| Q. | Why am I unable to send a Remote Assistance invitation using my e-mail application? |
| A. | Remote Assistance uses the Simple MAPI interface which is used in Microsoft Outlook and other e-mail applications. If your e-mail doesn't support Simple MAPI, then a Remote Assistance invitation cannot be sent automatically. AOL and MSN Explorer are examples of e-mail applications that do not support Simple MAPI. With an e-mail application that does not support Simple MAPI, you can use the Save to File option to save the invitation and attach it to an e-mail message. The Save to File option is available from the Remote Assistance Help and Support Center page in Windows XP. For instructions on how to use the Save to File option, see Using Remote Assistance: Start a Session by Sending a File. |
| Q. | Can I configure Remote Assistance to use my Simple MAPI compliant e-mail application? |
| A. | Yes, if you change your default e-mail application setting in Internet Explorer to use your Simple MAPI e-mail application, Remote Assistance will use the new default. To change your default e-mail application: 1. | Click Start, and then click Internet Explorer. | 2. | Click the Tools menu, and then click Internet Options. | 3. | Click the Programs tab. | 4. | In the E-mail box, select the Simple MAPI e-mail application you want to designate as the default, and then click OK. |
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| Q. | Why is my Windows Messenger contact not displayed in the Remote Assistance Help and Support Center page? |
| A. | Your contact name will show up when added as a contact in Windows Messenger. If your contact is online then he or she will appear as Online in Windows Messenger. If the person with whom you want to use Remote Assistance is not using Windows Messenger, you can send your invitation via e-mail or as an e-mail attachment. |
| Q. | I cannot execute the invitation file when someone sends me an invitation using Eudora 5.0. |
| A. | This is a known problem with Eudora 5.0. Eudora changes the file extension when sending the invitation. It is recommended that the sender saves the invitation as a file and attaches it to an e-mail message, or uses Windows Messenger to send a request for assistance. |
| Q. | Can I play a DVD movie over a Remote Assistance session? |
| A. | We don't recommend playing DVD movies over Remote Assistance because very few computers have the bandwidth to handle such large files. Remote Assistance does not support audio redirection when a DVD is played on the requestor's computer. |
| Q. | Can I run DOS programs in Remote Assistance? |
| A. | Yes, Remote Assistance does support DOS applications. However, Remote Assistance does not support DOS applications in Full Screen mode. |
| Q. | Does Remote Assistance support playing video games? |
| A. | Yes, but it's not recommended. If your connection is fast enough then Remote Assistance can play your video game. However, since many games directly access computer resources such as video memory, a Remote Assistance session might be disconnected. |
| Q. | Why does the color depth not match on both users' computers? |
| A. | Remote Assistance will detect if you have a dialup modem connection and reduce color depth to 8bit (256 colors). The color depth on the requestor's screen is then sent to the helper to optimize performance. |
| Q. | Why does the helper see low color on the requestor's screen even if Remote Assistance is connected on a LAN connection? |
| A. | Remote Assistance checks the modem link in your tray icon. If you use a modem and a LAN connection at the same time, the helper may see low color on the requestor's screen. If you turn off the modem connection, color will be restored. |
| Q. | Why does Remote Assistance not display a picture background during a Remote Assistance session? |
| A. | Remote Assistance will not display background when there is a dialup Remote Assistance connection to optimize performance. The background will be enabled again after the Remote Assistance session is terminated. |
| Q. | When I change screen resolution on the requestor's machine, I lose control. Is this a known issue? |
| A. | Yes. You can regain control by asking for control again. This is to increase internal security. |
| Q. | Can you enable and disable Remote Assistance? |
| A. | On an individual computer, you can disable Remote Assistance requests for help. To disable: 1. | Click Start, and then click Control Panel. | 2. | Click Performance and Maintenance. | 3. | Click System. | 4. | Click the Remote tab. | 5. | Click to deselect the Allow Remote Assistance invitations to be sent from this computer checkbox, and then click OK. |
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| Q. | How does Remote Assistance handle time zone differences? |
| A. | The expiration time is set by the requestor when the invitation is created. This time will be adjusted to the local time of the helper's computer. The expiration time as displayed to the helper is only informational. The requestor can cause the invitation to expire at any time by clicking Expire in the View invitation status page in Help and Support Center. This causes the ticket on the requestor's computer to expire. Although the message displayed to the helper will show that the invitation is still open when a connection is attempted the requestor's computer will refuse the connection because the ticket has expired. |
| Q. | Does Remote Assistance work on previous versions of the Windows operating system? |
| A. | No, Remote Assistance is not supported on previous versions of Windows. Both helpers and requestors must be using Windows XP. |
| Q. | When switching users using Fast User Switching (FUS), does the Remote Assistance connection stay connected? |
| A. | Remote Assistance will disconnect the connection if the requestor switches to another user from the Fast User Switching screen. The helper should not disconnect when switching users unless the helper logs off or performs some action which closes the Help and Support Center instance hosting the Remote Desktop view of the requestor's computer. |
| Q. | What are the differences between Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance? |
| A. | Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance use the same underlying technology, but there are differences between these features. | • | Remote Desktop allows access to a remote Windows computer. For example, when you are at another computer you can use Remote Desktop to connect to your work computer from home and have access to files and applications. | | • | Remote Assistance allows a helper to use an Internet connection to access your computer to provide assistance. The helper views your computer's screen and communicates through a chat box. The helper can remotely control your computer to resolve a problem. |
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