I've installed NewDeal. Now what?

Now that your NewDeal software is installed on your computer, follow these steps to make NewDeal run efficiently from Windows 95 or Windows 98. Once you finish these steps, you can also create an icon to launch your NewDeal software from Windows 95 or 98.

  1. Left click on the Start Button.
  2. Left click on Programs.
  3. Left click on Microsoft Explorer.
  4. In Microsoft Explorer, double click to open the NEWDEAL directory (it has a folder icon).
  5. Right click on the file NEWDEAL.PIF (it is named Newdeal and has an MS-DOS icon).
  6. In the menu that appears, left click on Properties.
  7. Left click on the Programs tab.
  8. Make sure that Cmd line: contains the correct path where you installed your NewDeal software.
  9. Left click on the Apply button if you made any changes.
  10. Left click on Advanced button.
  11. Left click to check [X] Prevent MS-DOS based programs from detecting Windows.
    Left click to uncheck [ ] Suggest MS-DOS mode as necessary.
    Left click OK.
  12. Left click on the Memory tab.
  13. All choices should be Auto. [ ] Protected should be un-checked and [X] Uses HMA should be checked.
  14. If you changed anything, left click Apply.
  15. Left click on the Screen tab.
  16. Select the following settings, then left click the Apply button
    Usage: Full-screen
    Initial Size: Default
    All other items should be checked.
  17. Left click the Misc tab.
    Background: Left click to uncheck Always suspend.
    All Windows shortcut keys should be checked, except
    • Ctrl+Esc (the hot key for the Express menu in NewDeal)
    • Alt+Space (the key press for a non-breaking space in NewDeal)
    • Alt+Esc (the hot key for switching among active applications in NewDeal)

How do I create an icon for NewDeal in Windows 95 or Windows 98?

You can create an icon for your NewDeal software within Windows 95/98 by following these easy steps:

  1. In Windows Explorer, locate the NEWDEAL.PIF file as in step four above.
  2. Use the right mouse button to drag the file out of Windows Explorer and drop it on your desktop background.
  3. In the menu that appears, choose Create Shortcut(s) Here.
  4. If the icon that appears is not the NewDeal icon, change it as follows:
    1. Locate the new icon on your desktop.
    2. Right click on it.
    3. Choose Properties.
    4. Click the Program tab.
    5. Click Change Icon . . .
    6. Click Browse
    7. Double click on the Newdeal directory.
    8. Double click on the file Newdeal.ico.
    9. Click OK. Click OK.
  5. To change the name under the icon, click on it once, then press F2.

How come I keep getting conflicts when printing from NewDeal while running NewDeal from Windows?

Both NewDeal and Windows may be trying to control the printer port. Try this:

  1. Double click on My Computer.
  2. Double click on the Printers icon.
  3. Right click on the icon for your printer.
  4. Choose Properties.
  5. Click the Details tab.
  6. Click the Spool Settings button.
  7. In the item Spool print jobs so program finishes printing faster, click on Start printing after last page is spooled.
  8. Click OK.
  9. Click the Port button.
  10. Un-check Spool MS-DOS print jobs.
  11. Click OK.

How come I don't have a mouse when I run NewDeal from within Windows 95 or Windows 98?

Windows provides mouse driver support, so you should use the "Generic" driver (No Idea) in NewDeal. If your mouse doesn't work in your NewDeal software, you can navigate with the keyboard to change the mouse driver:

  1. Launch your NewDeal software.
  2. Using your arrow keys in NewManager, navigate to the Preferences icon.
  3. Press Enter to run Preferences.
  4. Use the TAB key to highlight the Mouse button.
  5. Press SPACEBAR to launch the Mouse module.
  6. Press TAB until you select the Change button.
  7. Select the Generic mouse driver (alternatives: Nothing else works or No Idea).

How can I boot my computer to the DOS prompt, or directly into NewDeal, and yet retain Windows 95 or 98 in case I want it?

Though the procedures to do this are not difficult, they are dangerous. The file you are modifying plays an important part of your system, and it is important that you do so with caution. Follow these steps to make your computer boot up to the command prompt:
  1. Launch a DOS prompt and enter
    CD\
  2. Enter the following command to remove attributes from the file:
    ATTRIB -A -H -R -S C:\MSDOS.SYS
  3. Enter the following command to edit the file:
    EDIT C:\MSDOS.SYS
  4. Edit the line
    BootGUI= 1
    and change it to
    BootGUI= 0
  5. Save the file
  6. At the DOS prompt, enter following command:
    ATTRIB +A +H +R +S C:\MSDOS.SYS
To make your computer launch NewDeal automatically when you turn it on, run BT2NEW in the directory where NewDeal is installed.

If NewDeal does not run

If running NewDeal from a Windows shortcut fails, try rebooting to MS-DOS mode and run it from the command line. To reboot in MS-DOS mode, choose Shut Down from the Start menu in Windows' task bar. Then select "Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode" in the Shut Down dialog and wait for the computer to restart. At the DOS commnand line, change to the directory where NewDeal is installed (example: CD \NDO) and enter the command LOADER.

If NewDeal then runs successfully, it's possible that you have installed some other software that runs automatically when Windows is running and is causing an incompatibility with NewDeal. If so, you have two choices:

  1. Disable or uninstall the incompatible software in Windows
  2. Configure your Windows shortcut for NewDeal so it restarts your computer in MS-DOS mode whenever you run NewDeal
Two softwares that have been reported to cause NewDeal to fail when run from Windows are Norton's AntiVirus for Windows and Cybermedia's Guard Dog.
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Last Modified 28 Feb 1999