Post any questions arising from "First Steps with RR&Co"

max you are still in demo mode. switch the lot off. reboot the PC and then start TC with the dongle already in. the software should not ask for a code it should boot straight into the software. if it does ask for a code you PC may be having problems reading your stick.

when you insert your stick do you get the recognition noise from the PC?

if you go to start, my computer, can you see the stick as an external storage device?

try doing the same thing on your desktop to see if it asks for a code on start up with the dongle installed. if get the screen that asks for the code then i think your dongle my be dodgy.

try a friends PC also and if the same happens then it is defo the dongle

it may be the same problem you had with the drivers:shock: not a problem have a look at the bottom of your laptop and let me know your service tag. i will then get the correct driver for the laptop straight from the dell site and send you the download link or if you prefer an email  with the driver in. i need to update my dell 610 so i will do a how to for you. let me know:thumbs

Max you have a problem there mate, with the stick inserted and when you start TC you shouldn't even get the continue in demo mode window appearing it should just go straight into the program with nothing to close click or whatever. As for stopping after 15 minutes no way mate it should just continue forever!

Plug your stick in a usb give it 30 seconds then go into "my computer" and look at all the connected drives you should see a removable drive called Railroad and co.

Pete

 I must say I thought the same thing, Chaps.  I think it's still in demo mode.  However, I was so chuffed at getting as far as I have, I had a big play with the schematic to have a bit of fun after all the drama.

My daughter got carted off to hospital last night as well, as they thought the next baby was coming, so we had to look after her 2 year old while all that was happening.  As a result I was diverted.  It's 6.30 a.m., now and the house is quiet again.  It was a false alarm (no baby), so Jackson has gone home.

It's Friday now, so tonight I'll be back into it again with a vengeance.  There's only reruns of Doc Martin and Midsomer Murders on at the moment..

Cheers  Max

I just had a quick fiddle while I'm waiting to have breakfast.  I had a look at the Properties of the RR&Co stick in My Computer.  It's a 256 Mb capacity drive - only 16 Kb is used with 240 Mb free.  Could someone check theirs to see if it's the same, please?

It doesn't look right to me.

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

 …………..
It's Friday now, so tonight I'll be back into it again with a vengeance.  There's only reruns of Doc Martin and Midsomer Murders on at the moment..

Cheers  Max

I thought the re-runs are tomorrow night - Saturday or has RR & Co confused you like our mate who lives in France ( no names of course)

Shows how much notice I really take of the idiot box, Sol.  

I have posted a question on the RR&Co forum, but so far I haven't had an answer.  I also sent an email to Jurgen Freiwald at contact@freiwald.com and it bounced back.

Now I'm starting to get worried.    :shock:

[user=13]Matt[/user] wrote:

max you are still in demo mode. switch the lot off. reboot the PC and then start TC with the dongle already in. the software should not ask for a code it should boot straight into the software. if it does ask for a code you PC may be having problems reading your stick.

when you insert your stick do you get the recognition noise from the PC?  YES

if you go to start, my computer, can you see the stick as an external storage device?   YES, but it only has 16 Kb of data.

try doing the same thing on your desktop to see if it asks for a code on start up with the dongle installed. if get the screen that asks for the code then i think your dongle my be dodgy.   Nothing worse than a dodgy dongle.

try a friends PC also and if the same happens then it is defo the dongle

So, I have posted a question on the forum and tried unsuccessfully to email Jurgen Freiwald.

Can you suggest anything else, Matt?

Hi Max i have taken some shots of my computer and the sticks properties which isn't a lot, i noted this morning when i start my pc my autoplay settings find the stick and ask me whether i want to open them just another confirmation the stick is found. That is the autorun file on the stick working so you should have something similar.

Pete

My Computer

(Click to enlarge)

The stick

(Click to enlarge)

The system file on the stick

(Click to enlarge)

Thanks, Pete.  If you go into My Computer right click RR&Co and click properties, can you see a pie chart?  Mine says 16 Kb used of 256 Mb.

I'm starting to get really worried now that the email address to freiwald.com has bounced.

This is what mine looks like.

Max,

From the diagrams, your stick has the same amount on it as Wogga's. In the first chart he has posted it shows 244MB free space. That is exactly the same as shown in your pink pie chart - 244MB.

So I think your stick is fine. I expect that it just contains a small string of characters like you often have to enter for new software as a code to enable it and prove you have purchased.

As you can see the pie chart, the stick must be connected just fine.

What happens now when you start up RR&Co?

On the question of how you start up RR&Co, you mentioned in an earlier post that you cancelled the opening dialogue box by clicking the X. I don't have a stick, but when I do that it enters demo mode.

However, if I click CONTINUE in the dialogue box it tells me that I do not have a code, which is not surprising as there is no stick attached.

So I think you may have done the wrong thing and that TC still does not realise that there is a stick there. Perhaps it has to be told the first time you run it with the stick. When you start up TC perhaps you can try clicking on CONTINUE and see if all starts up okay. If it does, judging by my test, it should then be running in full mode and will have recognised the stick.

If I click Continue Geoff, it tells me that the code is invalid and won't let me proceed.  If I close that box, my track plan opens.  Is there any way I can tell if I'm in demo mode, by looking at that track plan?

It also occurs to me to ask, if the stick only has 16 Kb of data, why does it need 256 Mb of capacity?    :???:

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

If I click Continue Geoff, it tells me that the code is invalid and won't let me proceed.  If I close that box, my track plan opens.  Is there any way I can tell if I'm in demo mode, by looking at that track plan?

YES. Click on HELP, then select ABOUT. There is a license block which tells me I am in TEST MODE

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

It also occurs to me to ask, if the stick only has 16 Kb of data, why does it need 256 Mb of capacity?    :???:

I suspect that it is not possible to buy sticks any more with anything less than 256 Mb capacity.

Thank you, Oh Sage.  :thumbs    I'm definitely in Test mode.  The stick will not open the full service mode.  I've faxed Jurgen with a copy of the pie chart as his email address doesn't work.  We'll see if he replies.