 If
you'd like to share your question or information with a much larger audience than our
staff, check out the Miracle Piano forum of the
PEP Forums. There you can ask questions or tell others of your experiences
solving problems. If you have Miracle hardware or software to sell or share, you can let people know about
it there, too.
|
Q: Can I use a Miracle Piano Teaching System keyboard with other piano
or teaching software?
A: In our experience, almost all other Windows MIDI-capable programs also work
with the Miracle keyboard, subject to two caveats. First, you must use
a MIDI cable, properly connected to the MIDI In/Out
connectors on the keyboard and the MIDI/joystick connector on your
computer's sound card (the one connected to the speakers), if your sound card
has one. Otherwise, you can use a USB-to-MIDI adapter cable to connect the
keyboard to one of your USB ports. You cannot
use the serial cable provided with the Miracle and have the keyboard work with other MIDI
programs, since the serial interface only works with the Miracle software. Second, you may
have to "tweak" your MIDI configuration under Windows as described below.
Fortunately, this is easy to do and doesn't demand any special knowledge. See below for details on how to carry this out. This may be the best
use of a Miracle keyboard, given the increasingly dated nature of the Miracle software.
Q: Can I use a Miracle Piano Teaching System software with other
MIDI-compatible keyboards?
A: Perhaps. If the keyboard is connected to the computer by a MIDI cable (not the
serial Miracle cable supplied with the keyboard) and if you have the configured the software when you installed it to
use the MIDI inputs, it may well work.
Q: I have Miracle software on diskettes that read and install without
errors. Should I take any precautions?
A: Yes! Copy (not install) all the files from all the diskettes to your hard
disk, then write them out to a CD-R, as a backup. The magnetic media on all
diskettes have a limited lifetime and become unreadable over time. If you
want to keep your Miracle software, back up the diskettes now!
Q: Where can I get Technical Support for help with my Miracle? Where can I buy
the Miracle software?
A: Since the Miracle is no longer manufactured, Jump!Music, the current owner of
the rights to the Miracle does not support the product. We are aware of no other source
for support. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Jump!Music
is
out of business and can't be directly contacted. At any given time, there
are usually used copies of the Miracle software and/or hardware available on
various auction sites.
Q: Is it "safe" to buy a Miracle system used?
A: The Miracle keyboard is pretty rugged and rarely fails. The main problems
with used Miracle systems are that parts are often missing (manuals and
keyboard cabling, mostly) or one or more of the accompanying software
diskettes is no longer readable. If you buy the system used, make sure you
get all the parts (full list just below) and insist that the seller test and
guarantee the readability
of the software disks before shipment or delivery,
since it isn't possible to get a full set of new replacement disks by any
legal method of which we are aware.
Q: I bought Miracle software used or online on CD-ROM. Is it legal to
use it?
A: If you buy Miracle software and hardware used, keep in mind that any
"product" that offers the software in any form on CD-ROM, without
accompanying original diskettes, is likely illegally copied in violation of
copyright law, since the software was never supplied on CD-ROM by its
original owner, The Software Toolworks, or its second owner, Jump!Music.
Since copyrights last for 75 years after the death of the author, the
Miracle hardware and software are still covered under registered U.S. and
foreign copyrights. This is a problem if you buy such software, since you can be held
liable for sizable compensatory and statutory damages, as well as attorney
fees, if you use it. You are, of course, free to back up your
own original Miracle diskettes to CD-ROM if you wish (and you probably
should), so long as you keep the original diskettes as proof of ownership.
Q: I bought a Miracle keyboard, but don't know if I have all the
parts. What was in the original Miracle box?
A: Here's the full list, taken from the User's
Guide: Warranty
Registration, Foot Pedal, Earphones, Keyboard, The Miracle Card and Quick
Start Card, Power Supply, Cable, The Miracle Keyboard Owner's Manual, User's Guide, Software Diskettes, and Keyboard Overlay. If you're missing the documentation, you can
download the Owner's Manual, User's Guide, The Miracle Card and Quick Start
Card, and Keyboard Overlay below. For information
on cables to connect the Miracle to your computer and power supplies,
see below.
Q: Where can I get a replacement Miracle keyboard, software or accessories?
A: We know of no current commercial source for new Miracle equipment or
accessories. However, you can find several units offered for sale in various
online auctions, if you are willing to consider used equipment. Just search
the site or Google for "Miracle piano." Bear in mind that the software
diskettes are, of necessity, quite old. Make sure that the seller tests the
readability of the software diskettes before you buy them used and will
provide a refund if the disk set is defective.
