In order to run Hearts Deluxe you must have a Macintosh model later than a Mac SE, (i.e. a Classic or anything made after 1992,) and you must be running at least System 7.0.
To test whether your system software is later than 7.0, go to the Apple Menu and select "About This Macintosh..." This menu option will indicate the version number of your system software.
If your computer meets the above requirements, you can play Hearts Deluxe. There are thousands of happy customers running Hearts Deluxe on all kinds of Macintoshes, so it is safe to assume that whatever problem you are having is fixable.
To figure out what is going wrong with your game, you must first make sure that you have only one "clean" copy of Hearts Deluxe running on your computer. You must also check that your computer is not running external programs, (such as an extension or control panel,) that may be interferring with Hearts Deluxe.
To do this, follow these six easy steps:
1) In your System Folder, you will find two Hearts Deluxe preference files. Throw both files away.
2) Make sure that you have only one copy of Hearts Deluxe on your computer and that it is version 4.4 or later. To check your Hearts Deluxe version number, highlight the Hearts Deluxe application and then select "Get Info..." under the File Menu.
3) Make sure that any additional sets of opponents (Plug-in Modules) that you have for Hearts Deluxe are in the same folder as the Hearts Deluxe application and not in seperate folders. For example, the actual file of Dole-Clinton-Perot should be sitting right next to Zak-Rob-Jen in your Hearts Deluxe folder.
4) Empty your trash.
5) Before running Hearts Deluxe, restart your computer while holding down the Shift key. This will temporarily turn off all the extensions and control panels that are added to your computer every time you turn it on. (Note: Your Macintosh's current settings will be unchanged after you perform this temporary trouble-shooting step.)
6) Run Hearts Deluxe!
Hearts Deluxe now should run fine. If it doesn't, re-install a fresh copy of the Hearts Deluxe software and try the above steps again. A fresh copy of Hearts Deluxe can be found on AOL, the Internet, or on the disk we may have sent you.
Finally, if this doesn't work, then please e-mail or write us with the following information:
• Your Macintosh model.
• The system version you are running.
• A specific description of how Hearts Deluxe is not working.
• Any plug-in modules you have.
If it does work, but your trouble returns the next time you restart your computer, then you have a conflict between a control panel or extension and Hearts Deluxe. See below for how to isolate and fix this problem.
We apologize for any trouble Hearts Deluxe is causing. We are proud of Hearts Deluxe and have worked hard to make it a quality program. We'll do our best to fix any problems.
FIXING A CONTROL PANEL OR EXTENSIONS CONFLICT
Control panels and extensions modify the standard way in which your computer works. Sometimes these modifications can cause conflicts with programs.
How to Identify a Conflict:
In your Control Panel Folder there is a control panel called "Extension's Manager." This lets you turn on or off any of the control panels and extensions inside your computer.
You can isolate the conflict by turning off certain control panels and extensions, restarting your computer, and seeing if Hearts Deluxe functions correctly. Once you know which control panel or extension is the problem, you can leave it turned off when you play Hearts Deluxe. If you discover a conflict between Hearts Deluxe and any control panel or extension, please drop us an e-mail so we can attempt to correct the problem in the next version of Hearts Deluxe.