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WINDOWS VERSION

Start Up Problems

Most of the technical difficulties that have occurred with the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (ESF) on CD-ROM have occurred when trying to start the program. Here are examples of some errors which may occur when trying to start ESF and how to work around them.

General Protection Faults in User.exe
Windows versions of ESF install two executable files, SF.EXE and ESF.EXE, into the Science Fiction (SF) directory on the hard drive. It is recommended to launch ESF with the ESF.EXE file rather than SF.EXE file particularly if you are encountering General Protection Faults in modules such as User.exe.

Note : In Windows 95, you will have to click "Details" to get the exact error message that has occurred. The initial error message usually says that "this program has performed an illegal operation."

To avoid startup errors with ESF, we recommend launching the program from the ESF.EXE file. If you want to set up ESF to use the ESF.EXE file to launch with and you are using Windows 3.1/3.11, do the following:

• Double click the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction program group in Windows to open it.
• Click once on the Science Fiction (SF) icon to highlight it.
• Go to File on the menu bar in Windows Program Manager, scroll down and click Properties.
• Change the command line under properties to read C:\SF\ESF.EXE (assuming C: is the hard drive you have installed ESF to).
• Hit OK.

Note :If you are running Windows 95 and want ESF to run from the ESF.EXE file to avoid difficulties starting the program, do the following:

• Click once with your right mouse button on Start button.
• Go to Open.
• Double click Programs.
• Double click the Grolier Science Fiction program group.
• Click once on the SF icon to highlight it.
• Click File and scroll down to Properties.
• Click the Shortcut Tab.
• Change the target to read C:\SF\ESF.EXE.

  General Protection Faults in ESF.EXE
  

  When General Protection Fault errors in module ESF.EXE occur, this error is normally caused by a conflict with something else on your computer. To try and work around this error we again recommend running ESF from the ESF.EXE file as listed above in the instructions for General Protection Faults in User.exe. However, the most common cause of this error message is a conflict with an item(s) that load in the Windows startup group. We recommend moving any items that you might have loading in "Startup" to your Windows desktop, restarting Windows, and trying to run the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (ESF) again.

  Note : To remove items from your "Startup" group in Windows 3.1/3.11, simply double click that icon in Windows Program Manager and drag any items in there out to your desktop. Exit Windows and restart Windows to make this take effect. In Windows 95, removing items from "Startup" is a different process. To disable Windows 95 "Startup" programs do the following:

  • Click once with your right mouse button on the Start button in Windows 95.
  • Click Open.
  • Select Programs.
  • Double click Startup.
  • Drag icons from the Startup group to the Windows desktop. Exit Windows and restart to make this take effect.

  Can't Read From drive "D"
  

  The drive letter listed in this error message could be different depending on your actual CD-ROM drive letter. If you encounter this error, first try wiping the bottom side (unprinted) side of the CD from the center to the outer edge in a straight line with a soft preferably dry cloth. Wipe the bottom of the disk in this fashion. If cleaning the CD does not correct the problem, you may need to inquire about obtaining a replacement Encyclopedia of Science Fiction CD-ROM.

  MACINTOSH

  No information is available for the Macintosh versions of ESF at this time, but this will be available soon.