Q: Where can I get replacement diskettes of the DOS or Windows Miracle
software?
A: Again, since the product is no longer supported, you cannot get
replacement disks from the manufacturer or the current owner of the Miracle
rights. The original DOS version of the Miracle software came on three diskettes; the Windows version was
supplied on two.
We can replace a single defective Miracle disk (with a ZIP
of the disk contents attached to e-mail) as a service to our visitors, but
only for legitimate owners of the Miracle. Legitimate owners of the Miracle
who have a single defective diskette should contact us by e-mail.
Please send with the request e-mail a scan of the Miracle manual cover in
JPG format, a scan of or the full text of the disk label for the disk you
wish replaced, or any
other suitable proof of ownership. Indicate which version (DOS or Windows)
and which disk of the set you need. We
cannot and will not provide upgrades (e.g. DOS to Windows versions) or full disk sets of
any version. Requests for version upgrades, full disk sets, or version changes
(e.g. Amiga to Windows) will not be answered or honored. Please note that
disk replacements provided by us are for personal use only, not for resale.
For legitimate owners of the
supplemental Miracle song disks (Volume 1 or 2),
we can provide a single replacement disk, as a compressed ZIP file attached
to e-mail, for those who have a bad diskette. Requesters of song disk
replacements must prove ownership of the song disks by providing the full
text of the diskette label for the diskette they wish replaced or a scan of
that diskette (sent in .JPG format). Please note that disk
replacements provided by us are for personal use only, not for resale.
Q: I want to make a backup copy of my Miracle diskettes, but most of the files
have .QPZ or .TZF extensions. Is something wrong?
A: No. The .TZF files are a special type of compressed archive (similar to .ZIP) that are
read and decompressed by the Miracle install program on the first diskette of the series.
The .QPZ files are just diskette identifiers for the install program. Because the Miracle
files are compressed on the diskettes, you cannot install the program simply by copying
the diskette files to your hard disk. You must use the installation program, whose .EXE
file is on the first diskette of the series. Similarly, you cannot run the Miracle
teaching program from the diskettes by simply double clicking on the file name in the
Windows Explorer, for exactly the same reason. Of course, you CAN run the install program
that way.
Q: I've lost my Miracle manuals. Can I get replacement
copies anyplace?
A: The original manuals, as supplied with the system, are not available
commercially in any form, except as they may accompany used systems. However, both
the DOS and Windows versions of the program have README type files that you can access for
help, once you get the software installed. The installation file for the DOS version is INSTALL.EXE; for the Windows version, it's SETUP.EXE. Just run the appropriate file from
the installation floppies and look for the README files in your Miracle directory at the
end of the installation process.
Thanks to the efforts of a visitor to PEP, and some editing to correct misread
characters, we have available OCR'ed, text-only versions of the Miracle Piano Teaching System Owner's Manual and User's
Guide for the Miracle DOS version, in both ASCII text and Microsoft Word versions. While
these still have a few residual recognition errors, they are quite usable. Even users of
the Windows version should find these valuable as the text is virtually identical in the
DOS and Windows versions of the Owner's Manual and User's Guide. We also have scanned versions of the actual
manuals and keyboard templates in Acrobat PDF format, again, thanks to a PEP
visitor. The PDF files are images and cannot be searched by computer for
specific text, unlike the Word and ASCII versions. However, the PDF versions
can be printed to provide exact representations of the original manuals. If
you do not have the latest version of the free
Adobe Acrobat
Reader, you can follow the link provided
to download it. Also
available are PDF format versions of the Macintosh Miracle manuals. Miracle system owners
of
other versions (e.g. NES, Genesis, Amiga) may also find these manuals useful in a general sense, particularly the
Owner's Manual.
Please note that you MUST be a legitimate owner of the Miracle system
(i.e. possessing the software on the original diskettes) and
you MUST retain the copyright information present in the files if you download
any of them. These files are for personal, non-commercial use only. They may not be
sold, either alone or in combination with Miracle Piano hardware or software,
by any person or entity. A seller of used, properly licensed Miracle
software may refer the buyer to this page to obtain these electronic
versions of the original print manuals.
Q: I have a Miracle keyboard and the software, but I've lost the
Miracle cable
to connect the Miracle port on the keyboard to the serial port of the computer. Can I get
one somewhere?
