| Technical Support
Here you will find both answer to commonly asked questions as well
as links to each manufacturer's home page
for useful technical bulletins and software updates.
You may also E-Mail us for support at contact@aplaptops.com
or call us at 1-800-264-2939 and select the technical support
option. If we are unavailable when you call, please leave
your name and phone number with area code and we will call you back
as soon as possible.
Please review the Frequently Asked Questions for answers to
common problems.
Computer cannot find modem.
There is a simple check to see if your modem is installed correctly.
Go to start on your Windows screen, setting and control panel. Double
click on the modems icon. Go to the diagnostics tab. Your modem
should be listed on a com port. If not, your modem is not installed,
call the manufacturer or Affordable Portables (1-800-264-2939).
If there is a modem listed, click on the correlating com port and
then click on "More Info". A white box should return with AT commands.
If this shows up your modem is installed correctly.
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Modem does not dial out.
Most PCMCIA modems are connected to COM 3, check which communication
port you are using in your communications package. In AOL, use the
Hayes general driver, COM 3.
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Computer is locked and will not respond.
On occasion your computer may lock up, try pressing ctrl, alt and
del keys at the same time and computer will reboot. If this does
not work try turning the computer off with the power button, then
restart. If the computer does not respond to the power button, unplug
the AC adapter and take the battery out. As the computer restarts,
it will run through Scandisk and then back into Windows 95/98.
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The laptop only operates on battery power
for a few minutes.
Most of the newer batteries may need conditioning when first being
used. Charge the battery all the way up and then run it down three
times. This should fix the short battery life, if not call us at
1-800-264-2939.
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Should I upgrade to Windows 98?
We do not recommend the 486 computers to operate with Windows 98.
The newer systems have very few problems. We usually recommend doing
a full install of Windows 98 instead of an upgrade. If you have
a question on your hardware, call the manufacturer and see if it
is authorized for Windows 98.
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The screen is black.
There are a few possible reasons for no screen. If you can still
hear the laptop operating, then check for the external monitor hot
key. It is usually a Fn + F? button. Also check to see if the screen
works on an external monitor. If it works on an external monitor,
but not on the laptop screen it may require service.
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Laptop will not print.
Check to make sure all cabling is secure. Make sure the printer
driver is loaded correctly. If it is printing, but the print is
unreadable, you probably have the incorrect print driver. To check
your hardware, restart the computer in DOS mode. Type in the following
command:
DIR>LPTI and press the enter key.
The printer should print, any errors call the manufacturer.
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CD Rom is not responding.
Place a CD in the CD Rom. Check to make sure that you still have
an icon in "My Computer" for the CD Rom. Double click on that icon
and see if the CD information pops up on the screen. If the CD is
removable on your unit, reseat the CD Rom. Reboot and try again.
If you still do not have a drive letter in windows, restart in DOS
mode and type D: (with D being the drive letter for the CD). Type
dir and if the directory of the CD comes up on the screen, reinstall
the Windows CD drivers.
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Floppy drive does not work.
If you have a Windows 95 / 98 bootable floppy disk, place that in
your floppy and see if the computer can start off of the floppy.
You can create a boot disk from any computer by going to control
panel, add/remove programs, and click on the start-up disk command.
Follow the directions. If the floppy works with a bootable floppy,
reinstall the floppy drivers for Windows. If not call the manufacturer
or Affordable Portables at 1-800-264-2939.
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Computer says "Missing Operating System".
Follow the directions above for a bootable floppy.
After you boot off of the floppy disk, you will be at an A: prompt.
Type c: and see if it accesses the hard drive. If it does not, check
your manual on resetting factory settings in your BIOS setup. Then
when the computer reboots try and access the C drive once again.
If it does not access the C drive call the manufacturer or call
Affordable Portables.
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