A Computer for Every Student!® And it Speaks!

FAQ's

PC5/PC6

Systemax Win-98 Notebook

Tech Support

PC5/PC6 FAQ’s

My screen is too light or too dark.

•   Did you adjust the contrast knob on the left side?

How do I install the Ni-MH battery into the PC6 for the first time?

·     Plug the PC6 A/C adapter in first, turn on the PC6 to be sure it functions, then turn off the PC6.  With the A/C adapter still plugged into the PC6, (this is crucial!), install the battery by inserting its white connector into the plug in the lower end of the battery compartment.  DO NOT unwrap the battery!!!  Wrap the wire around the side of the battery and stuff its extra length down the hole next to the connector, and close the battery door.  Please read the sheet that came with your PC6 entitled "Vital Info."

I unwrapped the Ni-MH battery - is this bad?

•  You bet!!!  You have destroyed the battery, and if you installed it into the battery compartment, you may have also damaged the PC5/6!  The wrapping, which is used on any and all rechargeable battery packs, is there to prevent the battery contacts from touching the AA springs in the battery compartment.  Since the battery has its own connector, it does not use the AA springs.  Call us for a new battery at a cost of $20, and pray that your PC5/6 is undamaged.

I lost my A/C adapter, or it is broken.  Can I buy an A/C adapter locally?

·     Nope, and using another A/C will void your warranty!  Please call us for a replacement A/C adapter costing $12 plus shipping.  For a PC5, please tell us the starting numbers of the serial number, either 96 or 97.

My PC6 is "stuck" - I cannot enter any programs from the main menu, or it is not stuck, but the memory is full, yet I have nothing stored.

•   The memory has become corrupted due to:

1.    Improperly charging the battery, or letting it go below its charge and not charging it within 12 hours or so, or,

2.    Inserting or removing the Text-to-Speech cartridge while the PC6 was on, or,

3.    Turning off the PC6 while the Text-to-Speech cartridge was playing back a selection.

• To "fix" this, please call (800-726-7086) or email (perfect@gate.net) and we will email you a file for "refreshing" the memory of the PC6, meaning erasing the memory.  Any files will be lost in this process, so please don't do the above 3 things again!

The Infrared receiver for my PC6 is not working.

• For the keyboard Ir's, did you install the Ir receiver to your desktop computer while the desktop was off.  If not, you will need to wait 12 hours before installing the Ir again.

• For keyboard Ir's, did you plug your desktop computer's keyboard back into the other end of the Ir receiver?  For a Mac, you need not unplug the keyboard, but can plug the Ir between the keyboard and the mouse.  (iMac's cannot do this, and will need the Ir USB receiver).

• Are you using a laptop?  If so, you need to disable the pointing device in your BIOS setup and use a serial mouse instead.  Even then, some laptops will not work, or just use our USB Ir.

• Does you network require pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del to access the network?  If so, this will disable the Ir completely. You need our USB Ir.

• Are you using the "Ir Send" key while in an open word processor file?

• Are you pointing the back of the PC6 toward the Ir receiver, and not closer than 1 foot?

 The keyboard is typing extremely slow while in the word processor.

• You probably have the Text-to-Speech cartridge installed and set to Word or Letter mode.  This means that it is playing back each word and/or letter as you type.  To change this, either remove the cartridge (while the PC5/6 is off), or enter the settings menu of the TTS and change the mode to Normal.  The settings menu is accessed by entering the TTS program from the main menu and pressing Ctrl-S.

I cannot print to my parallel (IBM) printer.

• Did you set the printer selection in the PC5/6 to Epson FX? Press G, 2, 5 and scroll with the arrow keys until it says Epson FX, and then press Enter.  Newer PC5's and the PC6 have an HP Deskjet parallel setting which prints to all PC deskjets and laser printers.

• If your parallel printer is for Windows-95 only, then the PC5/6 cannot print to this printer.

