Frequently Asked Questions

General:

Registering and Installing Route 1 Pro:

Using Route 1 Pro:

Troubleshooting:

Return to the Route 1 Pro Support Page



Answers to Frequently Asked Questions


What is Route 1 Pro?

Route 1 Pro is an interface enhancement for all recent versions of Microsoft Windows, with plenty of useful features. See the Feature List for more information.


Why use Route 1 Pro when Windows has the Start Menu?

The Windows Start Menu is a user-interface disaster. It's hard to configure, not very flexible, and it keeps closing whenever you move the mouse away from it. Route 1 Pro is also better than icons on your desktop, because Route 1 Pro's buttons stay where you put them, are much more compact, and there's no double-clicking necessary. Route 1 Pro has had innovative features since 1991 that Microsoft still hasn't integrated into Windows XP.

Route 1 Pro provides access to your computer with the click of a button, rather four or five clicks. Route 1 Pro is available for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and Windows XP (and even Windows 3.x), meaning that you can have a common interface across all of these platforms.

If you're perfectly happy with Microsoft's attempt at a user-interface, this program may not be for you. Then again, we think it's worth a try.


How much does it cost to register Route 1 Pro?

To use Route 1 Pro for more than 30 days, you need to register. The registration fee for a single-user license for Route 1 Pro is eighteen US dollars. We now accept credit cards, so you can order online! You can also pay pay in US dollars with a check drawn on a US bank.


What if I don't live in the United States?

If you live outside of the United States, and have a credit card, you can use our secure online order form. You can also pay by check, as long as it's in US dollars drawn on a US bank. I'm sorry, but we can no longer accept checks drawn on non-US banks.


What if I'm a registered user of an earlier version of Route 1 Pro or Route 1?

If you are a registered user of Route 1 or any version of Route 1 Pro before 2.0, your registration will not work with the new version. However, you can obtain an upgrade for the latest release of Route 1 Pro for free - just send your send us a short request over email and be sure to include your name as it appeared on the original order form. Please indicate if you can receive binary files over email - if not, upgrades via postal mail cost five US dollars for each order.


My copy just expired - what do I do?

If uou downloaded an evaluation version of Route 1 Pro, you need to register the software if you intend to continue using it. For fastest results, you can use a credit card with our secure order form, and a registration will be emailed to you (you must be able to receive binary files by email).

If you've purchased Route 1 Pro, you'll need to follow the instructions that came with your registration in order to use the software. If you've lost your instructions or registration file, feel free to request another.

If you downloaded a pre-release beta of Route 1 Pro that has expired, you'll need to obtain the latest release.


What is the return policy concerning Route 1 Pro?

Route 1 Pro is try-before-you-buy software, which affords you the unique opportunity to use the software for a full 30 days before you buy it. If you're not satisfied with the software after that point, you may remove it without spending a dime. If, however, you proceed to register your copy of the software, it is assumed that you have already evaluated it, and are pleased with the product. This effectively makes returns unnecessary.

Now, we realize that some of you may've been hasty in registering the software, or that your needs may change immediately after purchase. Therefore, we will honor a five-day extension of the evaluation period; if you purchase the software, and request a refund within 5 days of your purchase, we will refund every penny of the purchase price. This gives you five weeks to evaluate Route 1 Pro risk-free!

Unfortunately, we are unable to issue refunds after 5 days past the purchase date.


Help! I just installed Route 1 Pro and it gives an error when I try to start it!

Most likely, you downloaded the wrong version for your operating system. If you're using Windows 95, make sure you've downloaded the Windows 95 version of Route 1 Pro. If that's not it, try this solution.

Also, make sure you read the Release Notes for your version of Route 1 Pro.


Is Route 1 Pro Year-2000 compliant?

Yes, Route 1 Pro is fully Y2K-compliant, as long as you're using a Y2K-compliant operating system, such as Windows 98. Note that there's a Y2K patch for Windows 95 now available, as well as an update for Windows 98 that fixes some Y2K issues. Windows 2000, Windows Me, and Windows XP should all be fully Y2K compliant.


How do I make a shortcut to a Dial-Up Networking Conntection in Route 1 Pro?

