WW1193: The Microsoft Network Questions and Answers

The information in the article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows 95

The "The Microsoft Network Questions and Answers" (WW1193) Application Note contains questions and answers about The Microsoft Network.

You can obtain this Application Note from the following sources:

• Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)
• The Internet (Microsoft anonymous ftp server)
• Microsoft FastTips Technical Library
• Microsoft Product Support Services

THE TEXT OF WW1193

  Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
          WW1193: THE MICROSOFT NETWORK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

                                                  Revision Date: 10/95
                                                      No Disk Included

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 Copyright (C) 1995 Microsoft Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.
 Microsoft, MS-DOS, and Windows are registered trademarks of
 Microsoft Corporation.

1. Q. What can I do if I have a problem connecting to The Microsoft

          Network?
   

       A. Use the right mouse button to click The Microsoft Network icon
          on the desktop, and then click Connection Settings on the menu
          that appears. Click the Help button to start a connection
          troubleshooter that ends with a list of support phone numbers
          to use if you are still having trouble.
   

2. Q. How do I change my member ID, get a new password if I forget

          mine, or cancel an account?
   

       A. Answers to frequently asked questions about accounts and
          billing are located in Accounts And Billing Information in the
          Accounts And Billing folder of Member Assistance. To cancel an
          account, go to the For More Information page of Accounts And
          Billing Information and click the Cancel My Account icon.
   

          You cannot change your member ID on an existing account. The
          only way to get a new ID is to create a new account and cancel
          your old account.
   

          If you forget your password, you need to call Customer Service
          in your region. Customer Service numbers are available from the
          Help menu or from the For More Information page of Accounts And
          Billing Information.
   

3. Q. How can I change my member information?

       A. Use the following six steps to change your information:
   

          1. In The Microsoft Network, open e-mail.
   

          2. On the Tools menu, click Address Book.
   

          3. On the Tools menu, click Find.
   

          4. Enter your member ID, click OK, and then click your name.
   

          5. On the File menu, click Properties.
   

          6. Change or delete any of the information except your member
             ID.
   
          If you enter or change your date of birth, make sure to use the
          format MM/DD/YYYY or MM/DD/YY. If you omit the year, The
          Microsoft Network displays an error message indicating that the
          information could not be saved.
   
   

4. Q. Why is the Remember My Password check box on the Sign In screen

          unavailable?
   

       A. The Microsoft Network uses the Windows 95 password feature as
          part of its security. If you do not use a password to start
          Windows 95, the Remember My Password option for The Microsoft
          Network is not available. To set a Windows 95 password, use the
          following five steps:
   

          1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click
             Control Panel.
   
          2. Double-click the Passwords icon.
   
          3. On the Change Passwords tab, click the Change Windows
             Password button.
   
          4. Click OK.
   
          5. Type your password, then click OK.
   
   

5. Q. How secure is my credit card number when I use it on The

          Microsoft Network?
   

       A. Your credit card number is authorized through the credit card
          network just as it is when you make a purchase in a store. When
          we authorize your credit card, we use the same security
          procedures that are in place for retail merchants. Your number
          is kept in a highly encrypted form within The Microsoft
          Network. Your number is not available to network
          administrators, marketing programs, information providers, or
          even Customer Service.
   

6. Q. Can I read bulletin board (BBS) messages offline?

       A. No, The Microsoft Network does not have an offline reader. This
          feature is under review for a future release.
   

7. Q. Why do I not see BBS messages I saw previously?

       A. Because of the large number of BBS messages expected on The
          Microsoft Network, messages you previously opened do not appear
          in the message list. To see a previously opened message, click
          Show All Messages on the Tools menu.
   

          You should also check to make sure that the message is not part
          of a collapsed conversation (or thread). To make it easier to
          see all the messages in a BBS, click Expand All Conversations
          on the View menu, or click List on the Tools menu.
   

8. Q. Messages I posted to a BBS did not show up. Why?

       A. BBS messages do not go to the bulletin board immediately when
          you post them. Ordinarily, it takes only a few seconds to
          replicate a posting, but delays are possible.
   

9. Q. Does The Microsoft Network notify me if I have replies to BBS

          messages I posted?
   

       A. No, you need to open the bulletin board in question and check
          for replies. You can also place a shortcut to your message on
          the desktop or in a folder.
   

   10. Q. Where can I get help if I have a problem sending e-mail from
          The Microsoft Network to other addresses?
   
       A. Send e-mail to "Postmaster" (without quotation marks) on The
          Microsoft Network. Please describe the problem you are having,
          including the address to which you are sending mail.
   
   

TO OBTAIN THIS APPLICATION NOTE

You can find Ww1193.EXE (size: 15603 bytes) 
                       , a self-extracting file, on the following

• Microsoft's World Wide Web Site on the Internet

        On the www.microsoft.com home page, click the Support icon.
        Click Knowledge Base, and select the product.
        Enter kbfile Ww1193.EXE (size: 15603 bytes) 
                               , and click GO!
        Open the article, and click the button to download the file.
  
  

• Internet (anonymous FTP)

        ftp ftp.microsoft.com
        Change to the Softlib/Mslfiles folder.
        Get Ww1193.EXE (size: 15603 bytes) 
  

• Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)

        Dial (425) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
        Download Ww1193.EXE (size: 15603 bytes) 
  

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online
               Services