• Are you using the PC5/6 parallel cable to connect to this printer?  This cable has 15-pins to 36-contacts (a bar-like connector) that's called centronics.  Use only this cable directly to the printer from the PC5/6. Do not connect 2 cables together.  You will have to unplug the cable from your desktop computer to the printer first.  An infrared printing receiver is available for the PC6 and a standard IBM type printer from Perfect Solutions.

My printer does not appear to support all the PC5/6 formatting commands.

• Some parallel printers do not support all the formatting commands.  Try selecting Epson FX graphics. Also be sure that you are using the formatting commands correctly.

My HP printer prints each succeeding page farther down the page.

• A free ROM upgrade is available for the PC5 that fixes this problem.  Please contact tech support as 800-726-7086, or email at perfect@gate.net

I cannot print to an Apple ImageWriter printer.

• Did you select ImageWriter in the PC5/6 printer set-up menu?  Press G, 2, 5 and use the arrow keys to scroll to this selection.

• Is you ImageWriter networked, i.e. does it have an AppleTalk card in it?  If so, the PC5 cannot print to it. Find a non-networked ImageWriter.

When printing to my ImageWriter, it starts the top of page farther down for each document.

•  Turn the ImageWriter off and then on before printing each document.  This clears the ImageWriter's buffer.

I cannot print to my StyleWriter.

• Did you select StyleWriter in the PC5/6 printer menu? Press G, 2, 5 and scroll with the arrow keys to StyleWriter and press Enter.

• Are you using the StyleWriter adapter, supplied with your PC5/6.  It must be connected between the PC5/6 and the Mac cable.

•  The PC/6 will not print to a StyleWriter I.

• For the StyleWriter 4000 series and later, select HP DeskWriter in the PC5/6 printer menu, and try using it with and without the Stylewriter adapter.

• Try turning off both the Stylewriter and PC5/6 and turning them both on again.

I cannot print to my HP DeskWriter.

• Did you select HP DeskWriter in the PC5/6 printer menu? Press G, 2, 5 and use the arrow keys to select HP DeskWriter and press Enter.

• Are you using the StyleWriter adapter? If so, remove this for printing to the HP DeskWriter.

I set the Auto Shutdown time from the default setting, but after turning my PC/6 off and then on, the setting is not saved.

•  The Auto Shutdown setting is not designed to be saved.  If you desire a different setting than the default of 2 minutes, you must set this each time you use the PC5/6.

The Shift key does not function properly.

•  Your PC5/6 has been set to "Sticky Keys."  Change the setting to by pressing G, 2, 8 and using the arrow keys to select Normal.

I want to change the display size in the word processor.

• For the PC6, press the 40/80 key on the keyboard - lower left.

• For the PC5, select G, 2, 7, and use the arrow keys to toggle between 40 and 80 column mode.  Return to the main menu and enter the word processor. 

How do I turn off the key repeat?

• Select G, 2, 8, and press Enter.  Then you can use the arrow keys to toggle the key repeat on / off.

 How do I erase multiple files at once?

• Press G, 1, 4, and use the arrow keys to select the group of files to erase, or the entire contents of the PC5/6.

My PC5 says that all files are full, yet I have little data stored.

• The Reset key on the PC5 has been used once to often as the improper method of exiting the Spreadsheet program. The PC5's files are corrupted.  Remove all power from the PC5: battery, A/C adapter, and button-cell backups.  Turn on the PC5 and hold the Reset key down for 1 minute.  Restore all power and the PC5 should be fine.

My PC5 "sings to me" but nothing appears on the screen.

• Remove all power from the PC5: battery, A/C adapter and button-cell backups.  Turn on the PC5 and hold the Reset key down for 1 minute.  Restore all power and the PC5 should be fine.

I cannot download PC5 files to my Macintosh computer.

• Did you install the MacLink software supplied with your PC5?  Did you follow the Install Instructions located on the MacLink disk in the ReadMe folder?

I cannot open the Install Instruction on the MacLink disk since I don't use ClarisWorks. 

• There is also a text file of these instructions, which you can open in any word processor.  Open your word processor first, and then from its file menu open the instructions file. 

I am able to transfer the PC5 file to my Macintosh, but when I try to open the file, it says the application cannot be found. 