Refer to the included documentation by pressing F1 or clicking the Help button in Route 1 Pro. See the Hints and Suggestions section for details.


I'm having a problem with Route 1 Pro - where to I look for a solution?

If you can't find an answer on this page, and you've checked the Release Notes page, email us here.


Where do I send bug reports, comments, and requests for new features?

All email should be directed to route1@creativelement.com - we appreciate any comments you may have. Note that you may want to check out the release notes for a list of known bugs and other issues with the current version. Lastly, make sure you have the most recent release (select About from Route 1 Pro's Help menu to see which release you're using).


How do I drag buttons around on the Button Bar and in SubMenus?

Refer to the included documentation by pressing F1 or clicking the Help button in Route 1 Pro.


How do I know if I have the latest version?

The latest version of Route 1 Pro is always available here. You can find out what version you have by selecting About from Route 1 Pro's Help menu. If you have version 3.0.302 or later, you can select Online from Route 1 Pro's Help menu, and then Check for newer version to perform an automated check with our server.


What if I have an older version of Route 1 Pro?

Since all upgrades are free, we are no longer supporting the older releases of Route 1 Pro. If you have not yet upgraded, we recommend that you obtain the newest version. Feel free to contact us with any specific questions you may have.


Route 1 Pro crashes or hangs when I try certain features or try to open certain dialog boxes.

Most likely, one of the shared Microsoft files upon which Route 1 Pro depends has been overwritten by another application installer. The best solution is to simply reinstall Route 1 Pro (don't worry, you won't loose your configuration). If you downloaded your copy some time ago, please check the download page and get the latest release.

If that doesn't help, download the Route 1 Pro Diagnostic Utility and run it. Then, email the contents of the report to us, and we'll try to find the culprit.


I'm using an early copy of Windows 95 or NT 4.0, and the help system doesn't work?

The help system in Route 1 Pro is of the HTMLHelp format, which provides greater flexibility and a better interface than the old WinHelp format. This system will work on any Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and Windows XP system. The exceptions are early copies of Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 (without any service packs), which may not have Internet Explorer (IE) 3.0 or later installed. In order to use the help system, you must have IE installed - note that the rest of Route 1 Pro will work fine without IE.

You can download Internet Explorer for free. Note that if your preferred browser is Netscape Navigator, installing IE doesn't mean you have to give up Netscape. Just make sure you choose the Custom installation and choose that the IE installer not make itself the default browser.


How do I make Route 1 Pro my Windows shell?

By default, the Windows shell is Windows Explorer (explorer.exe). It's possible in Windows 9x/Me to make any application (including Route 1 Pro) your Windows shell by specifying the EXE filename in the SHELL= line in your SYSTEM.INI file.

However, we don't recommend it. When Explorer isn't the shell, Explorer isn't loaded at all when you start Windows, which means you won't have access to Dial-Up Networking, Control Panel, the desktop, or any other Explorer services. The best alternative is to use the Hide all Windows desktop icons feature in Route 1 Pro to clean off the desktop, and then turn on the Windows Taskbar's Auto-hide option. This should provide a fairly clean Windows interface, without sacrificing any Windows functionality.

You can't change the shell in Windows NT/2000/XP.


I've been experiencing a problem with Microsoft Office ever since I installed Route 1 Pro.

The problem is caused by an out-of-date file that is used by both Route 1 Pro and Microsoft Office. Reinstall Route 1 Pro to fix the problem.

If your installed version of Route 1 Pro is 3.0.317 or earlier, download the latest version of Route 1 Pro here.

Note that we do not provide support for Microsoft products. If another application on your system stops working, it may not have anything to do with Route 1 Pro. As with any application, reinstalling the application will fix most problems.


None of the "Browse" buttons in Route 1 Pro seem to work

The problem is caused by an out-of-date file that is used by both Route 1 Pro and Microsoft Office. Try the following to fix this problem:

  1. If your installed version of Route 1 Pro is 3.0.317 or earlier, download the latest version of Route 1 Pro here.
  2. If you already have the latest version, try reinstalling it and then restarting Windows.
  3. In most cases, that should do the trick. However, if it doesn't work for you, please download and install the DLL Update.
  4. If that doesn't help, please download and run the Route 1 Pro Diagnostic Utility, and follow the instructions on-screen.

