Introduction
This section answers the key questions about the Safety Update Software that RM has made available for some affected computers.

Some of the affected drives can be made safer by slowing them down - this prevents CD ROMs shattering in the drive.  We will be dispatching this software to customers that have affected machines.

The software upgrade works by slowing down the CD ROM drive to operate at a maximum of 32X speed permanently.

The Software can be downloaded from this link

Do I have to run this software?
If you have machines with a 52X drive then Yes. This software is the only way to protect users of these drives from the potential effects of damaged CD media.

Won't my computer be slower?
Hardly, if at all. Only the performance of the CD ROM drive is affected, not the whole computer.  Our tests show that you will only see a performance loss of around 2% even when using the CD ROM drive heavily. As an example, installing Office 2000 on a computer took 4 minutes and 39 seconds on an unmodified computer - once the drive has been slowed down, it took just 6 seconds longer.

How can I tell which computers can be updated?
The software is designed to identify the machines for you, so that you can simply run it on any RM computer that you have.

Why can only some computers CD ROM drives be modified?
Of the computers affected by the issue, we have been able to identify that some of the CD ROM drives have controlling software that can be updated (they use flash memory which allows them to be modified after manufacture). The majority of the CD ROM drives use a different kind of memory, which cannot be updated. That is why we are developing the protective shield to fit into the drive.

Will this change my computer permanently?
Yes. The software will permanently upgrade the firmware controlling the CD ROM drive.  This isn't reversible by users at all, even if the computer operating system is completely reinstalled.

Will this invalidate my warranty?
No, your warranty will still be valid.

Could the software damage anything if I run it on the wrong computer?
No.  The first thing that the software does is to check which kind(s) of CD ROM drives you have in your computer. If it doesn't find a drive it can update, then it will tell you and finish.  You can even run it on computers with no CD ROM drives. You should only run this software on computers manufactured by RM.

Will this software work on computers from other manufacturers?
We recommend that you only run this software on RM computers. We have not tested this on any other computers, and we do not know how it will behave. Modifying other manufacturers equipment may affect the warranty of them. If you have concerns about other computers in your establishment then you should contact your supplier.

My computer reboots continuously during the update Process
This can happen when more than one CD device is installed in the machine. Please follow this link to obtain resolution information.

You have sent me 1 floppy disk . Can I have some more?
The software supplied on the floppy disk can be used on any number of affected machines. However should you require further copies please contact Support Online to inform them of this. They will then co-ordinate getting additional disks delivered to you asap. Alternatively you can download the software from this website.