By Stephen Buaro

In 1998, International Telecommunications Union (ITU) approved V.90 standard. This raised fasted speed of data transfer with a modem from 33.6Kbps(kilobits per second) to 56Kbps. With this specification, modem technology has reached technological limit for transferring data over plain old telephone lines.

In 2000, ITU approved V.92 standard. This specification does not raise transfer speed, but only adds a few minor features. The "Modem On Hold" feature applies call waiting to your Internet connection. If a telephone call comes in while you are using your browser, this feature lets you put your Internet connection on hold while you answer call. It works with Caller ID, so you can identify caller and decide whether to answer call.

Each time your modem connects, it has to negotiate a protocol and speed with other modem. The beeps and tones you hear when your modem dials is that negotiation. The "Quick Connect" feature makes modem remember connection setting from last time it connected to that number, and it uses that setting to quickly reconnect.

V.90 modems, referred to as "56k modems" cannot actually communicate at 56Kbps. Because of antiquated design of telephone system, signals with a frequency that high would interfere with signals on adjacent circuits. This phenomenon is called "cross talk". In order to prevent cross talk, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set a limit on power you can send over telephone line. A V.90 modem can usually transfer data at only 44Kbs to 48Kbps.

By Stephen Bucaro

Most people don't consider creating a Startup Disk until their computer fails to start - then it's too late. A startup disk will not start Windows, but it will start your computer in DOS. The most common reasons for a computer not starting are corrupted files, missing files, or configuration problems. You can use a Startup Disk to replace files or restore computers configuration.

If your operating system is Windows XP or Windows 2000, it isn't bootable. With these systems, you use an Emergency Repair Disk that works with systems built-in repair functions. This article focuses on Windows 9x/Me systems.

When you create a Startup Disk, Windows needs to gather some important system files, so you may be required to insert your Windows CD. To create a Startup Disk select Start | Settings | Control Panel. Open Add/Remove Programs utility and select "Startup Disk" tab. Click on "Create Disk" button. You will be prompted to insert a floppy disk into drive.

=>Windows 95 Users

Note: If your operating system is Windows 95, you will be missing one important file on your Startup Disk. When Windows 98 creates a Startup disk, it includes a generic IDE/ATAPI CD ROM driver on disk. Windows 95 does not. On Startup disk you will need a DOS "real-mode" driver, not virtual device driver used while running under Windows 95.

Windows 95 users will have to locate their CD ROM driver. At top of C: drive, locate a file named config.sys and open it in Notepad. A line in this file should identify name of your CD ROM driver. The drivers file name will end with a .sys extension, for example NEC_IDE.SYS.

If you cannot determine name of your real mode CD ROM driver here, you may have to look on floppy disk or CD ROM that came with your Drive or check your computer manufacturers Web site.

You will also need a copy of DOS CD ROM driver called MSCDEX.EXE. This file should be located in your WindowsCommand folder. Place a copy of both of these files on your Startup disk.

Next, use Notepad to open file config.sys on your startup disk and add following line, replacing name of driver file shown with actual name of your driver. Then save file.

DEVICE=A:NEC_IDE.SYS /D:MSCD001