Microsoft KB Archive/233139

Links LS: Cannot Establish or Maintain Modem/Network Connection

PSS ID Number: Q233139 Article last modified on 07-02-1999

MS-DOS:

MS-DOS

================================================================ ==

The information in this article applies to:

 == Links LS MS-DOS (1997 Edition) == 

= SYMPTOMS =

When you attempt to play Links LS MS-DOS, you may be unable to connect to other players over a modem or network connection.

= CAUSE =

This behavior can occur for any of the following reasons:


 * You are playing Links LS on a Compaq computer.
 * Your modem is configured to use a non-standard interrupt (IRQ) setting.
 * Your modem is not configured properly.

= RESOLUTION =

To resolve this issue, use the appropriate method.

Playing Links LS on a Compaq Computer
Many Compaq computers are pre-installed with phone management software that interferes with other programs trying to use the modem. To play a game over a modem or network, you must disable this software. To do this, follow the appropriate steps for the model of your Compaq computer:

Compaq Presario 3000, 4000, 6000, and 8000 Series:


 * 1) Click the Phone Center icon on the Microsoft Windows taskbar.
 * 2) On the File menu, click Exit.
 * 3) When you are prompted to quit taking messages, click Yes.

Compaq Presario 5500, 7200, 7600, 9200, 9500, and 9600 Series:


 * 1) Click Start, point to Programs, point to Media Pilot, and then click Call Minder On-Off.
 * 2) When you are prompted to temporarily turn off Call Minder, click Yes, and then click OK.

For additional information about Phone Center and Call Minder, visit the following Compaq Web site:

http://www.compaq.com/athome/support/paqtip/20003.html

Change the IRQ Setting of Your Modem
Links LS uses a very basic Hayes-compatible modem command set, which is unable to communicate with a modem configured to use an IRQ setting other than 3 (for COM ports 2 and 4) or 4 (for COM ports 1 and 3).

If your modem is configured to use an IRQ setting other than 3 or 4, you must change the IRQ setting of your modem to play Links LS over a modem connection.

NOTE: You may be able to resolve this issue by downloading and installing the Links LS MS-DOS 97 Version 1.30 patch (100to130.exe) from the Microsoft Software Library.

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Software Library:

100to130.exe (http://support.microsoft.com/download/support/mslfiles/100to130.exe)

Release Date: Jun-28-1999

For more information about downloading files from the Microsoft Software Library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

To determine the IRQ setting your modem is using:


 * 1) Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
 * 2) Double-click Modems.
 * 3) Click the Diagnostics tab.
 * 4) Click the COM port your modem is using.
 * 5) Click More Info to display the IRQ setting your modem is using.

Configure Your Modem
To configure your modem, you may need to disable data compression, error correction, and flow control. These options are not needed to play Links LS MS-DOS with other players over a modem connection. To do this:


 * 1) Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
 * 2) Double-click System.
 * 3) Click the Device Manager tab.
 * 4) Click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Modem to expand the branch.
 * 5) Click the modem you use to play Links LS MS-DOS, and then click Properties.
 * 6) Click the Connection tab.
 * 7) Click Advanced.
 * 8) Click to clear the Use Error Control and Use Flow Control check boxes, and then click OK.
 * 9) Click OK, and then click OK again.
 * 10) Close Control Panel.

NOTE: For your modem to function optimally with other Windows telecommunications programs, Microsoft recommends you re-enable these options when you are finished playing Links LS. To play Links LS in MS-DOS mode, you also need to set the initialization string for your modem. This information should be included in the printed documentation provided with your modem. To do this:


 * 1) On the Links LS startup screen, click Modem/Network.
 * 2) Click Modem….
 * 3) Type the initialization string for your modem in the Modem Initialization String box.
 * 4) Click OK.

= MORE INFORMATION =

If Links LS stops responding (hangs) when you play a game with other players over a network game but does not hang during a single-player game, one of the computers on the network may have insufficient system resources to maintain the network connection, or a resource conflict with your network drivers may exist.

To work around this issue, create a game startup disk, and then add the network drivers to the system configuration files contained on the game startup disk.

For more information about how to create a game startup disk, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q233143 Links & Access Games: How to Create and Configure a Startup Disk

The third-party products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products’ performance or reliability.

Additional query words: access linksls golf multiplayer matchmake

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========================================================= Keywords : kb3rdparty kbenv kbfile kbhw kbnetwork kbimu Version : MS-DOS: Platform : MS-DOS Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.