Document ID:19968715634 Last Modified:09/29/2000

Top Producer stops working after running Norton Utilities programs

Situation:
After running a Norton Utilities or Microsoft program, Top Producer no longer runs. It may display the message "Top Producer is not authorized to run on this system." This can happen after running Scan Disk, Norton Disk Doctor, Defrag, Speed Disk, Norton Web Services, or Disk Editor. Top Producer is a real estate database program.

Solution:
Top Producer uses the directory entry for its authorization file to keep track of certain Top Producer processes. After one of these utilities runs, Top Producer sees this as an invalid entry and no longer works correctly. The authorization file is a hidden Top Producer file in the root directory of the hard drive.

Scan Disk and Norton Disk Doctor
Scan Disk and Norton Disk Doctor will normally display an "invalid file entry" message for this hidden file and allow you to choose whether to fix the file. If you choose to fix the file, Top Producer will see it as an invalid entry and not run. If you choose to not fix the file, Top Producer is not affected, and continues to run correctly.

Defrag and Speed Disk
Unless you have already configured Defrag and Speed Disk to skip the hidden Top Producer file, these utilities will move the file and Top Producer will no longer run correctly.

Configuring Norton Disk Doctor and Speed Disk
To run Norton Disk Doctor and Speed Disk without affecting Top Producer, configure Norton Disk Doctor to skip testing for File Date & Time, and configure Speed Disk to not move the Top Producer files. Please be aware that changing the configuration option in Norton Disk Doctor can result in actual errors going undetected.

To configure Norton Disk Doctor to skip testing for File Date & Time:

1. Start Norton Disk Doctor.
2. Click Options.
3. Select the Advanced tab.
4. Check "Skip File Date & Time Tests."
5. Click OK to save these changes.

1. Start Speed Disk.
2. Click Properties, and then click Options. The Options for Speed Disk dialog box appears.
3. Click Customize. The Customize dialog box appears.
4. Select the Unmovables tab.
5. In the File Specification box, type the following:
   
   TP*.386
   
6. Click Add.
7. Click OK to close the Customize dialog box.
8. Click Save.
   Note: This is very important. If you do not click Save at this point, the present setting will only be in effect until you close Speed Disk.
9. Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

Product(s): Norton Utilities 2000 v4.5 - Win95/98, Norton Utilities 2001 v5.0 - Win9x/Me
Operating System(s): Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me
Date Created: 08/07/1996