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Getting Started

Certified New Home Specialist™ version 3.0 & Residential Construction Certified™
Interactive CD-ROM

Click a Link to View a Specific Topic:

1)  Running Your CD-ROM 
2)  CD-ROM Features and Controls
3)  CD-ROM Contents
4)  Your System Configuration
5)  Frequently Asked Questions / Troubleshooting
6)  Technical Support

Click Here to See The Button Functions and Controls for RCC and CNHS Version 3.0.

Getting Started
We are excited to welcome you to the latest incarnation of our popular Certified New Home Specialist™ Training Program and Residential Construction Certified™. After a decade of presenting this course on a live seminar basis we are proud, through the best of today’s technology, to bring you an educational experience that simply cannot be delivered in the classroom. We are confident that the convenience, flexibility and comprehensive volume of information offered here will enhance your knowledge, skills and professionalism. Most important, as a Certified New Home Specialist™ and/or Residential Construction Certified™, we are confident you will enjoy greater success in your career. Good Luck!

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Running Your CD-ROM
To begin, insert your CNHS Disc into the CD-ROM drive. The program should open automatically. If it has not opened after about 20-30 seconds, the auto-run feature on your computer may be disabled. If this is the case, you can do the following to start the program:
1. Insert the disc into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Click Start  and then Run. At the Run Window, type the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive followed by a colon and back slash (i.e. D:\). Then type CNHS_Disc#.exe or RCC_Disc#.exe (where “#” is the disc number you are using).
3. Click OK.

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CD-ROM Features and Controls
Before proceeding, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the various buttons and screens you will be using to navigate through the CD-ROM. You can use the information shown on pages 3 and 4 in this manual or click the button on the Opening Screen to learn about the button functions. You will also find that rolling your mouse over each of the buttons on the left displays its function in a window at the top of the screen.

Once you are ready to begin the training, you will need your Certification Workbook to fill in as you click your way through the lessons.

CD-ROM Contents
Please refer to the Table of Contents in your Certification Workbook for topics.
 

Your System Configuration
The Certified New Home Specialist™ Interactive CD-ROM and Residential Construction Certified™ Interactive CD-ROM has been designed using the latest technology to offer a high-quality multimedia experience. At the same time, we have compressed graphics, video and audio to allow the program to run on as many different systems as possible.

Minimum system requirements are:

Intel Pentium® processor (Pentium II or III is better)
Windows 95/98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0 or later
16 MB RAM (32 MB or more is better)
4X CD-ROM drive (8X or faster is better)
800x600, 16 bit color or better
Windows Media Player (or comparable Video for Windows player)
Sound Blaster compatible sound card

Since many factors influence the performance of a computer, we cannot guarantee this program will run smoothly on all systems that meet these minimum requirements. For the very best performance, we recommend newer systems that have been optimized for multimedia.

For suggestions on improving performance and answers to frequently asked questions, please see pages 5 and 6 in this manual.

Q: How can I adjust my monitor so that the program fits perfectly on my screen?
A: For full screen viewing, adjust your monitor’s resolution to 800x600 pixels. On your Windows 95/98/2000 desktop, click START. Click Settings. Click Control Panel. Double-click the Display icon. Click the Settings Tab. Adjust the Screen Area slider to 800x600 pixels. Click Okay to test the resize. Click Okay again to keep the new settings.

Q: Can I adjust my monitor to a resolution greater than 800x600 pixels?
A: Yes, but keep in mind that the greater the resolution on your monitor, the smaller the program will appear on your screen. 800x600 will fill the screen whereas a resolution of 1024x768 or 1152x864 will have a space around the program window and everything will appear smaller. Some people with larger monitors find the higher resolution settings desirable because it allows for quicker access to desktop icons.
 

Q: How can I adjust my monitor so that the colors appear as they were intended to appear?
A: For optimum viewing, adjust your monitor’s colors to 16-bit color or better. On your Windows 95/98/2000 desktop, click START. Click Settings. Click Control Panel. Double-click the Display icon. Click the Settings Tab. Choose High Color (16 bit) or better from the drop-down Colors box. Click Okay to change the color settings. Choose to restart with the new settings if your computer prompts you with this option.
 

Q: How do I stop the audio while I’m taking the course?
A: To stop the audio at any point in the training, simply click on the Previous Page or Next Page buttons. This will interrupt the audio and move you to the previous or next page respectively.

Q: How to I stop a video clip?
A: To stop a video clip at any point in the training, simply click the PAUSE button. To resume, click PAUSE again. NOTE: Clicking PLAY restarts the video clip from the beginning.

Q: How do I start the training again from where I left off last?
A: This is where the Menu becomes very useful. Just open the Menu screen on the disc you were working on, click on the appropriate workbook page title (the + will change to a -) and then click on the screen you need. You can also use the Find button and search for the page you left off at. If you choose this method, type in only the page number. Do not include the word “Page”. Example: search for “05” rather than “Page 05” or “139” rather than “Page 139”.

Q: Why can’t I hear the audio?
A: Your speakers may not be connected and/or working properly. If they are connected properly, make sure the volume is not turned down or muted.

Q: Is it possible to improve the sound quality?
A: Due to the compression required to fit the materials on the discs, the audio will not sound perfectly clear on some systems. You can attempt to make adjustments through your sound card software to improve the sound.

Q: What do I do if the words are going off the screen or don’t appear to be displaying correctly?
A: The necessary fonts should be copied into your computer’s Fonts directory automatically when you run each disc. If they do not appear correctly, you can Copy the fonts from the Fonts folder on any of the four CNHS discs and then Paste them into the Fonts directory on your computer's hard drive located in the folder – C:\Windows\Fonts.

Q: Do I need additional software for the video clips to load and play?
A: You shouldn’t need to install any additional software to view the video clips on any Windows 95/98/2000/XP system. In the rare case that your system does not support the standard Video for Windows format already, you can download and install the latest version of Windows Media Player at no cost by visiting http://www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer on the world wide web.

Q: What do I do if the program seems to be slowing down or behaving poorly?
A: Due to the graphic-intensive nature of the program, it is important to periodically refresh your computer's memory to allow for optimum functionality. To do this, simply exit all programs and restart your computer. Be sure to note your place in the course so that you can begin from that point after your system reboots. (See above for more information on continuing from where you left off last.)

Q: Are the stories Dennis tells throughout the course really true?
A: As unbelievable as some may sound, all of the stories Dennis tells are real-life experiences and completely true stories. Really ... who could make this crazy stuff up?

Q: What do I do if I have a headache from listening to Dennis talking?
A: Your local pharmacy or grocery store can supply you with a sufficient, over-the-counter headache relief aide. Due to the potential ill effects of listening to Dennis for long time periods, we do not recommend locking yourself in a room while completing this course.

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Technical Support
The performance of your CD-ROM is relative to configuration and components found on your computer system. For any configuration or performance issues, it’s important for you to contact the manufacturer of your system. While we are happy to answer questions relative to the operation of your CD-ROM, Dennis Walsh & Associates, Inc. cannot provide technical support for your computer.

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