A: You may be able to find one from a cable supplier, but you can't get a
"Miracle cable" per se from any source of which we are aware.
We recommend that users who are missing a cable get a MIDI cable, rather
than a replacement serial cable, as using a MIDI cable will not only allow
you to run the Miracle software with the Miracle keyboard, but also any of
the the huge library of additional MIDI-compatible software available.
The original equipment "Miracle cable" is an Antex AWM E101344 Style 2464
VW-1 serial port cable. Antex no longer makes the cable or any of the other
parts for the Miracle that it made originally. You can consider making your
own serial cable or have one made. There is, however, some considerable
dispute as to the pin connections that must be made in that cable. To learn
more about the necessary connections to create a replacement serial cable
for the Miracle, see our article, Making a
Replacement Miracle Cable. Q: Can I connect the Miracle keyboard to the computer
with any other type of cable, beyond the one supplied with the system?
A: A second, much preferable, approach to cabling for the Miracle is to use the MIDI In and Out connectors on the Miracle keyboard to connect
to the computer. For this, you need a cable to connect the Miracle MIDI ports to the
joystick/MIDI port of your sound card. You can buy one for about $40 or buy one of several
packages out there that the supply the cable for free with software at about $40. That's
by far your best buy, in that you get the software for "free." Examples of these
includes MIDIsoft's MIDI Kit (includes Recording Session software) and Passport Designs
MIDIWorks. There are several others. This approach is the better solution, in that it
makes it somewhat easier to get the Miracle to work with other MIDI applications, and you
get some additional software for essentially the same price. Similarly, if you want to use
the Miracle keyboard with other, more modern, software, you must connect the keyboard
through it MIDI In/Out ports to the MIDI/joystick port on your sound card or to a separate
MIDI interface. Note that, depending on your sound card type, you may need to run the
sound card configuration program to designate the MIDI/joystick port for MIDI use. Check
the documentation that came with your sound card for more information about whether or not
this step is needed for your sound card. A second issue for sound cards on
the most modern computers is the complete lack of a MIDI/joystick interface
on the sound card. See below for more
information on this.
Q: Can I get a replacement power supply for the Miracle keyboard?
A: The OEM power supply for the Miracle is a 12 volt AC transformer, rated
to deliver 1 amp. Since the current used is AC, there is no "polarity" to
concern one's self with. Any power supply that can supply AC at this voltage and
amperage and has a compatible connector for the keyboard will work. One of our
visitors says that she has successfully tested the
Radio Shack
9-13VAC/800mA AC-to-AC Adapter
for AT&T Answering Machines, Catalog #: 273-1631,
$15.99 list, with her Miracle system. Although this
adaptor is rated for 0.8 amps, rather than 1 amp, it is readily available.
Just make sure you set the adjustable voltage to 12 V, on it or any other AC
transformer you might use with the Miracle.
Q: My keyboard turns on, but doesn't operate properly with the
computer. Does the keyboard need repair?
A: Usually, if the keyboard turns on, the various switches work (e.g.
choosing a different instrument for MIDI), and you get sound from the
keyboard's speakers, it's likely that your problem is due to software, not
hardware. Indeed, the keyboard is rugged and reliable for most people, so,
if you're having problems, it's most likely that they are due to software
configuration or installation, not the hardware needing repair. You should
not attempt to open or repair the keyboard until you have exhausted software
remedies. One good way of diagnosing whether your keyboard is functioning
properly is to see if it will work with any other MIDI-compatible music
software, when connected to the computer with a MIDI cable (not the included
serial cable). If it works with other software, then the problem is the
Miracle software configuration, not the keyboard.
Q: I'm convinced that the Miracle keyboard needs repair. Can I get my Miracle keyboard repaired anyplace?
A: We know of no company that does repair of the Miracle keyboard at this
time. However, thanks to the generosity of one the original designers of the
Miracle keyboard, we now have schematics of both the Main Board and the
Sound Engine for the keyboard. You can download those in PDF format just
below. If you can read the schematic and handle a solder gun, you may be
able to make your own repairs. The designer also indicates that he has
limited supplies of parts for the keyboard, mostly the IC's. If you're
looking for repair parts, use our Miracle problem report form
to make a request. We will forward it to the designer to see if he possesses
those parts. Do not
attempt your own repairs unless you are thoroughly familiar with electronic
schematics and have experience soldering on multi-level printed circuit
boards! If you can't do repairs yourself, you may be able to take these
schematics to an electronics repair shop and have the repair done for you.