• Do not open the file by double clicking on it.  Rather, drag and drop the file on top of your ClarisWorks or MS Works alias.  Please follow the Install Instructions contained in the ReadMe folder of the MacLink disk. 

• If you are using a word processor other than ClarisWorks or MS Works 4.0, then open you word processor first, and then from its file menu, open the PC5 file. 

My ClarisWorks is not able to open the PC5 file. 

• Are you using ClarisWorks ver 2.0 or greater?  Was ClarisWorks installed fully and from the original disks?  To check this, open an existing ClarisWorks document and attempt to "save it as" another word processing format, such as MS Works 2.0.  If alternative formats are not listed, then you must re-install ClarisWorks fully.

My MacLink program shuts down.

• Check the Chooser to be sure that AppleTalk is disabled.

My Macintosh does not receive data from the PC5. 

• Are you plugged into the modem port of the Mac?  If you use the printer port, you must change the setting in MacLink to reflect this change.

• Does you Mac have a built-in modem? If so, use the printer port, and change the setting in MacLink to reflect this change.

• Do the settings in the PC5 and MacLink match? (The defaults were set to match).  On the PC5, press G, 2, 2 and compare these settings to the MacLink. Baud 9600, Data 8/1, Parity none, Handshake none.

How do I send a file from my Mac to the PC5?

• Save the Mac document as an MS Works 2.0 format, and then use MacLink to transfer it.  Be sure that the translator in MacLink is set to Works WP.  

How do I send a file from my IBM compatible to my PC5?

• Save the file as a text file (.txt) in your PC word processor and use the LaserCom software to send the file.

I transferred a file from my PC5 to my IBM compatible but cannot open the file.

• Open your word processor on your PC and then open the text (.txt) file that LaserCom created.

How do I get a file that was sent from my PC5 to appear on my desktop of Win-95? 

• In the LaserCom software, before saving an imported PC5 file, in the left dialog box, select Windows, and then desktop. 

I send a file from the PC5 to my IBM compatible, but nothing is received. 

• Are you cabled from the PC5 to a COM port of the IBM compatible using the supplied cable, (and 25 to 9 pin adapter, if needed)? 

• Did you installed the LaserCom software from its install file to your IBM compatible? 

• Do the settings on the PC5 match the settings in LaserCom? Press G, 2, 2 on the PC5.  Baud 9600, Data 8/1, Parity none, Handshake none. (You can also try setting the Handshake to DTR/DSR). 

• Change the COM port setting in LaserCom from 1 through 4 and try the download. 

• Do you have a modem installed in your IBM compatible? If so, you probably have a "port conflict."  This means that the mouse and modem are also using the same interrupt (IRQ) as another COM port. You can check this from a C:\ prompt by typing MSD and pressing Enter, or in the settings menu of Win-95.  If a port conflicts exists, you can only change this by moving dip switches or jumpers inside your computer.  Consult your computer manual for these instructions. 

When I send a file to my IBM compatible computer, I lose all the formatting on my PC5's document. 

• LaserCom software only supports text files, which do not retain formatting commands. 

My PC5's battery does not appear to be charging. 

• Is the rechargeable battery connected to the recharge terminal in the battery compartment? Is the red lead, which is positive, to the outside of the PC5? 

• Is your A/C adapter working? To check this, remove the PC5's battery and see if the PC5 works on the A/C alone. 

I have an older version of the PC5's built-in software. How can I upgrade? 

• A ROM upgrade is free. Please email us your request and we will send a plastic chip tube in the mail so that you can safely return your EPROM to us for upgrading. 

I am trying to double or triple space the printout and it doesn't work. 

• All the "dot commands" for line spacing, margins, headers and footers, belong at the beginning of the document before any text is written.  The Enter key must be pressed after each of these commands.

I cannot center text.

• You need ROM version date 13-Jun-97 or later.  To check this, from the main menu, press Ctrl-V. E-mail us your request if you need a free ROM upgrade.

• The dot command for centering text must be on a line by itself, i.e.

cj

text to be centered

lj

All my text is centered when I printout.

