Print screen is a very good trick to see if the printer is connected right
and printing correctly.  If you have one of these new Epson or others that
are completely software controlled with no buttons and switches (not even
for power!) than print screen in DOS may not work at all.  If I have a
customer complaining their printer is only printing strange characters or
Windows says in an error box that the printer is not connected, or for that
matter, any problems in Windows, I shut down to DOS and type something to
the screen and press print screen.  If it works, I have now limited the
scope of the problem to a windows printer driver or other software.  Does
anyone here remember DosShell, Microsoft´s interface before Windows and does
anyone remember what function the Fn key has?  The latter, I don´t remember.
Howard Rubin
Fortaleza, Brazil


RE:  Date:    Tue, 25 Feb 2003 20:13:12 +1300
From:    Ian <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Problem loading Win 98

I'm wondering how you managed to do a 'Print Screen' in DOS.  As far as I'm
aware this function is part of Windows, and isn't available in DOS.

An alternative to writing down every BIOS setting is to photograph each
screen with a digital camera.

Ian Porter
Computer Guys Inc.
Arrowtown
New Zealand
[log in to unmask]

                  Visit our website regularly for FAQs,
               articles, how-to's, tech tips and much more
                          http://freepctech.com