These schematics are free to
download for personal, non-commercial use only. They may not be sold, either
alone or in combination with Miracle Piano hardware or software, by any
person or entity.
Q: Can you help me with technical questions about the
Macintosh, Amiga, Sega Genesis or
Super-NES versions of the Miracle?
A: Probably not, as we are IBM users by inclination and experience. Thus, we have only
used the IBM version of the Miracle. The limited information we have on
these non-IBM versions is indicated below.
Q: Where can I get the Macintosh, Amiga or Super-NES version of the Miracle?
Can I get replacement disks or cartridges?
A: The Mac, Amiga and Super-NES versions of Miracle Piano are also no longer sold. We are
aware of no commercial source for complete sets of replacement software for Miracle/Mac,
Amiga or Super-NES. Again, at any given
time, used units may be available on auction sites, as well as sources like garage sales.
If you buy these items at garage sales or auctions, make sure that the disks
work or that you can get a refund if they don't.
Thanks to the efforts of a Mac user of the Miracle and another Amiga user
of the Miracle, we now have the Mac
and Amiga versions of the Miracle software available for those who need a single
replacement diskette. The replacement diskettes for the Mac are provided as disk images,
which will mount when you double click on the file name, after saving to
your hard disk. Please note that Mac and Amiga Miracle owners, just like PC Miracle
owners, must be legitimate owners of the Miracle and must prove ownership,
with a scan or photo (JPG format) of the manual or disks or a complete and
accurate listing of the text on the front of the diskette. Due to copyright
restrictions, we can provide only one of the three disks for the Mac or
Amiga Miracle. Requests for full disk sets will not be honored or answered.
Replacement diskette contents are offered at no charge and may not be resold or given to
others in any form.
We are continually searching for the manuals and disks for the Amiga and
Super-NEC versions,
so that we can make them available to legitimate owners of these Miracle
versions.
If you are willing to help others
in this way, please let us know by e-mail.
Q: Can I get replacement copies of the Macintosh Miracle Piano
manuals?
A: Thanks to a visitor who kindly provided his original Macintosh Miracle
manuals to us, we now have scanned versions of them in PDF (Adobe Acrobat
Reader for Macintosh) format. Please note that you MUST be a legitimate owner of the Miracle system and
you MUST retain the copyright information present in the files if you download
any of them. These files are for personal, non-commercial use only. They may not be
sold, either alone or in combination with Miracle Piano hardware or software.
Q: Is the Macintosh Miracle software compatible with Macintosh OS 10
(OS X) versions?
A: We have had several reports of various problems running the Mac Miracle
under OS X. These users were able to resolve the difficulties by running the
Miracle under the earlier operating system versions OS 7 to 9. Currently,
we are not aware of any "fixes" or strategies for resolving the problems
under OS 10.
Q: Will the Miracle system run on my computer?
A: The MS-DOS (PC) version of the Miracle software requires an IBM compatible computer
with 640K of DOS memory and a graphics card -- CGA, EGA, VGA or Hercules compatible, a
serial port or IBM PS/1 Audio Card option, about 1.5 Megabytes of free space on your hard
disk. If you have a mouse, The Miracle will use it; otherwise the keyboard will work fine.
The Windows version requires an 80386 SX processor or better, DOS 5.0, Windows 3.1 or
Windows 95, 4 MB RAM, hard drive with 5 MB free space, SVGA video or better, available
serial port or sound card supporting MIDI, 1.44 MB floppy drive, and Windows compatible
mouse.
The Macintosh version requires a Macintosh LC II or better,
System 7.0 or higher, 3 MB available RAM (2 MB for 16 color or
black-and-white and 5 MB for Power Macintoshes), 8-bit video, 640x480, 13
in. or larger monitor, 11 MB free hard disk space, a General MIDI keyboard,
and any Macintosh supported MIDI adapter with MIDI cables.
Q: I have the Miracle keyboard plugged in to the power supply, but the keyboard
doesn't turn on. Can you help?
A: We don't have any special expertise with respect to Miracle
hardware issues. The Owner's Manual and User's Guide, which you can
download from our site, may have some generally useful information. We have searched the
Web for schematics for the Miracle keyboard without success. However, in our experience
the Miracle keyboard itself rarely fails completely. Usually, the first place to check is
the power supply for the keyboard. See above for specifications on
the AC adapter power supply. You should be able to find a replacement power supply
that will work with the keyboard at any decent electronics store.
