SeaTools Online Diagnostics READ ME FIRST Windows Only - At this time, only the following Microsoft Windows operating systems are supported by SeaTools Online: Windows 98/98SE, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Always Back Up First - Whenever you make a significant change to your system, be absolutely sure to back up your critical files. Whether you are troubleshooting a drive, adding a new disc drive or installing an application, back up your data first. These are the kinds of events that may need a recovery plan. Also, all required system maintenance such as Scandisk, Defrag, and virus scanning should be completed on all existing disc drives before proceeding. Windows Startup or emergency recovery diskettes should be created and on hand in case a recovery requires their use. Windows XP and Millennium users should also consider using the System Restore (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q267951) capability and create a new Restore Point prior to making any significant change to your system. Plug-ins - The SeaTools Online diagnostic engine uses "plug-ins" for your Internet browser. These plug-ins are common to web technology and are relatively small in size. Plug-ins are little applications that use the program controls that are built in to your browser and run on your local system. Like other Windows programs, plug-ins usually provide an option to uninstall through the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs. Privacy - Seagate has absolutely no visibility into your system or its contents from the SeaTools Online diagnostics. The Seagate website is a convenient delivery system only used to download a small browser based application that runs locally on your system. Close Other Programs û Check your task bar and tray and exit all applications except your Internet browser. If you have multiple browsers or browser windows open, close those not connected to SeaTools pages. Be sure to turn off any Instant Message type functions. Shut down as many background processes as you can. Keep other applications turned off and disabled through the entire process, especially Internet or data transfer. The main idea is to ôquiet down" the system. Are Online Diagnostics Right For Me? - Browser based applications, sometimes called ASP applications, are becoming more and more common. They offer the advantages of smaller size (speed) and the latest version availability. For your convenience, Seagate offers up-to-date traditional applications you can download and install. These award winning applications, SeaTools Desktop Edition and Seatools Enterprise Edition, do not use the web and are best-in-class. Slow Modem? The SeaTools Online diagnostic requires downloading about 1 MB to setup the application. Once the applet is installed, it will run locally at the native speed of your system. SeaTools Suite programs, which are not online applications, are available for download. The floppy based SeaTools program is also available in German, Spanish and French and is approximately 2 MB in size. See our SeaTools selection page for more details. (http://seatools.seagate.com) Uninstall - After the installation procedure is complete, the SeaTools Online plug-ins can be removed through the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs. Select Seagate SeaTools and remove.