From time to time, customers contact us regarding issues with the content of a Step by Step book or, more commonly, a problem with the book's companion CD. Support for Step by Step books and CDs is provided by Microsoft Press. But to save you some time, here are solutions to problems that have been reported to us.

Alternative method of installing the practice files


Some customers are getting an Internet Explorer scripting error when attempting to install the practice files from the companion CD, or just getting a blank page rather than the installation program.  If you're unable to install the practice files from the companion CD on-screen interface, you can install the content directly from the CD.

Here's how:
1. Insert the companion CD in your CD, DVD, or BD drive. Close or ignore the window that opens automatically.
2. Click the Start button.
3. On the Start menu, click Computer.
4. In the Computer window, right-click the disk drive in which you inserted companion CD, and then click Open or Explore.
    You'll see something like this:
    CD contents in Windows Explorer
5. Double-click the Practice Files folder (indicated in the graphic by the red arrow).
    The only file in the Practice Files folder is named setup.exe. 
6. Double-click the setup.exe file to start the practice file installation program.
    When it starts, you'll see something like this while it gets ready:
    Starting the installation program
7. Wait until you see this screen, then click Next and follow the wizard instructions to install the practice files to their default location.
    Follow the wizard steps to complete the installation