Money: Troubleshooting Windows 95 Communication Problems
  
PSS ID Number: Q138455
Article last modified on 08-19-1998
 
WINDOWS:4.0,4.0a,5.0,98
 
WINDOWS
 

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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Money 98
 - Microsoft Money version 5.0 for Windows 95
 - Microsoft Money versions 4.0 and 4.0a for Windows 95
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SUMMARY
=======
 
Money uses Windows 95 Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI)
services for communications. This article outlines some basic
troubleshooting steps you can use in Money.
 
NOTE: Windows NT 3.51 does not provide support for TAPI services.
 
The first step in troubleshooting communications is to ensure that the
hardware connections are secure. Make sure a direct connection to the
wall exists without splitters, answering machines, or fax machines.
Disconnect any cordless phones because these may occasionally leak
noise into the phone line. If there is excessive noise on your phone
line, try another phone outlet. If the modem is external, make sure
that it is turned on.
 
CHECK SETTINGS WITHIN MONEY
===========================
 
Step Through the Online Services Setup Wizard
---------------------------------------------
 
When using Money 98:
 
To step through the Online Services Setup Wizard, click Online Banking
on the navigation bar, click the Getting Starting tab and go through
steps 1-5. Or click investment on the navigation bar and click the Online
Quotes button. As you proceed, check the following information:
 
 - If you have not installed a modem in Windows 95, the Setup Modem
   dialog box appears. Step through the Setup Modem Wizard to install
   your modem properly.
 
 - Verify that all information in the Online Services Signup Wizard is
   correct as shown on your Online Services Reference Guide.
 
 - If you use Online Banking, make sure that the correct account(s)
   have been enabled for the correct type of service.
 
 - Step through every dialog box of the Online Services Signup Wizard,
   and then click Finished.
 
When using Money 4.0 and 5.0:
 
To step through the Online Services Setup Wizard, use the Select Online
Services button in the Accounts tab of the Home Banking area, (use the
Signup button in the Online Services area for Money 4.0), or the Online
Quotes Setup button in the Investment Portfolio. As you proceed, check
the following information:
 
 - If you have not installed a modem in Windows 95, the Setup Modem
   dialog box appears. Step through the Setup Modem Wizard to install
   your modem properly.
 
 - Verify that all information in the Online Services Signup Wizard is
   correct as shown on your Online Services Reference Guide.
 
 - If you use Online Banking, make sure that the correct account(s)
   have been enabled for the correct type of service.
 
 - Step through every dialog box of the Online Services Signup Wizard,
   and then click Finished.
 
Check Settings in Online Bill Payment, Online Banking, Online Quotes
--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
If you use Online Bill Payment or Online Banking, click the connect
tab then click the connect button if using Money 98, click the Connect
button in the Connect tab of the Home Banking area if using Money 5.0,
click the Call button in the Online Services area if using Money 4.0).
If you use Online Quotes, click Online Quotes in the Investment Portfolio
area, and then click Call. Check the following settings:
 
 - Verify that the correct location and modem are selected. If either
   item is wrong, click the correct setting from the applicable list.
 
 - Click Dialing Properties, and verify the following information:
 
    - The I Am In box should be set for United States of America (1).
 
    - If you need to dial a number to access an outside line, make sure
      it is listed correctly in the How I Dial From This Location area.
 
    - If you have call waiting, make sure that the correct code is
      selected in the This Location Has Call Waiting list box. Consult
      your local phone company for the correct code to disable call
      waiting in your area.
 
    - Verify that the Tone Dialing or Pulse Dialing settings are
      correct.
 
    - In most areas, your Online Services access phone number will be a
      local number; however, if you need to dial 1 plus the area code
      to reach the access number, make sure that Dial As A Long
      Distance Call check box is selected.
 
   After you check all the settings available in this dialog box, click
   OK.
 
 - Click Modem Properties, and verify the following information:
 
    - On the General tab, note the Maximum Speed listed for this modem.
 
      If you are experiencing difficulty completing a call to Online
      Services, lower this speed to 9600 or 2400 and select the Only
      Connect At This Speed check box.
 
      NOTE: Changing this setting here will not affect other modem
      communications using Windows TAPI functions.
 
    - On the Connection tab, the settings in the Connection Preferences
      area should be Data Bits: 8, Parity: None, Stop Bits: 1.
 
    - On the Connection tab, click Port Settings, and note the current
      settings.
 
      Lower both buffer settings to Low and attempt to connect again.
      If this does not correct the problem, return the settings to
      those previously noted or click Defaults to reset the buffer
      defaults.
 
      For more information on the UART FIFO buffer settings, refer
      to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.
 
         ARTICLE-ID: Q131016
         TITLE     : Settings for the 16550 UART FIFO Buffer
 
    - On the Connection tab, click Advanced. Check the following in the
      Advanced Connections Settings dialog box:
 
       - If the Use Error Control check box and/or Use Flow Control
         check boxes are selected, uncheck one at a time and attempt
         the connection again.
 
       NOTE: A combination of disabling Error Control and Flow Control
       and lowering the baud rate and UART buffers has resolved
       Money communication issues in some instances.
 
       - The Modulation Type box should either be empty or should
         indicate Standard. If it is anything else, select Standard
         from the list.
 
       - In the Extra Settings box, check the modem initialization
         string for your modem.
 
         If Windows 95 correctly identified your modem, do not enter
         anything in this area. The correct initialization string is
         already being used by Windows. Only use this area if you are
         experiencing difficulty completing a connection and your modem
         is listed as one of the "Standard" modem types. Read your
         modem documentation or contact your modem manufacturer for the
         correct modem initialization string.
 
