PC doctor

: I have a PC with a Cyrix processor that is equivalent to afool software to run with a Cyrix chip, and shutting down a computer with a firm hand. Pentium, but when I look at the system information box in some programs it only shows up as a 486. This means that some games don't work - Micro Machines won't even install because it says it needs a Pentium processor.

Michael Broadbent,

Leeds

A: The part of Windows 95 that checks to see what sort of processor your system has was written before Cyrix launched its 6x86 Pentium-class processor.

This means Windows will only recognise your chip as a 486. If a game - like Micro Machines - checks your processor type with Windows, it will obviously pick up this wrong information.

The Cyrix Web site has a list of games and other programs that have been tested with the 6x86 processor, and links to patches that you can download to get the software to work. If your game is listed, you are best off using the patch designed specifically for it.

If there is no specific patch - as with Micro Machines - a generic file is available from Cyrix. This resets your processor identifier to fool software into thinking you have an Intel Pentium. Simply copy the file cpuiden.exe (in PC Doctor on this month's cover CD-ROM) to your root directory and create a shortcut to it on your desktop. Then, run it before loading a game that demands a Pentium.

If you'd rather set this identifier every time you start Windows, you can edit your autoexec.bat file to include the line c:/cpuiden.exe. However, this can lead to problems with games that recognise Cyrix chips - if they are fooled into thinking there is a Pentium, they may behave erratically.

www.cyrix.com

Q: I recently reformatted my 2.5Gb Quantum hard disk, but now I only have 2Gb available to me. I am running the first version of Windows 95 and the disk is formatted using FAT16. I have altered the CMOS BIOS setup several times but my PC will still not see the rest of my hard disk.

John Eagle,

Surrey

A: You've pretty much pinpointed the main problem yourself. FAT16, the disk format used by the initial versions of Windows 95, can only access hard disk partitions up to 2Gb, so you appear to lose the extra space if you have a bigger disk. Of course it's still there, but you can only reclaim it by switching to FAT32, or by using your disk as two smaller partitions. Windows 98 includes a FAT32 converter, while you can repartition your drive on the fly with a utility like Partition Magic from PowerQuest.

However, if you want to get the space back without spending any money, your only real choice is to reformat the disk and create new, smaller, partitions using FDISK.

PowerQuest: 01202 716726

Q: I wonder if you could answer a query which has perplexed some of my colleagues at work? I am considering installing a SCSI hard disk alongside my existing IDE drive, but I'm not sure if they will work together. Equally, will I be able to keep on using parallel port devices like a printer, scanner and Zip drive?

Malcolm Massey,

Bedford

A: In principle, there's no reason at all why you shouldn't mix and match SCSI, IDE and parallel devices. They are chained together separately, so shouldn't conflict with each other, but you can still move information between the devices.

Remember that you will have to budget for a SCSI card and fit it before you can use a SCSI hard disk. Fitting it should be simple and Windows is normally efficient at resolving any resource conflicts. If you plan to install more than one SCSI device however, ensure that you set each one to use a different SCSI ID. If not, your PC is likely to crash and you may lose data.

My computer dealer has advised me never to put your cover CD-ROM into my PC because if I do I will find it virtually impossible to get it out of my computer's memory - it only has 12Mb of RAM. How exactly do I go about removing CD-ROMs from my PC's memory? And what is the best-value way of increasing the amount of ROM in my computer?

Charles Bird,

Milford-on-Sea

A: It sounds as though your dealer is scaremongering. All programs need to use memory - RAM - while they are actually running, but anything in RAM vanishes as soon as you switch your PC off. If you install any software on your PC, it will copy certain files to your hard disk - it couldn't work otherwise. However, if you just delete all the files you can find when you want to get rid of it you will almost certainly miss some, and these can cause you problems.

Instead, go to Start/Settings/Control Panel and click on the Add/Remove Programs icon. Then click on the program you want to remove. This will launch an uninstall utility that will clean up any files in obscure places.

Our cover CD-ROM doesn't make you install any files just to access the disc, though you may need, say, the Acrobat Reader to use some of the information we supply. However, any time you see an Install button - which will copy files to your PC - you can be assured that we include detailed instructions on the disc to help you get rid of the program or software demo once you have finished with it.

On your second point, you can't increase the ROM in your PC, but there is no need to. ROM stands for Read Only Memory, and on modern PCs is only used to store very basic system information. Adding more RAM (Random Access Memory - your PC's working space) will give you better performance while a larger hard disk would give you more long-term storage space. Both upgrades are simple and fairly cheap - see last month's feature on upgrading for more details.

Every time I boot up Windows 98 I get a password request. It says that if I don't enter a password then I won't get this prompt again at startup.

But I do - every time! How do I get rid of it?

John Penney,

djexhibitions@dial.pipex.com

A: Next time you start up and get the password prompt, type in a user name in the top box, then click OK. Once you've done this you shouldn't be pestered by this password request again.

However, this won't work if User Profiles is enabled on your PC. This lets you customise your PC settings - including desktop layout and icons - so when different people log onto the PC using their own user names, the machine is set up to their own preferences. To turn off User Profiles, go to Start/Settings/Control Panel, then click on the Passwords icon.

Choose the User Profiles tab and then select the top radio button - all users use the same settings.

Q: My PC will not shut down correctly. When I select the Shut Down option from the Start menu, my PC starts to shut down, but when it reaches the cloud scene with the message 'Please wait while your computer shuts down' it hangs.

Is there an easy way to sort this out?

Ian Sharp,

Kirkby Lonsdale

A: PC problems at shutdown are normally caused by an internal conflict between Windows and some other software running on your PC. Likely causes of the problem are programs your PC loads at Startup, drivers which are either damaged or incompatible or even your exit sound. Working out the cause is essentially a long and tedious process of elimination, but there is a Wizard in the Windows help files to take you through this.

We'd suggest trying these steps - there are too many to list here. If you'd like to see the whole process written down there is a detailed guide on the Microsoft Web site (support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q145/9/26.asp), or have a look at the copy of this article on our cover CD-ROM.

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