Note that we can not provide support for Microsoft products or any products other than our own. If another application on your system stops working, it may not have anything to do with Route 1 Pro. As with any application, reinstalling the application will fix most problems.


How do I migrate my Route 1 Pro settings?

Use the following procedure to transfer all your Route 1 Pro settings from one computer to another, or from one user account to another:

  1. Go to Start -> Run, type regedit and click OK.
  2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Creative Element\Route 1 Pro (double-click HKEY_CURRENT_USER, then double-click Software, and so-on).
  3. Highlight the Route 1 Pro folder icon in the left pane.
  4. Select Export from the File menu, choose a folder, and save as Route1.reg.
  5. Close the Registry Editor.
  6. If transferring to another computer, copy the Route1.reg file to the other computer's hard disk. If transferring to another user account, log out, and log back into the other account.
  7. Double-click the Route1.reg file, and answer Yes when prompted.
  8. Start Route 1 Pro.
That's it!


I just registered - where is my registration file?

When you register, you will receive a confirmation email immediately (provided that your email address is correct). This email, however, will not contain your registration file.

Your registration file will arrive in a subsequent email when your order is processed. This usually happens within a few hours of placing your order, but depending on how backed up we are, it may take up to a day or two.

If you haven't received your registration file, and a few days have passed since you registered, please see this explanation.


I registered some time ago, but never got my registration file!

There are three reasons why this may happen:

  • You specified an incorrect email address when you first registered. If you believe this is the case, please contact us and send us your correct information.

  • You (or your Internet Service Provider) has overly aggresive spam filters. It's never a good idea to block email from unknown addresses, as you're likely to lose quite a few valid messages (like those containing registration codes you paid for). Try reconfiguring your spam filter, or, at the very least, disable the filter when you're expecting email from an unknown address.

    Note: we've had lots of this sort of trouble with Microsoft's Hotmail service. If you're a Hotmail user, consider opening a separate account from another, more reliable service.

  • The Route 1 Pro registration is included in a file attachment with the .zip filename extension. If your email program, Internet service provider, or antivirus software blocks file attachments, then you won't receive the Route 1 Pro registration file. Try disabling these features temporarily; keep in mind that our registration files are tested and guaranteed to be virus-free.

Important: we cannot be held responsible for email lost due to customer error. However, once you've fixed whatever problem has been preventing you from receiving our email, feel free to contact us and ask us to re-send your registration file.

Keep in mind that if you just registered, you won't receive your registration file immediately (more information).


I tried installing, and it says the installation is corrupt

A corrupt installation file will certainly prevent the software from installing properly. If you find that the file you've downloaded is corrupt, you'll have to delete it and download again. If it's still corrupt, try the following:

  1. One problem is that most web browsers cache recent downloads, which means they keep copies to make subsequent downloads faster. But, if your download was corrupt, your cached copy will be corrupt as well. This means that you'll have to clear your browser cache before attempting to download again; refer to your browser's documentation for details.

  2. If you're using a firewall (such as Norton Personal Firewall), this can interfere with downloads, especially with Internet Explorer 5.0/6.0. Disable your firewall temporarily and try again.

  3. Another cause of download corruption is improperly-configured antivirus software. Disable your antivirus software temporarily and try again.

  4. This problem can also be caused by an unreliable Internet connection. Remember, the connection between your computer and our server is not simply handled by your DSL, cable, or dial-up service - that's only one link in a very long chain.

  5. If none of the above work, try downloading our software with a different browser. For example, if you're using Internet Explorer, try downloading with Netscape/Mozilla. Of if you're using Netscape or Mozilla, try downloading with Internet Explorer.

The steps above should fix the problem in just about every circumstance. Only after you've tried all of these steps should you contact us with a description of the problem.


I tried registering, but nothing happens when I click the Register link

If you have any ad-blocking software installed, it will interfere with our registration process. You'll need to disable such software temporarily in order to register.






































This document and all components of Route 1 Pro are copyright (c)1991-2004 Creative Elementtm. All rights reserved.