Q: I've got the Miracle keyboard properly connected to the computer, but I
don't get sound from the speakers. What should I do?
A: This can usually be fixed just by "tweaking"
your MIDI driver configuration in Windows. Most computers will have two or more MIDI Out
and two or more MIDI In drivers present. It's just a matter of selecting a driver and
testing until you get sound. Under Win95, it's under Start,Settings,Control Panel,System,Multimedia,MIDI tab, Add New Instrument. Try each of the MIDI Out drivers listed until
you get sound. If you're having trouble with the DOS version of the Miracle software under
Windows 95, the simplest thing to do to exit to the DOS prompt and try starting the
software from DOS. If that works, it indicates that there is a conflict with some running
Windows MIDI driver. Of course, all this is simplified is you use the MIDI In and MIDI Out
ports on the back of the Miracle to connect to your computer. This way, you use the
Windows MIDI drivers to direct sound to and from the Miracle. Users of the Windows version
of the Miracle software can also get help with sound configuration in a help file in the
\MIRACLEW directory called HELP_4_U.
Q: The computer doesn't recognize input from the Miracle keyboard. What now?
A: Same song, different verse. See the previous answer above and adjust the MIDI In
drivers using the same method.
Q: I have a new computer and can't find any MIDI In drivers to use!
What can I do?
A: Perhaps, nothing but buy some additional hardware! Many of the newest
computers eliminate entirely the MIDI/joystick connector on the back of the
sound card in favor of surround sound capability. Thus, you can't use MIDI In at all because you can't
connect the cable. Some sound cards provide a connector on the card for a
"MIDI option," which you can purchase from the manufacturer of the sound
card for about $10. If your sound card has no such connector, another
solution is to get (for about $30) a "USB to MIDI" adapter cable. This
will restore MIDI In capability, using one of your computer's USB ports for
the connection.
Q: I'm having problems installing or running the Miracle DOS version
under Windows 9x, 2000 or XP. Is it a problem with a bad disk or the way the
software interacts with the Windows version I'm running?
A: It could be either, but there is an easy way to diagnose problems with
installing and running
the Miracle DOS version under Windows. It just involves booting to the DOS
prompt and running the Miracle in DOS, since the Miracle software was
designed for DOS. In Windows 3.1 or 95, you can exit
the Windows environment entirely by just exiting to the DOS Prompt (note:
this is not the same as running the DOS Prompt in a window under
Windows). In later versions of Windows 9x (including ME), you can press F8
on your keyboard as your system boots up. This will bring up the boot menu,
one of whose options is "Boot to command prompt". Choose this option to
cause the system to boot to the DOS prompt. In Windows 2000 and Windows XP,
the best option is to "create an MS-DOS startup disk" and boot from it. In
these cases, you can find directions for doing this in Windows Help. Once
you've have your system running in MS-DOS, type c:, then press
Enter, then type cd\Miracle, then press Enter again; finally
type miracle and press Enter. This sequence of commands will
change the default drive to your hard disk, change directories to the
Miracle directory (assuming you installed it in the default directory) and
start the Miracle. If the Miracle system runs
properly under DOS, then your disks are OK and you will have to try some of
the strategies below to get it to run under Windows. If it doesn't run or
produces the same errors you're getting under Windows, it is likely that you
have a corrupted Miracle diskette. Of course, if the Miracle runs properly for you under
DOS, it may be fastest and easiest just to continue to run it under DOS. In
that case, you can turn your DOS boot disk into one you can use to
automatically start the Miracle upon boot by adding the commands above to
the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on the boot diskette.
Q: I'm having a problem running Miracle Windows under Windows XP
or 2000. Is there a
solution?
A: Visitors to PEP have reported various types of problems running in XP. Generally
speaking, for older Windows 3.x (16-bit) programs like the Miracle software for
Windows, the best approach is to try to run the program in XP's "Compatibility
Mode." Go to your Miracle program shortcut, right click on the Miracle
shortcut, and select Properties from the popup menu. This will bring up a
tabbed display. Go to the Compatibility tab and check the Compatibility mode
box. Choose Windows 95 compatibility mode. Then click on OK to exit this.
Now try to run the Miracle. With luck, you may now have the computer talking
to the keyboard. If not go back to the Miracle shortcut, right click again
to bring up the context menu., choose Properties again and select the
Shortcut tab. Click on the Advanced ... button. Check the Run in separate
memory space box, then OK out of all these windows and try again.
