PPT7: Patch to Correct PowerPoint 7.0a Screen Redraw Problem

• Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0a

SUMMARY

This article contains the text of the Readme.txt file included in Ppredraw.exe, a self-extracting file that corrects a screen redraw problem.

When you toggle between certain views in PowerPoint version 7.0a, PowerPoint may appear to stop responding or it may redraw objects incorrectly. In addition, you may receive one of the following error messages:

   System resources are too low to draw everything correctly.

   Out of Memory.

You can find Ppredraw.exe (size: 29045 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 PPREDRAW.EXE (size: 29045 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 PPREDRAW.EXE (size: 29045 bytes) 
  

• Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)

        Dial (425) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
        Download PPREDRAW.EXE (size: 29045 bytes) 
  

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

                          THE TEXT OF README.TXT
                          ======================

Microsoft(R) PowerPoint(R) for Windows(R) 95 Screen Redraw Problem and Solution

Revision Date: 3/96

The following information applies to Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0a.

INTRODUCTION--EXPLANATION OF THE SCREEN REDRAW PROBLEM

PowerPoint version 7.0a may exhibit a screen redraw problem in certain views after several minutes of use. This screen redraw problem only exists in the "a" release of PowerPoint 95. This problem drains system resources, causing PowerPoint screen redraws to distort and system performance to slow upon continued use. You may receive system alerts notifying you of low system resources. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should save your work and close PowerPoint. Your files will remain intact, along with any changes you have made. If you do not save and exit PowerPoint as soon as you notice the symptoms, you may lose any recent changes to the open PowerPoint file. This problem will not corrupt the PowerPoint file, or any other open files on your system. Once PowerPoint is closed, system resources and the behavior of other applications will return to normal.

The problem occurs mainly under Windows 95, although it may occur under Windows NT(R) 3.51 with heavy PowerPoint use.

DETERMINING IF YOUR VERSION OF POWERPOINT 95 HAS THIS PROBLEM

To determine if you have the 7.0a version of PowerPoint:

1. Launch PowerPoint.

2. From the Help menu select About Microsoft PowerPoint.

3. If Version 7.0a appears below the product name, you should install the patch for this problem. If it simply reads Version 7.0, you do not need this patch.

CORRECTING THE PROBLEM IN VERSION 7.0a

The patch file included with this Readme file is for use with Microsoft PowerPoint version 7.0a only. This patch modifies Microsoft PowerPoint so that the problem no longer occurs.

To install the patch

1. If you received a disk with this Readme file, insert the patch disk in the appropriate floppy disk drive.

   If you downloaded this Readme file from an online service, using File Manager or Windows Explorer, double-click the PPREDRAW.EXE file you downloaded onto your disk.

2. If Microsoft PowerPoint is running, quit Microsoft PowerPoint.

3. Using File Manager or Windows Explorer, double-click the Update.bat file in your drive A folder or your hard disk.

   After a moment, you will see the following message in a MS-DOS(R) window:

         The patch was successfully installed.
   

4. Close the MS-DOS window. You are now ready to run PowerPoint.

To apply the patch to Administrative Installs

This section is applicable to Network System Administrators. Administrative installations of PowerPoint must also be updated. To update a shared PowerPoint install point, or a shared PowerPoint installation:

1. You must have full access to the shared server location.

2. Connect to the Shared Server Location (where PowerPnt.exe resides).

3. Verify that the PowerPnt.exe file is read/write.

4. Open an MS-DOS Window.

5. Change to the folder where the patch resides.

6. Type the following at the command prompt

         Update <path>
   

   where <path> is the fully qualified path to the shared server location. For example, if the shared server is denoted by \\server\share, you would type:

           Update \\server\share
   
      You will see the following message in a MS-DOS window:
   
         The patch was successfully installed.
   
   

7. Close the MS-DOS window.

8. Set the Powerpnt.exe file back to read only if it was read only originally.

NOTE: After you apply this patch, the version letter for PowerPoint is unchanged (that is, when you click About on the Help menu, the About Microsoft PowerPoint dialog box will continue to display "Version 7.0a").