Microsoft KB Archive/145887

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Microsoft AnswerStation 1.0 Questions and Answers
'Article ID: Q145887

Creation Date: 11-FEB-1996

Revision Date: 23-FEB-1996' The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows 95

SUMMARY

This article contains questions and answers about Microsoft AnswerStation version 1.0.

MORE INFORMATION

Q. What is Microsoft AnswerStation? A. If you have Windows 95 and a VoiceView-compatible modem, Microsoft AnswerStation is a support environment that can make it faster and easier for you to get the technical support you need. AnswerStation can collect and transmit system and diagnostic information from your computer to the Microsoft Technical Support Engineer you are working with, without disconnecting the call and without the need for multiple telephone lines. Q. Where do I get AnswerStation? A. AnswerStation is available at no charge from various Microsoft sources. For more information, please see the following article in      the Microsoft Knowledge Base: ARTICLE-ID: Q145668 TITLE    : Microsoft AnswerStation Availability and Support Policies Q. What do I need to use AnswerStation? "A. In order to use AnswerStation, you need:" - A personal computer running Microsoft Windows 95. - A VoiceView-compatible modem connected to a standard analog phone line or a digital enabler that is properly installed in         Windows 95. - The Microsoft AnswerStation customer software. Q. Where can I get more information about AnswerStation? A. You can find additional information about AnswerStation in the following locations: - In the Microsoft support area on the Internet (http://www.microsoft.com/support). - In the Windows 95 area of the Microsoft Knowledge Base. - In the AnswerStation Answers.txt file. After you install AnswerStation, you can view this file by clicking the Start button, pointing to Programs, point to Accessories, pointing to System Tools, and then clicking AnswerStation ReadMe. Q. What products are currently supported using AnswerStation? A. Windows 95 and Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95 are the only products currently supported using AnswerStation. Q. How do I reach an AnswerStation-equipped engineer? A. In order for a Microsoft Support Engineer to use AnswerStation during your support call, you must dial the standard Microsoft Technical Support telephone numbers on the telephone that is      connected to your VoiceView-compatible modem. These numbers are listed in the product documentation and in the Support.txt file located in the Windows folder. There are three ways to get to a Windows 95 Support Engineer who can offer support using AnswerStation: - If you have already registered your product, after you enter your Product ID number to automatically route you to the correct support queue, you receive an option to connect to an         AnswerStation-equipped Engineer. - If you have not registered your product, you should ask the Customer Service Representative you speak with to connect you to         an AnswerStation-equipped engineer. - If you miss the first two options, the Support Engineer in the support queue you connect to has the option to transfer you to         an AnswerStation-equipped Engineer. Q. When will all Support Engineers get this capability? A. Microsoft is ready to support Windows 95 customers in the United States using AnswerStation. As we learn more about using AnswerStation in our call center, we will look at applying the technology to the support of other Microsoft programs. Additional information will be posted on the Microsoft support site (http://www.microsoft.com/support) as it becomes available. Q. How can I tell if my modem supports VoiceView? A. Check your modem documentation to see if it supports VoiceView. VoiceView is a modem technology, and as such it should be listed as      one of the features of your modem in the documentation provided by       the manufacturer. If your documentation is not available, you can use the following steps to verify that a modem is VoiceView compatible: 1. Quit all programs that use the modem (such as HyperTerminal,         Microsoft File Transfer, or Microsoft Fax). "2. In Control Panel, double-click Modems." 3. On the Diagnostics tab, click the COM port for the modem, and then click More Info. 4. At the bottom of the diagnostics window there should be a line similar to the following line: "AT+FCLASS=?  0,1,2,80" The "80" at the end of the line designates VoiceView compatibility. Q. What if I know I have a VoiceView-compatible modem but Microsoft "File Transfer is not installed?" A. It is possible that your modem is not recognized as a VoiceView- compatible modem. Microsoft has released updated modem .inf files that you can download if you have one of the following modems: - Aztech Systems - Creative Labs Phone Blaster - Diamond Multimedia TeleCommander 2500 - Zoom Comstar For additional information about these updated files, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: ARTICLE-ID: Q142541 TITLE    : Updated Modem .inf Files for VoiceView-Compatible Modems You can also configure your modem as a generic VoiceView modem. The AnswerStation Answers.txt file contains instructions for doing this. Q. When I install my VoiceView-compatible modem, I receive a series "of error messages similar to the following message:" The on Windows 95 Disk 1 could not be found. Insert the Windows 95 Disk 1 into the drive selected below and click OK. "The files that cannot be found are:" Filexfer.cnt Filexfer.exe Filexfer.hlp Fte.dll Vvexe32.exe Wsvv.vxd "Why do I receive these error messages?" A. The Microsoft File Transfer tool is included in the CD-ROM version of Windows 95 but not in the floppy disk version. If you are using the floppy disk version of Windows 95 and you want to use the Microsoft File Transfer tool, please see the following article in      the Microsoft Knowledge Base: ARTICLE-ID: Q140648 TITLE    : Microsoft File Transfer Available for Floppy Disk Users Q. How do I configure AnswerStation to use the correct modem? A. You can use the File Transfer tool to select which modem Answer- Station uses. Note that File Transfer allows you to select only those modems that Windows 95 recognizes as VoiceView-compatible modems. To select among the modems you have, or to verify which modem is being used, follow these steps: "1. Start the File Transfer tool." "2. On the File menu, click Options." "3. View the Use Device box." The Use Device box contains a list of correctly installed VoiceView-compatible modems. If the list is empty, or if your modem is not listed, your modem is not recognized as a VoiceView- compatible modem. Review the AnswerStation Answers.txt file and the installation and configuration questions in this document, and consult the Microsoft Knowledge Base to verify that both your modem and the VoiceView software are installed properly. Q. How can I be sure that the Support Engineer is not transferring "private files from my computer?" A. When a Support Engineer is working on your computer, the AnswerStation screen displays the steps that the Engineer is      taking to solve your problem. This includes showing the name of      each file that is transferred and whether it is being sent to your computer or copied from your computer. All other functions that the Engineer can perform through AnswerStation are also logged. Q. Will my phone call be disconnected if I need to reboot my computer "during a support call?" A. It is best not to reboot your computer while the Support Engineer is examining or transferring files on your computer. If you are simply talking with the Support Engineer, rebooting your computer will not cause your phone call to be disconnected. Q. What do I do if my computer stops responding (hangs) in the middle "of a data transfer operation?" A. If your computer stops responding to mouse or keyboard input during a data transfer operation, and you cannot use the Disconnect button, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE. In the Close Program box, click AnswerStation, and then click End Task. After a slight delay while AnswerStation closes, you should be able to talk to the Support Engineer. Q. What do I do if the phone becomes unresponsive and stays that way "for a long time?" A. You should see messages on your computer screen that tell you about the AnswerStation process that is being carried out. If you do not see a new transaction log or any progress messages for five minutes, click Disconnect to switch the phone line back to voice mode and talk to the Support Engineer. Expect a delay of several seconds while the modem switches back to voice mode. Q. Is there any chance of downloading a computer virus during an "AnswerStation call?" A. To protect your computer, you should follow the virus prevention procedures you normally use when you exchange data with another computer. Microsoft Support Engineers will be closely monitoring their computers for viruses. If you do not want the Support Engineer to transfer files to your computer, simply tell the Support Engineer at the beginning of the call that you do not want files transferred to your computer.


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KBCategory: kbtool

KBSubcategory: win95

Additional reference words: 95 win95q&a win95faq frequently asked questions