We have been made aware that a majority of WPI users are unable to run Netscape 1.2N on their machines. This error is due to the fact that we have deleted Netscape 1.2N since it is obsolete and does not display the WPI pages correctly. We were urged to remove this version of Netscape due to it's bugs. Updated versions of Netscape have been available for some time, and we believed that a large number of WPI machines were running our automatic update scripts thereby getting these updates. It has come to our attention that currently, the majority of WPI owned machines are not setup to receive updates from CCC as they become available. Perhaps a user had disabled this function or the computer shop did not set it up at one point in time. Regardless of the situation, the CCC has no way to get these new versions and fixes of programs to our computers automatically.
We have invested a great deal of time and money in a newer version of Winstall (5.1), which will automatically update a user's system from one central location, making our job easier plus providing the availability of the most up to date software on our network. As companies release patches to fix existing bugs in systems, with Winstall 5.1, we now have a way to get the hordes of software distributed to the general public, reaching numerous computers with a minimal number of technical visits. In the past, our automatic update tool used to install every software package imaginable, well this new version does not install *all* applications for you! You have a choice now!
Below, is step by step directions a user may follow to bring their computer up to par with our current network configuration. These directions, if followed correctly, should setup your machine to retrieve patches and fixes as they become available and it will also allow you to retrieve any available Novell software. The user also has the option to install the specific applications they desire. We repeat, it does not automatically install all the Novell software as the older version had. The last few steps instruct a person on how to install the newest version of Netscape on their pc.
Without further ado, here are step by step directions on how to first use Winstall 5.1 and to fix the Netscape problem :
1 - Reboot your machine
2 - Log into Novell
3 - Start Windows
4 - In Windows 3.1x: Pull down the FILE menu and choose RUN. In Windows 95, click Start and then Run
5 - Type the following into the dialog box
S:\WINSTALL\WINSTALL CCC-SHOP.LST
6 - This will bring up a listing of several options regarding AUTONAI Update. Choose the one that is appropriate for your machine. For example
On A Windows 3.11 Machine, choose AutoNAI Update for Windows 3.1X
On A Windows 95 Machine, choose AutoNAI Update for Windows 95
7 - After this script runs, you will be asked to either restart windows or reboot your machine. Do so.
8 - Upon return to Windows, you will notice a new group called "Novell Applications {A-M}, and in that group, will be an icon entitled "Winstall 5.1 for Windows XXX" where XXX is either 95 or 3.1X depending on your operating system.
9 - If you double click on this icon, Winstall will now give you a listing of all the available applications on our network.
10 - Netscape 3.0 is listed here, if you want to upgrade from a previous version of Netscape, install the Netscape Upgrade option. If you are not yet running a version of Netscape, choose the Netscape 3.0 Install Option.
11 - You may, at your convenience, install other applications from this list based upon your own desire to possess the ability to run a particular application.
12 - If you have any questions, please contact the ccc-shop via e-mail at pc-questions@wpi.edu or helpdesk@wpi.edu.
From now on, all Novell Applications are being grouped alphabetically into two groups, "Novell Applications {A-M}" and "Novell Applications "{N-Z}". Any application that you install from the new Winstall Scripts will install in the correct group. If you already have all the applications installed on your machine, you may either reinstall the application using the Winstall Icon and delete the old icons, or you can drag and drop the icons from the old "Novell Applications" group (and subsequently the "Novell Applications 2" group) into their alphabetically correct "Novell Applications {A-M} or {N-Z}". Then delete the old "Novell Applications" group.
Again, CCC Shop and Help Desk will help in getting a new version of of any network software running on any machine. Please call extension 5888 or send e-mail to helpdesk@wpi for more information.
(These directions are also available in the wpi.ccc group as well as the CCC Shop web page: http://ccc-shop.wpi.edu/)
For Macintosh support contact mac-questions@wpi, where a team of people will be able to respond to you. (Not tbt@wpi as listed last week). Please do not mail to specific people for answers, mail to either
helpdesk@wpi (ANY questions), pc-questions@wpi (PC-related problems), mac-questions@wpi (Macintosh questions), or questions@wpi (UNIX) resnet-questions@wpi (only for students in residence halls - staff and faculty send e-mail to pc-questions@wpi)
To update whitepages information, students can contact the Registrar's Office as stated in last week's article. Staff and faculty should contact Human Resources.
The Microsoft Office 32bit package is available on the Winstall 5.1 list for any one to obtain under the Windows 95 operating system. If you had tried installing the earlier version and received an error trying to run it, please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@wpi.
When using Microsoft Word from the network, upon exiting the program you will get an error message saying that you cannot write to the S:\ drive, simply click OK and bypass this message. Unfortunately you will get this message every time you exit Microsoft Word. We are looking into a fix for this, but rather than not allow anyone access to it, we decided to release it through Winstall 5.1.