       - If you are experiencing difficulty with an online session,
         select the Record A Log File check box on the Connections tab.
 
         Windows 95 allows you to log your communication sessions. This
         may be helpful in determining where the communication fails.
         When you select the Record A Log File check box, a file called
         Modemlog.txt is created. This file is placed in the Windows
         folder.
 
         For information about how to generate a Modemlog.txt file,
         please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge
         Base:
 
            ARTICLE-ID: Q140005
            TITLE     : How to Generate Modemlog.txt
 
    - On the Options tab, clear both Connection Control boxes if they
      are not already cleared.
 
TEST USING HYPERTERMINAL
========================
 
If you are still experiencing difficulty connecting after you have
verified that all the settings are correct from within Money, test
to be sure that your modem is working within Windows 95. Use the
following steps to test your modem with the Windows 95 HyperTerminal
program:
 
1. From the Start Menu, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and
   then click HyperTerminal.
 
2. Double-click the Hypertrm.exe icon.
 
3. Enter a name for the session (such as Online Services), and then
   click OK.
 
4. In the Phone Number dialog box, enter the Online Services access
   number in the Phone Number box, and then click OK.
 
5. In the Connect dialog box, click Dial.
 
   If you connect successfully, the bottom left corner of HyperTerminal
   says "Connected."
 
6. If you cannot connect in HyperTerminal, verify the phone number by
   picking up the phone and dialing the number. If you can connect and
   hear a modem tone, but cannot connect in HyperTerminal, contact
   your Windows 95 support provider. If you do not hear a modem tone,
   contact your Online Services support provider to obtain a new
   access phone number.
 
VERIFY THAT THE ACCOUNT IS PROPERLY ESTABLISHED
===============================================
 
If you can connect to your Online Services access number in
HyperTerminal, but you cannot complete a call successfully in Money for
Windows 95, you may need to contact Online Services to verify that your
account is set up correctly. Refer to the contact phone number listed
on your Online Services reference guide.
 
TEST THE MODEM SETTINGS IN CONTROL PANEL
========================================
 
If you have followed all the steps above and still cannot make a
successful connection, check the settings in Control Panel. If the
settings found in Control Panel are irregular, contact your Windows 95
support provider.
 
To check the Modems settings in Control Panel, double-click Modems (in
Control Panel), and on the Diagnostics tab, check the following
setting:
 
1. Check the comm.drv file in use by clicking Driver. It should be
   Comm.drv, size 5856, dated 7/11/95 9:50AM.
 
2. Click More Information to check the modem. If there are any error
   messages, contact your Windows 95 support provider.
 
3. Under More Information, note the Interrupt and Address settings. The
   default interrupt and address locations for COM ports 1-4 are as
   follows:
 
                  COM1      COM2      COM3      COM4
   -------------------------------------------------
 
   Interrupt         4         3         4         3
   Address         3F8       2F8       3E8       2E8
 
4. If More Information does not return an error, verify that the COM
   port and modem speed (to locate this information, click the General
   tab, and then click Properties) agree with the settings found in the
   Modem Properties dialog box in Money for Windows 95 (to locate this
   in Money, click the Call button in the Modem Properties dialog box).
 
To check the Communications Port Properties settings in Control Panel,
follow these steps:
 
1. In Control Panel, double-click System.
 
2. In the System Properties dialog box, switch to the Device Manager
   tab, and then double-click Ports to reveal COM & LPT.
 
3. Double-click the COM Port you need to check, and then click
   Properties. Check the following on the Communications Port
   Properties dialog box:
 
    - In the Device Status area of the General tab, verify that
      the device is working properly.
 
    - On the Drivers tab, verify that the drivers in use are
      provided by Microsoft. The following are the drivers shipped
      with Windows 95. These files are located in the Windows\System
      folder.
 
         File name        File version
         -----------------------------
 
         Serialui.dll     4.00.950
         Serial.vxd       4.00.950
 
    - On the Resources tab, check the Conflicting Device List and
      verify that there are no device conflicts.
 
COLLECT INFORMATION AND CONTACT ONLINE SUPPORT PROVIDER
=======================================================
 
If you have gone through all the steps outlined in this document, have
contacted Online Services to verify that your account is properly
established, and still cannot make a successful connection, collect the
following information and contact your Online Services support
provider:
 
 - Collect the Send and Receive files created by Money during.
 
   For additional information, please see the following article in
   the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
 
      ARTICLE-ID: Q130091
      TITLE     : Money: How to Save Send and Receive Files
 
 - Collect a Modemlog.txt file from an unsuccessful communication
   session to Online Services. For information on how to generate this
   log file, see the "Check Settings Within Money" section of this
   article.
 
   NOTE: Once the Modemlog.txt is enabled, this file will be appended
   during each communication session. To ensure that you are collecting
   a meaningful file, rename any existing Modemlog.txt file found in
   the Windows folder and collect a log of one unsuccessful call.
 
 - Collect an MSD report, by following these steps:
 
   1. Click the Start button, and then point to Shutdown.
 
   2. Select Restart The Computer In MS-DOS Mode, and then click OK.
 
   3. At the MS-DOS prompt, type "msd" (without the quotation marks).
 
   NOTE: Depending on which installation of Windows 95 you are using,
   this file may not be available. If you have Windows 95 on compact
   disc, you can locate Msd.exe in the Other folder on your Windows 95
   compact disc.
 
Additional query words: w_money tshoot on-line on line Windows 95 4.00a
money communicat* 97 6.0 potato
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Keywords          : kbtshoot kbdta kbonline kbfaq
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,4.0a,5.0,98
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto
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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.