Works 3.0: Using DisablePortChecking to Resolve IRQ Conflicts (117349)

SUMMARY

Interrupt (IRQ) conflicts or third-party communications drivers can cause your system to stop responding (hang) when you use a part of Works that accesses the modem, such as the Communications module or the Dial This Number feature or when you select Options from the Tools menu.

For more information about identifying these types of problems, query in the Microsoft Knowledge Base on the words indicated at the end of this article.

Workaround (Use DisablePortChecking)

In Works for Windows versions 3.0a and 3.0b, you can enter the following in the MSWORKS3.INI file in the Windows directory:

   [Communications]
   DisablePortChecking=1

Using the DisablePortChecking switch prevents Works from checking the COM ports automatically. This may allow you to create Communications documents or choose Options from the Tools menu without hanging the machine or generating an error message.

NOTE: This does NOT solve the IRQ conflict or third-party COM driver problem. This just prevents Works from hanging or causing an error by automatically testing all the COM ports.

MORE INFORMATION

When you create a Communications document or choose Options from the Tools menu, Works automatically checks for the presence of COM ports. If there is an IRQ conflict on any COM port (even if it is not the one the modem is on) or a third-party COM driver is causing a problem, Works either hangs or generates an error message.

To use the Works Communications module with the DisablePortChecking switch set, you must manually select the COM port for your modem. In the Communications module, you can select the COM port by:

From the Settings menu, choose Modem.
Select the COM port button that your modem is on.
Choose Test.

This will test only the COM port selected. The system may still hang or generate an error message if there is an IRQ conflict on the selected COM port or if a third-party COM driver is still causing a problem.

For more information about identifying IRQ conflicts and third-party communications driver problems, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

communications and hangs