By the
way, chances are good that you will see garbled
characters on some of the Miracle menus after you get it running. This
is due to the fact that a font used by the Miracle is no longer supported on
most modern graphics cards. Fortunately, there is a fix for this described
below page as a "font fixer." (see below). For more information on getting the Miracle and other older software
programs to run on Windows XP and additional information regarding enabling
Compatibility Mode in Windows 2000, see our Music and the Home
Computer
article,
Old
Music Software On New Computers.
Q: I'm having trouble in the DOS version
of the Miracle software with garbled characters in
some Miracle menu displays under Windows 9x, 2000 or XP. Can you help?
A: Numerous users have reported that they are having problems with DOS Miracle in
recent versions of Windows, mostly with "scrambled" characters in certain parts
of the program display. This is not due to "defective" diskettes or a problem
with the operating system. We have recently learned, thanks to a note from a visitor to
PEP, that the problem with "scrambled characters" is due to the fact that
support for the 8x14 pixel font, used by the Miracle software, has been eliminated from
many modern graphics cards. Thus, this is a hardware, rather than software
issue. Fortunately there is a free fix available for this in the form
of an installable DOS device driver that restores 8x14 font support. You can find out more
about this, as well as download the fix, at
FIX8X14 - 8x14 font
fixer. Several visitors to PEP have reported that this fix worked well on
their systems and its manufacturer reports that it has tested this fix on the Miracle
software and shown it to work. We have tested it successfully personally,
but visitors should use due care and follow the provided installation
instructions for
applying it.
Q: I'm having trouble getting the DOS version of the
Miracle software to install properly under Windows 2000 or XP. Can this be solved?
A: Several visitors have reported that the installation program for DOS
Miracle stops at the point of testing the keyboard connection when the
serial cable provided with the Miracle DOS is used on a computer with
Windows 2000 or XP as the operating system. The reason the Miracle install
program is stalling is that Windows 2000 and Windows XP do not permit direct
writes to the hardware (i.e. serial port in this case) of the sort that the
Miracle DOS software uses to communicate with the keyboard via a serial
cable. However, you can work around this. During the Miracle install, when
it asks to test the serial port connection, either tell it no or keep
telling it to test repeatedly. In the latter eventuality, the program will
get "frustrated" after a while and ask if you want to proceed without
testing. Tell it to proceed. The program will then install to completion, assuming
there are no other problems. It still may not run properly at this point,
but you can probably resolve that as indicated in answers to the immediate
two previous questions.
Another approach, suggested by a visitor to the site, is to install the
Miracle software on an older system running Windows 3.1, 95, 98, or ME. Then
just create a ZIP of the installed directory and unzip the ZIP to the XP
system. This works for DOS Miracle because no entries are made in the
Windows Registry by the Miracle DOS software. You will have to create
program shortcuts manually if you use this approach, just as you will with
most other old DOS programs.
Depending on the specifics of your computer under Windows 2000 or XP and,
particularly, whether your hard disk is formatted with NTFS (NT File
System), rather than the FAT (File Allocation Table) or FAT32 file system
used by DOS, you may have problems getting the Miracle install program to
recognize your hard disk at all. This can also occur if you run the Miracle
install from a DOS boot disk. There is a freeware program available called
NTFS4DOS
that will allow you to access NTFS volumes from DOS and DOS applications. We
have not personally tested this program with the Miracle, since we haven't
seen this problem, but it provides a workaround for those who experience
this issue. Follow the program directions for installation and configuration
in DOS.
Q: When installing the DOS Miracle system on Windows XP, I get a
message saying: "C:\windows\system32\autoexec.nt. The system file is
not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft windows applications." What's
happening?
A: Windows XP and 2000 use autoexec.nt and config.nt files, counterparts to the DOS
autoexec.bat and config.sys, to set up the computer environment (drivers,
etc.) for running DOS applications like DOS Miracle. If your autoexec.nt
and/or your config.nt files are missing or corrupted, you will get this
message. Fortunately, this is easy to correct. Start Notepad (Programs,Accessories)
or any other ASCII text editor and type:
@echo off
Save this as autoexec.nt in the \windows\system32 directory (or in
the system32 subdirectory of whatever directory you have Windows installed
in). In most cases, this will solve the installation problem. If it doesn't,
add these lines exactly as shown to the autoexec.nt file, again using
Notepad or other ASCII text editor:
lh windows\system32\mscdexnt.exe
lh windows\system32\redir
lh windows\system32\dosx
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 P330 T3
To create a config.nt file, start Notepad as above and type in the
following lines just as shown:
dos=high, umb
device=windows\system32\himem.sys
files=40
Save this in the \windows\system32 subdirectory as config.nt.