• You need to use the .lj command to left justify the text after centering is no longer needed.

When I download my PC5 document to my Macintosh, I lose the centering that I did in the file. 

• MacLink does not support text justification. 

In the Spreadsheet, how do I access the menu? 

• For a PC5, press Shift / 

• For a PC6, press / 

In the Spreadsheet, how do I exit properly, without using the Reset? 

• Enter the menu (as above) and press Q Y 

I have created a custom exercise in the word processor for the Typing Tutor, but the text flows to the next line. 

•  The Typing Tutor is in the 40-column mode, so create custom typing exercises in the word processors 40 column mode.  This way, you will know when you've reached the end of a line without having to count columns! 

How do I spell check a word processing document? 

• While in your document, pressing Ctrl-S will spell check the word at the cursor position. On a PC5, pressing Ctrl-W will spell check the entire document, or the "Spell" key will do this on a PC6. 

I create an entry in the Database or Telephone Directory, but the record does not get saved. 

•  You must press Enter after typing the last field entry. 

The trim plate of my PC5 lists BASIC as one of the programs, but it is not on the main menu. 

• We created the Typing Tutor program to replace the rarely used BASIC.  If you prefer the BASIC, we can reprogram your EPROM free of charge, but some of the later formatting features like justification, will not be included. E-mail your request. 

How can I get my IBM compatible to perform "drop and launch" like my Macintosh? 

• First, "drop and launch" means dragging a translated file across the desktop and dropping it onto a word processor program, which then launches and opens the file. Macs have done this since system 7. Win-95/98 can do this now.  First create a "short-cut" of your word processor and place it on the desktop.  Next, when the LaserCom translates a file from the PC5, before you save it, select Windows in the left-hand dialog box, and then select Desktop.  Then click on Save.  Your translated PC5 file will now appear on the desktop, where it can be dragged and dropped on the short-cut of your word processor.

How can I send all PC5 word processing files at once to my desktop computer? 

•  After pressing G, 1, 1, then Word Processing, you need to scroll down and select All. 

 What printer selection should I choose on the PC5/6 printer menu, (G 2 5) if I have an IBM type parallel printer?

•   Choose either Epson-FX, or HP Deskjet parallel (later PC5 versions and all PC6's).

 I purchased the Text-to-Speech (TTS) cartridge. When I insert the cartridge and turn on the PC5, it does not appear on the menu (should be letter I).

•  You need a free ROM upgrade.  Please email your request to us.

After setting the time on the clock simulation (G 2 9) the time is incorrect when I turn on the PC5 at a later date.

•  The clock simulation is just that, a simulator that works only when the PC5 is turned on.  There is no clock chip in the PC5 to keep time when the PC5 is turned off. The clock simulator is really just a by-product of the PC5's system software that controls the operating system timing.  Since the word processor contains a function to stamp time and date in a document we included the clock simulator to enable you to set the clock at the beginning of each session if you so choose.  The PC6 has a real time clock, which is used in the Homework Calendar program.

Systemax Win-98 Notebook FAQ's

Can I install other programs on the Ultra notebook?

Yes, of course! This is a regular Windows-98 laptop, and therefore any Windows-98 program can be installed.

Can I install Windows-NT?

Yes

My Ultra notebook has a label saying Systemax. What's up?

The "Ultra" can have 2 different labels, either Ultra or Systemax.  The notebook is exactly the same.

How long does it take to recharge the battery?

About 1 hour with the notebook off.

Can I make the notebook look to boot from the CD-ROM drive first, and then the hard drive?

Yes. When you power it on, press F2 to enter the setup menu, then select boot and make the change.

Can I use an external mouse?

Yes, either a PS2 or Serial mouse (which we sell) will work.  As for any laptop, you need to effect the change in the BIOS settings, as explained above.

Can I network the Ultra?

Yes, like any laptop, the Ultra has a PCMCIA port where you can insert either a wired or wireless PCMCIA network card.

I want to use a USB device, but there is no USB port on the Ultra. What do I do?

You can purchase a parallel to USB adapter, or USB card for the PCMCIA slot.