This particular problem can occur with any DOS or 16-bit Windows
application under Windows XP. For more information, see the
Microsoft KnowledgeBase article on this subject. Note that, if you are using the
FIX8X14 - 8x14 font
fixer, you may have to add a line to config.nt (created the same way and
stored in the same place) referring to the driver, in order to get it to
work. Follow the directions in the fix8x14.txt file of the fix package to
add the correct line to config.nt.
Q: The metronome in the Miracle DOS version moves in jerks or stops
entirely under Windows XP. Is there a solution to this?
A: The performance of this animation and others in the Miracle may be
adversely affected because DOS applications inherently assume that they will
get the processor's undivided attention all the time. In
multitasking operating systems like Windows, this is usually not the case,
since applications divide CPU cycles. Here are some things to do to work
around the problem:
Go to the Miracle program shortcut (which you will have to create
yourself, since DOS programs don't do this automatically), right click on it
and select Properties from the popup menu. This will bring up the Miracle
Piano Properties window. Click the Misc tab and set the Idle Sensitivity to
Low. Go to the Compatibility tab and check the Compatibility mode box.
Choose Windows 95 compatibility mode. OK out of all the windows. This will
cause the operating system to devote more CPU cycles to the Miracle,
allowing the screen and metronome to be updated more frequently. It will
also reduce the resources to other Windows programs running in the
background while you're running the Miracle.
Another thing you can try is to click on the Compatibility tab and select
Run in 256 colors (the native screen color depth of the Miracle). This will
cause the screen to be updated slightly more rapidly, simply because the color depth
is lower.
If these don't work (try them one at a time in that order), click on the
Program tab in the Properties window, then on the Advanced button. This will
bring up the Windows PIF Settings dialog. Make sure Compatible timer
hardware emulation is selected, then OK out of all the windows and test the
Miracle again.
The Miracle and Windows Vista
This section describes limited personal experience with the Miracle under
Vista®, Home Premium Edition
(32-bit). Miracle for Windows seems to
work fine under Vista. MIDI output and screen display are fine. Initially
there were problems getting the program to install, producing Error 106 (not
able to find a necessary file). I solved this by changing "ownership" of the
install files to myself (not just the Administrators group). The program
then installed just fine. Ownership is a part of both Windows XP and Vista
security; it's just harder to find the right dialog under Vista. Changing
ownership is described in Vista Help and often allows programs that are
balky to run under Vista. I didn't need the Program Compatibility Wizard to
get the program to install or run, once I changed ownership of the files. I
did have to change the MIDI Out driver using Control Panel,Sounds to the one
my sound card uses in order to get sound from the computer speakers. I have
not tested keyboard communication with the Windows version, but suspect that
it will work.
The Miracle DOS program is so old that it is hard-coded to install
from diskettes. My Vista computer doesn't have a diskette drive, but I
solved this problem by installing the Miracle to a computer that does have a
diskette drive, then transferring the installed files over my network to my
Vista computer. This works for getting the
program installed successfully, because the Miracle DOS doesn't make any
entries in the Windows Registry that have to be transferred.
Unfortunately, the program doesn't run correctly under Vista. It gives an
error "this program does not support fullscreen mode". As described in the
relevant Microsoft Knowledgebase article, this problem is not
solvable in 64-bit versions of Vista, because Vista 64-bit doesn't support
16-bit DOS applications like the Miracle at all.
For the 32-bit Vista versions (most people have 32-bit Vista), the Windows
Vista video drivers don't support all DOS video modes, thus producing the
error. Microsoft suggests a workaround of installing the Windows XP drivers
for your video adapter. I haven't tried this, but if you're really desperate
to get the Miracle DOS to run under Vista, this is a workable approach.
Another one would be to boot from a diskette (if your Vista machine has
one!) or CD-ROM and then run the Miracle from the command line. Note
that this "fullscreen mode" problem is not the same as the one fixed under
XP by the FIX8X14 driver mentioned below. Installing this driver does not
solve the "fullscreen mode" problem under Vista.
Creating an MS-DOS Boot Disk for Use with the
Miracle
If you can't solve the problems you are having with the Miracle adequately on your system
(mostly on slower computers), you can always create an MS-DOS boot disk and
boot the computer from it, then load the Miracle Piano software from the
command prompt (A:>). Creating an MS-DOS boot disk is also a good way to
diagnose problems with getting the Miracle software to install and getting
the keyboard to communicate with the computer. The boot disk approach
removes all the difficulties associated with getting real-mode DOS software
to work under protected-mode operating systems like Windows XP and Windows
2000.
You can create an MS-DOS startup disk in Windows XP by placing
a diskette in your A: drive, starting Windows Explorer (in the Accessories
folder), opening My Computer in the left pane and clicking on A: with the
right mouse button. This will bring up a menu, choose Format .... from this
menu. Another window will come up. Make sure the Create an MS-DOS startup
disk option is checked, then click OK to format the disk and copy the system
startup files. You should be able to boot with this diskette, by restarting
the computer with it in your diskette drive. Once the computer is
booted, just give the following commands at the command prompt (without
the italicized explanatory text):
C: (changes
the default disk to the hard disk)
CD\MIRACLE (changes the default
directory to the Miracle directory)
MIRACLE (starts the Miracle)
If you only use the
boot disk for the Miracle, you can put these commands (without the
explanatory text) into the AUTOEXEC.BAT
file on the diskette to start the Miracle automatically when you use the
diskette. Simply add the lines above to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file using any
ASCII editor (e.g. Notepad). You can also use your word processor to do
this, but you must use the Save As... command to save the file as ASCII text
format, not the word processor's native non-ASCII format.
If you find that you cannot access the hard disk with your MS-DOS boot
diskette, it may be that you are using special partitioning software
like RAID (Redundant Array of Identical Disks) or GoBack® that places the partitioning software in
a small MS-DOS accessible partition and puts the rest of the disk's data in
a partition only accessible through that software. Usually, if that is the
case, a quick prompt will appear during startup that asks you to press the
Space Bar or some other key to boot from diskette. This allows the
partitioning software to load before boot, allowing you to access the hard
disk from your MS-DOS boot disk. Check your computer documentation to see if your system uses
proprietary partitioning software, if you can't access your hard disk from
the boot disk.
Other Computers, Problems and Software
Q: I have a Miracle Piano problem not covered in this FAQ. Can you help me?
A: Perhaps. While we don't have total knowledge of Miracle technical matters, we will try
to help within the limits of our knowledge. When you report a
Miracle problem to us, you can save yourself and us a lot of time by giving us some
basic information: what computer type you're using (Mac or IBM-compatible), what operating
system (Windows 3.1, Windows 95, 98, NT, ME, XP, 2000, Vista or Mac OS), your Miracle software
type (DOS, Windows, or Mac) and its version (from the Help,About menu or the program
disks) on our Miracle problem report form. If you're having
sound problems and you've established that you can play sound offline, also tell us what
type of sound card and speakers you have. Please note that we cannot solve
hardware-related problems; these are best directed to the manufacturer of the hardware.
Q: I have a problem with some other piano software that is no longer
manufactured. Can you help me with it?
A: Almost certainly not. The programming and requirements of every piano software package
are unique in some way or another. This makes it almost impossible for us to help, even
though we may have reviewed the package at some time in the past when it was still sold.
Usually your best bet is to search Google or some other
search engine for "<software name> problem". If you're lucky, you'll find
a tech support archive or discussion group info that will deal with the problem you're
seeing. Chances are that if you're having a problem, others are, too. You
may also find help in the
Miracle Piano and Other Piano Software forum of the PEP
Forums. Finally, if you're having
trouble with a program in a newer operating system like Windows 2000 or XP,
you might want to read our article Old Music
Software On New Computers, which explains why older software
often fails with these operating systems and provides tips on getting older software
to run under them. Q: Can any of the tips you
offer about getting the Miracle system to run on a modern computer be
applied to other old software programs?
A: Many of the answers we provide for getting the Miracle to run under
Windows XP and Windows 2000 are "generic," in that they constitute accepted strategies for
getting all kinds of old software to run under XP on modern computers. To
that extent, they may well work for other old software, particularly DOS
software. We do not warrant that those strategies will work for different
software packages, any more than we warrant it for your installation of the
Miracle software on your computer. Fortunately, following most of the tips
we provide will not harm your system or software installed on it. If you
find that a particular strategy doesn't work for your particular software on
your computer, you can easily reverse the changes you have made. |
